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Holiday Fit Tip: Walk Off the Binge

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:30:00 -0800

The holidays are all about large extravagant meals full of tasty traditional foods that most of us are taking the opportunity to indulge in and enjoy.

If you do eat a large meal high in fat, the best thing to do for yourself and your arteries is to go for a 45-minute walk. Even if you've put counting calories on the back burner during the holidays, you should still try to keep your health in mind. So invite your friends and family to join you - not only will you be doing something good for your health, but it's also a great way to catch up while getting some fresh air.

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Dinner - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:47:59 -0800

If you have a formal dining room, eat Christmas dinner there. If you don't, set up a table beside the glowing Christmas tree. Next, focus your attention on creating a beautiful table setting. Cover the table with a holiday print tablecloth. Top this with gold chargers and your best china. Shiny green napkins rolled with jingle bell napkin rings are festive and fun.

Serve the food on shiny red platters and the drinks in amber hued red and green stemware. Place red amaryllis flowers in low vases and run them down the middle of the table. Add glowing light by scattering golden votives and candles between the vases. Tie green and gold ribbons to the back of your chairs.

Finally, have a leisurely, unhurried meal and enjoy your exquisite surroundings!

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Dinner - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:05:31 -0800

My elegant Christmas dinner calls for equally-sophisticated cocktails. I'll have distinct wine pairings for each course and one festive signature cocktail to get the night started right.

With the oysters and crab crostini, pour a sparkling Prosecco; it's a lovely and affordable varietal. With the main course offer a spicy red Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. Have a white varietal that complements the gorgonzola gnocchi. An American Chardonnay or Italian Fiano are excellent choices.

Make the signature cocktail a red-hued concoction by using frozen berries. Get the recipe for this festive drink, just read more.

Merry Berry Cocktail
From Taste

1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1 bag frozen mixed berries, thawed
1/2 cup vanilla vodka
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 cups crushed ice
1 750ml bottle chilled rose sparkling wine

Combine sugar and water in a small bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
Place sugar syrup, berries, vodka, and lime juice in the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug and discard seeds and pulp.
Place half the ice and half the berry mixture in the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Spoon evenly among half the serving glasses and top with sparkling wine. Repeat with remaining ice, berry mixture, and sparkling wine.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Dinner - Menu (Desserts)

partysugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:28:31 -0800

Follow up a decadent Christmas dinner with a spread of just as delectable desserts. Boxes of chocolates, candy canes, and truffles look gorgeous among a pair of stunning homemade treats. For the chocolate traditionalists, serve Emily Luchetti's variation of German chocolate cake. For the fruit lovers, offer a pear and cranberry crisp. To get these recipes, read more

New German Chocolate Cake
From Emily Luchetti

2 cups cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
Coconut Pecan Filling, recipe below
Chocolate Frosting, , recipe below

Preheat the oven to 350°F and position 2 racks in the middle and lower thirds. Line the bottoms of three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment or wax paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk the cake and all-purpose flours with the baking powder and salt. Combine the milk and vanilla in a small pitcher.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture resembles moist sand, about 3 minutes. Beat in the flour mixture at low speed in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture; stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating at medium speed between additions.
Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the layers are light golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn each out onto a rack and peel off the paper. Invert onto another rack and let cool completely.
Center a cake layer on a platter and spread one-third of the Coconut Pecan Filling over the top, leaving a 1/2 -inch border at the edge. Set a second cake layer on top of the first and spread another third of the filling on top. Cover with the third cake layer. Spread the top and side of the cake with the Chocolate Frosting. Spread the remaining Coconut Pecan Filling over the frosting on the top, leaving a 1-inch border.

Serves 12-16.

Make Ahead: the unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month.

Coconut Pecan Filling

1 2/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans (2 1/2 ounces)
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate (4 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the coconut and pecans on separate baking sheets and bake for about 7 minutes, or until golden and fragrant; let cool.
In a large heavy saucepan, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated and dark brown sugars.
Stir in the milk, cornstarch, salt and 1 cup of the coconut and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until pudding-like, about 6 minutes. Strain the custard, pressing hard on the coconut. Discard the coconut and let the custard cool. Stir in the vanilla and refrigerate until cold.
Whip the cream until it holds firm peaks. Fold the cream into the custard, then fold in the chocolate, pecans and the remaining coconut.

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

In a medium saucepan, heat the cream until bubbles appear around the edge; remove from the heat.
Add the chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in the butter until smooth. Let the frosting cool, then beat with a wooden spoon until slightly thickened.

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Pear-Cranberry Crisp
From Cooking Light magazine

Filling:
6 cups sliced peeled pear (about 3 pounds)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Cooking spray
Topping:
3/4 cup regular oats
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 375°F.
To prepare filling, place the pears in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch; toss well to coat. Stir in cranberries and next 5 ingredients (cranberries through 1/8 teaspoon salt). Spoon pear mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.
To prepare topping, combine oats and remaining ingredients, tossing until moist. Sprinkle topping in an even layer over pear mixture.
Cover with foil; bake at 375°F for 40 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until topping is golden and fruit mixture is bubbly.

Serves 8 (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 310(30% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 3.9g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 4.2g; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 40mg; SODIUM 168mg; FIBER 4.8g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.4g

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Dinner - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 09:18:31 -0800

In my opinion, Christmas dinner should be an absolutely delicious, fragrant meal. At my house, we always begin our Christmas with seafood. Oysters on the half shell and crab crostini pair perfectly with bubbly, sparkling wine. At the table, serve a show-stopping pan roasted beef tenderloin with rosemary and garlic as the main course. A decadent potato gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce is luxurious along side it. Finally, round the menu out with a winter salad and pomegranate dressing. For these savory and stunning recipes, read more

Raw Oysters
From Martha Stewart

1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
1 tablespoon fennel seed, lightly toasted
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 dozen fresh oysters

In a small bowl, combine peppercorns, fennel seed, vinegars, and salt.
Shuck oysters just before serving; arrange on bed of crushed ice.
Drizzle with mignonette, or serve on the side. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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Crab Crostini
From Rick Tramonto

For crostini:
3 garlic cloves
Pinch of kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) high-quality salted butter, softened
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Cracked black pepper
Eight 1/4-inch-thick slices baguette
For crab topping:
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 roasted red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon torn fresh basil
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Make crostini: on a cutting board, finely chop the garlic and sprinkle the salt over it. Keep chopping and smashing the garlic and salt together to make a paste. Use a wide-bladed knife so you can smear the paste along its flat side. You can also do this with a mortar and pestle.
In a small bowl, mix the butter, lemon juice, and garlic paste. Fold the softened butter over and onto the garlic mixture, mashing it down with the back of a spoon or spatula. Season to taste with pepper and continue folding.
Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Scrape the butter onto the plastic and use the plastic wrap to shape butter into a log, encased in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use. If not using within 3 days, you can freeze the garlic butter for up to 2 months. Let the butter soften before using.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Lay the bread on a baking sheet and brush both sides with garlic butter. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until golden brown but not too crispy. Let cool before using.
Pick through the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl.
Add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, bell pepper, chives, basil, lemon juice and zest and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Top each crostini with about 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Serves 4-6.

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Pan-Roasted Beef Tenderloin With Rosemary and Garlic
From Williams Sonoma

1 beef tenderloin roast, 2 1/2 to 3 lb.
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cups dry red wine
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preheat an oven to 400ºF.
Let the roast stand at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes. Set the roast on a clean work surface and lay the rosemary sprigs lengthwise along the roast. Using kitchen twine, tie the rosemary to the roast at 2-inch intervals. Rub the roast with the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat an oval skillet or large sauté pan over medium-high heat and warm the vegetable oil. Add the roast and brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast, turning the beef occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 125ºF for very rare to rare, 15 to 20 minutes, or until done to your liking. Transfer the roast to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the shallots and wine and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly until blended before adding more. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt. Keep warm over very low heat, being careful not to boil.
Slice the meat and arrange on a warmed platter. Pass the sauce alongside.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Potato Gnocchi With a Gorgonzola Sauce
From Emeril Lagasse

1 pound baking potatoes, washed
Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1 teaspoon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound Gorgonzola

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Season the potatoes with the oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Peel the potatoes, discarding the skin, and place in a bowl.
Using a ricer, press the baked potato pulp through the ricer, using a medium die, until the potato pulp is smooth and airy. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the egg and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the flour.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Turn the dough onto the floured surface and roll into a log, about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece across the tines of a fork.
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, water, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid just to a boil.
Add the gnocchi and poach for 5 minutes.
Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and drain.
Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in 3/4 of the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, over low heat, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Toss the gnocchi with the cream sauce. Spoon onto a large serving platter.
Crumble the remaining Gorgonzola over the gnocchi and garnish with a twist of freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4.

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Winter Salad With Pomegranate Dressing
From Rachael Ray

3 medium shallots, 2 thinly sliced and 1 finely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup bottled pomegranate juice, such as Pom Wonderful
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces spicy salad greens, such as arugula, washed and dried
Seeds from 1 pomegranate

Separate the sliced shallots into individual rings and set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine 1 teaspoon of the olive oil with the chopped shallot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, until limp.
Add the juice, increase the heat to medium-high and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir as the liquid becomes syrupy to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add about 1 inch of vegetable oil to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. In a shallow bowl, toss the shallot rings with the flour, then shake in a mesh strainer to get rid of any excess flour. When the oil is hot (it will ripple), add the shallot rings, stirring so they don't stick together.
Fry until crisp and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and season with salt.
When the pomegranate sauce is cool, pour it into a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and a few dashes of salt and pepper, then slowly whisk in the remaining olive oil. Snag a salad leaf and dip it into the dressing to taste. Adjust the salt and pepper.
Place the greens in a large bowl and dress lightly (you might not need all of the dressing). Divide the greens among 6 plates and top with the fried shallots and pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6.

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What Do You Eat on Christmas?

partysugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:25:31 -0800

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Come Party With Me: Christmas Dinner - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:13:31 -0800

There is something so magical about Christmas dinner. Sitting down with my family at a table filled with delicious food always makes me incredibly happy, especially when the Christmas tree is twinkling in the background.

This week I'm planning our Christmas dinner and I'm inviting you along for the journey. Christmas is an occasion special enough to require paper invitations. You can download, print, and fill out our Christmas Party Invites or make a festive little card like I did here. To see how it's done, read more

To make an invitation similar to the one seen here you will need the following supplies:

cardstock
small card size pieces of cardstock
decorative paper
scissors
glue
glitter or ribbon (optional)
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Start by creating a new Word document. Write out the details of the party. For text on both the back and the front of the invitation, space out accordingly. I used the font Savoye LET in size 36 and 22 bold to write the following message:

You’re Invited

To Christmas dinner at PartySugar’s house.
Tuesday December 25, 2007
6:00 in the evening
Please let us know if you can come!
415.555.5555

Print out the text on a piece of paper and check for spelling and grammatical errors. Once satisfied with the text print out on the cardstock. Set aside.

Trace the card size piece of cardstock on to the back of the decorative paper. Cut the decorative paper inside the traced line down to size.

Glue the decorative paper to one side of the small piece of cardstock. Turn over.

Cut the detail text down to size with festive scissors. Glue to the back of the small piece of cardstock. Turn over.

Cut the You're Invited text down to size and glue to the decorative paper.

Decorate creatively by adding bows or glitter to the back. I kept mine simple with a red bow below the text on the back of the invite.

Slide into an envelope, address in your best handwriting, and send!

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Posh and Boys Support Becks & Prep For Ramsay Christmas

PopSugarUK — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:02:26 -0800

Victoria Beckham was on sweet treat duty on Friday as she took the boys to Yogurtland in LA, while David spent Saturday training and attending a press conference in a warm hat. The Beckham brood then made the trip to Seattle to support David and LA Galaxy in their big MLS Cup final game on Sunday, following the team's win last weekend. Despite losing to Real Salt Lake 5-4 in penalties following the 1-1 draw, Becks remained positive about the team, saying: "It's always tough losing, but we can be proud of where we've come to".

It's been confirmed David can buy an MLS franchise when his playing career ends, and David confirmed he'll be going back to the Galaxy after his loan spell in Milan and the World Cup next Summer, but will be undergoing rehabilitation on his ankle injury. It sounds like Becks could do with a rest over the holiday season, and reports suggest he's going to get pampered at Christmas with Gordon Ramsay is reportedly cooking dinner for the Beckhams as their two families will spend Christmas Day together at Beckingham Palace. Sounds fun!

To see more pictures of the Beckhams' weekend, read more.

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Speed Read! Jennifer Hudson to Perform at State Dinner

TresSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:30:19 -0800

Chicago native Jennifer Hudson will perform at the White House's star-studded state dinner tonight. - Washington Post
Google buys ads to explain why an offensive image of Michelle Obama comes up in search results. - Huffington Post
Should we thank Kate Moss for being frank about watching her weight? - Double X
Family returns from out of town to find home has been broken into and
decorated for Christmas. - Lemondrop
Can you write like Sarah Palin? Slate's holding a contest. - Slate
Inside a supermodel's suicide. - Sexy Beast
Octomom Nadya Suleman says she might have more children. Great. - Jezebel
New albums from Rihanna and Lady Gaga are out. - BuzzSugar
Seven lessons we can learn from Hollywood stuntwomen. - Flavorwire

Victoria Smith's Go-To Holiday Gift Ideas

CasaSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:00:54 -0800

I do have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to holiday gifts, but I'm always impressed with what my design-savvy friends give each year. So, I decided to ask some interior design "tastemakers" for their favorite go-to presents. From designers and stylists to bloggers and shop-owners, some of the brightest stars in the design world have shared their favorite holiday gift ideas with me.

To kick things off, San Francisco-based Victoria Smith of the always-inspiring blog sfgirlbybay has shared her go-to gift ideas. But, she admits she's not a huge fan of the commercial side of Christmas: "I love the white twinkling lights, and the parties and dinner gatherings with friends - the celebrations. I do love that part."

On gifts for friends: "Most of my friends and I for years have agreed to always make our gifts for each other. Even when they sometimes don't come out quite as well as you had envisioned, we give them anyway, and just have a good laugh. From homemade pillow cases, to miniature snow domes made from baby food jars, and knit scarves, we've gone through some good gifts and some good laughs."

Hear more of Victoria's favorite go-to gift ideas.