Fall Fun!

It’s almost Fall!  The leaves are changing. It’s getting cool in the morning and evening. And it’s FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!

I’m not a football fan, but the season just makes you want to go to a game or two.  Nothing makes game day funner than spending it with friends and family.  Here are some tips to insuring you have an awesome and safe Game Day Party.

1.        Have a space designated for your party.  Seem pretty simple and self-explanatory, but you have to set boundaries.  I can’t count the number of times that friends have told me about having a small gathering and a guest has ventured off the beaten path.  Set-up your party in a location that is close to the point of entry. 
2.        Be sure that your room is big enough for the snack table.  If you are serving a meal, as opposed to snacks, you may want to consider a room that is beside your dining area.  This way your guests can flow in and out the room without missing vital parts of the game.
3.     .   Provide plenty of seating.  Basic living room or den furniture is a sofa, loveseat, and armchair or recliner.  That’s seating for five to seven people.  A normal game day party includes six to ten people, plus your family.  Add some cushioned folding chairs or dining room chairs for additional seating.  To make your guest more comfortable, without sacrificing your own comfort too much, offer your guests the couches and sit the additional chairs in on either end of the sofas, and beside the arm chair.  This will allow anyone sitting in the additional chairs at least one arm rest.

Tune in next week when I offer some snack, meal, and drink ideas for game day.

Independence Recipe

I haven't posted a recipe in a good while, so I decided to throw this in for Independence Day.  To  me, Independence Day is all about embracing our differences.  Whether you come from a different family, city, state, or country, we all have some differences and similarities.  I've been fortunate enough to have experience a lot of different cultures.  This recipe has a little Caribbean, a little Asian, and a little American.

Recently, I have been seeing a lot of bok choy and plantain. So, I said, "Self, what should we do with this?" I looked in the frig and saw some tilapia and chicken (Because I don't eat fish, but you can pretty  much prepare tilapia & chicken the same way.).  I decided to do some good old fashion herb baked tilapia and chicken.  With some sesame seed oil, I sauteed the bok choy.  I used some vegetable oil and sea salt to "fry" the plantains.  Here's the recipe for this awesomely diverse dinner!

Herb Baked Tilapia or Chicken
4 Tilapia fillets or 2 2oz Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp Sage
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp Minced garlic
1 tsp Chopped onions
1/4 tsp Sea salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/2 c. Water (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350.  Mix all the seasonings together and spread them on a plate.  Rub the seasoning in to the fish or meat.  Be sure to coat it well.  Place the fish or meat in a baking dish and pour the water in.  Be careful not to pour the water over the fish or meat, but in the pan itself.  If you prefer not to use water, wrap fish or meat in aluminum foil greased lightly with margarine.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Tilapia will be white and tender.  Chicken will be white and juicy.

Fried Plantain
2 Plantain
1 tsp Sea salt
2 tbsp Vegetable oil

Peel plantain like a banana.  Cut plantain in 1/4 inch diagonal slices. Turn on stove to medium high.  Pour oil in frying pan just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.  Once the oil is sizzling, place plantain in the pan in one layer.  Cook for about 30-45 seconds, then turn over.  Plantain should be a yellow color.  Place on a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt.

Sauteed Bok Choy
2 Bok Choy bunches
1/2 tbsp Minced garlic
1 tbsp Chopped ginger
2 tbsp Sesame seed oil

Chop bok choy.  Turn stove on medium high heat.  Pour in sesame seed oil.  When sesame seed oil is hot, put in minced garlic and chopped ginger.  Once they are a golden brown, put in bok choy.  Stir frequently. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Happy 4th!

Happy Independence Day!

What does Independence Day mean to you?

Happy Summer!

This winter has been brutal in the ENC.  Summer is finally here in full swing.  Sweet Occasions has some cool ideas to bring that WOW factor to any outdoor get-together.

I was at my favorite hangout-Wal-Mart-and I found some great outdoor ideas in the garden section.  Bugs can ruin any outdoor gathering, but you may not have room for a lot of people inside of you house.  Here are some excellent citronella candles that are also decorative.

1. My favorite is the Galvanized Citronella Bucket candle.  This candle is very decorative, inexpensive, and you don't have that strong insect repellent smell.  This candle is strong enough to put on every other table.  The other tables can be decorated with a like bucket that is filled with candy or cutlery.  If you want to get really creative, these bucket candles also come in beautiful summer colors.
2. I love the way this torch looks on tables.  It doesn't come in as many fun colors as the bucket, but it is beautiful for an evening cookout.  The torch itself glows!
3. This lantern is excellent for day or evening.  It's wonderful for receptions and upscale garden parties.  The lantern also has an awesome range!  They're inexpensive and elegant.
4. An outdoor gathering can always use a tiki torch.  This is a new twist on the bamboo tiki torch.  These mini copper torches are refillable, so they can be used for years to come.