An Unexpected Holiday Message

"Twas the night before Christmas

 And all through the house

 Not a creature was stirring

 Not even a mouse."

No mice were stirring, eh? Well, I beg to differ…especially when your holiday tree is affectionately dubbed a holiday buffet.

Here’s the story of how my Christmas tree became the gift that kept on giving to all God’s creatures, big and small, and taught me an unexpected holiday lesson.

Almost 10 years ago, my mom introduced me to the concept of the Christmas kitchen tree. It seemed unusual to put a Christmas tree in the kitchen, but that was Mom and her unique sense of style. And wouldn't you know it: she did it, received many compliments on her creativity and inspired others to replicate it.

What made this tree special were two things: one, it was in the kitchen, and two, the ornaments were food or food-related. She’d hang silverware, wooden spoons and cookie cutters on this tree, nestled among brightly-colored candies.

I decided to take the Christmas kitchen tree to the next level and create even more edible ornaments. It started with old-fashioned peppermints and candy canes, followed by shortbread cookies hung with twine. Tiny take-out boxes, striped in red and white, were stuffed with popcorn and hung on its branches. The finishing touch: yards of homemade popcorn and cranberry garland, thanks to my very generous friends whose fingers ached after hours on the garland assembly line.

My kitchen Christmas tree

The tree was a sight, all bright and cheery, smelling of peppermint, shortbread and fresh popcorn. It was admired by many, and as we stood in the twinkle of its lights, we felt the true spirit of Christmas.

Then the dog found it.

At first, the signs were subtle. I’d find a small piece of twine on the kitchen floor and assume I dropped it while decorating. Then I noticed more twine on the floor, but the pieces were knotted in small loops…just like the loops I had made to hang shortbread cookies on the tree. Around the 3^rd day, an all-out canine assault occurred. Popcorn carryout boxes were tipped, their crumbs strewn on the floor amid more empty twine loops. Among the carnage stood our 50 lb German Shepherd, her head hung in guilt. That day, the tree was slightly modified (read: edible ornament moved to higher boughs).

Then the mice found it.

I woke up one morning, shortly after the dog destruction, headed to the kitchen and found more cookie crumbs and popcorn kernels littering the floor beneath the tree. Immediately I started scolding the dog. At that moment, a small flurry blur darted out of the tree and nearly ran into my foot on its way to the pantry. Eek! Christmas had come early for the rodent population, and they were having a jubilee.

That day, the popcorn and cookies were removed. The peppermint candies had escaped both encounters with the wild kingdom, so I allowed those to stay, and the tree retained some of its festive character. Staring at the pile of edible ornaments on the counter, I picked up a stale cookie, took a bite out of it, tossed it in the trash, and burst out laughing.

The lesson? The best laid plans, my friends, don’t always work. On many occasions I strive for hosting, cooking and decorating perfection, only to end up with a snafu that makes me take myself not-so-seriously. I've laughed for days – weeks, even – at the thought of that dog gingerly removing cookies from the tree, one at a time, as well as the mice adorning its branches like real live, furry ornaments, snacking on popcorn as if at the movies. It will be a story to tell for years to come.

I wish you the perfect holiday…and not one with magazine-spread table arrangements, or photo-shoot-worthy food, or smartly-clad family posed around the tree with homemade eggnog. All of those things are nice (and I’d be lying if I said I didn't enjoy creating them) – but when your family and mine rolls out of bed in their sweats, hair sticking up in six directions, maybe syrup on their chin from a pancake breakfast, the kitchen trashed after that breakfast and wrapping paper soon strewn all over the floor…well, that’s what I’m most thankful for.

Merry Christmas.

That's A Wrap: Holiday Packaging Ideas

I’ll admit that it’s happened to me before: a very merry GIFT BAG Christmas.

When I’m wrapping the gifts in the back of a moving SUV while my husband speeds down the road towards family Christmas, I know I’ve waited a wee bit too long. In those instances, a number of gifts inevitably find their way inside of a lazy man’s wrap job…shoved into a gift bag and buried under a fistful of wrinkled tissue paper.

“Santa’s elves must have run out of wrapping paper this year,” I’d suggest offhandedly to my nephews. In reality, the damn elves had nothing to do with it. Desperate times call for desperate measures. It was this gift bag, or simply handing out the naked gift, which feels like it fell off the back of a truck.

I guess it could always be worse.
Photo courtesy of www.eryen.com 

In anticipation for another season of wrapping, I finally got myself together - and with a few supplies and an easy-to-follow theme, I came up with 2 wrapping styles anyone can follow or make their own.

Rustic

The more neutral the color palette, the better. Keep it simple with shades of earthy tones – tans, browns, greens. To achieve a rustic look, it’s more about texture than color. Burlap is back, and it’s easy to find burlap ribbons and other natural fibers at your local craft store.

This box is finished with a chalkboard gift tag I found at a big box
discount home store.

Woodsy

Channel flannel here. Use a neutral base –brown parcel wrapping works really well – and wrap with textiles from your closet or the local thrift shop. Snip and tear scarves, pants, ties and other interesting fabrics into ribbons and wrapping bands for your boxes.

I'm gonna pop some tags...and got a pile of scarves for $5 at the thrift shop.

Overlap small pieces and tie up with a neutral ribbon for
an interesting & easy bow.

If you really want to capture the great outdoors – like, say, “Eddie-Bauer-photo-shoot-on-a-mountain” woodsy – stick fresh or fake greenery, pinecones, feathers, twigs and other outdoor accoutrements in the homemade ribbons.

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 However beastly or beautifully it’s wrapped, I hope you get everything you want this holiday season.

Pow! A Christmas Punch, Right in the Kisser

Nothing makes me fa-la-la-la-la quite like a nice holiday cocktail. And the only thing better than a cocktail is an entire bowl or pitcher full of buzzy cheer.

No doubt you’ll have your share of holiday gatherings over the next few weeks, as many holidays across many traditions are celebrated, whether Christmas or others. Regardless of what you’re celebrating, one constant remains: booze brings out the best* in us!

*Author’s note: In this context, “best” may also be defined as or substituted with personas such as weepy child, jealous lover, awkward creeper and/or resident jackass.

Here’s a few seasonal sippers to serve a cheery crowd. These are some of my favorites because they're simple, tasty and look great in your punch bowl or in a pitcher.

Sparkling Cranberry Punch
For the kiddies and kids at heart. Stay sparkly and sober with this one! But, if you want to make this alcoholic, sub in a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine for the sparkling water.

• 2 quarts cranberry cocktail juice, chilled
• 1 6-oz can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 quart sparkling water, chilled

Garnish with frozen raspberries and fresh rosemary. Makes 15 - 20 servings. 

Lemon Drop Champagne Punch
Adapted from Martha Stewart
This is great for any jolly crowd of friends and family wanting to feel a little holiday warmth (read: buzz). 

• 8 lemons
• 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water
• 2 bottles champagne, chilled
• 1.5 cups high-quality vodka, chilled

Using a paring knife or peeler, remove the zest from 6 lemons and set aside. Juice the 6 lemons, straining pulp if desired. Mix sugar with water and heat over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add lemon zests to the sugar water and set aside to cool. Combine lemon juice, champagne, vodka and sugar water (leave in zest). Cut remaining 2 lemons into thin slices and add to punch as garnish. Makes 16 servings.

"Drunk Uncle" Punch
Yep, I created this recipe and named it. Not because I have a drunk uncle, but because I pictured someone's uncle stumbling around the family Christmas gathering, swigging this punch and telling dirty jokes. It made me giggle, and you'll be giggling after a few cups of this punch, too.

• 2 -3 cups high-quality bourbon (depending on how drunk you want your uncle) 
• 4 cups ginger ale
• 2 cups apple juice

Garnish with apple slices and frozen or fresh, pitted cherries. Makes 16 servings. 

"You can't even say 'Merry Christmas' anymore. You gotta say, 'Hey, Baby Jesus, you wanna do pilates?'"

Slide over, Santa - I'm ready to drive the sleigh! But only if I sip these in moderation.

Merry Everything, everyone!

Shed Some Thanksgiving Guilt

I just threw away four donuts. FOUR. Without even taking a bite out of any of them. That's how full I'm feeling right now.

If you're feeling the after-effects of a food-induced Thanksgiving coma, you're like me, and the temptation was just too much to take.

It's goodbye for now...but not forever.

Here's a small smattering of what I sampled the past 4 days:

• Mashed potatoes, made by my husband using our favorite Martha Stewart recipe
• My homemade oyster dressing, a family tradition
• My aunt's chocolate cake
• A Mexican feast complete with chicken & shrimp tacos, authentic rice and more - another family tradition every Friday after Thanksgiving
• German chocolate cake, a birthday cake courtesy of my sweet mother-in-law
• Delicious, perfectly-cooked pork tenderloin at Friendsgiving
• ...all washed down with about a case of wine & champagne.

Now, I'm sure some of you filled up on the veggie tray, had reasonable portions in moderation and kept drinking water. If so...well, screw you. I ate too much and feel disgusting.

Fresh day, new week, so let's jump start our health again!

Here's the disclaimer: I am not, nor do I claim to be, a medical professional of any kind. Before attempting any change in your diet or exercise, consult your doctor.

How do I know I'm NOT a doctor? Because I once did that crazy cleanse that claims Beyoncé did it. Yep, I drank lemon juice & cayenne pepper mixed with syrup. The problem was I used pancake syrup that was butter flavored. If you think syrup + lemon juice + pepper sounds bad...try adding butter. Gag.

No more of that. Instead, I'm taking what I call a "healthful" approach to the post-holiday health hangover.

GUIDING MANTRA: CONSUME LESS
Duh.
If you've done a disproportionate share of feasting, consume less the few days after. Whenever your stomach feels half full, stop eating or drinking and rest your system. That means eating smaller meals and more snacks, which anyone will tell you is the key to a healthy metabolism year-round.

BREAKFAST
Do fruit. This morning I had fruit salad with grapes, clementine oranges, star fruit and kiwi. Suitable substitutes could be any mixture of fruit you desire. For the beverage, black coffee (this is important - NO sugar or dairy of any kind) or water, as much as you can drink. Others sing the praises of pomegranate juice. It's one of the strongest antioxidant foods known and will start detoxifying your system.


Da-da-DA! Super juice!

SNACK #1
Be sure to keep drinking water throughout the day. Even with that, chances are a fruit-only breakfast will have your stomach grumbling before lunch. Grab a handful of raw almonds, steering clear of those that may be salted or - ahem - coated in chocolate (I know some of you were trying to sneak your way around that). Almonds provide energy from "good" fats & oils. If almonds don't do it for you, have a small bowl of brown rice. Add any dry spices you like - black pepper, curry, ginger or others are acceptable. A dash of soy sauce might help you get through it, too. I'll eat half a package of the shelf-stable stuff from Uncle Ben's.

LUNCH
You saw this one coming...salad. Mixed greens with the addition of any combination of tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, bell peppers or other fresh vegetables. The greens pack lots of vitamins and minerals plus roughage to clean out your system. For dressing, go light with olive oil and/or lemon juice. If you need something sweet, do another glass of pomegranate juice with your glass of water.

SNACK #2
Are you still drinking water? Alternate this late-day snack with more almonds or brown rice, as listed in snack #1.

DINNER
Have a full bowl of brown rice and one more glass of pomegranate juice. Try roasting squash, onions and peppers to toss into your rice. If you can't handle more brown rice, mix it up with another salad. Roast beets or butternut squash for more sophisticated salad toppers. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

MORE DISCLAIMERS
This diet is not meant to be sustained more than one or two days at a time or ever-so-often to cleanse your system. To intensify the effects of this temporary diet, accompany it with walking, jogging or whatever level of exercise you're comfortable with for at least 45 minutes.

Or, better yet, just don't eat like a fool and you won't have to do any of this.

Give it a day or two. You'll be in ready for round 2 in no time.

Let's Do This: The T-Day Spread

Countdown. Days, hours and minutes are fleeting. T-minus 2 days to Thanksgiving...so, what's going to be on your table?

Your friends and family may already have time-honored food traditions that show up every year. Like the magical green bean casserole.

Ah, yes - green bean casserole.
...
Really? Dumping congealed soup on mushy beans?
Stop it. Stop it right now.

Image courtesy of girltomom.com

If you want to brighten up your Thanksgiving spread without buying a potato ricer, a gravy separator or other crazy kitchen gadgets, try these 3 new dishes I'm adding to my Thanksgiving menu this year. No fuss and super tasty, these will shake up your sides without taking your guests into unexplored, unknown territory because, face it - we're not all Pilgrims.

Sausage-Stuffed Zucchini
This is an easy-to-make yet impressive flavor combination of veggies + protein. Always gets rave reviews at my table. And, you can make these a day ahead and pop in the oven.

Recipe and photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
If you can't pass on making the mashed potatoes, serve these along side as a unique option - and, they're very kid friendly. Toss in some chopped fresh thyme or rosemary before roasting, if desired.

Recipe and photo courtesy of gimmesomeoven.com

Autumn Farmers' Market Salad
Save yourself some work and assemble a gorgeous bowl of fresh greens with seasonal splashes of color. Save even more time and sub in a store-bought vinaigrette. 

Recipe and photo courtesy of bonappetit.com


Here's hoping your Thanksgiving table shines...and if it doesn't, well, just have more wine. You'll start seeing stars soon enough.

Cheers and blessings to you and yours this holiday!

Tunes for Turkey Day

The table's set, the turkey's roasting and wine is at hand to help you get through this Thanksgiving...but what about setting the mood?  

House rules vary when it comes to television on Turkey Day. For some, it's banned with the intent for forced family fun, while for others, Thanksgiving TV is a tradition that's shared to keep the masses occupied after a stuffing-induced coma. And, as the children in the family grow older, technology tends to find its way to the table via the "i's" - as in iPhones, iPads and iPods.

"I just had to call and tell you how terrible my mom's turkey is.
Yep...uh-huh. It's THAT bad."

Regardless of your views on inviting electronics to have a seat at the table on Thanksgiving, I find a little music lifts the mood, covers lulls in conversation and helps any good host achieve the right ambiance!

There are plenty of free apps out there for music, but my favorite by far is Songza. Dubbed a music concierge, Songza not only lets you search for songs and artists but also allows you to select pre-determined playlists based on your mood or activity...for example, "Housework" or "Vintage Cocktail Party" (one of my faves) or even "Hosting a Sexy Pool Party" (the title alone makes me think I should do this more often).

Get over to Songza, sign up and pick your playlist, whether it's Thanksgiving Dinner Jazz, Good Ol' Time Eatin' or many more. And, here are a few of my suggested playlists to complete your Turkey Day. 

Cheers to your ears!

Songza Playlist: Farm to Table
Picture guitar, woodland beats and Indie influence taking the beats to the table for a funky feast.
Sample Tracks
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Midlake - Young Bride
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - Bird Balloons

Songza Playlist: Home Is Where The Hearth Is
Warm and soothing, this playlist keeps the background moving softly with various artists. A solid option for multiple generations, from grandma to grandson.
Sample Tracks
Big Star - Thank You Friends
Kirsty MacColl - Days
Bill Withers - Lean On Me

Songza Playlist: Thanksgiving Serenade
This mix of beautiful, somber tunes is best enjoyed with a cozy fire, candlelight and a subdued mood. Great for closing out the evening.
Sample Tracks
Ben Rector - When A Heart Breaks
Mat Kearney - Breathe In Breath Out
Sarah McLachlan - Fallen

Post It for Thanksgiving

I sent one for a birthday party. I've sent many for dinner parties, too. Heck, I even sent one for my surprise wedding to throw off my guests (...and yes, our wedding was sprung on our family & friends - more on that in a separate blog).

What is this I mysterious material sent, you ask? Why, it's Paperless Post, the online e-stationery shop!

There's much debate about the merits of handwritten correspondence versus electronic messages, and there has been for years. Remember the rise of the Evite - those kitschy, all-in-one web pages that boasted an event description, a wall of public RSVPs and random banner ads for Bacardi punch plastered all over your 1-year-old's birthday party invitation? Well, this is not that.

According to this classy Evite, you now have the party virus.
I'm sure this party has lots of Natural Light on hand to treat it.

We've come a long way in our electronic event extensions. Paperless Post adds both sophistication and a touch of realness by animating an envelope that first, features your name on the front; next, turns in time to show the flap opening; and, for the grand finale flourish, the invitation rises from the envelope as if you pulled it out yourself, all without a single paper cut. Genius!

While some purists protest the long-hand letter over the online invite, I say there's a time and place for everything. Wine & cheese at your home? Paperless Post apropos. Housewarming? Paperless Post appropriate, sure. To that list, I'd add Thanksgiving.

"Just to add insult to injury, I'm going to ride you before I roast you."
(Pilgrims were a resilient, rugged people.)
Image: PaperlessPost.com

I find Thanksgiving plans are most often communicated via phone, as it's still the most common communication tool across generations of siblings, parents and grandparents. "Dinner's at 6pm; bring a side dish." But, why not push the virtual envelope here and send a nice, electronic invite? 

This achieves a number of good things:

1. An actual Thanksgiving invitation is rarely expected, so it creates an element of pleasant surprise and gets your guests excited (and hungry).
2. It allows you to outline important details about your Thanksgiving soiree: when to arrive, what to bring and when dinner hits the table.
3. It allows you to demonstrate your own sense of style, as Paperless Post offers over 150 design options.
4. And, it saves you from talking to your half-deaf great aunt over the phone who yells in your ear.

The Mythical Turducken: every vegetarian's nightmare.

Let's give Thanksgiving the press it deserves! Save the trees and Paperless Post away, my friends.

Turkey Day Tables

Time to lay out the bird. 

My favorite part of entertaining is arranging the table. Sometimes it's more formal for a sit-down meal with a full spread; other times, it's a buffet of nibbles for game night; or, maybe it's just for display or decoration - meaning look, but you better not touch. 

A 'hangry' crowd approaches. Get the Thanksgiving table set.
Now.

Whether you're aiming to impress your mother-in-law or need a casual buffet to placate masses of hungry, foraging relatives, these decorating tips will have you (and your table) covered. 

Add heavy weights to the vase (rocks, grains, other) to make it sturdy enough to hold small seasonal gourds or vegetables.
Photo: theglamoroushousewife.com

Pick a color theme - here, it's greens and whites.
Photo: myhouseandhome.squarespace.com

This type of natural decor can lend itself to both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Photo: thebudgetdecorator.com

This table uses minimalism (read: not much stuff) and fresh ingredients (unassuming vegetables) for a high-brow look.
Photo: bonappetit.com

For more Thanksgiving (and other) ideas, check out Fellow Does Fab on Pinterest.

Tune In for Turkey Day TV

If your house is like mine on Thanksgiving Day, there’s one appliance in constant use: the television.

Throughout the day’s events, Thanksgiving TV programming is as much a predictable and time-honored tradition as putting a turkey on the table. It starts in the morning with coffee on the couch and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, then rolls into a light lunch or appetizers during the National Dog Show, then finally draws to a close with dessert and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (with mounds of stuffing and meat somewhere in between).

I’ll admit that for a bit, I felt having the television on seemed to be in direct conflict with the holiday. Family and friends gathering – and in some cases, this being  one of the few times a year this happens – means the house should be filled with chatter and silverware clanging and laughter…not Uncle Ralph screaming at the game. “People - talk to each other! We’re family! How are you? What’s new with work or school or life? Seen any good movies lately?” If conversation lulled, there were a myriad of topics to be thrown out.

"Since we don't have TV, let's just keep eating!" 

What I found, though, is when I took a more active role in preparing the meal, I wasn’t at liberty to lounge on the sofa and direct the dialogue. If you’re hustling supper in the kitchen and you don’t have a gregarious bunch of relatives, you mind find them sitting together in silence. That’s when I decided to make the television work for me. If you can’t be in the room to carry the conversation, let the boob tube do it for you.

This won’t necessarily happen on its own. While some families will take advantage of football games or commercials to introduce convo topics, others may still sit in silence staring at the moving pictures. *insert glazed over, blank expression*

By no means am I suggesting your family spends the entire day in front of the television. But, if TV viewing is on the agenda, give them a few incentives to make the most of their time together.

TV Trivia

Create quizzes for folks to fill out while watching those tried-and-true Thanksgiving shows.

• How many balloons will be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
• Who’s hosting the parade this year?
• What did Charlie Brown serve for Thanksgiving dinner?
• etc.

These quizzes can be taken while the live show airs or after. Have small prizes on hand for winners. Or, maybe losers do the dishes, eh?

According to Channel Guide Magazine’s blog, there are 2 Thanksgiving marathons you can also tune into on November 28th…

Friends – Our favorite folks from NYC will be airing from 10am – 5pm on TBS. (It would be worth watching just to catch the Thanksgiving episode where Joey wears Phoebe’s maternity pants, claiming they are his “Thanksgiving pants.”)

Harry Potter – ABC Family will air a three-day marathon of all Harry Potter movies, concluding with the network TV premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Accio remote!

Raise the interactive factor here and have the official trivia games on hand for folks to play during the shows. Go to Amazon.com this week, and for $20 - $40, you can have Friends and Harry Potter trivia games shipped right to your door in plenty of time for Turkey Day.

The moral of this story: go with the flow. If the fam wants to turn on the TV on Turkey Day, don't stop them. Make it a part of the tradition.

150 Years of Fine Feasting: Fellow's 12 Days of T'giving

WARNING: While you may expect fantastic Thanksgiving tips here - forthcoming very shortly - you're learning something historical first!

That first Thanksgiving we base our traditions on today happened in 1621, a autumn harvest meal shared between Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians. So, while the customs of Thanksgiving have been around for hundreds of years, it wasn't official until 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the national holiday would be celebrated each November.

Ready to 'show your know' and share this tidbit of wisdom at the office or around the dinner table? Good. You're welcome. Now let's get onto the good stuff.

Thanksgiving is often an afterthought because of the retail rush of Christmas. My dad's seasonal saying comes to mind..."Looks like the stores put up their Christmas decorations. Yep. Must be Halloween." Sadly, this becomes truer every year.

Ho-ho-horrible. But true. Never, ever test an elf.

I come off my Halloween candy hangover just in time to start courting Thanksgiving. I have a true love affair with the season and the sight of family and friends around the table. On Thanksgiving, everyone is family! And, when your family gets on your nerves, the customary two, three or thirteen glasses of wine is totally acceptable. It's a covert lush's dream day.

Because Thanksgiving can get sidetracked, I found it only fair to give it a '12 Days of' celebration like it's Christmas cousin, if only for a year. Today and for the next 11 days, I'll post an idea, tip or trick to make your Thanksgiving a hit. (Partridges in pear trees need not apply.)

An easy, great app idea
When guests arrive for marathon feasting, offer a few bites to warm them up for the main event. I reconstructed this recipe after having it at a tapas restaurant in London. It's quick, easy, and goes great with wine.

ROASTED GRAPE CANAPE

Roasted Grapes:
2 cups red grapes (approx. 1lb)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt & pepper

Remaining ingredients:
Olive oil
1 small baguette
1 small log (4 oz) goat cheese
Honey for drizzling






Slice baguette and brush pieces with olive oil. Toast in a 450 degree oven for 5 - 10 minutes until just browned. While bread bakes, combine ingredients for roasted grapes and spread on a foil-lined baking sheet. Remove bread and roast grapes at the same temp for 20 minutes. Spread a layer of goat cheese on each baguette slice. After grapes cool slightly, spoon on top of baguette. Drizzle each piece with honey & serve.

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It's been 150 years and counting, Thanksgiving...thanks for all of the memories.
Here's to 11 more days of celebrating you!

Beat the Heat: Summer Cocktails

There's just something about summer that makes me thirsty. Maybe it's the sunshine, or the heat, or the outdoor festivals. Mostly, though, it's because I just like to drink.

I'm really into using Mason jars as casual glassware: teas, lemonades and any other summer-infused concoction just tastes better from them. If you can, procure them from your mother, your grandmother or the flea market. If not, head to your local grocery store, and you'll find them right on the shelf. Older ones have more character but may be more fragile, while newer ones can be thrown right in the dishwasher.

Here are 2 cool cocktails you can make by the pitcher - perfect to quench adult thirsts.

SWEET TEA MINT JULEPS
Courtesy of Cooking Light magazine

I doubled this recipe, so my modified one below makes 1 full pitcher. If you find the finished product too strong for your taste, make and add more iced tea to temper it.

1 cup sugar
1 cup water 
8 Earl Grey tea bags
2 oz of fresh mint (approximately 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups of bourbon
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 1/2 cups chilled sparkling wine


1. Combine the sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for a total of 3 - 4 minutes, stirring after each minute to ensure sugar dissolves.
2. Add tea bags and mint to finished sugar-water mixture - which becomes simple syrup as it cools - and let them steep. After 20 - 30 minutes, remove the tea bags and mint and discard.
3. Pour the bourbon and lime juice into a pitcher. Add the cooled syrup. At this point, the pitcher can be stored in the fridge for a few hours (or days, as if you could wait).
4. Immediately before serving, add the sparkling wine. Serve in Mason jars garnished with more lime and mint, if desired.

FUZZY'S FIZZY PUNCH
This is named after our friend, Beth (a.k.a. Fuzzy), who brought us this favorite. Many a story between friends has been shared...and subsequently forgotten...after pitchers of this.

1/2 bottle of Moscato (sweet, sparkling wine)
1 - 12 oz can of frozen lemonade concentrate
3 cans of regular or diet lemon-lime soda  (approximately 1/2 liter)
1 pint of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup of fresh mint


1. Combine the Moscato and frozen lemonade concentrate in a pitcher.
2. If you're using a liter of soda, keep the lemonade concentrate can and add 3 "can-fulls" of lemon-lime soda to the pitcher. Otherwise, just add the 3 cans to the pitcher.
3. Add the raspberries and mint to the pitcher and slightly muddle. Serve immediately over ice.

*Optional: add 1 - 2 cups of champagne to make this best drink even best-er.

After happy hour, clean your Mason jars for a myriad of users. My Facebook followers suggested some great ways to use these.

Photo courtesy of The Design Grove

 

• Vases
• Luminaries (add a votive)
• Colorful candy display
• Layered desserts and fruit & yogurt parfaits
• Organizing office supplies
• Food gifts (layer dry ingredients for cookies & include a recipe tag)

I'd love to hear more of your ideas of how to use these functional yet charming jars. Meanwhile, all of this writing has worked up a sweat, so I'm going to pour another glass of Fuzzy's Fizzy Punch.

Hosting with the Most-ing

Over the years, I've taken a more avant-garde-use-it-or-lost-it approach to hosting. Why can't you use the "good" plates or China for carry out? What special occasion are you really saving that great bottle of wine for?

There's something gratifying about allowing expected social etiquette to lapse. When you set out the nice plates and pop the best bottle in the house on, say, a random Wednesday night, your guests will feel like a million bucks. And if your ultimate hosting goal isn't to make your guests feel welcome...well, you're hosting for the wrong reasons.

Now, I'm not saying you have to break the bank by showering guests with opulent stuff. Nope. Instead, I'm suggesting you use what you have to make them feel really, really special.

Here are a few simple, quick tips to surprise your guests in ways that are certain to make them feel like the guests of honor.

Place Cards
Make place cards for the table, even for just 1 or 2 guests. It's not about coordinating seating; it's about having your guests see their own name and feel special. Write or print out their name, then affix the paper to a piece of fresh fruit or an interesting twig, flower or greenery from outside.

PHOTO: Martha Stewart

Fruit Floater 
Drop a raspberry or blackberry in the bottom of empty champagne or wine glasses. This adds a pop of color, and when filled, the fruit garnish floats.

Wine Splits
If you plan to serve wine, buy "splits" (mini bottles) and place one at each table setting for the first cocktail. You can also attach a name tag to each bottle and use it as a place card as suggested above!

PHOTO & IDEA: The Peak of Tres Chic

Eye-Catching Veggies
This is a super simple one I've seen on a number of Pinterest boards. Veggies are elevated when served in unique vessels, like these martini glasses, vases and tumblers.

CREDIT: Cocoa and Fig

Dishing Dessert
Present each guest with an individual dessert. People love having "their own" of whatever treat you're serving. Serve store-bought cupcakes on saucers with fresh fruit garnish or chocolates. If you're making dessert, divide batter or filling between ramekins and bake or chill as directed. 


Whatever the day, whatever the occasion, you can make it a special one with these special tricks.

Cheers!

Brunching, Cinco de Mayo Style

I love Mexican food. And by "love," I mean I could maybe-kinda-sorta eat it every day. Obviously the culture brings much richer heritage than food, but I was once a fat kid, and I'll always be a fat kid - meaning, everything is about food.

In the past, I've shared some South-of-the-Border-themed ideas with you. Who could forget White Trash Sangria, or perhaps my Pineapple Salsa? Well, if you look at the calendar, Cinco de Mayo is upon us...ole!

Here's a picture from San Antonio's Fiesta, an
annual spring festival that lasts for 10 days.
I saw it first hand...and those Texans know how to FIESTA.

Because the holiday is on a Sunday this year, that got me thinking a fiesta-inspired brunch would be the way to go. When you're gathering the gang for a boozy Mexican breakfast, here are a few inspirations.

BLOODY MARY SALSA    Inspiration courtesy of Food Network Magazine
A Bloody Mary is required for Sunday brunch - so why not take it in another direction? Mix 1 pound of chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of diced celery (leaves included), 1 chopped & seeded jalapeno, 2 tablespoons of horseradish, 3 chopped scallions, the juice of 1 lime, 1 ounce of vodka (take a swig from the bottle for good measure) and a dash of hot sauce plus a dash of Worcestershire sauce, if desired.

Serve with scrambled eggs, fried eggs and flour tortillas or with tortilla chips. 

BEERITAS
My friend Sherry calls these Killer Bee-ritas because WHEW - they've got a sting that will sneak up on you! Go gentle on these tasty little sippers. 

Pour 1 - 12 oz can of frozen limeade concentrate into a pitcher and keep the can. Next, fill the empty can with tequila and dump into the pitcher. Add 2 Corona Lights and then between one-half and one full can of 7Up or Sprite (depending how sweet you want the cocktail to be). Toss in some fresh lime juice or lime slices, if desired. Then, hide your car keys.

After a few beeritas, you're bound
to have a religious experience.

AMBIANCE
It doesn't take much to bring about fiesta flair. Start with a bowl of oranges and limes. Finish off the table with those religious icon candles found in the Hispanic section of nearly every grocery market in the United States. Candles covered in saints? Your Cinco de Mayo Sunday will surely be blessed.

Viva! Cinco de Mayo, amigos!