I was just thinking about how much I’m looking forward to going to our friends’ annual Super Bowl party tomorrow, and decided to look up some statistics about what other partygoers will enjoy on what is said to be the biggest day for at-home entertaining, after Thanksgiving.

Anyway, I found a site that had already collected a bunch of Super Bowl facts and decided to share it with you.

So here, adapted from FoodReference.com, is a Super Bowl round-up, including the sources from which they got their fun facts:

• The Super Bowl is the top at-home party event of year, ahead of New Year’s Eve. (source: Hallmark Cards, Inc.)

• There are 7.5 million parties on Super Bowl Sunday, with 43.9 million party-goers. (source: National Retail Association)

• Average number of attendees for a Super Bowl party is 17. (source: Hallmark)

• An estimated 14,500 tons of chips and 4,000 tons of popcorn are eaten on Super Bowl Sunday. (source: multiple)    

• On Super Bowl Sunday, Americans will eat an estimated 80 million pounds of avocados (source: Haas Avocado Board)

• Fans at the game will eat 5,000 pounds of hotdogs. If you laid those hotdogs end-to-end, they would stretch more than 5 miles. (source: Bestlines Sports)

• The most popular choices of takeout/delivery items on Super Bowl Sunday are pizza at 58 %, chicken wings at 50% and subs or sandwiches at 20%. (source: Super Bowl Monday)

• Fans spend more than $50 million on food during the four days of Super Bowl weekend. (source: Bestlines Sports )

• Vendors will serve 1,000 cases of peanuts at the game. Stacked on top of each other  those cases would be much taller than the Empire State Building in New York. (source:  Bestlines Sports)

• Sales of antacid increase 20% the day after Super Bowl. (source: 7-Eleven stores)

Enjoy watching the Super Bowl, tomorrow–or have fun, however you’ll be spending Super Bowl Sunday!

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Please join us in helping to raise awareness of the need to improve women’s heart health,  and about all the ways we can help protect ourselves from the #1 killer of women.

The American Heart Association is once again sponsoring “Go Red for Women,” and as part of this extensive national effort, everyone is invited to participate in “Wear Red Day,” on February 5th.

To learn more about the campaign, and about how you can join in, go to the  Wear Red Day Website. You’ll find a useful Toolkit, and details about events in your area, as well as ways you can stay heart-healthy, and help prevent heart disease in your mother, daughter, aunts, cousins, and friends–and all women.

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By now, all of us know of the unspeakable devastation and suffering caused by the  earthquake that leveled Port au Prince, the capitol of Haiti.

Yesterday, I got an e-mail from my brother-in-law, Bob Alter, chief operating officer of Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery, a furniture delivery company based in Elizabeth, N.J.  Bob said he knew I’d be touched by the story of how the crisis in Haiti had hit home, and how his company had responded to it.

He was right, and I’d like to share what happened:

Yesterday, at 10:57 a.m., Cory’s chief information officer, Marin Dragojevic, sent out an e-mail to the company’s employees and contractors. The e-mail asked them to contribute to the Red Cross “in honor of our fellow employee, Altieri Edmond, whose certain whereabouts are still unknown amongst the rubble of Port au Prince.”

Edmond had gone to Haiti to visit his family and was now among the missing. Within minutes, hundreds of dollars had been donated.

Dragojevic updated employees on the amount of money raised (to be matched by the company), continuing to encourage everyone to “forego that cup of coffee or soda you were going to buy today” and donate. Within a couple of hours, Cory employees had contributed $1,000.

At 4:09 p.m., Dragojevic sent out another e-mail, this time containing the wonderful news that minutes earlier, Altieri Edmond had walked into Cory’s Florida office. He had made his way to the Dominican Republic, and then home. His family in Haiti had miraculously survived, and only one relative had been injured–suffering a broken leg.

Edmond reported, “When the earthquake happened, I was in a car. It began to shake and then started to spin out of control. I was thrown out the side door and rolled out into the street. Some 10 feet away from me, a building crashed to the ground. I was 10 feet from being buried.”

For the generous employees of Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery, yesterday ended on a note of personal relief and continuing commitment. Dragojevic wrote, “I hope that we continue to act, and the best way I how how is to give to a trusted channel for aid that will get there quickly.”

If your business or group has undertaken a similar effort, your company also deserves to be celebrated. If you have yet to contribute–either as part of a business, or as an individual–the need for help remains overwhelming. As Marin Dragojevic urged, “Imagine what we could accomplish if each person gave just $5 to the Red Cross.”

CLICK HERE  for a comprehensive list of recognized organizations that are responding to the crisis in Haiti.

To text a donation:   If you want to dontate $10 to the Red Cross immediately, you can do so by texting the word “Haiti” to the number 90999.

Image source: Cory 1st Choice Home Delivery Web site.

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There’s no greater gift then making special memories with your kids. This Valentine’s Day spend fun, quality time with your kids in the kitchen. Let them help you bake tasty, festive desserts to celebrate the holiday together.

You can easily create a great Valentine’s Day party with festive cups, napkins, plates, and fun activities. Crayola offers free printable Valentine’s Day coloring pages and bingo games. Print them out and give them to the kids for fun while they wait for their delicious desserts to come out of the oven or cool.

Here are some simple, festive dessert recipes the kids are sure to love:

I love you scones

Makes 9 scones

1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup applesauce
2 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. strawberry or raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease cookie sheet.
2. Beat egg slightly in medium bowl. Stir in milk, applesauce, butter and almond extract. Stir in remaining ingredients except preserves and powdered sugar just until moistened.
3. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Pat into heart shapes about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch high, using fingers dusted with flour. Make shallow well in center of each heart, using back of spoon dipped into flour. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the preserves in each well.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Betty Crocker

Cupid’s cups

Makes 8 servings

1 oz. or one square of a bar (Read from pkg. to confirm) semi-sweet chocolate
2 cups boiling water, divided
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) strawberry flavor gelatin
1-1/2 cups cold water, divided
ice cubes
1 cup whipped tTopping; thawed
8 (6-oz.) clear plastic cups
Assorted Valentine sprinkles and candies for decorating

Directions

1. Draw heart design or write Valentine’s Day message in each of 8 (6-oz.) clear plastic cups by piping chocolate onto insides of cups. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
2. Add 1 cup boiling water to 1 pkg. gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water; pour into cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until gelatin is firm.
3. Meanwhile, add remaining boiling water to remaining gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to remaining cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until thickened. Stir in whipped topping; spoon over gelatin layer in cups. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Decorate as desired.

*Expert tip from Kraft Foods on how to melt chocolate: Microwave chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high for 1 min., stirring after 30 sec. (The square will retain its shape.) Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Click here for a video with instructions on how to make these cups.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Kraft Foods.

Strawberry refrigerator cake

Makes 12 to 16 servings

Cake:
1 pkg strawberry cake mix (Duncan Hines or other brand)
2 (10 oz) pkgs sweetened, frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
Topping:
1 (3.4 oz) pkg vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
1 cup milk
2 cups frozen non-dairy whipped topping
fresh strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 13×9-inch pan.
2. For cake, prepare, bake and cool according to package directions.
3. Poke holes 1 inch apart in top of cake using handle from wooden spoon.
4. Puree thawed strawberries with juice in blender. Spoon evenly over top of cake allowing mixture to soak into holes.
5. For topping, prepare pudding mix according to package directions using 1 cup milk. Fold whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spread over cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Duncan Hines.

Marshmallow cherry kisses

Makes 8 servings (2 kisses each)

1 pkg. (8 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
16 maraschino cherries with stems
16 marshmallows

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in small saucepan on low heat, stirring occasionally. Place in small bowl; cool slightly. Meanwhile, drain cherries and thoroughly pat dry.
2. Make indentation in each marshmallow with your finger, then insert 1 of the cherries into the hole, leaving 1/3 of the stem end of the cherry exposed. Using a fork to support the bottom of the marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the chocolate, turning to evenly coat the cherry. Gently shake off excess chocolate.
3. Place on wax paper-covered baking sheet; cover. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes or until set. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Kraft Foods.

Chocolate Heart Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 3 dozen

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) peanut butter cookie mix (Betty Crocker or other)
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs.water
1 egg
2 Tbs. sugar
36 heart-shaped milk chocolate candies

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms.
2. Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately press chocolate candy into top of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes, before storing in tightly covered container.

Expert tip from Betty Crocker: Do-Ahead: Cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking. If it’s too firm, let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Betty Crocker.

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In 2010 you’re sure to see beer of all kinds at events and celebrations. You might even attend a tasting or two because this year beer is one of the hottest trends in party beverages  (click here to see the latest trends in food for parties). Now more than ever, party hosts and guests are appreciating the wide variety of flavors that beer has to offer.

When planning a party menu, hosts and caterers will be more likely to choose beer to compliment appetizers, main courses, and even desserts. According to the Brewers Association desserts work beautifully with beer. Most desserts need a rich, flavorful beer to balance their sweetness. Here are a few pairings, adapted from the Brewers Association, that can help you choose the best desserts and beer for your next celebration:

• Dark chocolate (try bananas dipped in dark chocolate): Dark beers
• Milk chocolate:  Belgian-inspired strong dark ales
• Plain Belgian chocolate: Belgian abbey ale
• Fruity desserts (try fruit dips or fruity puff pastry shells) : Strong pale(Tripel) or a fruit beer
• Caramelly bread pudding or nut tart: Old ales
• Cheesecake, crème brulée or carrot cake (try carrot cupcakes): Double IPAs
• Flour-less chocolate cake or truffles: Inky imperial stouts
• Bananas Foster: Weizen
• Cherry pie: Kriek
• Lemon meringue pie: American wheat ale or weizen
• Chocolate cheesecake: Scotch ale
• Chocolate pudding cake: Sweet stout or barley wine
• Raspberries Crumble: Raspberry wheat beer
• Chocolate pudding or mousse: Oatmeal stout
• Trifle: Strong fruit ale

Photo credit: The Brewers Association

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You don’t need to spend a lot of time or money to serve impressive party appetizers. Here are some elegant, yet simple appetizer recipes for your New Year’s Eve or post-holiday cocktail party.

Choose one or more to serve with your tried and true crowd-pleasers–e.g., pigs in the blanket, baked brie, mini quiches, or bruschetta. And see even more suggestions following these recipes.

Pear and blue cheese appetizers

Serves 15

1 cup crumbled blue cheese
*4 medium ripe pears, cored and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 1/2 Tbs. of Italian vinagrette dressing (add more or use less according to taste)
4 medium heads endive

Directions 

1. Combine cheese, pears and walnuts in medium bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette dressing. Evenly spoon mixture onto endive leaves; add additional dressing, if desired.

*Substitution: Try using goat cheese instead of blue cheese.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Wish-Bone

Holiday cheese truffles

Makes 4 dozen

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
Dash ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 green onions, sliced
1-2/3 cups chopped pecans
Crackers

Directions

1. Beat first 4 ingredients with mixer until blended. Divide in half. Add roasted peppers to half and green onions to other half; mix each until blended.
2. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
3. Shape into 24 (1-inch) balls. Roll in nuts.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with crackers.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Kraft Foods

Prosciutto asparagus spirals

Makes 30

1 pkg. (17.3 oz) puff pastry sheets, thawed
6 Tbs. garlic & herb spreadable cheese, softened
8 slices prosciutto or thinly sliced deli ham
30 medium asparagus spears, trimmed

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese on each pastry sheet.
3. Top each sheet with 4 slices prosciutto.
4. Cut each sheet into 15 strips crosswise, making 30 in all.
5. Tightly wrap 1 pastry strip around each asparagus spear, prosciutto-side in.
6. Place the pastries seam-side down onto 2 baking sheets.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Pepperidge Farm

Stuffed hot peppers

Makes 24

24 banana peppers
4 lbs. mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 cups ricotta cheese
2 Tbs. chopped anchovies
2 cups bread crumbs
Fresh parsley, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut off tops of peppers and remove cores. In bowl, mix all remaining ingredients.
3. Roll cheese mix into log shape and insert into peppers.
4. Place peppers on oiled cookie sheet and  bake until peppers look roasted and cheese is melted.

Recipe adapted from and photo by Sorrento

Here are more delicious party appetizers:

• Make-ahead spinach phyllo roll-ups
• Mini new potato bites
• Sweet-and-sour shrimp puffs
• Scallops wrapped with bacon
• Parmesan stuffed dates
• Cheese truffles
• Five-spice appetizer meatballs
• Mediterranean polenta rounds

Filed under: Entertaining, Festive foods | 1 Comment »

Silver, rhinestones, crystals and other high-shine elements are influencing not only fashion, but also dining and party décor. You can easily adapt this trend to your holiday or New Year’s parties for friends and family. Hang crystals, use silver or clear glass beads, silver candles, and other shiny items. This table, designed by JL Designs, a floral and event styling company, shows these trends beautifully.

Carissa, owner of JL Designs, decorated in a silver and white palette. She used silver faux crocodile vases, crystal balls, rhinestone-studded napkin rings, and jeweled chargers. She strategically placed white mod vessels, artichokes, and platters adorned with cubic zirconia. Carissa found many items at Z Gallerie, an online retailer with a beautiful collection of holiday entertaining products.

Carissa also sells her own designs. Pictured, left, are two examples of her offerings.

Prefer to do it yourself? Buy some velvet, satin, or lace ribbon and borrow items from your jewelry box!

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Event planner Preston Bailey is truly one of the profession’s geniuses. He can transform huge, empty indoor and outdoor spaces into magical settings of light and grandeur. (The fact that many of his clients have six-figure event budgets helps, of course!) Still, his designs are exquisite.

If you want a visual treat, look at the before-and-after images on his Web site. (Tip: When each new image in the slide show appears, wait a few seconds for the pink bar to appear on the image. Then pull the bar to the right to reveal a photo of the empty space before he transformed it.)  Click here to see the slide show.

During Bailey’s busy holiday season, he has offered up a number of DIY projects that can help us transform items in our homes into fabulous party decor. Above are two of our favorites, and two of the easiest.

The beautiful ribbon-wrapped purple ribbon-wrapped vase, above left,  and the vase created from orange silk leaves, on the right, are projects that even craft novices can duplicate easily and inexpensively.

This craft novice plans to try wrapping red satin ribbon around glass vases filled with branches of fresh holiday greenery and bright red berries. If they come out even half as beautiful as those created by Preston Bailey, I’ll be thrilled.

Click here for details about Preston Bailey’s newest book, Preston Bailey Celebrations.

Filed under: Entertaining, Flowers, Holidays, Party decor, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

If you want to donate to a cause that spends money on programs rather than on salaries and fund-raising fees, Toys for Tots is a great place to start.

Toys for Tots puts an amazing 97% of funds directly into providing toys, books and literacy programs for children in need. Among other honors, the organization was awarded Charity Navigator’s highest 4-Star rating.

The Toys for Tots drive is now on!  And happily, the group makes it easy for all of us to bring joy to children who otherwise might not receive any gifts, this holiday season.

To contribute toys, you can bring new, unwrapped gifts to any of the organization’s official drop-off locations (easily searchable by state, city, or county). Additionally, both Toys R Us and Babies R Us are program sponsors, and accept donations at any of their stores.

Want some ideas for toys to donate? Here’s the official list of toys, books, and crafts that are suggested by the organization for kids in various age groups.

To make a cash donation instead, simply click here.

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Holiday dinners are absolutely my favorite meals to prepare during the year. I make roast turkey dinners for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

So now, I’m having a great time stocking up on all of the holiday cooking essentials, from chicken broth to brown sugar.  (See our sensational special section on planning and preparing a fabulous holiday dinner!)

Our son, Jeffrey,  still  insists that the only potatoes to serve during the holidays are canned, cut sweet potatoes packed in syrup, ready to be drained, mixed with crushed pineapple and a bit of orange juice, and topped with marshmallows that turn golden after a few seconds of last-minute broiling. So I’ve already bought the sweet potatoes, pineapple, and marshmallows.  (And I must admit, I’ll enjoy them, too!)

Today, I came across a poll about  the Thanksgiving meal in one of the newsletters that I read regularly. I voted right away, and was eager to see how others voted.

So here, courtesy of the Culinary Institute of America, are the results of the poll. (Just for the record, I voted the same as the majority of respondents did.)

What’s your favorite course of the Thanksgiving meal?

Filed under: Entertaining, Family, Festive foods, Holidays | 1 Comment »