***this post contains affiliate links Tis the season for holiday entertaining and for us home cooks, that means wonderful aromas being concocted in our kitchens. But don’t be stressed out! In a previous post, 5 Non-Food Thanksgiving Dinner Tips, I mentioned a few things to remember, when hosting a large crowd for a meal. I also created a free strategic dinner party planner, which includes step-by-step, day-by-day how to plan ahead and be prepared for any group dinner event, at your home. However, this post is going to discuss a few items essential to cooking top-quality dishes your guest will love. Follow these tips to relieve yourself of some of…
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Significant Health Benefits In Darker Tomatoes
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NatureSweet. All opinions are 100% mine. Do not be fooled when you see NatureSweet Eclipses tomatoes at your local supermarket. They may have a deeper color than a traditional red or green tomato, but that color packs a rich, bold flavor and is loaded with health benefits. Why I Eat Dark Tomatoes Tomatoes are a key component in a healthy human diet. Tomatoes are a major source of lycopene followed by beta–carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. During the ripening process, tomatoes go through a change in pigmentation. All tomatoes start green, then as lycopene accumulates in the skin surface…
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Cooking For a Group: A Dinner Party Strategy
My hubby and I are getting settled into our dream house and after three months, we decided to host our very first dinner party. He has a rather large family, spread out between several states; therefore, all of us only gather twice or so, each year. Because Christmas is so crazy, this clan celebrates Christmas in January. Strategically Planning the Party In the past, hosting a large party would totally stress me out for weeks! However, for this event, I was gonna make sure things were different. I want to share with you a few things which made my life, so much easier, leading up to AND the day of…
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5 Non-Food Thanksgiving Tips
I am lucky, I have been invited to my dad’s house for Thanksgiving, which means, I do not have to prepare the traditional meal. However, I hosted a huge family Thanksgiving several years ago. There is more to it, than just cooking a turkey and few trimmings.. I wanted to give you my 5 non-food Thanksgiving tips. Use biodegradable plates, utensils and napkins Just because Thanksgiving is a bit more special than a weekly, family Sunday dinner, does not mean you cannot use disposable items. Beyond the convenience of not washing plates and flatware till Christmas, using disposable plates allows for quick clean up, so you, the hostess, can…
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Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
This is a very simple recipe, using pantry staples. I make this for Sunday afternoon’s when we are watching football. We love it with Tostitos. I have made this hot spinach and artichoke dip several times. Last week, it was our lunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I have made this ahead of time and reheated on a grill for a NASCAR TAILGATE party. Both times it was great. PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES MAKES 3 CUPS Make sure to squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach and artichoke hearts. I serve mine with tortilla chips. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350º. Mix all…
