I consider myself a perfectionist hostess who goes above and beyond making sure everything is planned down to the tiniest last detail. I'm a planner, I enjoy making lists, and I love hosting parties. With every party I throw, I learn something new about party planning and about myself. Letting the party go at its own speed is important to me, as is throwing in a few surprises to create spontaneity and excitement. How about you, what kind of hostess are you? Are you like me and obsess about every flower stem or do you prefer to throw laid back get togethers at the drop of a hat without even thinking about the fete before hand. To take my fun little quiz and find out what your hostess style is, please read more
What's Your Hostess Style?
Sunday Dinner: Guinness Beef Stew
St. Patrick's day is coming up and I thought it would be fun to celebrate with (aka: a nice excuse to make) a hearty Guinness Stew. I had been looking through several different recipes when the latest issue of Cook's Country arrived in my mailbox and what do you know, there on page 8 was a recipe for a well-tested Guinness Beef Stew. Since they usually have pretty good recipes, I have decided that I'm going to give theirs a try. This recipe is an all-day affair (although the work required is pretty minimal), so why not go out and get your supplies and join me?! I'll take pictures of my endeavor and post them up here later this evening (assuming there's no kitchen fiascos...). To check out the recipe, read more
Definition: Braise
Braise
A cooking technique in which food (both vegetables and meat) is prepared by browning, then cooking slowly in a small amount of liquid, seasonings, and fat in the oven or in a covered pan on the stove top. The long slow cooking process develops flavor and tenderizes foods by gently breaking down their fibers. (Pictured at left is the browning step.)
