A “Hair Of The Dog” New Year’s Day Party

December 30, 2014 by 32 Comments

This morning I shared a book from my decor library that offers us a peek into some pretty amazing parties held in private homes in New York. I must have parties on the brain since I've even been dreaming about them. Are you attending any New Year's parties this year? Will you be hosting one? I'm kind of glad I didn't plan one this year since I've come down with a nasty bug or something after all my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: New Year's Recipes



Down To The Wire & Behind the Scenes, It’s Party Time!

January 3, 2014 by 62 Comments

It's 4:30 Pm, New Years Day. Friends will be arriving in 30 minutes for a New Year's Day dinner party and suddenly a long list of things still needing to be done starts playing through my head: Mix up the champagne punch, pop the appetizers into the oven and get them onto a tray, put out the cheese and crackers, light the candles throughout the house and on the porch.  How did it get to be 4:30 so … [Read more...]

Filed Under: New Year's Decor, New Year's Holiday Home, New Year's Recipes



Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

December 31, 2013 by 45 Comments

A couple of days ago I shared plans to make a butternut squash soup for a New Year's Day dinner party. I found a recipe that sounded and looked pretty yummy at Chow online.   One of the things I like about this recipe is that it can be made up to 3 days in advance, then reheated prior to serving. So many foods actually taste better if they are made a few days in advance since it gives the flavors … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Recipes, New Year's Recipes, Recipes, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, Thanksgiving Recipes Tagged With: , ,



Emergency Substitutions for Common Ingredients

November 27, 2013 by 26 Comments

There's nothing more stressful when preparing a big holiday dinner than running out of a key ingredient, especially when there's no time to run back to the store. Here's a list I compiled of popular substitutions for some of the more common ingredients we sometimes run low on. Hope this helps your cooking go a bit smoother this holiday season! Happy Thanksgiving! Image from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Recipes, Easter Recipes, Halloween Recipes, Independence Day Holiday Home, Independence Day Recipes, New Year's Recipes, Recipes, St. Patrick's Day Recipes, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, Thanksgiving Recipes, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Recipes



21 Delicious Party Drinks for the Holiday Season

November 20, 2013 by 35 Comments

It will soon be party time! Even if you're not having a big party this year, chances are you will have family and friends stopping in during the holidays. Treat them to a special drink that's as pretty as it is tasty! I spent several hours yesterday searching for the yummiest and most beautiful party drinks I could find. I'm pretty excited about this list, I think it will be my go-to spot for holiday … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Recipes, Independence Day Holiday Home, Independence Day Recipes, New Year's Recipes, Recipes, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, Thanksgiving Recipes, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Recipes



Ice Chiller for Wine or Champagne: A Tutorial

December 23, 2011 by 35 Comments

I shared how to make this wine chiller last year, but I thought it would be fun to share that post again in case you're looking for something fun for your Christmas table or for your New Year's eve celebration.  It's easy to make...you'll just need a couple of containers, water and cranberries.  Sliced lemons and limes would work, too. Tutorial:  Make a wine chiller: Last year I received a catalog in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Duplicate Post, New Year's Recipes, New Year's Table Settings, New Year's Tablescapes Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Champagne Punch Great For Christmas or New Year’s Party

November 12, 2010 by 68 Comments

Several folks have asked for the punch recipe I mentioned in our last Party Planning post. I'm happy to share it.   You'll find a printable version of this recipe at the bottom of this post.   The Recipe: Champagne Holiday Punch Ingredients: 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 4 whole cloves 2 cups cranberry juice cocktail 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1 bottle champagne (Korbel Brut works … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Recipes, New Year's Holiday Home, New Year's Recipes, New Year's Table Settings, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,



Strawberry Cheese Ring Appetizer

February 27, 2009 by 73 Comments

Today, I'm sharing a yummy appetizer I've made several times and it is always a big hit. It's super easy and fast...can't beat that! The recipe comes from Paula Deen's cookbook, The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook.  Love this cookbook!  It's filled with lots of good Southern cooking.  I've also linked to one more of her yummy recipes at the very end of this post...Sweet Potato … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Recipes, Independence Day Holiday Home, Independence Day Recipes, New Year's Recipes, Recipes, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , , ,