I just read an interesting item on–of all things–tuxedos.

This week in 1886, it seems, the tuxedo was invented by tobacco tycoon Pierre Lorillard. He created the garment “as a rebellion against the ultra-formal coat with tails popular in Europe.  He designed the tuxedo coat for less formal social affairs, patterned after the jacket worn by fox hunters.

“[T]he design soon caught on and has remained popular through the decades.  Renting tuxedos — mostly for weddings and proms — is a $1 billion a year business in the U.S.”

This “who would have guessed?” item is courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, which collects tidbits of entertaining information for its “Profile America” series. (Go to the Census Bureau’s Website and look for “Multimedia Gallery” by the “Newsroom” button)

Now, moving ahead 125 years, if someone you know is in the market to rent or buy a tuxedo, be sure to read our helpful articles on trends in men’s formal wear, and more specifically, selecting a flattering tuxedo.

Chocolate Parisian Tuxedo image courtesy of Sarasota Tuxedo.

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Off-site birthday parties make choosing birthday party foods easier. But ordering the following food for kids’ birthday parties does no one a favor.

As the authors of  the brand new Eat this, not that! New! Updated 2012 edition (Rodale; paperback; $19.99) point out, “Many of the foods on this list are too caloric for even an adult, let alone a child.”

Topping the 2012 list of the worst restaurant foods for kids is “The Cheesecake Factory’s “Kids Pasta with Alfredo Sauce,” which contains a whopping 1,810 calories and 89 grams of saturated fat–the calorie equivalent of nearly 40 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.”

Here’s the entire “worst” list–foods you certainly don’t want to have kids order at your son or daughter’s birthday party.

Top 10 Worst Kids’ Foods:

1. The Cheesecake Factory Kids Pasta with Alfredo Sauce (1,810 calories)

2. On the Border Kid’s Cheese Quesadilla with Mexican Rice (1,220 calories)

3. Outback Steakhouse Joey Spotted Dog Sundae (1,216 calories)

4. California Pizza Kitchen Kids Curly Mac n’ Cheese with Edamame (1,088 calories)

5. Friendly’s Dippin’ Chicken Salad (950 calories)

6. McDonald’s Mighty Kids Meal with Double Cheeseburger, Fries (small), and 1% Chocolate Milk Jug (840 calories)

7. The Cheesecake Factory Kids Southern Fried Chicken Sliders (820 calories)

8. The Cheesecake Factory Kids Grilled Cheese Sandwich (810 calories)

9. KFC Kids Meal with Popcorn Chicken, Potato Wedges, and Pepsi (800 calories)

10. Applebee’s Kids Oreo Cookie Shake (780 calories)

Here are some make-ahead foods that kids and teens will love: They’re easy on Mom, and a lot less fat-filled than the party “don’ts” listed above. And here’s another birthday food treat that kids of all ages will love: thick, luscious (and healthy!) smoothies.

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Here’s a fun celebration I just read about in a brief note from the Census Bureau.

Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman in 1774, is being honored this weekend at a festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  “Some 300,000 people are expected to enjoy crafts, colonial era food, dancing, and music.

“For almost 50 years of his life, Johnny Appleseed roamed the wilderness barefoot and without weapons, devotedly planting apple trees and even entire orchards in a five-state area from Pennsylvania to Indiana.  Some of his trees are still bearing fruit after 200 years.  And Americans do like apples.  We each eat just over 16 pounds every year, generating more than $2 billion in income for the farmers who grow them.”

If you feel like whipping up a delicious apple dessert to honor Johnny Appleseed–or just to treat family and friends–check out our fabulous apple desserts.

And for a quick guide to the best apples for eating fresh, baking, making applesauce, or any recipe that calls for apples, see our easy “Apple know-how” feature.

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If you’re struggling with the task of writing thank you notes after a special occasion, use this simple “cheat sheet” to make the job easy:

1.  Don’t put off sending thank you notes. New mothers get some leeway, for obvious reasons. The rest of us should acknowledge gifts within a week or two.

2. Thank the recipient for:

• Being with you to celebrate the special occasion.
• Anything special they did, such as helping to plan and prepare for it, or traveling a far distance to be there
• And also, of course, thank them for their gift (be sure to name it)

3. Tell them why the gift is special to you. For example:

• You’ve needed/wanted one
• It goes perfectly with something else you use and love
• (If it’s money or a gift card:) It will help you buy something you’ve wanted or already are saving for.

4. Close with a warm and heartfelt acknowledgment of the person’s importance to you. Tell each individual how grateful you are to have such a caring and generous (sister/mother-in-law/friend/etc.) in your life.

5. Enjoy having taken this opportunity to express your love and gratitude to the people closest to you.  Unfortunately, many of us don’t do that as often as we should.

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Here’s a great pasta recipe to serve at any dinner party–and especially if you’re entertaining friends who are vegetarians. This colorful and fragrant dish combines fettuccini with two types of beans, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

Share your own recipe!  Do you have a wonderful vegetarian recipe that you serve when you’re entertaining—and that everyone loves, whether or not they’re vegetarians?  We’d love to include it in a feature on delicious, healthy entertaining.

 

Herbed Fettuccini with Beans

2 Tbs. extra olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup white wine
2 tsp. (or 1 cube) dried chicken bouillon
1 tsp. sugar
1 can (15.5 oz.) cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15.5 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz. spinach fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, oregano and thyme. Cook for 1 minute until garlic is light golden brown.

3. Using a whisk, mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, wine, chicken bouillon and sugar to skillet.

4. Bring wine mixture to a boil and cook for 2 - 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by half. Stir beans into sauce and cook for about 2 minutes until heated through.  

5. Add cooked, hot pasta to skillet; stir to coat completely with sauce. Divide pasta evenly among serving bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Recipe adapted from, and image source: Goya

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Feeling the economic pinch, the Tooth Fairy is not leaving as much for missing teeth as she once did.

A new study sponsored by Visa found that the Tooth Fairy is leaving an average of $2.60 per tooth, 40% less than last year’s $3 per tooth.

Most kids, however, still get payouts for the teeth they lose. Some 90% of American children under the age of 12 leave teeth on or under pillows, and wake up the next morning finding that those teeth have been replaced by money. Here’s how much they get, according to the survey:

• 29% of children receive exactly $1. Last year’s survey showed that 37% of children received exactly $1.
• 18% of children get $2 to $4.
• 18% of children receive $5 as compared to 22% last year.
• 7% of children receive less than a dollar.
• 10% of children receive no money from the Tooth Fairy at all. According to last year’s survey, only 6% of children did not receive money from the Tooth Fairy.

Here are some yummy and healthy smoothies to celebrate your child’s beautiful smile! They’re perfect for a child to sip through a straw–right through the hole where the tooth is missing. They’re also great for nutritious snacks to serve at any kid’s birthday party.

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A clever “funny wedding gowns” promotional contest has yielded surprisingly beautiful results. For the past seven years, Cheap Chic Weddings has held a toilet paper wedding dress competition to publicize their website. According to the contest rules, “…entries must be made of toilet paper, glue, tape, and/may be sewn to make their gowns.” 

This year, Susan Brennan, of Orchard Lake, Michigan, took home the top prize of $1,000. Her lovely gown, shown at the left, was made using only four rolls of toilet paper plus flowers and feathers.

It might be fun to “create a beautiful toilet paper gown” on the bride-to-be at a bridal shower.  No contest–just a lot of laughs and great photos.

Image source: cheap-chic-weddings.com

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Combine a fun activity with a delicious and inexpensive dinner that everyone will enjoy.

Here’s an easy party idea: make-your-own-pizzas.

First, decide if you want ready-to-serve crusts or crusts that may need pre-baking. (Individual ready-to-serve pizza crusts are 8” in diameter.)

Next, select the toppings you’ll serve. According to FoodTec Solutions, a restaurant consulting firm in Needham, Massachusetts, the most popular toppings in America today are (in order):

Meats:

• Pepperoni
• Italian sausage
• Ground beef
• Ham
• Bacon
• Chicken

Vegetables and fruit:

• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Green peppers
• Green or black pitted olives
• Pineapple
• Tomatoes

 Easy party preparation

1. Pre-cook meats and sauté or roast vegetables as desired.  Place toppings in serving dishes covered with plastic wrap.
2. Pre-bake pizza crust, if necessary, according to package directions.
3. Set up a buffet table with pizza crusts or dough, as well as bowls of toppings, and a bowl of pizza sauce that’s homemade or from a jar. Similarly, have cheeses such as mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta ready to put on the buffet table. 
4. Pre-heat oven to 425 or 450 degrees F, depending on package directions.
5. Invite guests to create their delicious pizzas.
6. When guests have finished making their pizzas, simply pop them in the oven. Baking time can range from about 10 to 20 minutes.  Pizzas are done when the crusts are golden and the cheese is bubbly.

Simple décor

For an extra festive touch, buy red, white and green paper plates and napkins to celebrate the colors of Italy. Mangia!

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Here’s a clever idea created by our summer intern, Alyssa Bernholc. We think Alyssa is right that a Father’s Day treasure/scavenger would entertain almost any Dad and have younger kids squealing with delight. Even better, with Father’s Day this weekend, you still can plan fun for the family.

Note: See more great ideas for Father’s Day activities,  some of which can still be planned at this late date!

Alyssa’s idea: Hide small “treasures” for Dad in a nearby park or playground, or at home. (Needless to say, select hiding spots where you won’t disturb others, and where the items are unlikely to be seen—
e.g., under a rock near the park entrance, at the base of a particular tree or fence, or taped under a park bench.)

To get started, have the kids help think of 5 small items to hide. Some ideas: a ballpoint pen, a pad of tiny sticky-notes, a small lemon, plastic spoon, large paperclip, or a “coupon” for helping Dad wash the car.

Before Dad’s big day, take the kids to hide the items and write the clues. The last clue should lead Dad home to find his Father’s Day gift.

If you have the hunt at home, you can hide small, wrapped gifts, such as a coffee mug, crafts made by the kids, golf balls, or a time-honored Father’s Day tie.

Wherever you have the treasure/scavenger hunt, don’t forget your camera. This Father’s Day activity is sure to provide great photos and happy memories for Dad and the entire family.

Don’t forget to check out our other great activities that Dad can enjoy with the kids!

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For many moms, decorating for Easter begins with one kitchen technique: How to hard boil an egg.

Interestingly, while 80% of us think we know how to hard boil an egg, it turns out that many of us (including me!) haven’t been doing it right. Here’s step-by-step advice from the American Egg Board. I can’t wait to try it!

“‘The key is to take the word ‘boiling’ out of your vocabulary,’ says TV chef Jeffrey Saad. ‘You have to let your eggs cook gently, since boiling them will leave a green ring around the yolk and make the whites tough.’”Saad follows three easy steps to guarantee bright yellow yolks and tender whites every time:

1. Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling.
2. Remove from burner. Cover pan. Let eggs stand in hot water about 15 minutes for Large eggs (12 minutes for Medium eggs; 18 for Extra Large).
3. Cool completely under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.”

We’ve got lots of ways to enjoy celebrating Easter. Among them:  Fantastic Easter brunch dishes–all based on eggs, which now contain 14% less cholesterol and 64% more  Vitamin D than previously recorded.

And don’t forget great kid-friendly Easter ideas–focusing on less candy and more fun.

Image courtesy of detroitmommies.com

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