YumSugar

Off to Market Recap: TV Dinner Tray

YumSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:00:43 -0700

With new seasons of all my favorite shows coming back on the air, I've been doubling up on the dining and viewing. I asked for your help looking for organized yet cute TV dinner trays. You saved your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag TV Dinner Tray.
Look at this vast array of charming, compartmentalized trays to choose from! I love this stylish Lappers tray that shelleymonster found, especially its contemporary color scheme and kitschy dots. Browse the entire collection below.
Learn how to bookmark by reading geeksugar's directions.

Off to Market: TV Dinner Tray

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:25 -0700

I don't know about you, but with new seasons of The Hills and Mad Men, I've been spending a lot of mealtimes in front of the tube. I think it's time I got myself some TV dinner trays to fit in with my couch dining experience. Can you help me find some choice picks? Bookmark the trays in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag TV dinner tray. Happy Hunting!

To learn more about the bookmarking feature please read geeksugar's explanation.

Don't know where to start searching? Check out a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens 'n Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams-Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Come Party WIth Me: Golden Globes Viewing - Decorations

partysugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 06:58:45 -0800

Next Monday, I'm throwing a small Golden Globes Viewing party for me and my girlfriends. It's quite simple to plan a television/movie viewing party if you take it one step at a time. Each day this week I have been working on a different piece of the fiesta. Monday I sent invitations, Tuesday I chose a menu, yesterday I paired drinks with the menu, and today I have to figure out how I am going to decorate my house. To learn what I have up my elegantly armed sleeve, read more

This is an informal party that revolves around a television, so decorations will be kept to a minimum. I'll set up five TV dinner table trays, one for each of my guests and myself. On each TV dinner tray I'll place a gold place mat and a single place setting - complete with salad plate, soup bowl, water glass, and wine glass.

On each plate I'll place a shiny gold napkin. Then accompany that with a tiny vase filled with one golden rose cut close to the bud. Gold candles will glow in the background and the lights will be dimmed. I'll place the platter of salad, pot of soup, and plate of croutons on a long coffee table in the living room and allow guests to serve themselves during the commercial breaks. Dessert plates will sit, stacked neatly on the bar, next to the pitchers of water.

Got a great decoration idea with a Golden Globe theme? Tell me about it below. Stay tuned as tomorrow I'll discuss the final aspect of the party: music.

Come Party With Me: Heroes Season Premiere - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:00:05 -0700

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.

Spicy Tomato Soup
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

2 (28- to 32-oz) cans whole tomatoes in juice (preferably organic)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (2 1/4 cups)
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile including seeds
2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (18 fl oz)
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Directions

Drain 1 can tomatoes, discarding juice, then purée with remaining can tomatoes (including juice) in a blender.
Cook onion, garlic, chile, and ginger in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy nonreactive pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 8 minutes.
Add cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in puréed tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Working in 3 or 4 batches, blend soup in blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer soup as blended to a sieve set over a large bowl and force through sieve, discarding seeds.
Stir in sugar and salt to taste. Reheat in cleaned saucepan if necessary.

Serves 4.

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Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella, cut into 4 equal pieces about 3-inches by 4-inches
8 1/2-inch thick firm white sandwich bread
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon coarse salt
A grating of nutmeg
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Place the mozzarella on 4 slices of the bread. Cover with the remaining slices to form sandwiches. Trim the crusts off to make perfect 4-inch squares.
In a wide shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream, thyme leaves, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk until well blended.
In a 10 to 12-inch nonstick saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until the sizzling subsides.
Dip 2 of the sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to coat, place in the pan, and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes.
Flip over and brown on the other side. Transfer the sandwiches to individual plates and repeat the process with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, and 2 sandwiches. Cut in half, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 sandwiches or 16 triangles.

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Beef, Potatoes, and Peas
From Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds total)-peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons steak sauce, such as A.1.
One 10-ounce box frozen petite peas

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the potatoes and enough salted cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with 6 tablespoons cream, 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ground sirloin with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Shape into 4 oval patties about 1/2 inch thick. Coat with the flour.
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground sirloin patties and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the beef broth, steak sauce and remaining 6 tablespoons cream and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the peas according to package directions.
Return the meat patties to the skillet and let simmer in the sauce for about 4 minutes.
Arrange the patties on plates and spoon the sauce on top. Serve the mashed potatoes and peas alongside.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: How The Grinch Stole Christmas Watching Party

YumSugar — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:46:08 -0800

Looking for an informal yet celebratory reason to entertain this season? Hold a get together where you make a comforting dinner and watch your dearest holiday special/movie/television show. The original cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is my choice for this party, but BuzzSugar has a list of other holiday classics and holiday-ish films for you to choose from. To make the menu and get all the party details, read more

Invites: Make an invite that has a picture of the show you are going to watch. To change things up make a long and skinny invite the size of a legal, everyday envelope by folding a piece of evergreen card stock in half. On the front paste a long and skinny picture of the Grinch. On the inside write (or you could print out the info on a piece of colored paper, cut with crinkled scissors for a festive feel, and paste inside the card) the facts of the party (time, date, place, occasion...). Slide the card into a chartreuse envelope and send to your invitees.

Menu: Take a classic concept: the TV dinner, and redo it for a finger-licking, melt-in-your-mouth, lip-smacking good meal (think old school recipes updated). Have shrimp cocktail waiting for your guests to arrive and during the show serve pancetta wrapped meatloaf sandwiches, smoked gouda mac and cheese and green beans with parsley and garlic. For dessert: apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

Decorations: As this party revolves around watching a show on the television and most of us don't have private home theaters, set up pillows, blankets, fur cushions and TV dinner trays in your living room. Light a fire to warm the room and dim the lights or turn off the lights and light a few candles. The number of guests you invite should be proportional to the size of your sofa. Everyone should fit comfortably into your living room. Pile up everyone's plates, fill their glasses and then sit down to relax, eat and watch.

Music: Once again, the point of this party is to watch a show on television so music is not a large part of the equation. Put your iPod on shuffle and let it do the work for you. Turn off the music for the show and restart the playlist for dessert.

Drinks: With the shrimp cocktail offer guests a champagne cocktail in the form of a Kir Royale. During the show drink a Medium-bodied silky red wine (i.e. Chianti, Malbec, Rioja). For a non-alcoholic option offer ginger ale and sparkling water.

Come Party With Me: Season Premiere - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:03:15 -0700

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.

Come Party With Me: Heroes Season Premiere - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:15:51 -0700

I am so excited for Monday night's season premiere of Heroes! As with any TV-watching party, make sure your viewing room is clean and comfortable.

Before the show starts offer the grilled cheese appetizers on a large, black platter. The tomato soup looks scrumptious in Heroes shot glasses. Pour the cocktail into classic Tom Collins glasses.

Let guests eat on individual folding tables and serve the meal in foil TV dinner trays.

Light black candles and fold a couple of throw blankets over the back of a sofa. Place simple but chic plant arrangements around the space. A Heroes poster on the fridge is a delightful last detail.

Photos courtesy of NBC

Come Party With Me: Movie Night - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:01:33 -0800

For a French themed Movie Night, transform your living room into a comforting French style bistro. Hang classic French posters on the walls and place fun pillows on the couches. A garden gnome makes a great conversation starter that ties into the movie. Serve the food on oval TV dinner trays. Keep the dinner uniform by using plates, glasses, and flatware that all have a fleur de lis pattern.

Pour the wine in low tumblers for a casual effect. Light votive candles and a fire in the fireplace. Create a sensual mood during the show by turning off the lights. Don't forget to place a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers near the entryway to greet guests as they arrive.

Source

Hell's Kitchen - 3.7 Recap

partysugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:11:38 -0700

Forgot to set your Tivo to reality television's most fiery food contest? Have no fear, I watched Hell's Kitchen for you! The battle of the sexes was back as the six cheftestants were tested on their resourcefulness and creativity. Challenged first with leftovers, and later with planning their very own menus, both teams ran into plenty of obstacles. Bonnie bitched, Josh failed, Rock complained, and Julia shone (woo-hoo!). Ramsay yelled, kicked garbage cans, and shot (yes with a real gun!) a contestant (or 2). For all the details and more, read more

The teams are given a tray of leftover ingredients that includes white wine, spaghetti, vegetable stock, beef, and chicken. They have 30 minutes to create 3 dishes. At the silver plated showdown, Bonnie and Brad begin. Chef likes the dishes: a rustic tomato, chicken soup and fancy curried bass with crustacean tomato pasta, respectively, and awards both teams 1 point. Jen's steak and eggs are too simple and Josh's chicken legs are bathed in a highly acidic sauce, so neither get a point. It comes down to Julia and Rock. While Ramsay enjoys Julia's fish & chips he finds it disappointing for the level of competition and awards Rock's surf & turf the winning point.

As their reward, the boys are invited to a paintball fight with Ramsay, 3 against 1. The girls have to clean Hell's Kitchen and unload the deliveries. Later the contestants find out that the dinner service will be the most serious because (for the first time) the teams will create their own menus of 3 appetizers, 3 entrees, and 3 desserts. The diners can choose from either the red or the blue menu. After a lot of grumbling no one is really satisfied with the menus. Ramsay questions Julia's contribution and find out that all of her ideas were overruled by Jen and Bonnie. He pulls another dish and substitutes Julia's strip steak and shrimp.

During the dinner course, 52 red and 48 blue menus are ordered with the majority being Julia's steak. The girl's struggle to make Bonnie's bacon wrapped rabbit (bet you can't say that 5 times fast!), bicker, and lose communication and team spirit. Josh brings the boys down with his total inability to cook lamb, but when Ramsay demands that someone help him, neither Rock or Brad go to Josh's aid. In the end, Ramsay praises Julia for her consistency and asks her to select a girl for elimination. The boys are left to nominate amongst themselves. At elimination Julia nominates Bonnie for her failure to execute (and forgetfulness to turn on the stove!) and Brad martyrs himself. Ramsay asks Brad to leave because when looking for a leader, all Brad was was a cook.

You waited all week for it and it's finally here! My top 5 Ramsayism's from last night's show plus 1 extra that we shall entitle, Words of Wisdom To Live By by Gordon Ramsay:

You're a professional chef? I expect more from you: The chicken's not cooked all the way through, the sauce is disgusting, yeah? And the dish is just crap.
Where's the lamb? How long please? Hey you! Hey donkey one's nicely cooked and one's boiled! Under pressure now and this is where it separates a f**king chef from a donkey! Come here, let me tell you something, let me tell you something in your ear, you can't cook! Thats what's just been confirmed to me! Yah you're coming, so is your f**king elimination!
Hey Josh, I wouldn't trust you with a hot dog stand.
Jen don't stand there looking all sad like a little lonely puppy.
Hey missy turn the f**king gas on... you should be f**king ashamed of yourself!
To be successful as an individual, you have to be successful as a team

Now for some rhetorical questions to get you all thinking: How in the hell did Ramsay beat all 3 boys at paintball? What do you think Bonnie thought when she saw her face being used as a target for paintball practice? Were those really leftovers, or was it raw pieces of meat? Did Ramsay call Josh a doughnut?? What's the deal with the steaming pots on stove at elimination?

And finally, a totally unrelated side note: Ramsay's bad boy persona and hot shot chef are starting to get to me...I think I've developed a school girl crush!

Image Source

Come Party With Me: Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 06:59:43 -0800

Valentine's Day is less than a week away and the only thing stopping you from having an incredibly lovey-dovey dinner with your lover is yourself. It's not impossible, you can plan a private little passionate evening for you and your honey bun that's sure to be 101 pounds of fun. Many couples feel pressured to spend a lot of money on an expensive meal at a fancy restaurant in order to properly celebrate their love for one another. I propose that instead of making reservations, you make plans to host your own special dinner to express your heartfelt, genuine feelings for your guy. You will be in control of everything including a hand written invitation, a budget-able meal, and an enticing bottle of champagne. To learn how to change the look of your house to reflect that of a romantic seductress, read more

Start with a clean and clutter free house (this includes the bedroom where the party will most likely move to at some point during the night!). A mess will only make the situation feel tense and stressful.
Cast alluring shadows by lighting all of the candles in your house. Especially if you have a few that will fill the rooms with fragrant floral aromas like lavender, jasmine, or tuberose.

Instead of having dinner on your regular everyday table/special dining room table, set up a super small folding table or tv dinner tray near your fireplace, balcony, or large window with a view.
Cover the table with a red, pink, or lacy white tablecloth (or piece of fabric).
Set two place settings using your best china and put a clear vase with a single beautiful rose in vibrant red, blushing pink, or snowy white in the center.
Arrange two chairs so you sit very close, side by side while you enjoy the dinner.

The morning of Valentine's Day make a quick stop at your local florist and ask if they have any older pink or red roses for sale. You'll use the petals as mood enhancing decor so the flowers don't need to be the freshest.
Sprinkle the petals up the walkway to your front door (if you live in an apartment building scatter some in the hallway and on your welcome mat) and on your bed.
The lighting in the bedroom should be soft and glowing and the petals sensual and inviting.

Have an amazingly alluring decor idea for a romantic dinner? Please tell me about it below! Tomorrow the last piece of the puzzle will fall into place: the music that will set the mood of the evening.