Signature Cocktail:  Keep the planning simple by offering a signature cocktail and the party stress at a minimum by serving a stain free drink.  This year our guests will be delighting in the Silver Screen, bursting with floral and citrus accents, this is the perfect cocktail to celebrate the Oscars.

With spring fever around the corner, what better time to hold your hand and share my cleaning schedule with you in a handy Infographic PDF that you can frame, throw darts at, or copy and paste into your household management book.

Recommended Reading

Home Hangover Cure  |  Housewife Bliss

You Fired the Main, now what?  |  Coryanne on Pinterest

Cleaning Infographic |  Housewife Bliss

Surviving cold and flu season is easier said than done, but with planning, you can keep your family healthy for longer. The Safeway “Be Well. Save Well.” pamphlet has plenty of healthy tips and great savings to keep you and your family healthy this cold and flu season.  Eating nutrient rich foods keep your immune system in top shape and supporting your immune system with healthy habits are the key to surviving the season with your health and sanity intact:

• Eat a colorful diet:  Dark leafy greens, yellow and orange vegetables and red fruits are all essential for a nutrient rich diet.
• Spice up your menu:  Not only are they great for adding flavor to your food when you have a cold, they are said to help with congestion.
• Squeeze out the good:  100% Orange juice is full of important vitamins, minerals and critical antioxidants needed to keep your immune system working at full throttle.
• Go Nuts:  Nuts like almonds, peanuts, walnuts, and pistachios,  plus all variety of seeds are a great source of fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and other cold busting nutrients.
• Supplement:  Taking probiotics and multivitamins are great for boosting your immune system.

The Safeway “Be Well. Save Well.” pamphlet is bursting with coupons and more great advice on tackling the cold and flu season, including a fabulous recipe for Spiced Orange Green Tea using 100% Florida Orange Juice.  As the weather is heating up here, I will be taking my daily does of 100% Florida Orange Juice in a smoothie and popsicle form, and sharing my recipes next week.

Top 10 pantry items needed for a ‘patient’ survival kit:

1. Chicken Stock (your grandmother was right, it does work);
2. Frozen dinners (the homemade kind darlings);
3. Jello Packets;
4. Cleaning Gloves;
5. Clorox Wipes & Disinfectant Spray;
6. Washable sponges and cleaning cloths (boil wash everything);
7. Tissues galore;
8. Organic Teas;
9. Saltine Crackers;
10. Emergency C or Airborne (for delicate flowers like myself).

Recommended Reading

Florida Orange Juice Council or find them on Facebook

Tweet with Safeway for more tips

See more photos of my Safeway stock up on Google+

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This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All opinions expressed and photos shared are my own.

With most childhood experiences, the best fun is found when children are left to define their own adventures, create their own fun and delight in their own innocent mischief.  Every few weeks we give our children a ‘sibling slumber party’ where they take turns hosting it and planning their midnight feast.

We recently added a modern twist to the line up….evening TV.  Thanks to the Cox TV Connect Application on our iPad, we are breaking our normal rules of no TV in the bedrooms and allowing the children to enjoy late night cartoons while feasting on sugary confections as they lounge around in sleeping bags (After all, that  is what childhood memories are made of ….. or so my children tell me).

How to plan your own sibling slumber party:

• Take turns and be consistent with the rules you enforce;
• Plan the midnight feast with your host to ensure they are clear on what is being served and what is up for grabs;
• Have everything packed and delivered to the slumber party room to prevent free roaming antics all hours of the night;
• Have bundles of crafts and group games arranged for them to play behind closed doors, and let them decide if and when they wish to play them;
• Charge your iPad before the Cox TV Connect session to keep cords to a minimum and have your host select the TV show in advance to ensure everyone knows what will be streaming.

Once the fun of the party is over, they have to face the morning after the night before, so make breakfast just as festive by serving up a morning feast ideal for tired children with weekend delights like Waffle and Banana Kebabs, Fruit Salad Cups, Breakfast Sausages and American Style Pancakes.

Recommended Reading

Cooking with Cox TV Connect |  Housewife Bliss

Cox Communications Facebook

Cox Communications Tweets

Cox Communications |  YouTube

See our behind the scenes photos  |  Google+

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This post has been compensated for, and made possible by Cox Communications and the Everywhere Society.  All opinions, views and images are my own.

With the dough ready, the oven warming, we slowly labored away at wrapping each tiny chocolate in dough for what would most obviously be my moment of shining glory as a baking rock star.  As we slid the tray into the oven, readied the cooling racks and poured our milk, the cookies slowly took shape.  Or rather lost shape, because that is what dough does when it is baked:  it spreads, it drops, it levels out…it does not cook to a perfect round shape (a point you would think I understood, but in moment of eagerness, I clearly forgot).   As the minutes ticked away, so too did  my dreams of being a baking rock star in the eyes of my son.  With a heavy heart I pulled them from the oven, slid them on to the cooling rack and looked on at what could only be described as best intention cookies.

These are not the cookies that people post pictures of, blog about or that are featured across glossy pages of your favorite magazine.  These are home spun kitchen morsels made with love but little baking talent kind of cookies, and every mouthful offered up a divine sweetness that could only be made when a mother cooks with her son.

Fancy serving unattractive cookies to your family?

Recommended Reading

Cooking with Children  |  Housewife Bliss

Family Meal Times  |  Housewife Bliss

February Is… |  Housewife Bliss

And whilst the idea of flinging the doors wide open, beating the rugs and scrubbing our screens is still too much to contemplate from underneath the blanket of winter, a quick once over will get your through the final month of winter and help make life easier when you finally roll up your sleeves and start your spring cleaning.

Download the Home Hangover Cure and get a head start on your spring cleaning….You will be surprised what a difference an hour can make.  So turn up the music, put your cleaning gloves on and reclaim your home just in time to enjoy the first rays of spring sunshine.

Recommended Reading

Spring Cleaning Action Plan |  Housewife Bliss

Laundry Witch |  Coryanne for The Daily Basics

How to Maintain a Laundry Room |  Housewife Bliss

1 Hour Hangover Cure  |  Housewife Bliss Download

Ancient traditions professed that if an object resembled the genitalia it held sexual powers,  thus the legendary aphrodisiac powers of ginseng root, peaches, avocado and carrots.  Cleopatra then made the power of scent popular by her notorious sexual conquests, spurring the rise of the apothecary.  However, it was not until a physician at the court of Marcus Aurelius named Galen, that the subject was legitimised by his many writings on how food inspires successful copulation.  Ironically, it was Thomas Aquinas who made the famous connection between wine and sexual confidence, and good old Bard who famously acknowledged the truth about alcohol and sex in MacBeth, “ It increases the desire but it takes away the performance”.

This Valentine’s Day let your senses take hold, and let romance bloom by offering up an aphoristic feast for the soul with cocktails that will ignite your passion and foods that will excited the senses.

Discover my cocktails for lovers featured on Celebrations.com:  

• 9 1/2 Weeks Martini Recipe
• Arabian Night Cocktail Recipe
• Love Potion No. 5 Recipe
• Peachy Love Sparkler Recipe
• Monkey Love Shot Recipe

Set the mood for love with my tips on TheDailyMeal.com and then serve up finger foods for lovers:

• Get your dose of dopamine is the stimulant we all need to feel sexy. It makes things taste good, smell good, sound good, look good, and above all-feel good. To get Dopamine you need to either eat copious amounts of oily fish or simply take fish oil supplements. Avoid caffeine in all its forms as it interferes with a proper serotonin-dopamine balance.
• Eat avocado. The Aztecs thought the fruit hanging in pairs on the tree resembled the male’s testicles. But it is good for you because it is it is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Eat figs. The Ancient Greeks celebrated the arrival of a new crop of figs by ritual copulation as they were motivated by the ideas that it looked like female genitalia. It will work well for you because it’s an excellent source of iron, magnesium, and zinc. Besides that, Cleopatra loved it, good enough for her, good enough for you.
• Eat peaches. The Chinese feel that it represents sexuality because of its moist pink colour, its fuzzy skin, and the juicy flesh and scent. It will work for you because it is high in vitamin C and will keep you strong for your next adventure in the bedroom.
• Eat Bananas. They have a suggestive phallic shape (had you noticed?), but are good for you because they contain potassium and B vitamins which are essential for sex hormone production.
• Eat dark expensive chocolate. Everyone associates chocolate with love, but it is good for you because it contains a stimulant called phenylethylamine, which gives you a sense of well being and excitement similar to the natural high that endorphins give us.
• Eat raw oysters. Ok this one I will pass on, having tried them years ago and nearly spoiled my cocktail dress, but if you can handle them, they are a classic aphrodisiac food since the time of Aphrodite. They are good for you because they are rich source of zinc, a mineral required for testosterone production. This male hormone is believed to increase the female libido as well.
• Drink Valarian Root. This is my favourite sleeping tonic, found in health food stores in liquid or tea form. For this trick you need the liquid form, and not too much or else you find yourself on the sofa with only sexy dreams and not the real thing. In small doses it is good for you because it relaxes you and stimulates touch.

Recommended Reading

Setting the mood for romance at home |  Coryanne for The Daily Meal

Valentine’s Day Cocktails |  Coryanne for Celebrations

February Is…  |  Housewife Bliss

Enjoying Super Bowl Sunday: The buzz of football has most certainly skipped our family, so we are hitting the outdoors with a family game of touch football, complete with a tailgating party fit for any True Prep.  After the game we will be reliving the game over Chicken Wraps, Grid Iron Bars and Tangy Potato Salad, get the menu here.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day: Valentine’s Day is like Marmite, you either love it, or loathe it.  This year I am embracing it with full enthusiasm, turning my celebratory meal into a feast for the senses, stay tuned for a bounty of aphrodisiac foods that are certain to get you in the mood for love.

Hydro planting bulbs:  I loved planting bulbs in London, nothing gave me more pleasure than watching Snow Drops peak out of the winter soil each February.  However, gardening in the Southwest leaves little room for floral delight.  This year I am bringing the bulbs indoors and learning to hydro-plant.  As I write this I have a collection of 10 vases ready for me to roll up my sleeves and get ‘planting’. I can’t wait to see my kitchen window spring to life this month.

Getting the most of out seasonal produce like Cabbage, Chicory, Parsnips, Rhubarb, Oranges, Swede, Cauliflower and Pears. Also great this month are Oysters, Mussels, and Venison.

Delighting in fresh seasonal flowers like Freesia, Gerber Daisy, Iris, Lilly of the Valley, Lisianthus and Daffidils.

Enjoying National Chocolate Month: Everyone loves this delicate indulgence.  Rather than buying chocolate treats, I opt to my make my own; and before you gasp in admiration, trust me, it is easier than you think, and here is my recipe for curing the common sweet tooth.

Honouring National Bird Feeding Month: It has been a long winter, and no one can vouch for that more than your garden birds.  While I am not an advocate of feeding wild birds, I do enjoy creating a friendly environment for the birds that frequent our garden, not only are they are a joy to watch, creating bird feeders in your kitchen makes for a great after school activity.  Simply take a pine cone (or a slice of bread), coat it in peanut butter and then cover it in bird seeds before hanging it high in your garden trees.

Reccomended Reading

The Laundry Witch |  Coryanne Ettiene for the Daily Basics

Valentines Day Cocktails for lovers |  Coryanne for Celebrations.com

Valentines Day for lovers |  Coryanne Ettiene for TheDailyMeal.com (coming soon)

Image courtesy of Learnvest.com

My list of inspirations could go on and on, but perhaps those closest to my heart stem from conversations in the kitchen, with friends, who like me, were navigating the path of cooking and finding ways to align it with a modern lifestyle.

My dear friend Gemma, taught me that it is possible to juggle skinny jeans, children and traditional cooking; Darling Clare taught me how to plan meals and grocery shop with military precision (although I must admit, I still flutter around like a child in a candy store); and the ever stylish Sophie taught me to never make excuses for ready made shortcuts. While the Atlantic prohibits us from gathering around my kitchen table, their friendship and conversation has forever changed the way I live in my kitchen and my relationship with food.

It is those connections, inspirations and conversations that has spurred me to turn the comment section of the site back on, because cooking and kitchen living is fuelled by conversation, friendship and offers inspiration in the least expected places.  As I embark on the 2nd Anniversary of Housewifebliss.com, it is my hope to create a community focused on kitchen living and encourage you to share your ideas and speak your mind around my virtual kitchen table.

Recommended Reading

A peak behind the curtain of imperfection  |  Housewife Bliss

10 Steps towards a Blissful Life |  Housewife Bliss

Tailgating for the True Prep  |  Housewife Bliss

This weekend, shut off the game and bring your own version to life in a home tailgating party inspired by the tradition of the True Prep.  Dust off  your college sweaters, show off your best argyle socks and relive the game with a simple menu focused on simplicity, not fuss.

Finger foods make excellent tailgating additions, and wraps keep the preparation simple and the clean up to a minimum once the party is over.  I wrapped mine in Prep inspired printables from Gwynn Wasson Designs to dress them up for game day.

For more great menu ideas for tailgating, read more about my tailgating ideas on Celebrations.com including 3 fun drinking games and a playlist of songs certain to get your Super Bowl party going in full swing.

Recommended Reading

Grid Iron Chocolate Bars |  Coryanne for Celebrations.com

Spicy Potato Salad  |  Coryanne for Celebrations.com

How to calculate your beverage needs |  Housewife Bliss

Like candied nuts, there is very little you can do to spoil granola (bar burning it) making it a delight to cook with…let creativity guide you, inspiration lead you and then let your taste buds celebrate the bounty of your efforts.

Print

Getting Crunchy with Granola

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups of rolled oats
• ½ cup of slivered almonds
• ½ cup of unsalted seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, et all)
• 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1/8 cup of Hazelnut oil
• 1/8 cup of vegetable or very light olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 cup of diced candied pineapple

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250 F, and in a large mixing bowl combine the oats, nuts, coconut, seeds and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt, stirring well to create a thick liquid. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color across the granola. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl and fold in the dried fruit.

Notes

Recipe by Coryanne Ettiene | www.housewifebliss.com | Kitchen Living for a Modern Lifestyle | 2012

Google Recipe View Microformatting by ZipList Recipe Plugin

1.4

http://www.housewifebliss.com/2012/01/23/getting-crunchy-with-granola/

 

This Crunchy granola is great by the handful and is dry to the touch.  For a sticky version that is ideal for shapes and toppings follow the directions below.

Granola for Toddlers

Blitz your granola in a food processor for a few minutes to create a fine pulp, add another 1/2 cup of Maple Syrup and shape into flat discs before returning to the oven and baking for 5-10 minutes to create cookie like biscuits ideal for teething toddlers, or better yet, add to cupcake trays before baking.  Will store up to a month in a cool dry storage container.

Recommended Reading

She is part of a new generation of little chefs, where ‘apps’, downloads, podcasts and streaming are all common place…technology is her life, so it is no wonder that her latest hobby is sitting at the kitchen table, apron tied and iPad on streaming live TV cooking shows  on the new Cox TV Connect while she creates her own culinary masterpiece.  The free app allows you to watch live TV anywhere in the house, and for her that means she can sit at the kitchen table and be part of the cooking show, cooking right along side some of her favourite foodies.

Fancy hosting your own kitchen table cooking class?  It could not be easier with the new Cox TV Connect application:

1. Download the Cox TV Connect App from the iTunes store (full details are available on the information page of the Application).
2. Open the Application and enter your username and password.
3. Once the Applications launches, you will see a programming guide with more than 30 national channels and a display of the show currently on air and scheduled programming. The HD image can be viewed in landscape or portrait, making TV watching a delight regardless of where you are in the house.

Recommended Reading

Mini Chicken Pies

Using either mini pie dishes or cupcake trays, you can turn a traditional pie into a modern favourite…and if you are pressed for time, reach for the ready made pastry (because there is no shame in taking shortcuts, especially when they are practically calling your name as you walk down the chilled isle in the market).  The beauty with these are making plenty and freezing the left overs for mid week dinners, knowing that you will have extra on hand makes all the hard work that goes into them easier to swallow, so roll up your sleeves darlings, there is a bit of work involved in creating these winter jewels.

Ingredients

Makes 6 -8 Pies depending on dish size (I still use my English recipe of grams and ML to prepare this, but have converted the measurements to ounces and pounds to help with the translation).

• 2 ounces of Butter
• 1.5 ounces of  all purpose while flour
• 1 Chicken Stock cube
• 22 fluid ounces of Whole Milk
• 5 ounces of Frozen Peas
• 1 pound of cooked chicken
• 12 slices of grilled bacon

Directions

1.  Butter your baking tins and cut out discs of pastry to form the base of your pies and then place baking balls or dry pasta to the top of the pastry.    Place your pastry tins into a 385F pre-heated oven and gently blind bake the pastry until slightly firm (generally 10 mins).  Remove from the oven, allow to cool and once cool, remove the pasta or baking balls.
2. While the pastry cools, dice up your chicken and add to a large mixing bowl filled with thawed peas, and grilled bacon bits. If you are adding other vegetables, like onion, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, or leek, add them into the mixing bowl.  If everyone is making their own pie, give each person a mixing bowl to create personalised ingredient bowls.
3. On low heat, melt the butter, crumbled stock cube and flour to create a roux base, then remove from heat once melted and gradually pour in the milk to create smooth paste.  Once combined, return to the heat and whisk on low heat to create a thick roux (this is not the time to drink you wine, the roux needs to be whisked constantly while on the heat to ensure it remains constant and creamy…unless of course, you can multitask). This process should take about 5 minutes at the most.
4. Add the roux to the ingredient bowls and gently fold together before spooning to your pasty dish.
5. Roll out more pasty disks to use as the cover of the pie….if time allows, decorate the tops with letters, or makings to ensure that everyone knows which pie is their pie.  To ensure that the pasty lid is secure to the pasty dish, dampen the pasty edges with some water or egg batter before glazing with egg batter and placing in a pre-heated 385F oven for 20  minutes, or until golden brown.

Total prep time is around 30 minutes or longer if you take the time to decorate your pies, with a total cooking time of 1 hour.  I will be sharing my recipe for mini fruit pies soon….. bring your sweet tooth, there will be plenty to choose from.

Recommended Reading

5 Tips for Family Meal Times  |  HousewifeBliss.com

Cooking with Children  |  HousewifeBliss.com

January Is…  |  HousewifeBliss.com

The latest book was My Family Table by John Besh, a book that makes me forget my crush on Nigela Lawson and gaze longingly at the images, recipes and kitchen life that bursts from each page.   I find myself cheering for Jon’s modern yet traditional approach to food and family life.  It is full of recipes that build a confidence in the kitchen for new home cooks, to recipes that you remember from your childhood, destined to be family classics….  like Pecan Baked Ham.

Pecan Baked Ham by John Besh, Serves 12

Chances are you won’t find a really good cooked or smoked ham in the supermarket. It’s hard to determine quality by looks alone. All I can say is never use canned ham, and search out a good Italian butcher or ask at your farmers’ market for the best local cooked ham. In the South, we pretty much have pecans coming out of our ears. As a matter of fact, there’s nothing our pigs like more than pecans. We like to coat our hams with pralines, those sweet candies made in New Orleans. But brown sugar and butter will work almost as well if you’re careful to use soft butter and make sure to mix all the ingredients well before you slather the mixture on the ham.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 5-pound good quality cooked ham
• 2 medium onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. In a small bowl, mix the pecans, sugar, and five-spice powder with the butter until you have a fine, crumbly mixture. Rub generously over the ham, patting the crust with your hands.

2. Scatter the onions in the bottom of a heavy roasting pan and add about 2 cups water. Place the ham on the bed of onions. Slide the pan into the oven and roast for about 2 hours, checking to make sure there’s still liquid in the pan. As the water evaporates, add a bit more. The ham is done when a nice glaze forms on the outside.

3. The pecan mixture and the water in the pan will create their own sauce to pour over the ham after you’ve sliced it into beautiful pink rounds. If the sauce seems too thin, just pour into a saucepan and reduce it.

Recommended Reading

Meet Chef John Besh |  ChefJohnBesh.com

My Family Table |  ChefJohnBesh.com

Your dinner party décor sets the stage for your evening, but your serving style sets the tone from for a formal or relaxed dining experience.  Defining your serving style when planning your décor and menu will bring all the elements of your dinner party together to create the perfect meal. From the relaxed buffet style dinner where dishes and decor are simple, to the formal restaurant style meal where every last detail is carefully planned out, there are serving styles to fit every dining experience and location.  Before planning your next dinner party, consider the following serving styles before you send out your invitations.

Photo Courtesy of Valley & Co.

Formal Serving Styles:  Best suited for the multiple course dinner party where opulence, attention to detail and elaborate cuisine is involved.  When hosting a formal dinner party, bring out your best china, and make friends with your butcher – this is not the time for experimenting with new culinary masterpieces or taking shortcuts with inexpensive cocktails.  A formal service should be well rehearsed and is often paired with formal place settings, centrepieces and carefully planned seating in the dining room, the restaurant style where each plate is served individually at each course makes your guest feel valued and pampered.  The formal serving style ensures that food and hosting skills are the focal point of the evening, and allows the host to play a large part in how the evening unfolds, if your hosting and culinary skills are still young, be sure to have plenty of signature cocktails on hand to make up for any mishaps that may arise.

Relaxed Serving Styles:  When inviting family and friends over for an evening of relaxed entertaining, where conversation is the focal point and food a close second, the family style service is ideal.  A family style service is a time for testing out new culinary dishes, creating a fun eclectic table setting and offering a dinner service where serving platters are on the table that allow guests to pass dishes and dish up their own dinner keeps the focus on the conversation. To keep the mood relaxing, the family style service is best located in the dining room or kitchen table, with simple table décor combined with unassigned seating.  Unlike the more formal restaurant serving style, this serving style allows you to experiment, and is always more forgiving to the reluctant host.

Casual Serving Styles:  For any affair where socializing is the priority and food only an aspect of the evening, the casual nature of the buffet service ensures that your guests can linger over conversations as long as they wish without interfering with the dinner service.  The buffet service allows you to let your hair down, offer a free standing bar service where everyone can play bartender and where your guests can eat at their leisure, sit where they please and enjoy the evening at their pace makes this the most relaxed of the serving styles.  Perfect for the new host or someone who is still defining their culinary talent, shortcuts and mishaps always go unnoticed with a buffet service so there is little room for stress and plenty of room for fun.

 Recommended Reading

Creating a Well Dressed Table |  Valley & Co for Housewife Bliss

Overcoming Dinner Party Disasters |  Housewife Bliss

Defining Your Floral Style |  H.Bloom for Housewife Bliss

Celebrating the Award Season.  By the time the last drop of Christmas booze leaves my system, the award season is here to spoil my detox.  This year I am serving the Brad Pitt, a refreshing drink that pleases both those holding onto their detox and those thirsty for a cocktail.

Made with cucumber slices, mint leaves and lime wheels, it is best served in a tall chilled glass…as refreshing on your eyes as its name sake, make the non-alcholhoic version in large batches and simply add your Vodka as you serve your cocktails.

Ingredients: 

• Cucumber Slices
• Lime Wheels
• Tonic Water
• Mint Leaves
• Vodka (optional)

Directions:  Slice the cucumber and lime into thin slices, add to the tonic water and mint leaves and pour over ice in a chilled glass.  Add a splash of Vodka for a spirited cocktail.

Embracing Oatmeal.  January is National Oatmeal Month, and for those who vowed to start eating healthier, having oatmeal for breakfast and  a handful of granola for an afternoon snack  is a great way to start your resolution.  This month I will be sharing my recipe for Granola that is fabulous sprinkled on yoghurt, or by the handful.

Cleaning my appliances.  My fridge, freezer, oven, microwave and grill have been working overtime all season long, earning them a deep cleaning.  If deep cleaning in on your list this month, pop over and read my guide to deep cleaning your kitchen.

Planning my year.  Ever the planner, I love January for giving me a reason to buy  a new wall calendar (yes, I am still stuck in 1989), and the opportunity to map out the year ahead.  If your looking for tips on making your calendar do all the hard work for you, read my annual planning tips.

Feasting on Beetroot, my absolut favorite vegetable and enjoying other Seasonal produce including red, white and green cabbages, celeriac, leeks, onions, potatoes, spinach, chard, pears and apples.  If fresh nuts are a favourite of yours, stock up now, the season is short and ends in January.

Bring the outdoors in with these seasonal flowers:  Bottlebrush, Helleborus, Protea, Holly, Jasmine, Cammellia and Star Gazer Lilly.  I will also be planting bulbs indoors to bring life to my otherwise dull kitchen window.  If indoor gardening is on your list this month, be sure to read my tips for planting bulbs indoors.

Recommended Reading

Post Holiday Party Ideas |  Housewife Bliss

January is..2011  |  Housewife Bliss

New Year’s Resolutions that GiveBack |  Housewife Bliss

Hair of the Dog Brunch:  So many parties so little time over the New Year, by adding a “Hair of the Dog” brunch to you entertaining calendar you can enjoy a festive night out on New Year’s Eve and still entertain the following morning with a brunch that offers one last toast to cap off the entertaining season.   Offering a brunch with tangy Bloody Mary’s, breakfast casseroles and plenty of fresh bread to soak up the Champaign from the night before is the perfect way to start 2012.

End of Advent Cocktail Party:  Wind down the holiday season with an Advent Cocktail party on the 6^th of January.  Why take down all the holiday trimmings alone when you can enlist your friends to help you box up your ornaments and finish off the last remaining loaves of Fruit Cake?  Offer a sampling of your left over Christmas chocolates, cakes and sweets and pair with a few holiday cocktails to send the holiday season off in style.

Misfit Toys Dinner Party:  With so many of us spending the holiday season away, it means that we rarely have time to celebrate the holidays with our dearest friends.  Invite your closest friends over to share their holiday stories and exchange their worst holiday presents in a Misfit Toy Dinner Party.  Each dinner guest brings a misfit gift that they received over the holidays, wraps it up and offers it to the host to pass out over dinner.  This is a great way to laugh about the mishaps of the holidays and keep the holiday season going long after you take down the Christmas Tree.

Holiday Left-overs Pot Luck:  Rather than eyeing up the mince pies in your fridge or the half bottle of Sherry that you opened at Christmas (and are likely not to touch again until next year), host a holiday left-overs potluck and invite your guests to empty out their pantry of all those holiday delights that they are eager to finish off.

Feast of the Three Kings:  Host a dinner party on the 6^th of January and celebrate the feast of the 3 Kings and the end of the Christmas season.  Complete with a roast goose, all the trimmings and a spattering of holiday cakes, relive the joys of the Christmas season with everyone you hold dear.  Conclude the night by taking down the Christmas Tree and toasting the occasion with a festive winter cocktail.

Recommended Reading

When your home feels hungover  |  Housewife Bliss

Kitchen Deep Cleaning Guide |  Housewife Bliss

Calendar Tips & Planning Ideas  |  Housewife Bliss

Christmas 1941

With little money to match his desire for a family Christmas tree, his children tucked into bed, and his wife whipping Cognac Butter for a Christmas breakfast, my Grampy Powell took to the wintery streets of Boston in search of a tree  he could afford.  He walked miles, passing tree lots filled with trees to rich for his pocket.  Being a proud Bostonian man, he finally turned around and walked home with a heavy heart.  As luck would have it when he returned on the same path he had taken, the Christmas Tree lot he visited earlier had closed, leaving all the unsold trees in a heap on the street.  He awoke on Christmas morning to screams of delight from his children who danced around the tree while my great grandmother made Christmas breakfast.   I love this story, and the one where  at the heart of the depression, he took an axe and cut down a Pine Tree from a nearby forest…if there was one thing that he understood, is that Christmas is not about the presents under the tree, but about the people gathered around it.

May your holiday season be Merry and Bright…..maybe a little Cognac Butter will start your holiday morning off to a bright start, great on toast, pancakes, mince pies, or even straight from the pot.

Cognac Butter

Ingredients: 100g of soft unsalted butter, 225g of powdered sugar, and 4 Tablespoons of Cognac.

Directions: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and whisk until light and fluffy.  Once fluffy, slowly add in the sugar and whisk until fully blended.  And then gradually pour in the Cognac, starting with half a measurement and increasing until the full measurement has been blended into the butter.  Spoon into a serving dish, cover and let sit in your refrigerator for 1-2 hours to set.

Alex’s Perfect Gravy

The trick with great gravy is that it takes time, love and like the cook looking for courage, plenty of wine.  It is best made while your bird rests on a carving board and prepared in the same roasting pan to ensure that every last molecule of flavour infuses your gravy.  Ideally roasted celery, bacon, carrots, potatoes, garlic and onions make for a great base, but anything that you are roasting your bird with will work as a starting point for the gravy.  Generally there are no rules to measuring or ingredients except that you keep the flour in your pantry and save it for your baking needs, it is all about instinct…..so be creative and keep tasting until you have a delicious spoonful.

Ingredients

• Wine (plenty of it, I prefer to use white wine with chicken but if you have red on hand, use that);
• Chicken Stock (at least a pint, more if you like thinner gravy);
• Salt and Crushed Black Pepper (be mindful of the salt, most store bought stock will have plenty of it, taste as you go, but be generous with the crushed black pepper);
• Herbs (we often use a bay leaf and a small sprig of Thyme.  Rosemary can be heavy so use it sparingly);
• Roasting pan (with all the left over bits of roasted vegetables, bacon, onion, garlic and chicken drippings that glisten with caramelised glory);

Directions

Place your roasting pan on the stove top or hob of your oven and pour in your a glass (or 2) of wine and the pint of chicken stock, bringing to a rolling boil and taking care to use a wooden spatula to scrape all the browning at the bottom of the pan. And then add your herbs, and salt and pepper accents.  As you stir, your gravy will start to darken and thicken, allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and using a masher to reduce your excess vegetables to add volume to the sauce.  The result will be a gravy so aromatic, so rich with flavour and colour that you will hang your head in shame for all the times you added flour to your gravy.

Note:  Not using flour means that everyone at the table can enjoy it (rejoice, it is Gluten Free), and you can store it for up to 3 days in your fridge and reuse in a soup or stew.  Also, if you are using an enamel roasting pan, you cannot cook your gravy pan on a glass cooking surface, so check your pots before you start firing up the stove top.

Recommended Reading

Bacon Brussel Sprouts  |  Coryanne for More Magazine (slide 15)

Sweet Potato and Maple whipped Mash |  Housewife Bliss

Holiday Cocktails  |  Coryanne for Celebrations

A dinner party disaster, while on the face of it, is a recipe for, well, disaster. But, the calm host who faces her trails with confidence and humor will give her guests a night they can both laugh about and enjoy without letting a few disastrous moments get in the way of their evening.   With a little preparation, anticipation and entertaining know how, you can be better prepared to handle your next dinner party disaster, and end the night confident that you and your guests enjoyed themselves despite the unexpected.

Disaster 1:  Cooking Disaster

Burned food, cooking failure or even not having enough food is a hosts worst nightmare.  But with a full pantry and a little creative genius you can turn your disaster into a winning moment by thinking on your feet.  First of all, stay calm, your guests have come for your company and to enjoy themselves, they have not come to act as a food critic.  Laugh at your failure, share your mishap with your guests and then dive into your pantry and serve up a last minute option.

I always keep bread, olives, deli meats and cheeses on hand – not only to offer as a midnight feast should the party keep going in to the night, but also because I have learned that those unexpected guests and the potential for a slight coking disaster are common place among my dinner parties.  And when all else fails, your local Chinese should deliver in 30 minutes, and everyone loves a take out.

Disaster 2:  Late guests, no shows and a delayed start to the party

Your dinner is timed to perfection and every course must be served on time to deliver mouth-watering dishes. The only thing that can dampen your culinary menu is to start serving the first course too late and you are missing 2 guests.   Despite your enthusiasm to serve the best meal of your life, your guests should be your priority, serve another round of drinks, make adjustments in the kitchen and make the guests that have arrived on time feel welcome and appreciated.  When your late guests do arrive, bush off the late start as if it gave you more time to enjoy the cocktail hour, never let a guest feel they have foiled your evening.

However, if your late guests turn into absent guests, the party must go on.  If you have tried to connect with your absent guests and you cannot reach them, it is perfectly reasonable to begin your dinner service 30 – 45 minutes after the start of your party.  Should absent guests arrive after you have begun serving dinner, welcome them in as if they have arrived at the perfect moment, offer them a drink, a warm smile and what ever dish you are serving.

Disaster 3:  Power Failure does not mean party failure

Your first course was served with style and grace and then the power went off just as you were finishing off your braised lamp chops, but there is no need to panic.  While the romantic dinner for 8 may not be the theme you were going for, a well-illuminated room makes for a memorable evening.  Serve what have prepared, reach into your pantry,  light your candles, and if all else fails, hope that your local pizza delivery is still delivering.

Recommended Reading

Peppermint Mocha Hot Cocktails  |  Housewife Bliss

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Advice to the Reluctant Entertainer  |  Housewife Bliss

I always intended to buy a nutcracker to perch on my kitchen counter and act as my winter Kitchen Witch, but never managed to remember it until Christmas Day when the nuts were piled high and the memory returned…until this year while I was shopping at Sears for my kitchen decorations when I remembered that my kitchen would not be complete without a Christmas Nutcracker.  While only ornamental, he now presides over my Christmas kitchen, adorned with the finery only a Soldier can muster, offering protection against burnt toast, ramshackle muffins and undercooked holiday loafs.

This Christmas Eve my new Nutcracker will spring to life when I surround him with candied and whole nuts in a buffet that would send a squirrel into convulsions of joy and my guests delighting in the tradition of the Christmas nut.  My devotion to the nut this holiday season, is evident everywhere in the kitchen, my new acorn ornaments (also from Sears) are hanging with pride on my Kitchen Tree, and I have spent the greater part of last week trying out candied nut recipes.  I like the nutty flavor to come through when I bite into a candied nut, so I use a smaller amount of sugar than most recipes call for…but the beauty of roasting candied nuts is that you can be as free as you want with the ingredients, infact you don’t really  need a recipe, just have fun with them, trust me….  it is like boiling water, there is not much that can go wrong so long as you keep an eye on the roasting pan.  Few things that taste this good take so little time, you only need 5 minutes to prepare the nuts, and the total cooking time is under 20 minutes.

Coryanne’s Candied Nuts

•  1/2 cup of sugar syrup
• 3 cups of mixed nuts almonds, walnuts & pecans
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of course sea salt
• 1/2 cup of butter

Directions

Either make your own sugar syrup using a mixture of water and sugar, or use one of the store bought mixtures (the purpose here is to coat the nuts so that the sugar sticks to the nuts when you mix the ingredients).  Add the syrup to a large mixing bowl and mix in your nut mixture, stirring until the nuts are fully coated and shiny.  Then mix in the brown sugar, stirring until the nuts are covered in brown sugar.  In a sauce pan (or microwave), melt the butter until it is golden and runny, then pour over the sugared nuts and gently fold in the butter.  Arrange the nuts on a baking sheet and place in a pre-heated  350F oven.    Roast for 10-15 minutes, checking on them about 8 minutes in to see if you need to adjust the cooking time to prevent burning your nuts.  Once roasted, remove from the oven, sprinkle with your coarse sea salt while the nuts are still hot and allow to cool  before serving or storing.

Note:  Some recipes call for you to blanch then nuts or roast them lightly for 5 minutes before hand…the pre-roasting makes great sense if you like your nuts crunchy, but I rarely have the time to take that extra step and like the soft bite of a single roasted nut.

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Salt Dough Ornaments  |  Housewife Bliss

______

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and all opinions are my own.  To see photos of my #CBias and #Searsrealcheer shopping experience, pop over to my Google+ page to have a look.

Aleah and Nick Valley

This month I’m gathering around my kitchen table and chatting with some of my favorite enetertaining and cooking experts to find out what inspires them, how they live in their kitchens and what they are doing to survive the hoildays.  This week I’m chatting with the event planning duo Aleah & Nick Valley…if you want a fabulous party, an enchanting wedding or a splash of fabulous to your family gathering, Aleah and Nick Valley have the inspiration and talent to make your dreams come true.  I am lucky to have them as friends, not only do they have the kindest nature, they are oozing with talent.  You can find them monthly in the San Diego Magazine sharing entertaining advice, and no doubt you have seen some of their work in any number of the magazines sitting on your coffee table.

Coryanne: What is your entertaining philosophy?

Aleah & Nick Valley:  When we entertain or plan events for our clients, we focus on creating an experience for each guest who will attend, including the host or hostess. We plan effortless, yet unexpected, décor and whimsical menus with at-the-ready gourmet touches, and take guests through a pleasurable experience, starting when they enter the celebration and are greeted with a cocktail or sparkling water. It’s all about appeasing the senses throughout.

C:  Do you have a memory from your kitchen table that stays with you and inspires you?
ANV:  The holidays drum up fun-filled memories of delicious dinners, brunches, and maybe most importantly, visiting into the wee hours with our loved ones. Food and drink play a leading role in our holidays as they set the stage for so much: comfort, heritage, tradition, and the enjoyment of good company. Grandma’s Parisian wafers, Norwegian lefsa, dad’s pumpkin pie, and Blick top the list for longstanding traditions mixed with a fresh evolving menu each year.

C:  What are you  top 5 tips for entertaining in style?
ANV: Entertain from the heart. Focus on elements that will add to an experience: whether it’s giving thanks to each guest with a simple toast as to why you are thankful for them, or sending guests home with late-night Christmas cookie bags, putting a personalized stamp on the holidays means so much.

1.    Set the mood with music. Pepper Top 40 music, holiday classics, and world music. Keep the vibe upbeat and festive but the volume low.
2.    Focus on items you have on hand: eclectic mixes of heirloom china with modern sleek linens can be so striking.
3.    Bring the outdoors in. Forage in your own back yard and decorate with moss, leaves, beatiful lichen-covered branches, and acorns {just wash them first}.
4.    Don’t forget about serving non-alcoholic drinks. Dress them up sparkling water with sugared cranberries or lemon zest, apple cider with cinnamon sticks, or egg nog with a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Find out more great ideas and inspiration from Aleah & Nick Valley by visiting them on Facebook, Twitter, Valley & Co Lifestyle, Valley & Co and don’t miss their tips for a fabulous New Year’s Eve here.

The recipe below has been adapted from her new book Robin Takes 5 and was put together while giving a spelling test to my daughter, and putting away the dishes.  The recipe serves 6 and takes 15 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 24 Gingersnap Cookies (or home made gingerbread);
• 1 Cup of freshly brewed Coffee or Espresso;
• 3 Cups of heavy whipping cream;
• Chocolate Bar for garnish.

Directions:

Pour the heavy whipping cream into a large mixing bowl and whip by hand using a whisk (you can always get out your mixer and do it there, but then you have more to clean up) until it is light and fluffy, usually 3-5 minutes.  In a shallow dish, lay your gingersnaps cookies flat and cover with freshly brewed coffee and allow to soak for 30 seconds for store bought cookies or 1 minute for homemade.  Once soaked, layer your cookies and the whipped cream in your serving dish or cup until you have the desired height and then top with a gingersnap cookie and garnish with chocolate shavings.  (Robin’s recipe is only 256 calories per dish, heaven knows how many this is).   Once built, put your pudding cups into the fridge to allow to set for a minimum of one hour before serving, or up to 24 hours if you are making them in advance of a big party.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Robin,  not only is she an inspiration but she is instantly likeable with her down to Earth

Win a copy on the Housewife Bliss Facebook Wall

approach to kitchen living and family cooking.   Each one of her recipes is under 500 calories and is made with 5 ingredients or less…hence the Robin Takes 5 title.  This week I am giving away a copy of her new book as part of my Kitchen Revolution Giveaway on the Housewife Bliss Facebook Wall, pop over and enter before 10 December 2011.

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Last weekend our kitchen table was transformed into an ornament workshop, heaving with cookie cutters, parchment paper, rolling pins and paint….flour was flying,  jingle Bells accompanied the laughter in the kitchen and the smell of hot chocolate wafted around the room as we added another fabulous memory to our kitchen table album.

  Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup of Table Salt
• 1/2 Cup of warm water
• 1 Cup of All purpose Flour

Directions:

In a dry mixing bowl add the salt and the flour and mix until fully blended, then add the water and kneed until the surface is soft and smooth.  Roll into a large ball and portion out smaller balls to each person making ornaments.  Cover with a slightly damp cloth to keep the unused balls from drying out while you are busy creating.  Either opt for the simple option of rolling out the dough into thin slabs and cut with a cookie cutter to create your shapes, or get busy sculpting more elaborate decorations.

Once your ornaments are complete, place a toothpick at the top of each ornament to create the hole needed to string it later.  Bake at 200F for 4-6 hours to completely evaporate the moisture from the dough (we were in a hurry so baked them for 2 hours and then let them air dry on a shelf overnight).  Once dry, use acrylic paint to decorate, then spray with clear varnish to seal the ornament and give it a bit of holiday shine.

Essential Tools:

1. Parchment Paper, great for using as a worktop surface that can be transferred right on to a baking sheet;
2. Rolling pin;
3. Cookie Cutters, Play-dough equipment, potato ricer, butter knives, forks, and anything that you can think of to give your ornament a little razzle dazzle;
4. Toothpicks or wooden skewers to pierce a whole;
5. Various baking sheets;
6. Acrylic Paints, Paint Brushes and cupcake wrappers to use as paint pots;
7. Clear Varnish;
8. Ribbon, wire, or string to hang your ornament.

 For more holiday ideas and inspirations, pop over to the rest of the #HolidayHQ posts today and discover what the experts are decorating, cooking and planning for a festive December.  And then join us on Twitter Thursday 8 December at 8pm EST for the popular #HolidayHQ tweet chat for even more holiday ideas.

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Margeaux and Sawyer on our last tree hunt in London, 2009

There is something special about arriving home on a cold day in December and being greeted by mistletoe, garlands, glistening lights and the smell of pine wafting over you as you pass through the halls. Decorating for the holidays was a full day event when we lived in London, we would pile into the car, drive an hour to the nearest tree farm and banter about searching the entire field for the 2 perfect trees that would grace our home — the first, usually a 10 foot tree for our front reception room, and the second, usually a 3 foot tree for our Kitchen bar.  However, the day never went as planned, we were always greeted with a heavy downpour that left us scrambling from the car to the canopy where we could shop from pre-cut trees.  On our last Christmas in London, we were so determined to march up the hill to the live trees that even the farmer was taken aback at the sight of us slipping and sliding in the freezing mud that he offered to drive us to look for a tree….as luck would have it, the tree of our dreams was the first tree we spotted, or maybe that is just how we like to think of the crooked specimen that was too large for the room but seemed perfect at the time.

As we find ourselves welcoming our 2nd Christmas in Arizona and unpacking our holiday decorations, the Christmas memories that each decoration holds seems to leap out of the tissue, and my heart fills with each tiny parcel I unwrap.  Our tradition is to unwrap them as a family, talk about which country they came from, who gave us the ornament or how old the children were when they made them…. and then on the 6th of December, on St. Nicholas Day, we trim the tree, deck the halls and set our boots out and await the arrival of St, Nicholas to fill them with sweets.

When we unpacked last year, it was evident that none of the ornaments carried any American memories, but that is all about to change this year as I have been busy shopping at Sears for new ornaments to trim our Kitchen Tree with….as we look back in years to come we can remember our time in Arizona thanks to a few shiny decorations that will start the stories that will become our American memories.  I was lucky enough to find everything a I needed at Sears, right down to our first ever artificial tree (an item I swore I would never buy, but after spending the bulk of last December picking up tree droppings in the kitchen and having nightmares about the tree burning down from the aired desert heat, I changed my thinking and am delighted with our new addition).

Essential Kitchen Tree trimmings

• Fresh Popped Corn, strung with care (and plenty of patience);
• Tied cinnamon sticks;
• Brightly colored candy canes;
• Salt dough ornaments hand made with care;
• Candy cane ribbons;
• Variety of food themed ornaments (I just adore the decorations I bought at Sears);
• Nut Cracker soldiers;
• Scented pine cones;
• White twinkly lights;
• Kitchen Angel.

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Celebrating St. Nicholas Night:  We spend a week looking at boxes of decorations, and one lonely advent calendar waiting for the 6th of December when we deck the halls, sing fra-la-la-la and tuck our letters to Santa in our boots and leave them by the door before we go to bed.  While nothing compares to the wonder of Christmas, in our home, St. Nick’s night is on equal ground, filled with just as much anticipation, excitement and holiday charm.

Having a love/hate relationship with my kitchen.  Our last home was our dream home, it took 18 months to gut, refurbish and decorate, every inch of it was carefully thought out, loved and enjoyed…our kitchen especially.  Our current home is a blank canvas waiting for attention, the kitchen included, which means that every second I spent in it is a second spent drafting up plans, dreaming and wishing it would change to better suite our lifestyle.  I love what it could become, I loathe what it is, and knowing that I will be tethered to it for the next 30 days baking, cooking, drinking, eating and cleaning, I know that I will love the memories being created in it, but loathe how impractical it is every day.  My goal this month is to love it for what it is and set our differences aside, even if for just 30 days.

Making Tamales:  Tamales and December go hand in hand in Arizona, and this year I am embracing this tradition with my fullest enthusiasm.  As a child I grew up watching my grandmother roll them, tie them and sip from her wine glass while she waited for the beauties to emerge from her steaming pot.  As with most cooking tasks, she made it look effortless…..I may do my cooking at 3am to avoid onlookers and the opportunity to start over again should my first batch be a screaming failure.

Serving up Persimmons:  My husband’s favourite fruit and only available for a short time between November and December.  These orang beauties have origins that go back to ancient China and are an excellent source of vitamin A & C, and  are rich in fiber.  To ripen a persimmon, place it in a punctured brown paper bag and keep at room temperature. Store ripe fruit in the refrigerator for up to three days.  There are so many cooking options available, they are especially lovely in winter breads and cookies, but we often serve them in a fresh winter fruit salad.

Enjoying fresh seasonal foods like Chard, Curly Kale, Cabbage, Leeks, Navel and Blood Oranges, Apples, Pears, Chives, Rosemary, Thyme, Cranberries, Pomegranates, Quince, and Rhubarb will be in your green grocer this month.  Wild game like Pheasant, and  Goose are freshest in December, and fish like Anchovy, Bream, Cod, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Herring, Sardine, and Sea bass are a few of the fresh fish your fish monger will be selling this month.

Shopping for fresh seasonal flowers like Acashia, Alstromeria, Amaryllis, Chrysanthemums, Cyclamen, Ginger, Helleborus, Holly berry, Lisianthus, Narcissus, Orchid, Pepperberry, Phlox, Protea, Star of Bethlehem, and Tulips.

Making salt dough ornaments:  The family tree is our traditional tree, with heirloom ornaments, that are hung with care long after the children go to bed….but the Kitchen Tree is genuinely the heart of our Christmas thanks to the combined efforts of the whole family not only making decorations, but trimming the tree in pure half hazard delight.  Making salt dough ornaments fills the kitchen with laughter and mess and is a great way to kick off the holiday season.

Caring for my holiday ornaments:  11 months is a long time to hide away in storage only to be revealed and expected to look fabulous.  Take time when unpacking your ornaments to give them a little TLC and they will sparkle all month long:

• Have a dry clean paint brush on hand to gently dust them;
• Use warm soapy water to wash sap away from plastic ornaments and garlands;
• Wash your tree stand out with hot water and vinegar before using it to keep it free from bacteria;
• Mend & repair any decorations before using them and don’t be afraid to discard old and tattered ones.
• Get rid of newsprint & wrapping paper that you store your decorations in, the ink will only damage them further.

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For some people eggnog rings in the holiday cheer, in our home, it is a peppermint cocktail.  This year I am going the simple route, giving up infusing vodka with candy canes for something readily prepared and simple to reach for when my the holiday spirit needs a little boost.  If you love a peppermint mocha latte, you will love this ……..

The Peppermint Mocha Kahlúa Hot Cocktail

• 2 parts Milk
• 1 part Drinking Chocolate Powder
• 1 part Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha
• Chocolate syrup

Directions:  Drizzle chocolate syrup inside the rim of the glass so that the whole of the glass is dripping with chocolate.  Pour milk into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, and then whisk in the drinking chocolate. Simmer for 30 seconds while stirring before adding the Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha and removing from heat.  Pour into your glasses and  garnish with  marshmallows.

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Embrace the family do-gooder:  We all have that happy clappy relative that wants nothing more than to put on the family holiday only read about in stories.  Give them a moment to bring in the holiday cheer, find the humor in their holiday attire and try to let their good spirits rub off on you…even if just for a moment.

Give the exaggerator a moment to shine:  It is no doubt evident to everyone at the table that the story they are telling is well beyond humanly possible, but why spoil the fun?  Let them have their center stage, and then try to direct the conversation elsewhere once they are done.

Offer your pity:  If your family includes a martyr, offer up your sympathies to their sacrifices and give them the gift of martyrdom this holiday season.  Often times all they want is to be heard, and acknowledged, and the best way to do that is by saying, “you deserve a break”….and if you are anything like me, keep the sarcasm to a minimum, this is serious stuff.

Derail the nosy:  Especially frustrating to those who lead a private life, the busybody in every family is relentless and always listening.  They are best approached in groups where the conversation can be derailed away from their fact-finding mission.

Avoid sibling rivalry:  Hard as we try, it is inevitable that we regress to our teenage selves when we are around our siblings. Keep the rivalry, light and infrequent for the sake of everyone at the table.

Look for a peacemaker:  Politics clash and siblings rival, having a peacemaker on hand to sooth the fire of conflict before it arises is the best way to keep the family moving away from drama and towards harmony.

Use Place-cards:  Assigned seating is the best defense against conflict at the table—it not only allows you to arrange your guests by temperament, it ensures that you are seated next to those that will bring you the most enjoyment of your holiday gathering.

Mix family with friends: Adding friends to a family gathering almost always ensures that everyone will be on their best behavior, and it allows you to share the holidays with your closets friends.

Create happy memories:  Boredom is the fuel to any family feud; keep your guest sober and busy by planning a number of activities both before and after the meal.

Keep an eye on the bar:  Drunken family members offer little chance of a happy time.  Where possible, keep your drinks to a minimum before the meal is served and save the cocktails for when you have a full stomach.

Recommended Reading

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By the time I started mixing Roy Rogers for my children, it became apperent that while I was busy learning the ropes of mixing real cocktails, the world of mocktails was diving motherhood into the those that were hip and those that were clearly stuck a few decades behind. Determined to join the cool girls in the kitchen, this holiday season I am putting the Roy Rogers away and delighting my children with a Little Monte, a drink that will surly bring giggles and cheers from my little critics.

The Little Monte

Bursting with peaches, blackberries, bubbly Ginger Ale, sweet cinnamon and brown sugar, this mocktail is not only simple to mix, it is made all the better by knowing that once the children go to bed, you can add a dash of Brandy to it, and mix one for yourself.  This recipe is for 2 Little Monte Mocktails, and takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients

• 1/3 of a pot of Del Monte Peaches with cinnamon and brown sugar
• 3  frozen blackberries
• 1/2 can of Ginger Ale (or Tonic Water to reduce the sugar content)
• Ice
• Brown Sugar for garnish

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Keep your kitchen drama to a minimum and stock your kitchen with these 15 tools every Thanksgiving cook needs for a fabulous dinner:

1. Brining Bag:  A heavy duty supersized bag will offer the juiciest bird.  Similar to marinating it, add your bird to the bag the night before to infuse it with your choice of seasoning.
2. Roasting pan with handles:  Invest in one that works both on the stove and in the oven to produce not only a succulent bird but a fabulous gravy.
3. Stainless steal measuring cups:  Great for measuring and for using as mini sauce pans for melting butter, or making glazes.
4. Turkey baster:  Nothing fancy here, a simple generic baster is all you need to keep the bird moist and succulent.
5. Digital food thermometer:  For instant results every time.
6. Potato ricer: Like the one your grandmother used to use because it gives silky smooth mash potatoes.
7. Spider strainer: Not just for your stir fry’s, it works great for blanching green veggies
8. Gravy separator:  For making fat free gravy in seconds without using an ice cube.
9. Carving board:  A heavy duty wooden carving board that fits the size of the turkey with room to rest is essential for carving.
10. Carving knives:  Sharp, with a good handle, spare no expense when buying these.
11. Linen butcher twine:  You may have outgrown those cute little turkey socks, but butchers twine is a must have for any roast turkey.
12. Kitchen brushes:  Great for basting, glazing and marinating everything on your menu.
13. Rolling pin: Wooden, marble, or steel, every cook needs one for rolling pastry and tenderizing meats.
14. Pie weights:  Ceramic pie weights, rice or pasta shells are great for blind baking your piecrusts.
15. Pastry blender:  The pastry chef’s best friend and offers up perfect pastry for those all-important Thanksgiving pies.

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Each fall I look forward to seeing them at my green grocer, and pan frying them with bacon and hazelnuts, a recipe that I am excited to announce has been featured on More Magazine this week.

Buying and storing your sprouts

• Choose a better sprout:  Often sold in farmers markets by the stalk, brussel sprouts are also sold with the heads cut from the stalk in vegetable baskets or bags. Look for heads no larger than 1 inch in diameter, compact leaves with dark green heads free from yellow or black spots.
• Store your stalked sprouts:  When storing sprouts on the stalk, keep them in a cool dry place, water will speed up the wilting process. If stored well, the stalk and its heads will keep for 2-3 weeks.
• Store your cut sprouts:  Once the heads have been cut and removed from the stalk they have a storage life of 4-7 days in the refrigerator.  Leave the outer leaves intact and store in a vegetable bag away from moisture.
• Freeze your sprouts:  Keep them fresher for longer by storing them in the freezer.  Cut the sprouts, blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes, strain and allow to dry before storing them in a freezer safe container.  Like all things stored in the freezer, use them before 6 months to ensure they maintain their quality and flavor.
• Prep your sprouts:  Before cooking them, rinse the heads, remove the outer leaves, trim the base of the head and place an X at the top (some people do this on the bottom) if you are cooking them whole, or half them if you you cooking them in halves.

Recommended Reading

Bacon and Hazelnut Brussel Sprouts |  Coryanne Ettiene for More Magazine

Getting the most of out seasonal apples |  Housewife Bliss

10 Tips for Stress Free Holiday Entertaining |  Housewife Bliss

Thanksgiving Inspiration |  Coryanne’s Pinterest Board

Tips 6-10 for a stress free holiday season:

Fill up your bar: Keep the party going with a fully stocked bar. Replace those seldom used, dusty bottles with new ones–they have a long shelf life, but trust me…serving up a year old,  half drunk bottle of brandy will give your cocktail the antique effect that your guests won’t appreciate.  Stock the bar with light and dark beer varieties,  mixers, garnish,  and especially the essentials for the signature cocktail you are serving.  Read more on stocking a family bar  and calculating your beverage needs .

Make friends with your florist, greengrocer, butcher, baker and candlestick maker: One of the smartest things I have ever done is befriend my greengrocer, and if you have not met yours, start saying hello this weekend.  Kindness does take you further, after all, have you ever noticed the cranky customer being given the choice cut of beef at the counter? I think not darlings….

Book your guest room: House guests and the holidays go hand in hand, both the planned for and the unexpected variety.  Treat your guest room like a small bed and breakfast and your guests will delight in your hospitality.  When the guest room is booked, and you find your self hosting a guest on your sofa, having plenty of spare toothbrushes, ear plugs and blankets on hand will go a long way to creating a tiny haven in your living room.  Read my tips for the perfect guest room and an inviting guest bathroom.

Know your local Cabby: Don’t let a good night turn sour by searching for a cab company at the last minute. Inform your cab company that you are having a party and they are likely to give you a discount, and have drivers on hand for a fabulous send off.

Take Note: What would an entertaining season be without a well loved entertaining journal?  If you love record keeping, journal writing and lists…..you will swoon over my tips on creating an entertaining journal.

Recommended Reading

 Stress Free Holiday Planning Part 1  |  Housewife Bliss

Thanksgiving Inspiration Pins  |  Coryanne’s Pinterest Board

8 Tips for Fall Flowers |  Housewife Bliss

This week I am sharing my 10 top tips for stress free holiday entertaining, starting with these 5 merry makers…..

Get your calendar sorted now to avoid confusion later: Plan out your party schedule, both those that you are hosting, and attending. Ensure that you allocate time for buying hostess gifts, preparing dishes, shopping, and the other endless tasks that often slip through the cracks till the last minute. The best party calendar is one where you allocated time for everything, including a night to put your feet up and re-charge. Learn how to make your calendar do all the hard work here.

Arrange a greeter:   Hiring a butler for the night is an amazing treat, but not in everyone’s budget.  Instead,  hire a local high school student to answer the door, hang up coats and then lend a hand in the kitchen….it is amazing how fabulous it is to actually have a conversation with your guests without listening for the door.

Hire what you need: Do you have enough serving dishes, stem-wear, cook-ware, linens, chairs, tables and everything else you need to serve your guests? Having limited dishes should not put you off hosting a large event, many catering companies hire them out to private customers and  start taking bookings in early fall.

Ship Shape & Bristol Fashion:  Clean your crystal, china and silverware now, then to a light touch up prior to the event to save valuable time later. In addition to your serving pieces, take stock of your home, look at it with fresh eyes and try to see what your guests will see.  Focus on corners, bathroom drawers, your pantry, under to sofa….all those forgotten places that are likely to be seen by your guests but that you have grown immune to. Get started with caring for silver, kitchen cleaning guide, and deep cleaning action plan.

Stock your larder: Ensure that you have a fully stocked pantry now, to prevent you from dashing to and from the shops at the last minute. A full pantry will save you valuable time and give you the confidence you need to get cooking. While you are there, fill up your freezer with ice….it may be cold outside, but no one likes a luke warm cocktail.  Print out my pantry shopping list here and learn now to clean your pantry in 5 simple steps.

Looking for tips 6-10?  Find them in part 2 here.

Recommended Reading

Clean cocktails for stress free entertaining |  Housewife Bliss

How to avoid the Holiday Inn effect |  James Swan for Housewife Bliss

The Gracious Toast | Housewife Bliss

Thanksgiving ideas |  Coryanne’s Gobble Good Pins 

According to Marc, “Everyone who tastes it swears they’ll never make sweet potatoes any other way” ….and boy is he right.  The recipe serves 6, but make extra and dish up sweet potato pancakes for brunch the next day.  Total prep time is 15 minutes, with an approximate 1 hour of total cooking time.

Ingredients

• 4 Sweet Potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons of sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon of unsalted room temperature butter
• 2 Tablespoons of pure maple syrup (the real stuff darlings, trust me)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Pièce de résistance….  Hazelnut Brown Butter

• 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/4 Cup fo chopped hazelnuts
• 1 Small shallot, minced
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• Salt and ground black pepper

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook until pale and gold, 2-3 minutes, taking care not to burn the butter (that means, don’t refill your wine glass until after the butter is done) .  Add the hazelnuts and stir until golden brown and fragrant, 1-2 minutes longer.  Add the shallot and parsley and cook just until softened, about a minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle over the sweet potatoes and serve immediately.

Many thanks to the Everywhere Society and Macy’s for sending me a copy of the Macy’s Culinary Council Thanksgiving and Holiday Cookbook.  With pages of delicious photographs and recipes from each of the 13 Macy’s Culinary Council Chefs, including Cat Cora, Todd English, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck, it is truly a unique tribute to the holiday season and the delights that await you around your holiday table morning, noon or night.

For more great Thanksgiving inspirations and recipes, please visit these other great sites participating in the HolidayHQ Thanksgiving special, and join us on Twitter for a #HolidayHQ Thanksgiving special Thursday 14 Novemeber at 8pm EST.

Celebrations at Home  | How to Host a Fall Pizza Party

The TomKat Studio  | Delicious Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Tatertots & Jello |   DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards

With Style and Grace  | Small bites for a thankful crowd 

Party BluPrints   |  The Thanksgiving Kids’ Table 

The Daily Basics  |  Fall Door Decorating  and the Best Recipe for Pumpkin Pie

The Gracious Girl  |  The Gift of Gratitude

Recommended Reading

Macy’s Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook |  Macy’s

Culinary Council Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Raising a Healthy Family

Culinary Council Breakfast Casserole Recipe | Not a SuperMom

November is… |  Housewife Bliss

Caramel MilkShake:  The perfect date for a salty popcorn bag….this sweet delight takes minutes to prepare.

• Ingredients:  2 scoops of Vanilla ice cream, 1 cup of ice cold milk, 1/3 cup of Caramel.
• Directions:  Add the ingredients to a blender, and blitz until smooth and creamy.  Before serving, drizzle caramel around the rim of the glass, then pour in the milkshake.  Top with a drizzle of caramel and serve.

 Recommended Reading

5 tips for planning a movie night |  Housewife Bliss

Party Ideas |  Housewife Bliss

Top 250 movies of all time  |  IMBD

5 Tips for adding a dash of Hollywood glamour to your home movie night:

1. Screening Invitations.  Nothing says ‘event’ quite like an invitation.  Choose a movie, a date and a guest list and get planning.  Be sure to include the start time of the film to ensure those that are fashionably late don’t interrupt the film.
2. Movie Theme.  The screening of Breakfast Club would not be complete without full 80s attire, nor would Oklahoma! be nearly as fun without a few cowboy boots.  Encourage your guests to dress the part if there is a movie theme, and where possible, add accents to the food and drink menu to continue the theme through the night.
3. Fan Fair. Before the movie begins, play a trivia game to get everyone in the spirit of the night.  Often times the movie chosen will have a website filled with trivia, extra footage, quotes and bonus material that will create an added buzz around the movie night.
4. Make Room.  Few of us have room for a cinema in our homes (ah to dream….) so be creative with your space and ensure that everyone will be sitting comfortably.   When furniture limits your seating, add beanbags, pillows and soft seating to the floor to keep everyone happy during the showing.  If it is a chilly night, have a stack of throw blankets on hand for guests to relax into.
5. Book an intermission.  Half way through the film, arrange an intermission and replenish your “concession stand”.  And if you are bursting with extra time, create a soundtrack from the film to play during the break.

Recommended Reading

5 Steps to a cleaner, prouder pantry

Step 1 |  Purge :   Place a large rubbish bin by your pantry and start purging everything expired and all those half empty cracker boxes that are no doubt stale by now.  Flours, spices, and dried herbs will only last for 6 months, be ruthless now to avoid disaster when you use them next.  Sugars and syrups have a long life and may only need to be tidied up.

Step 2 | Clean: Fill a bowl with warm sudsy water and wipe down all the shelves and walls.  If you use lining trays or baskets, give them a good clean too.  Once done, sweep your pantry floor and vacuum the corners. Before placing everything back into your pantry, dust your boxes and wipe down your cans.

Step 3 | Donate:  Take stock of your tinned goods.  If you are bursting at the seems with canned goods, place them in a donation box to drop at a food bank later …..and make a mental note of your tendency to over stock on your canned goods.

Step 4| Organize : There is a method to everyone’s madness, here are my 2 cents on organzing a pantry….

• Use old jars to store flour, salts, sugars, rice, pulses and other loose items that need to remain airtight.
• Everyday items should go at the most accessible levels;
• Excess & seldom used items should go at the top;
• Periodic items should go at the bottom;
• Cluster your items by type so you always have a view of what you have;
• Use baskets to keep track of smaller items and for those easy access items that you are forever needing (like snacks);
• Be creative with  your space, pantry doors are fabulous storage areas.

Step 5 | Restock: Make a list of everything you purged that will need to be replaced, and if you feel like a complete re-organziaition is in the future, think about what you want to store, how you want to store it and what you need before heading to the shops…there is nothing worse than coming home with organizing supplies to find that none of them really work for your pantry.

 Recommended Reading

Holiday Pantry Shopping List | Housewife Bliss

Kitchen Deep Cleaning Guide | Housewife Bliss

How to Organize your kitchen |  Housewife Bliss

Voting.  Not quite the traditional all American voting, but voting none-the-less.  This month I stepped outside my comfort zone and entered the Video tutorial on how to make baked french toast into the GMC Trade Secrets contest for a chance to film with Sam Talbot the celebrity chef.  I would love your vote, and the good news is that you can vote up to 3 times a day (as if you have nothing else to do) and each vote enters you into a daily drawing for a $50 gift card.  Cast your vote here.

Hosting Thanksgiving on 24 November.  The baton has finally been handed down and this will be my first fully hosted Thanksgiving dinner in the US and I am making plans for it to be a show stopper, starting with these free printable place cards from Frog Prince Paperie.  For a full peak at what my Thanksgiving tables will look like this year, pop over to Celebrations to download the printables and peak at my table decor (click here).

Spicing things up.  Replace your spices, anything older than 6 months and you might as well be using saw dust.  To keep your spices fragrant all season long, store them in an airtight, room temperate dark place (….that means, not on open shelf by the oven, but in your pantry).

Arranging fresh November Flowers: Truth be told, I have fallen in love with autumn leaves, not only do they have a longer vase life, they capture the heart of November so well, especially Maple branches. But if you are looking for vibrant November flowers, look for Cockscomb, Lisianthus, Sedum, Winterberries, Dahlias,Veronica and Yarrow.

Enjoying November produce:  The fall harvest is in full swing and your green grocer will be bursting with a number of seasonal delights, including: Apples, Brussels Sprouts, Chicory, Cranberries, Kumquats, Leeks, Parsnips, Persimmons, Sweet Potatoes, and Watercress.

Writing my holiday cards.  There I said it, the one thing we all loathe doing but love receiving.   Time to get your stationary box out, review your address lists, think of horribly witty things to say and wish everyone a fabulous 2012.  If you get them all done before Thanksgiving, the season just might be a tad more enjoyable and the lines at the post office less daunting.

Exploring Pinterest.  Yes, what free time I did have is now being sucked into the ether of the magical site of Pinterest.  I fear I may have to join pinners anonymous as I finally have a place to catalogue all kitchen living images, products and ideas that fill my head.  Join me down the rabbit hole link.

Getting fresh with my mop for a pre-holiday deep clean.  There is nothing worse than being unprepared for an unexpected guest or spending the 2 days before a house guest arrives cleaning your bathroom grout.  Spend time in early November giving your home a deep clean to ensure you are prepared for any guest this Holiday Season.  If you are looking for tips and inspiration, take a peak below:

• How to clean your silver
• Guide to deep cleaning your kitchen
• How to create the perfect guest room
• Deep cleaning check list

Recommended Reading

2011 November is…  |  Housewife Bliss

Seasonal apples  |  Housewife Bliss

Shopping ‘green’ does not always equate to dropping a lot of green at the check-out or making your visit less than convenient, here are 5 ways to make eco friendly choices at the supermarket that will not only green up your shopping habits, but save you a few green backs while you are at it.

1. Bring your own bags: An obvious starting point, but the benefit of bringing your own bags is that they hold more food, are easier to carry and many stores are starting to offer cash back for bringing your own bags.
2. Shop seasonally and locally:  It goes without saying that strawberries in the dead of winter are going to be expensive and flown in from far off lands.  Stick with seasonal foods produced locally to not only curb your produce bill, but allow you to dish up a nutrient rich meal (the less your food travels, the more likely it is to be high in key nutrients)
3. Waste-Free shopping:  Bulk buying foods from bulk bins (like pulses, grains, nuts, cereals, and coffee) saves on the packaging waste and tends to be cheaper at the check out. Buying bulk food allows you to buy only what you need rather than what the producers want you to buy, saving on packaging waste, food waste and on cost.  When buying produce opt for loose items or cardboard packaged foods rather than conveniently packaged food in plastic carriers.
4. Buy what you need, use what your buy:  Simple strategy, but not always adhered to.  More than 14% of food purchased in America is wasted….stale bread, mushy bannanas, you name it, fresh food goes bad no matter how your store it.
5. Cut down on disposable products:  The delights of having paper towels and plates in the kitchen are endless, but also costly.  Where possible, buy long life items to replace those convenient disposable ones.

Recommended Reading

Shopping with Style | Housewife Bliss

Getting the most out of your freezer | Housewife Bliss

Getting the most out of seasonal apples | Housewife Bliss

Before hosting your next party, define 2 signature cocktails to make shopping and serving a breeze, and then stock your bar with the following general essentials for a successful party:

Water:  Ensure that you have an equal supply of both sparking and still water, and then provide1 litre of water for every 2 guests.

Wine:  Stock your bar with both red and white wine, taking into consideration that one bottle will serve 2-3 guests.

Beer:  Offer your guests both light and dark beer, and supply 2-3 bottles per guess if you are also supplying cocktails and wine.  If only beer, ensure that you have 3-4 bottles on hand for each guest.

Cocktails:  Serving 2 signature cocktails makes bar tending simple.  Buy your liquor in quarts, as once they are opened, they deteriorate with a few weeks of opening.  Generally 1 quart of liquor will serve 10 guests.

Ice:  Generally speaking a host will use more ice in the summer than the winter, however the average norm is to have 1 lb of ice on hand for every 2 guests, more if you are serving cocktails.

Garnish & Other essentials:  Every great bar has a number of garnishes (lemons, limes, olives, and the list continues), clever cocktail napkins, toothpicks, straws, the obligatory bar towel (after all, spills happen) and a plethora of clean glasses.

The Peppermint Martini

Looking for a new signature cocktail?  

Why not try this Peppermint Infused Martini, it is sharp, crisp and perfect before and after dinner.  If you don’t have the inclination (or time) to infuse your own Vodka, you can certainly pick some up at the shops, or a do a quick infusion the night before for a mild hint of peppermint.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of vodka (for prep) and 2 ounces for the drink
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/2 ounce of crème de cacao
• 9 peppermint hard candies
• 2 tablespoons of clear cane sugar syrup

Infusion Directions:  Two weeks prior to serving, add the vanilla bean and three peppermint hard candies to an 8-ounce bottle of vodka and allow the mixture to rest. The end result will be a vanilla and peppermint flavored vodka that has all the promise of a fabulous after dinner drink. Once infused, strain the vodka to remove any leftover peppermint pieces and the vanilla bean.

Cocktail Directions:

1. Take five peppermint hard handies and crush them into a fine powder . Leave them to rest on a plate.
2. Next, take two tablespoons of clear cane sugar syrup and pour it onto a plate.
3. Line the rim of your martini glass with the clear cane sugar syrup by placing the glass upside down on the plate.
4. Once evenly coated, lift the glass and place the it into the peppermint powder plate to rim the glass’ edge with peppermint.
5. Fill your cocktail shaker with ice, then pour in 1/2 ounce of crème de cacao and two-ounces of your homemade infused vodka. Shake vigorously to cool the mixture, then strain into your martini glass before garnishing with a peppermint hard candy.

Recommended Reading

Jello Jiggler Cocktails |  Housewife Bliss

Stain Free Cocktails |  Housewife Bliss

How to stock a family bar |  Housewife Bliss

Print off the Holiday Pantry Shopping List before you stock up for the holidays to ensure you have all the esentials you need for a well stocked holiday season.  For more pantry ideas, watch my tips on Arizona Midday below, or tune into the Tucson Morning Blend on Monday 17th October and watch them live.

 Recommended Reading

Deep clean your kitchen before the holidays |  Housewife Bliss

Advice to the reluctant entertainer |  Housewife Bliss

How to make your calendar do all the hard work |  Housewife Bliss

Choose a better apple:  Smooth, firm and free from blemishes, a fresh apple should be bursting with colour (but don’t let the wax coating on many super market apples fool you) and aroma.  If your apple sounds hollow when you tap it, it has seen better days and will only disappoint.

Know your Golden Delicious from your Gala:  

• Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Rome Beauty apples are great for baking pies, cobblers and crumbles because they maintain their bite after cooking.
• Ida Red, Cortland and McIntosh apples are great for apple sauce, they are sweet, and easily dissolve when cooked.
• Fuji, Red Delicious and Empire apples make the perfect snacking apples.

Recommended Reading

Everything you need for a fabulous Halloween Party is only a few clicks away, from free printables, to candy cocktail recipes and easy crafts, let me be your guide to creating the perfect Halloween celebration.

Spooky Halloween Wreath.  You don’t have to be crafty to create this decoration, trust me, I have no patience for crafts and even less ability, but when Celebrations.com asked me to create a wreath, I was determined to create something simple and in under 20 minutes. Learn how to make it here.

Halloween Cocktails & Mocktails.  Every party needs a few Halloween themed cocktails, and I have been busy creating a number of themed drinks for the young at heart and the younger party-goer.  Adding 2 themed drinks to your party menu is a great way to keep the theme going and add variety to your party service, try these drinks for a festive Halloween bar:

• Tootsie Roll shooter
• Pumpkin Mocktial Punch
• 5 Candy Cocktails
• Black Cat Martini
• Red Eyed Crow Cocktail
• Cyclops Halloween Mocktail
• and many more

Creepy Cupcakes.  Fun to make and even more fun to eat, learn how to turn a harmless cupcake into an 8 legged Halloween terror from my recipe found here.

Party Favors and Free Printables. Everyone loves free printables from Paper and Pigtails, and these darling bat inspired decorations are perfect for celebrating Halloween and go brilliantly with the party favor tubes from Think Garnish (I use these tubes for every occastion, but they work especially well for candy corn).  Pop over and have a look at the bat themed Halloween party I did for Celebations.com to download your free printables.

Keep a party journal.  While  you are busy planning your Halloween party, be sure to keep track of who is coming, what you are serving and all your party details in an entertaining  journal, it will make party planning simple and your parties fresh in your mind long after the last guest goes home.

For more great Halloween ideas, join me Thursday October 13th on Twitter for a #HolidayHQ Halloween tweet chat from 8-9pm EST and browse the links below from these fabulous sites participating in the #HolidayHQ.  And if Halloween is not enough to get you into the entertaining spirit, don’t worry, we will be back in November and December doing a round up of entertaining and party inspirations to get you through the holiday season.

 Get more Halloween inspiration from these talented contributors of the #HolidayHQ

Celebrations at Home  | Dress Up Your Drinks for Halloween

The Gracious Girl  |  Halloween Parties Dos and TaBoos!

Second City Soiree   |  Host an Autumn Oyster Roast

With Style & Grace  | Halloween gluten free trash mix

The TomKat Studio | How to Make an Adorable Halloween Sign + Free Printable

Tatertots & Jello   |  Halloween Tablescape

Home, Life & You Style | A Halloween Party in the Woods

Roll up your shirt sleeves, put on your cleaning gloves and spend the day (gasp, yes probably a day) making your kitchen sparkle and shine just in time for the holiday season to arrive and messy it up again.

Scrub your walls, skirting boards, back boards and floors.  Start from the top and work your way down, the daily dirt that has been piling up is no longer noticeable to you, but the difference you will see from a light scrubbing will make your kitchen brighter and more inviting.  Don’t forget to move all large appliances and large furniture away from the walls to ensure that even those hidden areas are given a deep clean.

Clean out your refrigerator and freezer.  Frozen food diminishes after 6 months, and odours can penetrate the surface of even the cleanest fridge, so take the time to follow my guide to loving your refrigerator and freezer.

Clean your dishwasher.  One would think that an appliance that cleans for us would not need cleaning itself, but alas, that is not the case. If your glasses have ever carried a musty or sour smell, washing your dishwasher will put a stop it by following this simple 30 minute deep clean routine:   use 1 part vinegar, 3 parts warm water to wash the inside of your unit, clean out the filter (usually located at the bottom of the unit), wash the racks in warm soapy water and then place a 1/2 lemon on the top rack and run a high temperature wash.

Wipe down your cupboards and drawers.  Any number of undesirable elements can collect in your drawers and cupboards, vacuuming them and then washing them down with a damp cloth can turn a drab storage area in to a sparkling clean one.

De-clutter your pantry.  Spices, if stored well should last up to 6 months in  your pantry.  Your pulses, grains, rices and pasta that have not been stored in air tight containers may be ready for replacement, and those condiment jars that you had to have 3 years ago, if not yet used are just taking up space.  Check the expiration dates on everything and only keep items that are usable. Once done,  make a list of what you need to replace and restock your pantry using this pantry guide.

Examine your cookware.  Warped baking pans, scratched non-stick pans, mismatched lids and chipped serving platters, no matter how well loved, have lived a good life and need to be replaced.

Sharpen your knives.  A dull knife not only wastes time in the kitchen, it is dangerous. Your knives should be sharpened every 6 months.

Recommended Reading

How to organize your kitchen |  Housewife Bliss

Kitchen Goddess tool kit  |  Housewife Bliss

Spring Cleaning action plan |  Housewife Bliss

Entertaining for small groups provides a relaxed setting that promises jovial conversations, and lively banter that are often absent from more formal larger gatherings.  The delight of entertaining for smaller groups is that cooking mistakes are often overlooked, dinner service is casual and the guests come looking to relax in the company of good friends.  When taking the steps towards entertaining at home, follow these 5 steps for saying goodbye to being a reluctant entertainer.

Limit your guest list.  Invite a small selection of your closets friends, those that you feel most comfortable around and who will laugh with you, not at you, if your dinner party takes a turn for the worse.  Keeping you dinner party to a maximum of 6 people ensures that you have plenty of seating and can seamlessly cook without needing a second oven or kitchen helper on the night.

Consider your menu.  We all strive to be the next top chef, but the reality is that when guests come for dinner, they want comfort food that they know and enjoy.  Keep your menu simple, relaxed and fool proof.  Avoid complicated dishes and stick with what you know how to cook and that will give you time to enjoy the company of your guests.  If planning a 3 course meal is too much for you, ask a guest to bring a dessert or salad to compliment the meal.

Plan ahead.  Planning is key to hosting a successful dinner party.  Do as much as you can in advance to avoid being tethered to the oven or from making a last minute dash to the shops for butter – if you are relaxed, your guests will be too.

Be prepared for delays.  Start your dinner off with a cocktail hour by greeting your guests with a cocktail and a few cleverly placed snack dishes (bar snacks or crackers & cheese).  This will keep them occupied while you put the finishing touches on your meal and make you look like a prepared hostess.

Engage in conversation.  Guests come for good food, drink and conversation.  With a small gathering of friends the conversation is more likely to flow freely, however if you are concerned about table topics, have a few on had to ease your mind.

Recommended Reading

How to end a party in Style | Housewife Bliss

The Hostess Journal |Housewife Bliss

Creating a well dressed table |  Valley & Co. for Housewife Bliss

Pour a signature cocktail.  Everyone should have a signature cocktail, and this October I am adopting the WifeStyle Plum Martini created by the ever talented Cocktail Deeva.  Made all the more delicious by using Van Gogh Vodka, this martini is a real crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:  1 1/2 Ounces of Van Gogh Vodka, 1/2 Ounce of Chambord, 2 Ounces of Lychee Juice and a 1/4 Roasted Plum.

Directions:  Cut the plums in half and remove the stone before generously coating in Van Gogh Peach Vodka.  Bake at 385F for 30-40 minutes until they appear soft and tender to the touch.   Muddle the roasted plum and a 1/2 ounce of Vodka until the skin and flesh of the fruit offer a vibrant colour and soft texture.  Then add the muddled plum,Vodka, Chambord and Lychee Juice to a shaker filled with ice.  Shake until well blended and chilled before straining into a Martini Glass.

Celebrate Family History Month. I love listening to my grandparent’s discuss their childhood and the people that made it eventful, and this October I will be inviting my them over for an extended Sunday Dinner so my children can hear the stories of their childhood  while we uncover old family albums and create a new one using the classic guest book as inspiration (read more about my modern guest book here).   

Learn to taste beer like a pro. For me, beer is a spectator sport, but for those around me, it is serious business.  This October we are hosting an Oktoberfest party and everyone will be learning how to taste beer like an aficionado (click here if you missed the lesson) and enjoy one last casual party before the holiday spirit has everyone reaching for more formal entertaining styles.

Fill your calendar.  The festive hum of the end of the year may seem like a long way off, but once you account for school holidays, busy periods at work, planned weekends away and the scattering of various other life events booked in your calendar, you will find that there is very little time left in your calendar to enjoy the holiday season.  Take the time this month to block out time for shopping and relaxing to take the stress out of the holidays that are quickly approaching. Read more about making your calendar do all the hard work here.

Ghoulish Fun.  The crown jewel of October is Halloween, skip the shops this October and pay a visit to your local pick your own farm to purchase your pumpkins.  If you live in a damp climate, line the inside of your pumpkin with petroleum jelly after carving to keep it protected from the moisture and keep it looking fresher for longer.  For great Halloween party ideas and free printables from Paper & Pigtails, pop over and read my Bat Party Ideas at Celebrations, or see how I put my limited craft skills to work by creating a simple Halloween Wreath.

Start cooking with figs and other seasonal produce.  October is the best time to delight in fresh figs. The perfect fig is unblemished and gives slightly when squeezed, and should be stored in the fridge for no more than 3 days.  Also in season this month are Apples, Beets, Blackberries, Cabbage, Chicory, Leeks, Pumpkins, Shallots, and Parsnips.

Bring Autumn blooms home.  This October your florist will be busting with Allium, China Berry, Cockscomb, Freesia, Juniper, Roses and Zinnia.

Recommended Reading:

The Hostess Journal |  Housewife Bliss

Cupping and the fine art of tasting coffee |  Housewife Bliss

Hot Cocktail Recipes for Fall |  Coryanne for Celebrations.com

When I started teaching my children to cook, I drew comfort from the lessons learned in my grandmother’s kitchen and used the familiarity of what kitchen skills I had to get them excited about food — saving the frantic unknown dishes that create mayhem in the kitchen for late night feasts with my husband (no need to torment the poor dears with bad language and kitchen disasters).  I want them to see the kitchen as a place for harmony, comfort and happiness, and to look forward to family meals, even if they don’t always look forward to what is being served.

For a multitude of reasons, modern living does not always allow for evening family meals each day of the week, however, when those moments do present themselves, it is a great opportunity to create the memories every kitchen table deserves by intertwining modern living and family time over a meal that everyone can be part of creating.

5 tips for balancing family meal time with modern living:

1. Serve a familiar dish.  Save the complicated culinary trials for Sunday afternoon when time is on your side and your adiance is in a more forgiving mood;
2. Fill your kitchen before hand.  Get everyone involved in setting the table, there is no fun in shouting out “dinner is ready”;
3. Never cook alone.  Even a toddler can butter bread, set the kitchen timer or mash potatoes with supervision;
4. Use your best dishes.  Fruit salad tastes so much better in decorative goblets, and you will be amazed how quickly the peas disappear when they are served with an heirloom serving spoon.
5. Leave your technology at the door.  Trust me, the world will continue to rotate if your phone is out of reach and your family is your focal point.

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1. Keep your blooms cool.  Most flowers don’t like extreme heat. Keeping them away from the heater or radiator during cold months will ensure they don’t start to wilt too early.
2. Cut the stems, change the water!  The two most important things you can do to extend the life of your flowers: Rinsing and refilling the vase ensures your stems will have clean water to drink, and cutting the stems keeps bacteria from accumulating on the stem, so there’s a clean path to hydrate the beautiful bloom up to.
3. Think in threes.  If you’re mixing multiple varietals in one arrangement, make sure you have at least three of each stem – your arrangement will look purposeful and well-balanced.
4. Mix textures.  Add artistry to a bundle of simple blooms by pairing different textures, like branches of waxflower with elegant roses, or lisianthus with modern-looking mums.
5. Seek out greenery.  Look to greenery like salal, pitt, and aspidistra to add an organic look to your arrangements, and can easily add a bit of volume on a budget.
6. Set a color scheme.  We often to choose one to two key colors and build a set of varietals around those, choosing several flowers in the same color family. A set color scheme tends to make arrangements feel pulled together and contemporary.
7. Think about creative additions.  At H.BLOOM, we’ll add all kinds of interesting components to special arrangements: Cabbage, chilies, artichokes, small holiday ornaments, and other lovely little surprises – they’re an unexpected way to add a bit of fun to an arrangement.
8. Ask an expert!  As professional flower sommeliers, we know about blooms you’ve likely never seen or smelled. If you’re searching for a perfect match to your tablecloth or a beautiful accent for your modern décor, don’t be afraid to ask! We’re always happy to chat, or put together something spectacular just for you.

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This is our Carlyle Chandelier. It's shown here in fashion designer Monique Lhuillier's dining room. She's known for her wedding dresses. This piece is shown in ivory silk pongee, measures 42" long by 16" wide by 11" tall (the shade) with a 3" rock crystal ball underneath it.

As we transition our home from summer to fall, the obvious place to start is with textiles, however, as the lighting fades and the days become shorter, the best place to start is with your interior lighting.  I first fell in love with lighting when we refurbished our first home, it is amazing how many light fixtures are out there, beyond the main stream markets waiting for consideration only to become the focal point of your room.  This week I have asked an amazingly talented lighting artists, Maria Zia of Zia-Priven to share her advice on modern lighting techniques and trends.

Marcia Zia

Marcia Zia has been the Creative Director and Managing Partner of Zia-Priven Inc., since it’s inception in 1999. She and husband Paul Priven, left the entertainment industry (Marcia, an Emmy nominated Set Decorator and Paul, an Assistant Director) to pursue their passion to create extraordinary lighting.  She also designs numerous collections for Stonegate Designs and Robert Abbey with her Mercer chandelier winning Stonegate their first ever Arts Award in 2009.  Her 10ft. tall Troy Ping Pong Ball chandelier also received wide acclaim in over 50 publications internationally.

Coryanne:  Will the transition into more eco friendly light bulbs change the way we shop for lamps and shades?
Marcia Zia:  In all honesty, the transition into more eco friendly light bulbs shouldn’t change the way we shop for lamps and shades at all, if anything it should make it more exciting. Today the options of retro-fit CFL and LED bulbs are 10 times what they were only a year ago. Literally every week there are more sizes, shapes and wattages, and the prices continue to drop. Therefore, it’s only going to make all of our lives simpler. And because CFLs and LEDs only put out a fraction of the heat that incandescent bulbs do, we will have many more choices of lamps and shades for every application. It’s really quite thrilling on the design front because new fixture shapes and sizes can be imagined that simply weren’t possible before. And my biggest pet peeve, the glaring light bulb, which I carefully design each piece to hide, can now be a thing of the past! Woo-Hoo!

{C}:  Lighting is often over looked in many homes, what can you tell us that would change the way people view lighting?
{MZ}:  Many times when people are designing a room, the first things they think about are the furniture, the color palette, perhaps a carpet, but they are truly missing out by ignoring what may be the actual focal point of the room. Consider a dramatic dining room or an inviting entry. How about a romantic bedroom or a luxurious bath? Could you imagine any of these rooms being as dramatic, romantic or luxurious without extraordinary lighting? It’s pretty difficult to do, and that’s natural, because good lighting commands a room, shapes its personality and creates a definitive mood. Whether it is a striking chandelier or a funky, retro table lamp, lighting IS the jewelry of any room.

{C}:  If you had $50, $100 or $500 to spend on lighting, what would you buy and why?
{MZ}:  Paul, my husband and partner, and I have a great affection for vintage lighting. We not only collect it, but it’s what inspired us to start designing our own. I’ve gone through so many periods exploring my love for lighting which started years ago while working at an antique auction. There’s been my Deco period, the addiction to French crystal chandeliers, 70’s funkadelic, 60’s Italian, even a little Victorian and each and every one has brought inspiration to me and our designs. It’s amazing what you can find out there for $10 to $1000 so whether we had $50, 100 or 500, we’d probably sneak over to the Rose Bowl or Santa Monica Flea Markets and see what treasure is hiding.

{C}: What is the most common mistake people make when choosing lighting for their home?
{MZ}:  The most common mistake people make when choosing lighting for their home is waiting to purchase it at the end of a project. Oftentimes people wait until they’re out of money or have overspent to purchase their lighting. If people select their lighting during the design process, rather than near the end of it, they will have more liberty to choose what they want rather than what they have to settle for. Especially with custom lighting, timeframe plays an important role because many pieces are handmade and can take 8-12 weeks for completion.
Also, it’s important to consider not only how your lighting looks, but what it does—literally—to the room. When you turn it on, does it cast a warm glow? Is it too bright or too moody? Is it for task lighting or simply ambiance? Think about your needs for each piece and don’t be completely swayed because the shade matches your sofa.

{C}:  What design tips do you have for the average homeowner when selecting new lighting or trying to make a statement with their existing lighting?
{MZ}:  This is another great question. Here are some tips that we use and recommend to our clients:

1. Make sure you LOVE it (and that goes for everything, as much as possible). Good lighting is an investment you will want to live with for a long time.
2. When selecting a fixture for over a dining room table, a round fixture can go over any shape, but avoid putting a square fixture over a round table — the visual lines go to battle.
3. When hanging a chandelier or pendant, leave 30″ between the bottom of the fixture and top of the table for an open sightline for guests.
4. A cost effective tip is to put two or three small fixtures in a row or cluster over your table for a dramatic effect as opposed to one large expensive piece.
5. Sconces are great elements to use in a hallway because they give elegant, soft, ambient light without taking up much space — and they’re great if you have kids because you don’t have to worry about cords on the ground.
6. If you’re going to use incandescent bulbs, use daylight bulbs. We recommend GE Reveal bulbs as they are inexpensive and their color spectrum is very close to sunlight. It’s a clean, white light that creates a warm, but not yellowish environment.
7. Don’t forget to layer your lighting in every room which includes ceiling fixtures, table lamps, floor lamps and sconces, even candlelight. A room with one light source looks flat while a layered room feels warm and alive.
8. Take a few risks with lighting—lighting is the only element in your home that can look completely different when it’s off versus when it’s on, most people don’t consider this. That lamp you’ve had your eye on may be beautiful switched off, but glaring and obnoxious while lit. Take a moment to flick it on or ask the sales person to put a bulb in it.
9. Think about obstructing views—you don’t want to put a heavy pendant in front of a picture window. Make sure the style of the fixture fits into your décor as well as your environment.
10. And last but certainly not least, dimmers in every room. I can’t say this enough! They are easy to install and well worth it. Then the mood you want to create in every room is at your very finger tips.

Coryanne, thank you very much for taking the time to interview me for your blog. I’ve long been an admirer of HouseWifeBliss and it is a pleasure to now be a part of it. I appreciate your kindness through the process and wish you the best. You are truly a sparkle of light for the world of design.

*****

Not just an expert, Maria is an artist, I adore her talent.  The Zia-Priven aesthetic is classically modern mixed in with a bit of the couple’s Hollywood roots. Her latest collections Tempest and Solano introduce her new obsession, hand blown glass, and a style she refers to as “Industrial Glamour”. Currently Marcia is exploring her love for sculptural and geometric forms for the next ZP collection.  Here are a few of my favoirte pieces that will give you an idea of how you can take an ordinary fixture in your home and turn it into a piece of art.

The H2O Chandelier. It features 30 swags of hand beaded Czech crystal on stainless steel aircraft cable.

The Solano Chandelier. It features 24 hand blown glass drops that are 10" long each.

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