Best Holiday Hostess Gifts

Holiday time is upon us, and now it's endless parties, get togethers, and gatherings. I get so tired of bringing the typical bottle of wine. Here are some great ideas to give as host/hostess gifts. Stock up on the ones you love so you'll always have a gift on hand when invited to someone's home! Happy Holidays!!

BREAD BOARD www.brookfarmgeneralstore.com - $37

NINJA BREAD MEN COOKIE CUTTERS www.perpetualkid.com - $7.99

BLISSFUL BROWNIES www.williams-sonoma.com - $24.95 - $49.95

QUILL CHEESE KNIFE SET www.anthropologie.com - $28

TEAR-OFF LUNCHEON NAPKINS www.anthropologie.com - $28

SEDA FRANCE FRENCH TULIP CANDLE www.sedafrance.com - $32

WINE CORK CANDLES SET OF 12 www.uncommongoods.com - $22

BLis FLEUR DE SEL SEA SALT www.blisgourmet.com - $14.95

AND FINALLY THE MOTHER OF ALL HOSTESS GIFTS (ACTUALLY PROBABLY BETTER AS A GIFT TO YOURSELF!)

FARM COOKING WORKSHOP www.saltwaterfarm.com - $75 & up

Liven Up Your Next Cocktail or Dinner Party...

Next time you have some people over for drinks, why not serve your apps on these beautiful Moroccon plates from Jayson Home. They come in square $10 (appetizer) or round (dessert) $18. Mix and match the shapes and the beautiful colors. Now serving pigs in a blanket can look Oh So Chic! Oh yeah, and thru September 30th, enter FALLSHIP for free shipping and returns!

The Ultimate Inspiration....Katharine Hepburn's Estate

I am biased because I spent the summers in Old Saybrook, CT growing up. I've golfed the Fenwick golf course in which the late Katharine Hepburn's house sits and it is stunning. But the outside is just the beginning, take a look at what a NYC developer did to the inside! This house can be yours for a mere $28 million!

Check out the fabulous spread in Cococozy's blog:

http://www.cococozy.com/2011/08/see-this-house-former-katharine-hepburn.html

I'm absolutely LOVING these lights!

Check out these mason jar pendant lights from West Elm. They come in gray, or green, short or tall. Think outside of the box. They would be great in an entryway, clustered over a bed, over your dining room table, and of course over your kitchen island. And lastly, you can't beat the price at $99!

I Just Really Like This....

Just a little something I came across.......

I don't know about you, but the fruit in my house is more likely to be eaten if it's left out on the counter. With that in mind, I came across these adorable stoneware farmer's market baskets at Anthropologie. They come in small in both turquoise and white ($14) and large in white ($20). What an enticing way to display your freshly washed berries. Looks like you just brought them in from the farm!

My Obsession Equals Your Inspiration.....Banquettes!

I have an obsession with banquettes. I don't know if it's the space saving aspect of them, or the neat and tidiness of them, but I love them and want one in my home someday (hopefully sooner, rather than later)!
There a few different ways to achieve this look; you can have them built in, or you can use a settee, or even check out the ready to buy ones from Ballard Designs. This option is simple. You can customize fabric and it looks extra special with the nail heads (I think everything is better with nail heads!). So if you're tight on space (and even if you're not) think about a banquette. And tell me, do any of you have a banquette? Enjoy the inspiration!

from Ballard Designs

Sorry...Forgot Friday Night's Dinner Post!

Ok, so Friday's get a little crazy here, but I wanted to finish my "recipe week" off with a recipe that has been one of my husband's favorites for years. My kids like it too and it happens to fit right in with their dietary requirements. Best of all, it can be prepared in 45 minutes or less! So here is Pork Chops in Balsamic Cherry Sauce served with mashed cauliflower.


PORK CHOPS IN BALSAMIC CHERRY SAUCE:

• 2 5-ounce boneless pork chops (each about 1 inch thick)
• 1/3 cup bottled balsamic vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dried Bing (sweet) or tart cherries (about 1 1/2 ounces)

Place pork and vinaigrette in pie dish; turn to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.

Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Using tongs, lift pork from marinade; shake off excess. Transfer pork to skillet, reserving marinade in dish. Sprinkle pork with pepper. Sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate. Add shallot to skillet; stir until softened, about 1 minute. Add broth, cherries and reserved marinade; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Return pork to skillet. Simmer until pork is cooked through, cherries are tender and sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pork to plates; top with sauce.

MASHED CAULIFLOWER:

Boil 1 head of cauliflower (chopped)

mash with 3 Tablespoons butter and add salt and pepper

if needed add a touch of milk (or rice milk if you're avoiding dairy)

fast, and easy!

Thursday Night's Dinner

Tonight I'm making chicken Cacciatore served over buttered egg noodles for my husband and over rice for the gluten free kids. I'm also serving some steamed broccoli alongside. This is one of those dinners that's really easy and makes the house smell great.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE
4 skinless chicken drumsticks (with bones)
4 skinless chicken thighs (with bones)
2 cups mixed sliced bell peppers
1 medium onion, julienned
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour (I used my gluten free blend)
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup dry red wine or chicken broth
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch crushed red pepper

1. Heat a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat and add the oil
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and shake of excess
3. Add chicken to pan, brown on all sides and transfer to a dish
4. Add peppers, onion and garlic to pan and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 5 more minutes
5. Add wine or broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in tomatoes, dried oregano and crushed pepper. Nestle chicken pieces into sauce.
6. Partially cover the top of the pan with a lid, lower heat and simmer until chicken is tender and falling off the bone about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper and ENJOY!

STEAM SOME BROCCOLI AND BOIL UP SOME EGG NOODLES OR PREPARE SOME RICE AND YOU HAVE A COMPLETE MEAL!

**And veggie mom ordered herself some veggie udon soup..YUM!

Wednesday Night's Dinner

Lamb Chops are one of my daughter's favorites. And one of mine because it's so quick!  My 5 year old has expensive taste, but considering all the foods she can not eat, I'm willing to oblige on this one. Tonight I will serve Broiled lamb chops with garlic and rosemary, roasted asparagus, and boiled baby potatoes with butter and parsley.

BOILED BABY POTATOES WITH BUTTER AND PARSLEY:

1 bag of baby white potatoes (or baby red bliss, or fingerling)
3 T butter
handful of chopped fresh italian flat leaf parsley

Place potatoes in boiling water until cooked through. Immediately toss with butter, parsley and salt and pepper.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS:

1 bunch fresh asparagus
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus. Place them on a roasting pan and drizzle olive oil (I use a garlic & herb infused olive oil) and salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 8 minutes. This is my favorite way to eat asparagus!

BROILED LAMB CHOPS:

10 lamb chops (I usually allow 4 per person is a decent serving)
1 clove minced garlic
1 handful chopped fresh rosemary
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
mint jelly to serve

Salt and pepper the chops. Mix the olive oil with the garlic and rosemary and rub all over both sides of the lamb chops. Place the chops in the broiler for 4 minutes each side. This will yield a pink center. Leave them in longer if you like them more well done. Serve with mint jelly.


**Vegetarian mom substituted the lamb chops for some lentil soup.

Tuesday Night's Simple Dinner

Ok, tonight I could cheat a little because Tuesday night is date night in my house. So while the hubby and I get to go out for dinner, I make a homemade, but very quick and simple dinner of soup and salad for the kids. This soup is so incredibly simple, but there are so many ways you could dress it up. The original recipe is from my grandmother and I loved it as a kid and an adult. My kids love it and I serve it to them on the plain side. But you could add some fresh chopped chives or basil at the end or if you're not avoiding dairy, shredded cheese is a nice addition. I like a little hot sauce. The options are really endless.

TOMATO RICE SOUP

2 - 28 oz cans chopped or whole tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped

2 T butter or olive oil
3-4 cups water
3/4 cup rice
salt & pepper to taste

Heat butter or olive oil in large sauce pan and add onions. Let onions cook until just translucent. Add both cans of tomatoes and 3-4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add rice, cover and simmer for 20-25 min. Add salt and pepper and any other garnish you wish.


QUICK KIDS SIDE SALAD

chopped romaine
baby carrots
chopped red bell pepper
chopped cucumbers
cherry tomatoes

Mix it all together and add salad dressing of your choice. My kids are partial to Newman's Light Balsamic

That's a quick, easy, and healthy kids dinner!

What's For Dinner?

As some of you may know, my children suffer from many food allergies. I get asked all the time, what do I feed the family? We follow a gluten free, casein free, soy free corn free and nut free diet (oh yeah, and I'm a vegetarian, and my son is super picky). Well, it's not easy but personally think cooking homemade foods are important and I thought I'd give out the recipes for my dinners for this week in hopes of giving you all some ideas when it comes to feeding your own family. 


MONDAY - 


CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS SERVED WITH RICE PILAF AND A GREEN BEAN, TOMATO AND OLIVE SALAD.


CIDER-BRAISED PORK SHOULDER (recipe from epicurious.com):

• 1 (3- to 4-lb) bone-in fresh pork shoulder half (preferably arm picnic)
• 2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb onions (5 or 6 medium), halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 3/4 cup unfiltered apple cider

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Stir in cider and return pork to pot.

Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.

RICE PILAF -
Take 2 cups of veggie (or chicken) broth and 1 Tablespoon of butter and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once boiling add 1 cup of light brown rice. Reduce heat and simmer with cover on for 20 minutes. Once finished stir in some chopped scallions or chives. Add salt and pepper to taste.


GREEN BEAN, TOMATO & OLIVE SALAD - 
4 cups green beans or haricots vert
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
1 cup green olives


Blanche the green beans and let them cool. Add your tomatoes, red onion, and olives. Dress with either your favorite salad dressing, or I prefer salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon.




*And the vegetarian mom enjoyed all but the pork and added a butternut squash and cranberry salad I picked up from the prepared case in Whole Foods!
Enjoy!!!

Want To Reduce Clutter? Here Are 10 Things You Can Live Without

 

1. BOOKS - Yes, most of us hang on to them like children. Yes, I was an English major and I am an avid reader, however they just take up way too much space. Keep 1 or 3 of your absolute favorites, then donate the rest, and make the small investment in an ereader, or better yet....a library card! The Nook retails for $149, The Kindle retails for $139 and if your feeling crazy, the iPad starts at $499.  If you live in Hoboken, you can always donate used books to Symposia on Washington St. If you don't live near Hoboken, NJ check out For The Love Of Books for some ideas on where to donate used books. 

2.   ALL THOSE CREDIT CARD AND BANK STATEMENTS - I see this all the time. People hold on to these things forever and have stacks and stacks, files and files of papers they never look at. I personally am a big fan of banking online, but even if you are not an online banker, you can request that your statements be emailed to you rather than snail mailed, therefore eliminating the paper completely (and saving a few trees!).

3. EXTRA DISHES - Get rid of mismatched sets, anything chipped or just plain not used in a year. Look at serving pieces and really think about what you use, not what you think you may use someday. While you're add it, pair down that tupperware. All you really need is 3 nesting bowls and about 5-7 pieces of smaller containers. Go one step further if you have kids, pair down those sippy cups not used or missing straws, baby bowls and plates.

4. BROKEN AND/OR UNUSED ELECTRONICS - Get rid of things that no longer work or have not been used in 1 year. No you won't fix it and no you will not use it in the future.  If you live in Hoboken you can dispose of these in a responsible manner by depositing them in an electronic recycling container at the Municipal Building on the corner of Observer Highway and Willow. If you don't live in Hoboken,  check out Mashable's website for places to donate and recycle.

5. TOYS - Yes, it's a hell of a job, but needs to be done. All those puzzles missing pieces and those Barbies missing legs need to go. Make a pile of keep, donate and trash. If you live in Hoboken, Hudson Milestones accepts toys and baby gear donations for low income families with developmentally challenged children. Also In Jesus Name Charities will accept toys (among other things) for the less fortunate. Contact April Harris.  If you don't live in Hoboken, NJ, check local charities to see if they accept toy donations. Also the Vietnam Veterans of America will come pick them up from your house.

6. LINENS AND BLANKETS - Pair down all those mismatched pillowcases, sheets with holes, uncomfortable pillows, and blankets you never use. Each bed in your house only needs 2 sets of sheets max. Think about the last time you used that blanket and decide if it's really worth taking up space. This category can take up a lot of room, so pair it down. If looking to donate your unwanted linens, your local homeless shelter is always a good place to start. 

7. CLOTHES - Yes, get into that closet and clean it out! Anything you haven't worn in a year needs to go. And let's get rid of those skinny jeans you've held onto for 3 years. Just think, if you get back to that size, you'll definitely want to reward yourself with a new pair of jeans, not the old ones that have been sitting in the back of your closet for years. It's time to take an honest look at what you really wear. Enlist the help of a friend. It's amazing how an outsiders opinion can really help clear out the things you have a hard time parting with. Salvation Army will always take clothing donations. Another great place to donate your business attire is your local chapter of Dress For Success.

8. KITCHEN PANTRY -  I know many people, myself included that tend to get all clogged up in the pantry. Sometimes it's as simple as not remembering when you're at the store that you already have 2 bottles of ketchup in your pantry, so you pick up another. But this, like the previous things, needs to be weeded out. Get rid of thing that have been in there longer than 3 months. Go through your spices. After you get rid of what old and opened, expired or stale, make a point to start using what's in there before you run out and refill it. Of course, many places will take food donations. Your local homeless shelters or food banks are great places to start.

9. MUSIC CDs - This one is currently on my personal to-do list. CDs can take up a ton of space and in this day and age, I really don't see why any of us are wasting our valuable space with this stuff. It is time to download all that music onto your iTunes library or an external hard drive. This is probably not something that can be tackled in one sitting, but make a goal that you do 20 CDs a week. It is definitely a time consuming project, however well worth it. It will not only free up space in your life, but now your music will be much, much easier to access. Now what to do with all those old CDs? Check out Planet Green.com for some great ideas (some will even make you money!!)

I love this Etsy baby gift!

I find something so funny about a little boy in a tie and these little onsies from lucymaedesigns are adorable. Each one is hand made and you can choose from a number of different tie patterns. Best of all, you won't break the bank at only $12.  Check out her store and find them for bigger boys as well. And why limit them to boys? How cute paired with a girly tutu!!

Gemma Redux Sample Sale!!

Check out one of my favorite jewelry designers, Gemma Redux. Loved by celebrities like Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz & Carrie Underwood (and lots lots more), Gemma Redux is having a SAMPLE SALE next week. I own a necklace and absolutely love it. I can't wait to add to my collection. Enjoy!

WHEN: 12:00pm EST Wednesday 3/30/11 through 8:00pm EST Friday 4/1/11

They will be adding new pieces multiple times EVERY DAY during the sale!

WHERE: Online! gemmaredux.com/samplesale (goes live when the sale opens)

My Top 10 Favorite Chairs under $500

What room couldn't use a great chair? I personally love chairs. They are so flexible and provide such personalization to a room.  I love that a great chair can turn a predictable room into a room with pizazz. I also love that a chair once enjoyed in a living room, can be placed in a bedroom, or even a bathroom! I love that you can reupholster a chair and change it's attitude completely. The options are limitless. Have fun with chairs!

Abacus Barstool
Jayson Home & Garden $395

Sophie Tufted Slipper Chair
Restoration Hardware $495

Redsmith Dining Chair
Anthropologie $198

Slipper Chair - Indigo IKAT
Urban Outfitters $329

Clybourn Loft Armchair - Red
Target $379.99

Vintage Painted Cottage Chic Shabby White French Provincial Chairs  -CH104
Etsy $110

Modern Windsor Accent Chair
West Elm $399

Anime Chair - Set of 2
Sears $369

Cricket Chair
Room & Board $299

Chinese Chippendale Chair
Wisteria $379