Southern Hospitality Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Emily Post Guide to Throwing the Perfect Holiday Party

lights_and_decorations — Party lights and decorations by christmasstockimages.com is licensed under CC by 3.0.

Remember to keep your party simple and focus on what matters most to you and your guests – enjoying each other’s presence. Follow this guide and you surely will throw the perfect holiday party where you will make your guests feel content and welcome:

1. Preparation

Be sure everything needed to be prepped is done before guests arrive: a planned meal, a variety of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and outdoor lighting.

2. Self-Awareness

Your guests will feed off of your demeanor. Display no stress, agitation, or disappointment. Be the twinkling light of the party.

3. Toasting

Once you deem the moment appropriate, make a toast thanking your guests for attending. Add meaningful details about their importance in your life. Continue reading The Emily Post Guide to Throwing the Perfect Holiday Party

Can’t Keep Up? 7 Ways to Simplify Your Holiday Gift Buying

crowded mall Gift buying can certainly be a time of over complication. Lists, budgets and people’s wishes all factor in when making decisions about what to buy. Here are seven ways to make the holiday gift buying experience a little less complicated:

1. Start Early

Don’t wait until the week before the holiday to think about what to get. This may cause you to spend too much money and choose something that person may not want.

2. Create a Master List Way Ahead of Time

Take the time to create a list of every person and animal you are planning to buy a gift for so you won’t forget anyone.

3. Year Around Amazon

Create a wish list on Amazon to stash potential gifts for people throughout the year when they mention a desired product. When the time comes for purchasing, you have it all organized and ready with thoughtful, wanted gifts.

Continue reading Can’t Keep Up? 7 Ways to Simplify Your Holiday Gift Buying

Five Dinner Party Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

There is quite a lot of pressure when hosting a dinner party. What you anticipate to be a fun and festive evening can turn into a “what was I thinking?!” personal meltdown in the kitchen. Consider not doing the following when thinking about hosting a dinner party:

Complicated Recipes

A complicated and untested recipe can lead to high costs and a not so good end result. Unfamiliarity with the recipe can cause you to forget a step or ingredient, consequently, making your much looked forward to entree to become the most avoided dish at the table.

Not Having Food Ready When Guests Arrive

Guests are more than likely coming to your dinner party hungry and won’t want to wait all night for the food to finish cooking. Further, if you forget to prep and organize, your kitchen may transform into a very messy gathering place. Continue reading Five Dinner Party Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

The Top Ten Corporate Gift Ideas

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It’s that time of year for showing thanks by giving gifts. Sometimes gift giving—especially in the corporate workplace—can be difficult because it may appear most people have every essential item or trinket they need. However, there is something out there even for the most savvy and well-accessorized clients and employees. Here are ten gift ideas for the corporate setting and for those who appear to have it all:

1. Silver Letter Opener

This classy gift can be customized with the company logo, a quote, or the person’s name and job title.

2. Cell Phone/ Business Card Holder

This is a functional gift idea to keep desk space organized with two of the most commonly grabbed items on a person’s desk. You can also customize this gift if desired.

3. Fancy Picture Frames

A fancy picture frame, such as leather or metal, can add both sophistication and warmth to an office.

Continue reading The Top Ten Corporate Gift Ideas

Do You Make These 3 Mistakes When Cooking With Nuts?

Warm Pecan Spinach Salad by Chef Justin Girourd. Chef and Owner of The French Press in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Incorporating nuts in cooking adds dimensions of flavor and texture to whatever your taste buds are directing you to craft in the kitchen. Whether you are making a pecan-crusted salmon or a prosciutto salad with oven-toasted pine nuts, there is room for error when cooking with these shelled delights. Here are a few mistakes in a nutshell:

1. Breading Battle

A delicious, crispy crust jazzes up a fish fillet or chicken breast. If the meat is coated with a greater breading than nuts ratio, you will sacrifice the nut’s flavor and create a saltier alternative.

2. To toast, or not to toast? That is the question.

Not toasting nuts is a mistake. Yes, toasting does add prep time, but if you choose to not spend a few extra minutes shaking them in a pan, you eliminate potential flavor that could be the extra “mmmmm” to your dish. Continue reading Do You Make These 3 Mistakes When Cooking With Nuts?

Why Pecan Oil Belongs in Your Kitchen

Many considerations take place when deciding which cooking oil to use for food preparation: saturated fat content, flavor potency, versatility, and overall delectability. If a cook is mindful of fat content, both “good” and “bad” fat, the observant epicurean will notice pecan oil has one-third less saturated fat than olive oil. When compared to butter, it has two-thirds less saturated fat. From a fat standpoint, pecan oil looks pretty skinny. Continue reading Why Pecan Oil Belongs in Your Kitchen

How to Make Healthy Snacks for Kids (Even If You Don’t Have Time)

After a long, active day at school, it’s no surprise that your little one comes home looking for a snack. When you’ve worked all day yourself, finding the time to prepare something delicious and nutritious can seem impossible. Never fear — there’s a world of options out there that are miles ahead of packaged cheesy crisps or preservative-laden cookies. Check out a few of these quick, easy ways to put a healthier spin on snacktime:

– Homemade popsicles: A chilly way to beat the heat during the summer months, homemade popsicles are a hit with kids of all ages. You can avoid the sugar of prepackaged popsicles by pouring 100% organic juice into fun molds and freezing until solid. Get a little fancier by blending juices together, or pureeing fresh fruit to give the final product more body and fiber. Some great combinations are peach-cherry, cranberry-apple, or even mashed banana mixed with peanut butter.

Continue reading How to Make Healthy Snacks for Kids (Even If You Don’t Have Time)

Four Shortcuts for Planning a Star-Spangled 4th of July in Record Time

Pismo Fireworks 4th of July 2009 by Anita Ritenour is licensed under CC by 2.0.

The sun is shining, the ribs are marinating, the flags are fluttering, and, across the country, families are readying their backyards for the cookout of the year.Of course, with just a few short days to prepare, you may be wondering how to best pull off a 4th of July party that’s befitting for the big day. Never fear: a quick, easy (and most importantly, glamorous!) party to celebrate our nation’s founding is just a few steps away.

Choose Your Cookout With Care

Quick-cooking barbecue fare is the heart and soul of a crowd-pleasing backyard bash. Who likes sitting around as the afternoon wanes, waiting for the huge rack of ribs or three-inch ribeyes to come off the grill? Never fear–instead, choose quick-cooking cuts such as thin pork chops or pounded chicken breasts, to keep the queue moving with piping-hot entrees for everyone. Since these cuts are a little less forgiving than their weightier counterparts, make sure to keep an extra-careful eye out for doneness, and consider a dunk in juice-preserving brine beforehand. Many summer vegetables, such as eggplant slices, cobs of corn, or zucchini planks also cook up in a snap. If you’re going the traditional burger route, shape the patties in petite 3- to 4-ounce portions as opposed to thick half-pounders. Not only will you get extra mileage out of your ground beef, but hungrier guests can stack them as high as they like — who doesn’t love a classic American double cheeseburger?

Continue reading Four Shortcuts for Planning a Star-Spangled 4th of July in Record Time

Martha Stewart’s Top 10 Tips for a Hosting a Dinner Party

Outdoor dinner party Whether it’s a festive Easter brunch or a warm and cozy wintertime gathering, if you’re in charge of putting together a big dinner for the family, it’s important that you know how to make the holiday a success from start to finish. Who better to guide you through the intense process than the legendary Martha Stewart? Consider using some of her helpful tips as you prepare to host a large number of people.

1. Nailing the Outside Décor — Depending on the season, an al fresco meal can be the perfect choice. If you plan on serving your guests in the backyard, make sure that your tablecloths are secured before you place plates or dishes on them. Martha encourages hitting the dollar store for weights in fun seasonal shapes, such as ceramic eggs for Easter or decorative jesters for Mardi Gras. If it’s chilly out, make sure that there are a few wreaths or garlands to let your guests know they are in a place of celebration.

2. Display the Season — Make a color palette before you start (such as Earth tones during Fall or pastels during Spring), and plan your menu and decorations around it. Look for timesavers wherever possible, such as buying pre-arranged bouquets in your colors instead of assembling your own. Continue reading Martha Stewart’s Top 10 Tips for a Hosting a Dinner Party

The American History of the Pecan

Pecan Tree — Pecan Nuts on Tree by Dobbi is licensed under CC by 2.0.

The pecan is a delicious tasting nut that can be a wonderful accessory in a salad, as the body of a meltingly sweet pie, or munched right from the shell as a wholesome, filling snack. No matter what meal it happens to be, the pecan’s versatility and delicious flavor make it a top-notch choice. Most of us have snacked on pecans in our lifetime, but do you know the interesting history behind this great tasting nut? The fact is that the pecan has played a bigger role in American culture than you may even realize. Continue reading The American History of the Pecan