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Does Your Thanksgiving Involve More Than One Table?

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:30:42 -0800

Growing up, large family dinners, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, always involved a grownups' table and a kids' table.

Since most of my adult meals have involved friends, not family, we no longer have a grownups' and kids' table, but we often have to have two or even three tables to accommodate all of the guests. It's fun having everyone pitch in to set up, and I love seeing how the conversations develop with each table.

Source: Flickr User bron*

Have You Hosted a Formal Halloween Dinner Party?

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:44 -0700

Event planner Peacock Feathers created this very over-the-top dinner table décor for a Halloween party. Not only does the pink and purple palette strike me as unusual, but it also seems uncommon to host a formal dinner party for Halloween. I do think any occasion to host a party is a good one, but I've never been to a Halloween dinner party. Have you?

The Basics: Roast Chicken

partysugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:00:28 -0700

Although it may seem complicated, roast chicken is in fact a pretty fast and easy dinner. All you have to do is season the chicken well and throw it in the oven for about an hour. The resulting dish is classic, elegant, comforting, and delicious! It also fills your house with a wonderfully satisfying aroma.

When I make roast chicken, I like to use different herbs and spices. Normally I'll combine them with butter and olive oil and then rub the chicken's skin with the mixture. This technique ensures a seasoned and flavorful skin and moist, juicy interior. To check out my basic recipe that can be adapted to suit your family's needs, read more.

Roast Chicken
Original Recipe

If you have time, take the bird out of the fridge about 25 minutes before you plan on roasting it.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used parsley, thyme, and basil)
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, sliced in half
1/2 cup celery leaves
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, chopped into chunks
1 celery stalk, chopped into chunks
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Combine the garlic, herbs, butter, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
Wash the chicken and dry thoroughly, patting with paper towels.
Season the cavity and outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, celery leaves, and a few pieces of onion.
Throw the remaining onions, carrots, and celery into a roast pan. This will act as a bed for the chicken.
Rub the entire chicken with the herb butter mixture. Slide your fingers under the skin and stuff some herb butter inside.
Set the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Pour the chicken broth and white wine into the roasting pan.
Place in the oven and roast until the skin is deep golden brown and crisp, about an hour to an hour and a half. To see if the chicken is done, pierce the chicken in between the leg and thigh with a knife. If the juices run clear, it is cooked. Or remove from the oven when a thermometer reads between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cover loosely with foil and let sit for 15 minutes before carving.

Serves 4-6.

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Bid on eBay to Have Dinner With Sarah Palin!

TresSugar — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:00:00 -0700

If you've ever dreamed of hanging out with Sarah Palin - now's your chance. But you'd better break open your piggy bank, because as of the time of this writing, the current eBay bid was $38,666.60 for a private dinner for five. But hey, there's free shipping!

All proceeds will go to Ride2Recovery, which benefits wounded soldiers. I have always found the concept of paying to have dinner with the famous and powerful very strange - if you had the money, would you want to meet her?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

partysugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:50:35 -0700

I've had bruschetta on the brain lately, as I take advantage of tomato season while it lasts. So rather than limit my tomato and basil toppings to crusty bread, I'm adding this marinated chicken recipe to my dinner repertoire - it's perfect for a warm evening when you're short on time. This dish is cooked on the grill, then topped with caprese-inspired ingredients for a delicious, melty meal. Make this seasonal specialty.

Is Your Mother's Day Celebration Brunch or Dinner?

partysugar — Sun, 10 May 2009 01:30:40 -0700

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Dear Poll: Did You Eat as a Family Growing Up?

DearSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:30:00 -0700

Nowadays it seems like fewer families have the time to unwind together at night - the kids have after-school activities and more homework than ever, and the parents are working later, longer hours which can make family dinners seem obsolete.

I grew up eating dinner as a family almost every night, so I'm curious to know, did you too?

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Group Therapy: How Can I Stop a Chatterbox?

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:00:00 -0800

My brother and his wife just moved to the town where the rest of our family lives. It’s great having them back for the most part, but his wife tends to talk nonstop, prattling on about herself and the most boring stories - usually ones we’ve heard a hundred times before like how she didn’t like broccoli before but now she does, how she loved making mud pies when she was little, how her cat acted when they moved, etc. It’s mindless and dreadfully boring.

When someone tries to add something or chime in or change the subject, she actually raises her voice and talks a little faster - it’s almost impossible to get a word in edgewise. She’s an intelligent person and capable of a much more balanced and interesting conversation, so how can we gently put a stop to this behavior?

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To read more GROUP THERAPY, click here or submit your own question here.]

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Rainy Day Roast Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Onions

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:15:39 -0800

This weekend was nothing but rain and the perfect time for comfort food. Browsing through Tyler Florence's Dinner at My Place, I found myself drooling over a whole roasted chicken recipe. Since the weather was bad, I didn't want to leave the house, thus I improvised his recipe with items I already had on hand. Rather than Meyer lemons and fingerling potatoes, I substituted regular lemons and sweet potatoes. I also had a couple of onions, a shallot, fresh thyme, and rosemary lying around, so I threw those into the mix.

With my adjustments and additions, I was thrilled with the final result: a succulent, flavorful chicken and scrumptiously caramelized sweet potatoes and onions. Prep for this delicious dinner is quick, but cooking an entire chicken does take time, be sure to get started early. To brighten your day with this comforting classic, read more.

Roast Chicken With Sweet Potato and Onions
Adapted from Tyler Florence Dinner at My Place

Ingredients

Roast Chicken
1 5-7 pound organic chicken
1 lemon, quartered
5-7 garlic cloves, cleaned
4 to 5 fresh bay leaves
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of sage
1 shallot, cleaned
Extra Olive Oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper
Sweet Potatoes
2 pounds sweet potatoes, 2 inch chunks
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 fresh rosemary spring, leaves only
1 to 2 lemons, cut in quarters
2 onions, quartered

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse chicken with cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
Season cavity with kosher salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with lemon, garlic, bay leaves, shallot, rosemary, and thyme. Rub outside with oil and season with salt pepper.
Wash sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Toss potatoes and onions with oil. Toss with rosemary, thyme, and lemon wedges in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes.
Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes or until the juices run clear. (180 Fahrenheit)

Serves 4-6.

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How Often Do You Enjoy Candlelight During Dinner?

partysugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:45:53 -0800