Recently in FOOD & ENTERTAINING Category

Cold ice is a luxury that many of us just don't appreciate until we are in the middle of a scorching hot day and can't get any.

Don't get intimidated and think that you need  a degree in mixology to make a stunning cocktail.

You just need to know what you can pair with what, and, with a cocktail skewer and a few ingredients, you can be wowing you guest at your next party. Of course you can make these for mocktails as everyone enjoys a fancy drink.

Here are 10 simple but stunning cocktail garnishes for you to try

So why the frog pickle? 

I tend to do pool parties in the summer with outdoor buffets and I was just thinking on how I would like to decorate the platters while I was eating a pickle.

As it is I have been craving pickles lately, no reason for it, just am. 

Place cards can add a touch of elegance to any table and if you are entertaining more than 8 it just makes it easier for everyone to find their seats.

Of course you are not going to deprive your self of snacks but ideally that snack should be fast to grab, cheap, healthy and super easy to eat.

Even more you want to be able to take your snacks with you.

An apple fits all of these requirements but the trick of making it easy to eat is how you slice it up.

Apples are notorious for turning brown as soon as their flesh is exposed but there is a way of doing it that will keep them fresh for the day until you are ready to eat them.

Out with the old and in with the new! There is no better way to celebrate the old year and look forward to the New Year than having a New Years Eve party!

Many of us have wonderful desserts that are family favorites that taste spectacular but tend to look a little boring when they are on the plate.

Think again. 

It doesn't matter if it is a birthday party for a group of 5 year olds or a sophisticated cocktail party for the trendy set, it doesn't just happen.

To have a great party to you need a check list to make sure that all the little things are done so you don't have to worry and can enjoy yourself along with your guest.

What better way to satisfy someones craving for chocolate than to give them a stash of "emergency" chocolate bars.

These would make great stocking stuffers or inexpensive gifts for co-workers.

It is a great fast and easy last minute gift to make.

(Add these printable tags to them so they know what they are getting.)

But I only see them in our neighborhood at Halloween time and I always snap them up.

I find that they are perfect for making little s'more bags for invitations to cook outs, BBQ's and get together for the children.

If you need to defrost meat in a hurry there is an old trick that cooks like to use that is fast and safe. 

Pancakes are made from mix, mash potatoes from dried flakes and cookies are cut from plastic tubes of dough.  

When women set off to the work force in droves in the 70's a market opened up to feed on their guilt that they were not being good mother's or wives and that could all be solved by convenience foods. This was the first generation of women who struggled to do it all. 

Advertisers continually harp on us that cooking from scratch is not only hard, but time consuming and ridiculous to try.

Isn't it time for you to find out that cooking from scratch can be easy, fast and cheap?

When your birthday person asks for a pie, donuts, or ice cream for their treat then it can be a challenge to incorporate the candles into the festivities.

One trick that I have always liked to do is place the candles on  the serving dish that the treat is going to be presented on.

It is easy to do but you have to follow some guidelines.

Regular paper will look nice but it doesn't have that sheen to it. Wrapping paper that is glossy rarely comes in white.