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How to host a holiday party on a budget

How to host a holiday party on a budget

‘Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry! That said, when you’re hosting friends and family for the holidays, your grocery bill can easily double or even triple in no time! All that extra spending can add to the stress of the season, especially if you still have lots of presents to put under the tree. If hosting a holiday party is in your future and you’re worried your budget is more Scrooge than Saint Nick, here are some thrifty tips that can help you save on yuletide expenses without cutting back on that Christmas. Make it a potluck As the host, pick one or two main dish items you can cook (or have catered). Then, give your guests plenty of notice and see if they’re willing to bring some simple hors d’oeuvres, snacks, or cookies. If someone argues that their cooking skills aren’t up to snuff, suggest they…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

Cute Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes for Kids

Reindeer_cupcakes_Christmas_1

These ridiculously moist chocolate cupcakes are made from scratch and completely adorable. Kids will love the fun, festive reindeer design, but adults with dig the rich, delicious chocolatey flavor. Bring them to a holiday potluck or send them with your kids to school. No matter the holiday occasion, your cupcakes are sure to gather compliments. Homemade cupcakes are always the best, but if you’re crunched for time, there’s no shame in the boxed cupcake mix game either. Just pick up a package of your favorite cupcake mix and frosting and bake according to the box. Let cool, and decorate per the instructions below. Happy holidays! Cute Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes for Kids Makes about two dozen+ cupcakes Ingredients 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder 1/8 tsp salt 3 tbsp butter, room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 3/4 tsp…

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Seasonal

This is America’s least favorite Thanksgiving food

This is America's least favorite Thanksgiving food

Picture this likely scenario: You’re at Thanksgiving dinner, piling your plate high with all the season’s most delicious sides. But between your mile-high heap of mashed potatoes, that seriously large scoop of stuffing, and a gravy-smothered stack of turkey breast slices, you realize there just isn’t room for every side on that plate. So what gives? Well, if you’re like many Americans, there is one dish you can easily pass on. Perhaps not surprisingly, the least-loved Thanksgiving food is canned cranberry sauce. Yup, that gelatinous, wiggly can-shaped side, just doesn’t do it for most people, according to Instacart’s Turkey Day Exposé. Nearly half of Americans (46%) say that canned cranberry sauce is “disgusting.” Maybe it’s the tin-shape that turns people off, as 31% of Americans reported serving their cranberries right out of the can (as opposed to mashing it up). If this is your household, try making cranberry sauce using…

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Seasonal

What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing?

What's the difference between stuffing and dressing?

For carb-lovers, stuffing is the ultimate thanksgiving side dish. That delicious blend of bread, celery, onions and seasonings when smothered with gravy and served atop roast turkey is truly a feast to be thankful for. (Heck. Forget the turkey! I’d be happy with stuffing alone!) That said, while we all unanimously seem to agree that stuffing reigns supreme, what we disagree on is what to call it. Some people say stuffing. Others call it dressing. So what gives? Avoid these 8 common stuffing mistakes. Well, historically, some people used the terms to note the difference between stuffing (cooked inside the bird) and dressing (cooked outside of the bird, likely in a baking dish). But this wasn’t really ever “official.” Dictionaries no longer even really distinguish the two. The difference in the terminology is actually due to regional dialects. Though both dishes contain the same ingredients, if you’re from a southern…

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Seasonal

How much turkey should you buy per person? And other turkey questions, answered

How much turkey should you buy per person? And other turkey questions, answered

There are a lot of decisions the Thanksgiving host has to make. Cranberry sauce; fresh or canned? A side of carrots or corn? Pumpkin or apple pie? (That answer there is easy. Both!). But perhaps the most important question of them all: How many pounds of turkey do I need to buy? How much turkey should i buy per person? As a rule of thumb, you should aim for about 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person. Don’t forget that number takes into considering the weight of the bones, giblets, and a bit of leftovers too. That means, if you’re having 8 adult guests, you’re going to want a 12 pound turkey. Of course, if you have a bunch of big eaters or turkey lovers — or think you might get a few unexpected last minute guests — you’ll want to go up from there. When should you buy your turkey?…

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News Bites

Where to get a KitchenAid stand mixer on sale during Black Friday 2019

Where to get a KitchenAid stand mixer on sale during_Black_Friday_2019KitchenAid

If there is one kitchen appliance we all covet, it’s those shiny, beautiful KitchenAid stand mixers. Yes, KitchenAid proves an appliance can be beautiful. Those cheerful colors make baking so much more enjoyable, while also making any kitchen look a thousand times more glamorous. Of course, they’re also not cheap. But don’t fret! They’re always on sale during Black Friday, so whether you’re shopping online or in-store, you can easily snag a pretty good deal. Some stores are already discounting their KitchenAid stand mixers, so you don’t have to wait until after Turkey Day if you wanted one this month to help cook your holiday feast. But more deals are to come. Here is everywhere we’ve seen KitchenAid Black Friday deals announced so far: JCPenney The nationwide department store shows announced discounts on the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer via its Black Friday ad. Discounted colors include black, white,…

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Crave-Worthy Recipes

This Turkey Veggie Tray will be the talk of Thanksgiving

This Turkey Veggie Tray will be the talk of Thanksgiving_vegetables_2

Bring this tasty veggie turkey tray to your Thanksgiving Day gathering and everyone will gobble it up! It’s super simple to assemble, and a fun way to snack healthy before devouring what’s likely to be a belt-busting feast. You can get creative and use nearly any veggie you might have on hand, but here’s what I included in mine: Cucumber slices carrots red peppers yellow peppers cauliflower peas Assemble vegetables, in rows, on a large round platter. Then, just pick up a container of ranch dip (or make your own), cut an adorable turkey face, and you’re all set! For more details, watch the how-to video above. Gobble Gobble! Also check out: 17 Thanksgiving recipes you don’t want to miss! Also see, The first TV Dinner was a Thanksgiving feast. Follow us on Instagram.

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Seasonal

8 common stuffing mistakes that could ruin your holiday dinner

8 common stuffing mistakes that could ruin your holiday dinner

Okay, maybe “ruin” is a bit dramatic, but that doesn’t mean you and your guests won’t be disappointed with dry or less-than-stellar stuffing. This classic Thanksgiving dinner dish — with its familiar flavors of onion, celery, and herbs mixing with crispy, chewy, buttery bread — is well-loved, but it’s also easy to mess up, so be sure to avoid these 8 common stuffing mistakes: 1. You make it on Thanksgiving Day Don’t wait until Thanksgiving day to start your stuffing. Your bread base — whether it’s a bread loaf, cornbread, bagels or even waffles — needs to be dry and stale, so let it sit out for at least a day or two before you begin. If your bread is still moist, your stuffing will be soggy. 2. You try to save calories If you’re looking to keep your Thanksgiving meal within a certain calorie count, perhaps you could cut…

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Seasonal

8 ways to save money on your Thanksgiving meal budget

8 ways to save money on your Thanksgiving meal budget

For all the attention the stress and craziness of cooking on Thanksgiving receives, we often fail to acknowledge the other downside of being the designated host: the cost. If you’re on a tight budget it can seem nearly impossible to pull of a feast with all of the fixin’s guests have come to expect. This Thanksgiving, you’ll be thankful you followed these 10 tips for saving money on your Turkey Day grocery bill. 1.  Set a budget — and don’t budge from it! It’s easy to go overboard on extras when planning a holiday meal, after all, you want to show your loved ones you appreciate them. But don’t feel pressure to recreate the lavish spread you saw in Martha Stewart magazine. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average American Thanksgiving meal for 10 costs $48.90 — that’s less than $5 per person!  If you’re about to blow…

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Seasonal

Everything you need to know about freezing cookies

Everything you need to know about freezing cookies

Nothing is better than freshly baked cookies. But during the holidays when fresh, homemade cookies matter most, we’re also needing to split our time between cooking, hosting, shopping, and celebrating the season, leaving little time to spend rolling out and filling dozens of dainty little cookies. This is when having a magical holiday depends on the magic of the freezer. Freezing cookies or cookie dough now can save you later when you’re just too busy to bake. Just follow these tips and you’ll be good to go. What types of cookies can I freeze? Lots of cookies are great candidates for the freezer. Cutout cookies, slice and bake (icebox) cookies, drop cookies, and biscotti are all excellent choices. Any cookie with a lot of butter or fat will freeze well. Try to avoid freezing cookies that are decorated, filled, or delicate — like meringues — since they would loose a…

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