What cocktail pairs perfectly with a traditional meat and mashed potato TV dinner? A classic gin and tonic served in a chilled glass. It's a simple, no-fuss drink that will nicely complement the menu for my Heroes season premiere party.
I'll also have a couple bottles of red wine on hand to enjoy with dinner. Water, beer, and sodas are a must for those who dislike gin. To look at the recipe for this uncomplicated cocktail, read more
No dessert says TV dinner more than a dish that features warm fruit and cool ice cream. While a pie or cobbler are delicious selections, wow guests at a season premiere party (or any party for that matter!) with this to-die-for apple cake.
Complete with toffee crust, fresh apple filling, and rich butterscotch sauce, it's luxurious and comforting — sort of like a glam, grown-up sister to apple pie. Although the recipe requires patience and a bit of skill, the finished cake is a worthy reward of the time and work put into it. To look at the steps involved, read more
When hosting a viewing party of any sort, there are two options for planning a menu. You can serve foods inspired by the show or popular dishes classic to the TV dinner. For my Heroes season premiere party, I've decided to do the latter and offer friends a tasty re-interpretation of the 1950s TV dinner. Guests will be greeted with shot glasses of spicy tomato soup. Mini grilled cheese sandwiches are an excellent companion. Beef, mashed potatoes, peas, and caramelized onions make up the main course that looks scrumptious served on a TV dinner tray. To get these comforting, delicious, timeless recipes, read more
Finally, the third season of Heroes is almost here! The show debuts next Monday, Sept. 22, and to celebrate I'm inviting friends over to watch the premiere. All this week I'll be providing tips and recipes for the perfect viewing party. If Heroes isn't your thing, take my ideas and use them to host a premiere party for your favorite show, be it Ugly Betty or Grey's Anatomy. To get things started, let's make invitations. To learn how I made the collage invites seen here, read more
Putting together the decor for my Ugly Betty Season Premiere party was super fun! Look for an eclectic mix of Mexican, dorky, colorful, and fashionable pieces. Turn your living room into a fun haven, perfect for watching the television show.
Make sure there is plenty of seating for everyone to comfortably watch the premiere. Add bright cushions and throws for a homey, warm atmosphere. Stack old issues of Vogue magazines next to the couches to serve as make shift end tables. Light authentic Our Lady of Guadalupe candles to create a theater like glow.
Instead of buying fresh flowers arrange vibrant paper flowerbuds around the party space. Put the chips into a woven Mexican basket on black TV trays. A sombrero shaped tortilla warmer keeps the snacks warm and doubles as a conversation starter. Serve the dinner in classic cafeteria style trays and the wine in tinted glasses.
At my Ugly Betty season premiere party, I will dish out a Mexican inspired meal. Normally one would think to pair beer with Mexican food, but since this is a fashionably geeky party I will be serving wine. It's an unexpected and daring choice, however a crisp, acidic white Alboriño or a soft, juicy Beaujolais will complement the dinner. When choosing a wine to pour with Mexican food, stay away from oaky Chardonnays, and reds high in tannins like Merlots and Cab Sauvignons.
If you prefer to serve beer offer guests a selection of Mexican brews like Pacifico and Tecate. Sparkling and still water and lemonade are nice options for friends who don't drink.
No party menu is complete without a signature cocktail and mine will be served during dessert. It's a drink that was featured on an episode of Ugly Betty last season and will make a nice finish to the meal. To get the recipe to this cocktail, a concoction that tastes kind of like a thin mint girl scout cookie, read more
After a make your own soft taco, dinner guests at my Ugly Betty season premiere party will be ready to sit back and watch the show. However, I won't let them leave the party without a sweet treat for dessert. When Ugly Betty is over, I'll invite everyone back into the kitchen for a creamy flan. The recipe actually comes from Betty Suarez herself, complete with funny little side notes. To get this classic recipe, read more
This week I am planning a watching party for a television show's season premiere. One of my favorite fall shows, Ugly Betty, serves as the theme and centerpiece of the party. Since Betty Suarez's family is from Mexico, that region's authentic dishes will make up my menu. When my friends arrive I'll have large colorful bowls filled with classic tomato salsa, tomatillo guacamole, and blue corn chips. Later I'll remove a platter of queso fundido from the oven to serve with warmed tortillas and chicken in green sauce. Guests can make their own soft tacos by choosing from any of the aforementioned toppings and fillings. To get these recipes, read more
One of the best things about this time of year is the return of my fave television shows! I'm so excited to find out what will happen on the season premiere of Ugly Betty, that I've decided to invite some friends over to watch the show with me. We will have dinner, tune into the show, and dish about the episode. All this week I'll plan a party which can be adapted to any television show. If you like Grey's Anatomy, host a hospital themed dinner or if you prefer Friday Night Lights, football should be the underlying motif. Since I'm crazy about Betty, Wilhelmina, and the gang, everything at my party will be fashionably geeky including the invitations. To see how I made these tacky chic invites, read more
On “24,” the third and fourth hours of Day 6 are tense and shocking! Just when I was getting used to the pace of the show, Monday night’s ending rapidly accelerated the story line. Not that I’m complaining, because it’s very exciting. (In case you missed it, check out my recap of Part I of the season premiere.)
As the third hour begins, Jack and Assad are following the suicide bomber’s handler, Masheer, while CTU scrambles to track their location. Assad and Jack take separate cars and Jack crashes into Masheer, totaling his car. Assad pulls up behind the “accident” and offers to give Masheer a ride. When Masheer’s not looking, Assad calls Jack and secretly keeps the phone on, so Jack can patch him through to CTU and Assad can convey, through conversation, clues about his whereabouts. When Assad drops off Masheer, CTU sends in a team, and Masheer chooses to detonate a hand grenade, killing himself and destroying much of his laptop. Still, Jack and the team manage to search the computer’s hard drive.
Amidst this physical drama, Curtis can’t seem to get past Assad as a known, ruthless terrorist. Jack suspects Curtis has some kind of a past with Assad and asks Chloe to investigate. To find out what happens, read more
