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.

Warm up With Hot Cocoa

The weather in Northern California has been constistently cold for weeks. So what better way to warm your body and heart with good ole hot cocoa. Here are some of the recipes we've tried and like.

Mocha Hot Cocoa: Phyllis Hoffman

Ingredients:

3 cups milk

3 cups half-and-half

8.8 oz dark chocolate hot cocoa mix

1/4 cup expresso powder

1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur

Garnish: Whipped cream, expresso powder, chocolate covered coffee bean.

In medium saucepan, combine milk and half-and-half. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Whisk in cocoa mix and espresso powder. Add coffee liqueur, stirring to combine. Garnish, if desired.

Fluffy Hot Chocolate: allrecipe.com

Ingredients

• 8 teaspoons sugar

• 4 teaspoons baking cocoa

• 4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: In a saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until the marshmallows are melted, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Ladle into mugs.

Hot Chocolate: Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk

• 2 cups half-and-half

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

• 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

• 1 tablespoon sugar • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder

• 4 to 5 vanilla beans or cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Directions : Heat the milk and half-and-half in a saucepan on medium heat to just below the simmering point. Remove the pan from the heat and add both chocolates. When the chocolates are melted, add the sugar, vanilla extract, and espresso and whisk vigorously. Reheat gently and serve immediately. Use a vanilla bean or cinnamon stick to garnish each serving.

We hope these help ease those cold winter days. Happy sipping!

New Year's Activity - Time Capsule

A new decade approaches, and here is the ideal activity that New Year Eve party goers of all ages can participate in: Create a Time Capsule.

• Find a container to hold all the contents (shoe box, large leftover Christmas gift box, empty popcorn tin, etc..)


• Paper or pieces of paper and pens/pencils to write down events that happen during the year that are on a personal level or national level, prices of everyday items (gasoline, gallon of milk, butter...) or what music and movies were popular in 2009.


• Add some photos of family members and friends or items and memento's from a vacation or event.


• Find a save and secure place to store your capsule with a 'Do Not Open Until 2020'.

These are just some suggestions of capsule items to get you started. Send us more suggestions or what was it like to make or create your time capsule this New Year's Eve.

Happy New Year to everyone, and we look forward to new and upcoming postings in the new year.

Cheers!

Carole and Angela, Table Ambiance

Auld Lang Syne?

Ever wonder what the famous New Year's Song meant? Thanks to Lisa Gache from
Beverly Hills Manners has some insight.


The words to "Auld Lang Syne" are pretty obscure to most of us, yet we sing them with pride on New Year's Eve. The Scottish phrase literally translates to 'Old Long Ago' and encourages us to think about days passed. The lyrics also refer to kindness ('We'll take a Cup of Kindness yet') and conjure up positive images of everyone getting along and creating a happy future.

These final days of 2009 are perfect for taking stock of the past. Reviewing our good deeds and our not so good deeds. Who we wronged and who we helped. Who we slighted and who we were generous towards. Were we kind or were we cruel? Did we cheat ourselves out of an experience or did we try our best? What were the ramifications of our actions? Did it serve us or did it do us a disservice? This is all good information to ponder before ringing in a new year.

So before New Year's Eve approaches, sit down and write a list of resolutions for yourself. Then add a list of manners resolutions. These can be purely aspirational because, after all, we are human and make mistakes. The important part is to focus on being more aware and trying to change. Below I have compiled a list of manners resolutions that I aspire to live by. Feel free to use these as a starting point or as your complete guide.

Finally, stop thinking of manners as some dated, dusty set of rules from days long ago. Manners never get old, they are never out of style and they are never irrelevant. On the contrary, manners are insanely important and frankly they are a nice change from the salacious, gratituous, frivilous world we live in today. So embrace your new manners in 2010!!!

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Cookie Party: Fun for All Ages

My mom started having a cookie party for all her grandchildren and her friend’s grandchildren. It has been a holiday tradition for over 10 years running. All the children (even the teenagers) look forward to it every year.
It is a great activity to really get you into the holiday spirit. It allows adults to catch and chat while the kids are having fun creating confection masterpieces.
To get started, send out your invitations. If you are short on time, log onto evite.com to get a cookie party invitation out fast.
You can buy all the necessary decorating items (sprinkles, icing, candy etc) at your local grocery store or craft store, like Michaels). We have found that the easiest and less messy idea is to make one big batch of royal icing. Separate it into squeeze bottles (available at restaurant supply stores or Michael’s) and color it with food coloring.
A Royal Icing Recipe:

1 lb confectioners sugar 3 Tb. egg white powder½ tsp lemon extract (optional).
Mix altogether, add 1 tablespoon of water (or more) to reach the consistency you want. Beat approximately 6 minutes)

One of our favorite sugar cookie recipe is from Martha Stewart:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons brandy, or milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; add dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. With mixer running, add egg, brandy (or milk), and vanilla; mix until incorporated.
2. Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Another helpful hint is to have your guests bring their own container or box, so they can easily transport their wonderful cookies home.
If you have any holiday traditions, please let us know! Send us an email so we can share it with our blogging community.
Stay tuned for Holiday Entertaining Ideas for guests of all ages.

Visit our website for more Holiday Table Decor.

Get Into The Spirit

This fun cocktail from Martha Stewart is sure to get you into the Holiday Spirit!



Candy Cane Cocktail

Ingredients
1 candy cane, crushed for garnish,
2 ounces strawberry vodka
4 dashes white creme de menthe
2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice Ice cubes

Directions:
1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy. 2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.
Visit our website http://www.tableambiance.com/ for holiday table setting ideas.