Catching up with Friends

A friend is coming over this afternoon for a good catch-up session and dinner. (I haven't seen her in almost a year!) I'm going to take advantage of her wine expertise -- I'm planning a stroll to our local wine store where she can help me pick out some wine to go with dinner. What goes with pot roast??

Light(er) Desserts

Dessert doesn't have to be calorie-laden to be delicious. Angel food cake is a great platform for a sweet and satisfying dessert that won't pop the button off your jeans. For Valentine's Day dessert this year, I'm topping slices of store-bought angel food cake with dabs of a tiramasu-esque sauce (marscapone, coffee, sugar, foamed milk). It's not lo-cal or anything, but Paula Deen would certainly be disappointed.

Conversation

Whether I'm the hostess or a guest, I try to be a sparkling conversationalist at a party. This will sound uber-dorky, but I often plan ahead, and come to a get-together with several things to talk about. For instance, the octuplets make for great conversation -- it's a current event with lots of angles, and you can steer the discussion toward the funny or the thought-provoking, depending on the crowd.

Wine for Dummies

Don't know anything about wine? Here's a tip -- Buy Australian. All the cachet of imported wine, but the label's in English! Labels on the backs of bottles often describe the flavors inside and tell you what foods pair well with the wine, so don't be shy about turning bottles around to read the winemaker's thoughts.

Size Matters

Once you decide where your party will be held (your living room, back yard, etc.) be honest with yourself about how many people will fit in that space. This may also depend on the kind of party you're throwing. For instance, I once threw a bridal shower with 35 guests in my living/dining room -- the room could have held that many for a stand-up cocktail kind of party, but there simply wasn't enough space for everyone to sit down and watch the bride opening gifts. Lesson learned!

Guest Blogging

I'm the guest blogger today over at The Lipstick Chronicles -- check it out!

Serving Pieces

I find I reach for the same serving pieces again and again. My go-to items tend to be brightly-colored bowls in varying sizes and shapes. I have a big blue square bowl for serving coleslaw and pasta, a yellow diamond-shaped baking dish for casseroles and cobblers, and a set of colored mixing bowls that do double-duty as serving pieces. And I don't think you can ever have enough serving spoons!

Entertaining with Takeout

You don't need to cook from scratch if you're having company for dinner. In fact, ordering food from your favorite takeout joint can free your hands (and your mental energy), allowing you to kick back and enjoy your guests. Admittedly, this can be a pricey entertaining option, so perhaps it is best deployed with smaller get-togethers.

Crock Pot

I love my new crock pot! It's nice and big, so it will be wonderful to feed a crowd. In fact, I attended a book club meeting last night where the hostess had cooked delicious chicken and veggies in a crock pot -- The meat was wonderfully tender.

Cooking with Wine

Hubby and I opened a bottle of wine last evening that, we must admit, we didn't care for. Rather than throwing it away, I'm planning to cook with it tonight! I'll saute chicken breasts, remove them from the pan, then saute onions and garlic in the chicken drippings and pour some wine in at the end to make a sauce.

Sharp Knives

Kitchen knives are actually safer when they're sharp -- a dull knife is more likely to slip while you're trying to use it. So, have your knives professionally sharpened every now and again!

Here we go Steelers, here we go!

I don't usually do a lot of decorating for parties, but for tonight's Superbowl party, I have yellow and black plates, napkins, cups, and tablecloth. My centerpiece is three mylar helium balloons, football-shaped, with my beloved Steelers' logo. Here comes the Six-Pack!