Browsing all posts in December, 2009.
A Toast To The New Year!
Here’s is to the New Year! The New decade. As you raise your glass tonight, we at Moments of Elegance wanted to wish you a Happy New Year. We complied a list of popular New Years Eve Toasts.
Irish toast — In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.
Anonymous — Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others.
Aisha Elderwyn — Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself.
T. S. Eliot — For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.
Benjamin Franklin — Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.
William Arthur Ward
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
Charles Lamb — New Year’s Day is every man’s birthday.
Lord Alfred Tennyson — Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Abraham Lincoln — Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.
Eleanor Roosevelt — The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Happy New Year!
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Christmas Dinner
Christmas will be here in a few short days. So, what are you making? If you are looking for some ideas, no need to look any further. We’ve found holiday menus that will make your mouth water.
“I think the mistake people make most when entertaining is to get too fancy with the food,” says Nigella Lawson. “No one is ever too sophisticated for the basic pleasures of home cooking, and there is something about those old favorites that makes everyone feel a little leap of joy in the heart.”
Nigella Lawson’s Christmas Dinner Menu is featured on epicurious.com is complete with a crab cocktail starter and ends with a decadent chestnut cheesecake .
Martha Stewart’s Baked Ham Christmas Menu featured on marthastewart.com is centered around her recipe for Honey Orange Baked Ham.
If you want oodles and oodles of ideas, check out Jamie Oliver’s Family Christmas site. He boasts a recipe for “The Best Turkey In The World.” Hmm, too bad we didn’t have this one LAST month, but better late than never! Right?
According to Oliver, “In my books, the perfect bird is 6.5kg– 8kg in weight because that’s a good size to handle, feeds about 10 to 14 people and has better flavour than bigger birds. If you’re buying from a small producer, like the lovely turkey I used from my mate Paul Kelly, you’ll often find these birds come with their own cooking instructions. Really good-quality birds do cook in a shorter time so follow the instructions if it has them. “
For more Christmas Dinner Menus, be sure to check out the following:
Happy Cooking!
Happy Baking!
And Happy Holidays!
Ho, Ho, Holiday Hostess Gifts
It’s the holidays and you’re out and about going to this party and that. Do you arrive empty handed? No way! Only the Grinch would show up without a hostess gift. Yes, you can go the bottle of wine route, but seriously, what fun is that?
Here’s an idea for you — why not stock up on fun holiday gifts? Keep them on hand, so when you have a party to go to you can just wrap, tag, and go. At Moments of Elegance, we have the perfect holiday hostess gifts. Just check out our Holiday Party Favors for fabulous and festive gift ideas!
Here are our favs:
“A Winter Holiday” Personalized Lollipop (starts at $1.70 for 24 units) — leave a “sweet” strawberry reminder for your hosts!
Holiday Dots Favor Boxes (starts at $2.50 for 20 units) — personalize your gifts with this sweet box.
Winter Wonderland Snowman Globes ($2.85 min order 6) — who doesn’t just love, love, love a snow-globe?
Other fun gift ideas include:
- Winter Flowers — such as Narcissus Bulbs or a Poinsettia
- Holiday Ornaments
- Speciality Foods — olives, olive oils, flavored vinegars, coffees, teas or chocolates
- Picture Frames
So this holiday, ditch the bottle of wine in “favor” for some fun and festive gift ideas!!!
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Holiday Motto: Keep Calm & Carry On
Let’s all just take a collective deep breath. And let’s adopt this holiday motto: “Keep Calm & Carry On.” It was a phrase used in England during World War II, but for this holiday season, it just sort of fits. If you want to have an easy, stress free holiday season — just read on.
TIPS TO “KEEP CALM & CARRY ON” THIS HOLIDAY:
- Do your shopping at off hours — nothing is more stressful that trudging through crowded stores and malls. Go in the early hours or during meal times.
- Make a budget and stick to it — having your list ready and checking it twice is extremely helpful. Having a set price per gift is also another great way to stay on budget.
- Shop the sales — the good news/bad news about the economy is that many stores are offering sales BEFORE Christmas. Go online to comparison shop BEFORE you head out to the store.
- Go pot-luck — Back in the day, our parents had no problems with the “pot-luck” parties and the is no reason that we can’t bring ‘em back. Pot lucks not only save time and money, but they cut down on the stress of having to cook a massive meal.
- Remember the true meaning of the holidays — it’s not about expensive gift or the perfect homemade cookie, it’s about spending time with loves ones and being thankful for what we do have.
BTW — If you want to order the Keep Calm and Carry On Poster ($25 unframed) or Ornament ($10) featured in this post, go to www.decorativethings.com.
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Holiday Weddings: Dos & Don’ts
Sliver bells, sliver bells…er, um, wedding bells, wedding bells, it’s wedding time, not Christmas, in the city. Hear them ring, oh, hear them ring. Maybe it doesn’t have a ring to it, but in any event, there are literally no “off” times to get married. Many couples love, love, love to pick the holidays to get married. The pros — many of your guests will be in town celebrating the season. The cons –the weather. It can muck up the best laid plans from delayed flights to frozen roads. With a little planning you can have the perfect holiday wedding, just follow these tips.
Holiday Wedding “DOS”:
- Be fashionable — you don’t have to go the velvet route just because it’s 30 below.
- Do create a warm & cozy reception — candles, lush warm fabrics all can go along way in creating a winter wonderland.
Holiday Wedding “DON’TS:
- Be fashionable & safe — make sure your bridesmaids have coats and boots. You don’t want them trudging around in heels and strapless gowns!
- Let your guests freeze outside — if you have a receiving line be sure to organize it indoors.
For more holiday wedding dos & don’ts, visit TheKnot.com.
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Eggnog
Eggnog. What is it? Eggnog is made with milk, cream, sugar, beaten eggs, cinammin and nutmeg. For a little added zing, you can add brandy, rum or whiskey. So it is super duper low-cal. Yeah, right.
So, what’s the deal why do we drink it around the holidays? Like most stuff, it was brought over from the “Old World.” But being the crazy colonists, they put their own spin on it an used rum instead of wine. Wine and eggs, sounds tasty! George Washington devised his own recipe that included rye whiskey, rum and sherry. Only those who could really hold their liquor were ready to try his eggnog!
And of course, Martha has the recipe for eggnog.
Martha Stewart’s EggnogAccording to MS, “This eggnog’s rich, cloudlike texture is produced by separating the eggs and beating the whites before adding them to the milk mixture. The eggnog base can be made one day in advance; just beat in the stiff egg whites and whipped cream just before serving.”
Serves 26
Ingredients:
- 12 eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 1/2 quarts heavy cream
- 3 cups bourbon
- 1/2 cup dark rum
- 2 cups cognac
- Freshly grated nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
-
In a very large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and pale yellow. Gradually add sugar to yolks. With a wire whisk, beat in milk and 1 quart cream. Add bourbon, rum, and cognac, stirring constantly.
-
Just before serving, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into mixture. Whip remaining 1/2 quart heavy cream until stiff, and fold in. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
From Martha Stewart Living, December 2000 .
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Got Cookies???
Christmas just isn’t Christmas without COOKIES!!! Some of us, we’re not naming names, but some of us can’t bake. Like for instance the author of this blog, she can write, but just don’t ask her to bake a chocolate chip cookie from scratch. It will could get ugly. So, this is how the cookie baking party idea was invented. For this to work, you must invite at least ONE expert baker. We all know at least one. Right? Invite some friends over, put a a bit pot of soup, get your spatulas ready and start baking.
How much fun is it to spend some time with good friends, flour and cookie cutters? And to save money, each person can bring supplies too! All you really need is good friends and even better cookie recipes.
Here are some Christmas cookie websites:
White Chocolate Kissed Gingerbread Cookies
YUM! YUM! YUM! This reinvented version of the favorite holiday cookie features a gingerbread cookie with a white and milk chocolate swirled kiss-shaped candy.
Makes 5 dozen or 30 (2 cookie) servings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Refrigerate Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes per batch
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
60 white and milk chocolate swirled kiss-shaped candies
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies just begin to brown. Immediately press a chocolate candy into center of each cookie. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.
Recipe featured on McCormick.com.
Slow-Cookers Chicken Noodle Soup
‘Tis the season for chicken soup!!! Savor the taste of hearty, homemade chicken noodle soup made in the slow cooker.
1. Place chicken and vegetables in slow cooker.
2. Mix Seasoning and water until blended. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover.
3. Cook 8 hours on LOW. Stir in noodles. Cover. Cook 10 minutes longer on HIGH or until noodles are tender.
Slow Cooker Tip: For best results, do not remove cover during cooking.
Recipe featured on McCormick.com.
Create Your Very Own Winter Wonderland
This is your chance to create your very own winter wonderland. With the help of Moments of Elegance Winter Favors there is everything you’ll need for the perfect wedding, holiday or Christmas party. We’ve created the go to list of some of our best sellers!
It’s snowing favors! Check out these “flaky” favors:
- SnowFlake Place Card Holder/Ornament (starts at $2.90 per unit) — At your seasonal event, at every table, this Snowflake Placecard Holder is destined to be the handiest hit of any winter occasion, giving your guests a choice of uses when they take it home.
- SnowFlake Wine Bar-ware Sets (starts at $7.35 per unit) — These elegant bottle stopper and opener sets make it easy to bring the brilliance of snowflakes inside your event room without the blustery temperatures.
- SnowFlake Take Out Boxes with Chocolates (starts at $3.25 per unit) — Our snowflake take-out box is perfect for winter weddings. Each box comes with a beautiful snowflake cascade in white, light blue, and blue on a blue background with a blue cord.
- Sliver SnowFlake Ornament * NEW * (starts at $1.65 per unit) — Give your guests a favor that marks your winter wedding perfectly with these self-standing cards adorned with classic metal snowflake ornaments.
- Glitter SnowFlake Soap (starts at $3.50 per unit) — This beautiful snowflake soap compliments any Winter wedding or event perfectly.
- Winter SnowFlake Tape Measure (starts at $1.70) — This winter, have guests “measure up some love” with these sweet little snowflake tape measures. This handy little favor will tie into your winter wedding theme and serve as a useful keepsake for your guests.
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Top Ten Christmas Songs
Everyone knows that music is the foundation for the perfect party. As you sync up your playlist for your next Christmas party, here is a Christmas Top Ten List to help get you going.
- “Jingle Bells” by James Taylor from At Christmas — this is a funky waay slow version that only Taylor could get away with.
- “Mele Kalikimaka” by Chris Isak from Chris Isak Christmas — this will make you feel like you are in Hawaii.
- “Silver Bells” by Elvis from Elvis Christmas Peace — The King rocks the bells!
- “Winter Wonderland” by Bob Dylan from Bob Dylan Christmas In The Heart — this album is so wrong it is right.
- “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee from Santa’s Greatest Hits – a true holiday classic.
- “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano from The Best of Santa’s Greatest Hits The Christmas Collection – if this doesn’t get your feet tappin’, not sure you have a pulse!
- “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kit from the Elf soundtrack — Kit purrs her wish list and makes us want a sable and a ’54 Convertible light blue.
- “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Dean Martin from Christmas With The Rat Pack — just because it’s the Rat Pack and only Dean can get away with calling Rudolph “Ruddy.”
- “I Pray On Christmas” by Harry Connick Jr. from When My Heart Finds Christmas – will transport you to New Orleans on Christmas Eve.
- “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby from Christmas Spirit – because Bing owns this Christmas song now and forever.
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Leftover Turkey Recipes
Don’t throw that turkey out! You can make oodles upon oodles of recipes with it. So hang in there! And get cooking!
TURKEY STOCK
Ingredients:
- 1 turkey carcass
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 3 ribs celery, cut up
- 2 medium carrots, cut up
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons dried leaf thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- dash pepper
Directions:
TURKEY BROCCOLI QUICHE
Ingredients:
- 1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh broccoli
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup chopped cooked turkey
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook broccoli and onion, stirring frequently, until tender. Drain.Sprinkle broccoli and onion, turkey, and cheese into prepared pie shell.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly; beat in half-and-half, curry powder, and salt. Pour egg mixture over turkey and broccoli mixture. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° continue baking for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
TURKEY CURRY
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (8 to 9 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
- 3 cups cooked diced turkey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- hot cooked rice
Directions:
SCALLOPED TURKEY
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 cups cooked chicken or turkey
- 1 stick butter, (4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 to 1+ tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups toasted bread cubes
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sage, crumbled
- 1/4 cup butter, (2 ounces)
- 1 can sliced mushrooms, (4 ounces)
Directions:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, shaped into 1-inch balls
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
- purchased or homemade pie crusts for 2-crust pie
Directions:
TURKEY MACARONI CASSEROLE
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cans (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked chopped turkey
- 1 jar (4 ounces) chopped pimiento, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds*