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Quick and Easy Holiday Party Ideas

If you want to host a fabulous party but don’t want an equally fabulous bill at the end of it, try one of the following easy holiday party ideas. You can celebrate the season while still staying on budget. Dessert Party Everyone loves desserts, especially during the holidays, when we all want to indulge a little bit. Desserts can be much cheaper than providing a whole spread, especially if you make them yourself from scratch. To save even more money, ask each guest to bring one dessert. Provide the plates, the forks, the spoons and the coffee. Open House During … Continue reading →

Something Corny and Something Fishy

This recipe is one that is a gluten free adaptation of a recipe given to my mother years ago. It has been a favorite in our family ever since and works equally well hot with vegetables or cold. It is something we often take as a picnic food or to the football. Another advantage is it is inexpensive to make. My son-in-law told me he couldn’t make up his mind whether he’d like Cornies or my quiche for his picnic birthday lunch. I made both. He was doubly happy. Cornies Ingredients 1 and a half pound gluten free sausage mince … Continue reading →

Easy After Christmas Recipes

Christmas is over, but your houseguests haven’t left yet. When leftovers just won’t do, consider feeding the troops these super simple dishes. The recipes are ideal for large groups and hold up well in situations where not everyone can make it to the table at the same time. But, the best part is that you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen making this feast while the rest of the family is gathered around the TV. HEARTY BEEF DIP Ingredients: 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic (crushed and minced) 1 can (4 ounces) … Continue reading →

Quick and Easy Holiday Appetizers

If you are hosting a holiday party there’s no reason to make it harder on yourself by making dozens of elaborate dishes. These quick and easy appetizers are just as mouthwatering as fancier munchies. What’s more, they can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until party time. Happy snacking and happy holidays! ITALIAN CHEESE AND PESTO PARTY TORTE Ingredients: 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 10 slices Provolone cheese 8 ounces pesto 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine Fresh basil leaves, for garnish Directions: Mix cream cheese and garlic; … Continue reading →

Quick and Easy Weeknight Recipes

With Halloween just a few days away you might be looking for dinner recipes that are quick and easy to prepare. If you are like me, then you also want a recipe that contains more nutrients than a bag of Skittles, so your little ghosts and goblins have the energy they need to canvas the neighborhood. Growing up my parents wouldn’t allow us to begin trick-or-treating until we ate a nutritious dinner. Of course, getting squirmy, excited kids to chow down on a plate full of chicken and broccoli was never an easy task. These days parents have a bigger … Continue reading →

Easy Holiday Party Dishes—Baked Beans and Cheesy Wedges

Doesn’t sound too appetizing does it? Hang in there… you might be surprised. The following recipes are ideal for busy cooks who need a dish to pass at a New Year’s get together. The first dish is a hearty version of the classic baked beans. (What’s a holiday gathering without beans, right?) I’m not sure if it’s a Midwestern-thing or if people around the nation have a hankering for beans around the holidays, but whenever there are baked beans on a buffet table at the parties in Wisconsin they disappear fast. This specific baked bean recipe is great for office … Continue reading →

Easy Apple Recipes

Is your home overflowing with apples? Ours is. If you read about our recent adventures at the U-Pick apple orchard you understand why. Fall is prime apple picking season and even if you don’t venture out to a farm and pluck the ripe red fruit yourself, you should seriously consider infusing your diet with the healthy fruit. Not only do apples offer a host of essential vitamins and minerals, studies show eating fresh apples before a meal aids weight loss by filling you up and reducing the absorption of calories and excess cholesterol. With that in mind I’ve compiled a … Continue reading →

After Party Clean Up Tips

Outdoor parties such as Fourth of July celebrations tend to offer fairly easy clean up options. Put the food away, toss all the disposable items in the trash, bag up the trash, and put away extra seating. If you use a disposable tablecloth, you can simply remove the items that need to be kept, and then just roll it up, plates, napkins, and all, and deposit it in the trashcan. This step is certainly easy but there is a little more effort involved in other areas. It is a good idea to clean things up as you go to avoid … Continue reading →

Quick and Easy Party Dishes

My daughter’s playgroup meets this week for our Halloween bash (eight moms and 12 kids under the age of four—so it’s not a huge gathering). Since we are celebrating a holiday we decided to forgo our usual small-snack-only rule, instead each mom is required to bring one main or side dish. Since I am not hosting the party (whew) it means I need to find a versatile dish that will travel well. The following are some of my tried and true party/potluck dishes. I will be making and taking one of them along on Tuesday (I haven’t decided which one … Continue reading →

Homemade Chinese New Year’s Fun

With less than 48 hours until the official debut of the Year of the Dragon, many communities are getting a jump-start this weekend by hosting parades, festivals and firework displays. Chinese New Year is a festive holiday that celebrates family, friends and new beginnings. If you don’t live near a city that is commemorating the event with special activities, then host your own party. Gather the kids, hang up some red streamers and gold balloons, and then get busy in the kitchen whipping up some simple Chinese dishes, including: HOMEMADE FORTUNE COOKIES Ingredients: 1 egg white Dash of vanilla extract … Continue reading →