Comfort Food Potluck Party

Get Comfy!

With the weather still very chilly outside, it make me want to stay home any eat things that are warm and comforting. So, how about a Comfort Food Potluck Party.


Here is a list of the Top 25 comfort foods:
• Apple Pie• Baked Beans• Banana Pudding• Beef Stew• Brisket Pot Roast• Chicken & Dumplings• Chicken Pot Pie• Chicken Soup• Chili• Chocolate Chip Cookies• Corn on the Cob• Fried Chicken• Gelatin• Green Bean Casserole• Hot Dogs• Ice Cream• Macaroni & Cheese• Mashed Potatoes• Meatloaf• Potato Salad• Pumpkin Pie• Shepherd's Pie• Spaghetti• Tomato Soup• Tuna Casserole.


Have each of your guests bring a dish from this list or have them bring their own favorite comfort food.
The list is endless as far as what type of invitation to send depending on the amount to time you have. Some suggestion are: A cutout of a bowl of chicken soup with the information about the party in the middle. Wrap up a chocolate chip cookie in a small cellophane bag with a tag tied to it with all the party details.
You can go one step further and have your guests arrive in their most comfortable clothes (sweats, flannel pants, pajamas, robes, slippers etc...)
For the table, keep it simple. Use a very warm colors to set an soothing ambiance. If it is a girls friends gathering occasion, create a spa like ambiance with lots of candlelight, soft colors of orange, yellow, light blue, soft pink etc. Fresh flowers could be a nice touch too, but don't over do it.


The whole idea of this gathering is to create a warm and cozy ambiance for your guest to enjoy while they are warming their sole with comfort food.
Send us your favorite comfort food idea or recipe!


Stay tuned to more ideas on gathering during the winter season. Visit us at www.tableambiance.com for table setting and entertaining ideas.

Labor Day Party Idea

END OF SUMMER PARTY
Some of might know that Labor Day marks the end of summer! Even though for those of us living in Northern California we are finally getting our summer weather. The old tradition was no more white apparel after Labor Day, so we thought it would be fun to have a party that is very monochromatic……all white. Well, almost all white.
This is another perfect opportunity to entertain outside especially if you are experiencing an Indian summer with wonderful evening weather.
Send out an invitation using evite.com to spread the word about your fabulous Labor Day celebration.
Mention to your guests to wear all white to your party.
To create a simple yet elegant ambiance for your party, our new favorite item is the paper lanterns that are found an almost any party store or if you live in the North Bay Cost Plus World Market carries a variety of shapes and sizes.

For your table, keep it simple. Use white table cloths or placemats, white dinner plates, and clear wine or water glasses. However, it might be fun to add just a bit of color on the table using a colored napkin placed the center of each dinner plate. For the centerpiece, find three of your favorite vases with similar height and fill them with flowers (such as daisies, hydrangeas, peonies etc.). Another idea may be use three cylinders and full them with sand or gravel and place a white pillar candle in each.

Remember is it the little things that make a party successful. If you are in a time crunch, ask your guests to pitch in with the food or drinks. The point is to send off summer with a bang! Have fun and send us your ideas on how you spend your Labor Day weekend.

Easter Recipe Idea

We loved this recipe for two reasons: 1) an Easter Brunch would not be complete without Eggs Benedict and 2) it included 'Make ahead' suggestions to save precious time.



Eggs Benedict
· 1 to 2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules (optional)
· 4 eggs
· 1 recipe Mock Hollandaise Sauce*
· 2 English muffins, split
· 4 slices Canadian-style bacon
· Cracked black pepper (optional)
Directions
1. If desired, lightly grease a 10-inch saute pan or skillet with cooking oil or shortening. Half-fill the skillet with water. If desired, stir in bouillon granules. Bring the water to boiling; reduce heat to simmering (bubbles should begin to break the surface of the water). Break one of the eggs into a small dish or a measuring cup with a handle. Carefully slide egg into the simmering water, holding the lip of the cup as close to the water as possible. Add remaining eggs, one at a time.
2. Simmer eggs, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the whites are completely set and the yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and place them in a large pan of warm water to keep them warm. Prepare Mock Hollandaise Sauce.
3. Place muffin halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat about 2 minutes or until toasted. Top muffin halves with Canadian-style bacon. Broil about 1 minute more or until bacon is heated.
4. To serve, top each bacon-topped muffin half with an egg. Spoon Mock Hollandaise Sauce over eggs. If desired, sprinkle with pepper. Makes 4 servings.
5. *Mock Hollandaise Sauce: In a 1- to 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine 1/3 cup dairy sour cream, 1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon yellow mustard. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until warm. If desired, stir in a little milk to thin. Makes about 2/3 cup.
6. Make-ahead directions: Prepare Poached Eggs and toast English muffins as above. Place muffin halves in a greased 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Top each muffin half with a slice of Canadian-style bacon and 1 cooked egg. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. To serve, prepare the Mock Hollandaise Sauce; spoon hot sauce over eggs. Bake, covered, in a 350F oven about 30 minutes or until heated through. Recipe from:bhg.com

Stay tune for more ideas to make this Easter frugal yet festive with Easter Table Settings and Entertaining tips.

Entertaining On a Budget

How to Make Cheap, Fast Dinners Look Expensive

By Kristie Leong MD


Cheap, fast dinners don't have to look and taste that way. Here's how to turn them into feasts for the eyes and the taste buds.
If you don’t have the time to cook a restaurant quality meal in the evening, you’re not alone. Many busy Americans struggle to get dinner on the table and frequently resort to bringing home fast food or take-out options. Even if you only have time to prepare a fast, cheap dinner, you can still make it special by adding a few special touches that’ll make your family think you spent a great deal of time in the kitchen. Here’s how to make quick, cheap dinners that look expensive.

Bring out the Nice Dinnerware
Instead of serving a fast, cheap dinner on ugly ceramic plates, or even worse paper plates, bring out your nicest dinnerware. Food always tastes better when it’s served from attractive bowls and plates. Some people make the mistake of storing away their best dinnerware and china for a future “special occasion”. An occasion that’s special enough never seems to arise and that beautiful china ends up being unused. Isn’t every dinner you share with your family special?

Add a Garnish
Even cheap, fast dinners take on new flavor when a garnish is added to the plate. Use sprigs of fresh herbs to add a touch of color or add fresh fruit slices to your presentation. Invest in a zester so you can quickly create lemon and orange zest to add color, texture and flavor to simple dinner. Use an ice cream scoop to create luscious melon balls. If you want a more elaborate presentation, create simple flowers out of raw vegetables. There are a variety of books that will show you how to do this. This is a great technique to use when you’re entertaining on a budget. No one will ever suspect you paid so little for the food when the presentation is so detailed.

Serve it by Candlelight
Nothing adds more ambience to cheap, fast dinners than serving them by candlelight. Before serving dinner, dim the lights and bring out your prettiest candles. Not only will dinner be more pleasant, you’ll be saving on electricity too.

Add Some Background Music
Soft, new age music playing in the background adds a special atmosphere to even the most inexpensive meal. The harmonious sounds of music have the added benefit of relaxing the body and helping to improve digestion. When you serve dinner to the melodious tones of Kenny G or John Tesh, your family will think they’re eating in a five star restaurant.

Drizzle on the Sauces
When you apply sauce to an entrée or side dish, don’t just pour it on. Put it into a squeeze bottle and drizzle it over the food by moving the bottle back and forth to create a pattern. Many fine restaurants use this technique to give food an elegant, artistic flair. This is a simple way to serve your next meal “chef style”.

Even though you may not have the time or money to prepare an expensive dinner at home with a little imagination quick, cheap dinners can still be memorable. Why not give these ideas a try?

This article came from: http://www.gomestic.com/Entertaining/How-to-Make-Cheap-Fast-Dinners-Look-Expensive.558969

Stay tuned for more entertaining on a budget ideas. Also, Table Ambiance has incredible table elements on sale now that will add a bit of ambiance to your table.