No cool weather gathering is complete without a toasty drink. Kids and grown-ups alike love a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

Having 20 children over for a pumpkin carving party? Get ahead of the game by making a batch of hot chocolate in your slow cooker. You can make large amounts, and it’ll be ready when the thirsty herd is.

For a smaller gathering you can still prepare it in advance, just use a thermal carafe to keep it warm or use a little dipper sized slow cooker. I do this before a fancy sit down dinner with coffee and tea. It lets me enjoy the company of my guests instead of staying hidden away in the kitchen.

Let the kids add their own touch to their drink. It’s amazing how easy it is to have so much fun. Create an area filled with little bowls of goodies to add to their cocoa. Decorate the table with a tablecloth and a few mini pumpkins.  You can also use flame-less candles to add a special touch with no danger to the little ones.  My hot chocolate goody bar usually includes whipped cream, chocolate shavings (milk, dark, and white), crushed peppermint candy, mini peppermint patties, mini marshmallows, and anything else I have on hand that seems like a fit.

If you will have older kids or adults around, try a mixture of ground chili, ginger, and cinnamon for a taste similar to what the Aztecs drank. It can have a kick, so keep an eye on the kids when you let them use this topping. Also try infusing the hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick and some cardamom pods when you make it for a delicious drink that needs no topping at all.

Flavored syrups like vanilla, hazelnut, and almond are another great addition. You can use them in fancy coffee drinks you make at home too. If there will be a lot of adults, bring out the liquors. Bailey’s, Amaretto, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, and even spiced rum make great grown up additions.

Make sure to ask the parents if any of the children have food allergies, before you decide what to put on your topping table. For someone with a milk allergy make your favorite hot chocolate recipe and use vanilla soymilk or almond milk in place of the dairy. Most mixes contain dairy, so you will need to make yours from scratch. It’ll be worth it and you may find yourself doing that for all your cocoa parties. It doesn’t take much time or effort, but it has a huge party payoff!

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Posted by Myriam under Drinks & Fall Entertaining & Hostessing | No Comments »

Pears are my favorite autumn fruit. Delicious, richly textured, and perfect to use in both sweet and savory dishes. They are a wonderful ingredient to plan a fall party around. You can create a cocktail or a full dinner menu incorporating this luscious fruit. If you have a big kitchen and a well stocked pantry, you could throw an Iron Chef style party. Your guests and you can make the dinner course by course.

If you want to plan your menu in advance and cook yourself, take a look at a few of the following menu possibilities. You’ll be surprised with how versatile the pear is.

Start your guests off with a pear cocktail. Ahead of time peel few ripe pears and puree the flesh in a blender with the juice of a lemon. Strain if you want a thinner syrup or add some water. Use this in your usual martini, or mojito recipe. Liven up the typical mojito by using basil in addition to the traditional fresh mint. If the pear is sweet enough, you may be able to leave simple syrup out of your usual recipes all together.

Assemble a pear-brie bruschetta on top of lightly toasted bread spread with a little pistachio-thyme pesto. It’s a beautiful appetizer. Make a silky pear winter squash soup with a hint of port wine. Serve with a spinach salad topped with dried fruit and goat cheese tossed in your favorite vinaigrette for a complete meal. (Hint: make your own vinaigrette using pear puree, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Incorporate some fresh herbs that you happen to have on hand.)

Create a quick and easy pear main course by getting a pre-made pizza shell at the grocery. Spread the crust with garlic butter or a your favorite pesto sauce, then a layer of thinly sliced pears, top with some truffle oil and sliced fresh mozzarella cheese. You can either bake it in the oven or cook it on top of the grill. As another option, Trader Joe’s has an Italian truffle cheese that makes a great panini combined with sliced pear and crusty ciabatta.

You probably already have a pear dessert recipe in your arsenal. But try a pear sorbet. It’s a snap if you have an ice cream maker. Just puree ripe pear flesh with a little of your favorite sweetener as a base. The pear makes it the perfect ‘ice cream’ consistency. Add fresh or frozen berries and a tablespoon of your favorite liquor to amp up the flavor.

Remember pears need to be stored at room temperature and should ripen within a few days. Throw them into paper bag when you bring them home from the store to speed the ripening process up a little. Once they are ripe you should use them immediately.

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Posted by Myriam under Fall Entertaining & Recipes | No Comments »

Fall is one of my favorite seasons for entertaining. You can finally venture outside without fear that the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes will drive you back in before you can finish a glass of wine. The days may be getting shorter, but there is still plenty of time to enjoy dinner outside. Dining al fresco is a wonderful way to relax. There seems to be a restorative quality about being surrounded by nature even in your own backyard.

The leaves changing into dozens of colors on the trees creates a dramatic backdrop for cocktails or a full dinner. Using a tablecloth really dresses up the table when you are dining outside. Bring out your good china and wine glasses too. It’s just another way to escape a weekday rut. You will find yourself looking forward to eating outside as much as you do your favorite restaurant.

Since it’s getting dark earlier, you may want to add a few candles when you set your table. You can enjoy the gradual darkness as the sun sets, and have a match handy to light them just as you need that extra light. If you are on a deck or in a garden, go ahead and put a few votives around the area surrounding the dining table. Light them before dinner and you can use them to further emphasize the setting sun.

Find some colorful leaves and use them to decorate your table. Make sure that you check them well so you aren’t bringing any unwelcome guests to the table! You could also fill a large vase full of the leaves, if you’d prefer to not leave anything to chance. Make sure to not crush the leaves, but allow space to stay between each one. This creates a one of a kind centerpiece that you or your guests won’t soon forget.

A great and easy mid-week fall dinner is soup and a salad. You can make a simple vegetable soup from scratch, use pre-made, or even soup from a can. The china will dress it up no matter which route you go. For a quick, delicious salad buy a bag of pre-washed baby spinach, Mix spinach in a salad bowl with a handful of toasted walnuts and dried cranberries. Toss with crumbled goat cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette. Serve with a warm crusty baguette and softened butter on the side.

Mark your calendar for a fall dinner escape outside this week. You and your friends will be glad you did!

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Posted by Myriam under Fall Entertaining & Recipes | No Comments »

When you have a houseful of guests, it is a good idea to make sure you have coasters displayed on your table tops. Encouraging guests to place their drinks on coasters rather than your nice stained table, will save you clean up and the frustration of trying to get those “rings” to disappear. I am liking this do it yourself coaster project from Martha Stewart. Pressed flowers dress up an ordinary coaster and table top. With Fall approaching, you can even try this with pressed leaves.

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For a simple (yet impressive) appetizer, you can create fruit skewers. Simply select whatever fresh fruit is in season in your local area and gather some skewers. Placing alternating types bite size pieces of fruit onto your skewer, you will have a fresh and colorful appetizer to serve guests. You can even add a little glaze over the finished fruit to give it an extra pizazz.

Check out this Fruit on a Stick recipe from You’ve Got Supper for the juicy details.

Get as create (or not) as you want to display your fruit skewers. Plate on a white platter, prop them up in a tall bowl…. regardless they will look impressive!

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Posted by Myriam under Hostessing & Party Food | No Comments »

An easy way to add a bit of pizazz to your dinner table is by accenting with linen napkins. Choosing linen napkins that have a bright pattern, an elegant detail, or a vintage flair can add a uniqueness to your dinner table settings. Here are a few examples of linen napkins that would definitely spice up your table top.

Vintage Floral Print from Plum Party

Hemstitched Detail from Country Living

Bright and Bold Floral Print from Casa Sugar

Changing out small details (such as linen napkins) is an easy way to change the look and feel of your table top. You an also get creative with napkin rings which would provide even more interesting detail the next time you are setting your table.

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Posted by Myriam under All About the Home & Table Setting | No Comments »

Did you know you can decorate with your dinnerware? No, I am not talking about tablescapes either…think wall art! Grouping a few graphic dinner plates for wall display can add a dramatic touch to your interior decor. Not only will your unusual decor make a statement, but it is a cheap alternative to expensive framed photos and paintings.

Not only are these wall displays interesting, they have a really cool eclectic feel to them. You can also check out more plates displays over at Casa Sugar, they even have some DIY tips for making one of your own.

images via the Santa Makers Journey blog.

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Posted by Myriam under All About the Home | No Comments »