Entertaining

Super-easy oven-barbecued chicken

Nifer — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:34:12 +0000

Unpredictability may spice up a marriage, sure—but predictability can be comforting without being boring. For instance, when my husband and I go out to eat, we can predict with a pretty high degree of accuracy what each other will order. If we’re out for Asian food he’ll go for spicy and garlicky—and I’m going to want sticky chicken with sesame seeds.

Don’t Miss: Sweet & Sour Chicken and More Better-Than-Chinese-Takeout Recipes

How to throw a holiday party for $25

Nifer — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:39:22 +0000

I love hanging out with my friends, but I used to avoid throwing parties at my house mostly because I couldn’t justify the expense. You have to buy food, booze and make your house look festive. And it all adds up pretty quickly. (Bah! Humbug!) But I can’t expect to be invited anywhere if I can’t (or don’t) return the favor! So how can I have my fun and throw a party that doesn't bust my budget? I’m going to challenge myself to throw a party for only $25. Can it be done? With a little ingenuity, the answer is yes. Here’s how:

Burn 700 calories cooking thanksgiving dinner

Nifer — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:10:01 +0000

I love being in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. Between the delicious smells, nice company and constant foot traffic (everyone finds a reason to stop by the kitchen on Thanksgiving!), it’s the place to be in the lead-up to the year’s most sumptuous meal. But anyone who’s ever hoisted a turkey out of the oven or chopped so many veggies their wrists have cramped knows that making Thanksgiving dinner can be hard work. And though a lot of attention is paid to the calories consumed on Thanksgiving, not that much thought is given to the calories burned.

The 7 healthiest foods on your thanksgiving menu

Nifer — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:05:56 +0000

Thanksgiving is quickly becoming my favorite holiday. And why not? It’s a great time to hang out with family, watch football and, of course, eat an amazing meal.

Most people think of Thanksgiving dinner as being a bit of a calorie bomb. And, really, it is: in a recent issue of EatingWell we estimated that the Turkey Day meal clocks at least 2,800 calories.

The biggest calorie bomb at Thanksgiving dinner & 10 fun Thanksgiving food facts

Nifer — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:05:33 +0000

There’s a lot that’s changed about Thanksgiving in the years since the Pilgrims gathered for their first meal of thanks. For instance, they weren’t were watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade while they basted their bird (that started in 1924) or rummaging through sale racks for a bargain sweater the day after on Black Friday. Here are a few fun Thanksgiving food facts to mull over while you enjoy your meal.

Healthy meals to use up Thanksgiving leftovers

Nifer — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:12:16 +0000

We have an open-door policy when it comes to Thanksgiving: we welcome in anyone who turns up. Especially this year, when the wild fall weather has made travel planning difficult and unpredictable, chances are a lot more people will be staying closer to home. Their last-minute plans mean I’ll want to cook a big turkey, to make sure we have enough. Chances are good that I’ll go overboard (Thanksgiving math always trips me up—is it 20 ounces per person or 20 minutes per pound?) and that means leftovers.

5 instant no-cook appetizers

Nifer — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 18:23:15 +0000

An invitation to dinner is just about all the appetizer I need—I’m so happy to have someone feed me that I’m not fussy about what’s on the menu. But if, when I arrive, there are little nibbles to start things off, it’s a delightful bonus. Appetizers really take gatherings up a notch, showing an attention to detail I appreciate.

5 secrets to speedy soup

Nifer — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:59:13 +0000

Nothing beats a warm bowl of homemade soup on a cool fall day. But I’m a busy guy—I don’t have time to stand around stirring a pot and chopping vegetables all day. So how do I whip up tasty, savory creations in the time I do have? I take shortcuts, using a few cheater ingredients here or some clever EatingWell cooking tricks there to get the job done faster. As a result, I can make an amazing soup just like my mom used to make (What am I talking about? STILL makes) in just 30 minutes. That’s less than the time it takes to order takeout.

5 fresh fall apple recipes you must try

Nifer — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:34:05 +0000

We went apple picking on Saturday and got a little carried away. It was a day that captured the essence of Autumn in New England: that “snap” in the air that puts color in your cheeks; the reds, oranges and yellows of fall foliage just like in a picture postcard; and apple trees weighed down with deep red, ready-to-pick fruit. We just meant to pick a few…and now we have so many apples we hardly know what to do with them all.

8 foods for skinny Italian cooking

Nifer — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:59:34 +0000

I grew up in a city in Connecticut famous for its Italian food—New Haven’s pizza places are some of the best in the world—so being able to enjoy fettuccine alla carbonara, osso buco, tiramisu and the like feels more like a birthright than a privilege. But whenever I want to enjoy a deliciously cheesy Italian dish, there always seems to be someone ready to make a disparaging comment about how unhealthy it is. Because Italian equals pasta and pasta equals carbs and carbs equal unhealthy, right? Wrong.

Amazingly good end-of-summer party dips

Nifer — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:50:29 +0000

Now that we’re into the fourth steamy week of August, I can honestly say I’m ready for autumn. But I don’t want to bid summer goodbye without giving it a good send-off. That’s why I’m psyched to have a Labor Day bash next weekend. It’s a great opportunity to get all of the grilling, pool partying and lawn game playing out of my system before the onset of soup-and-sweater season.

6 easy summer casseroles for entertaining

Nifer — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:46:17 +0000

Summer is great for getting outside and enjoying the warm weather and seemingly endless evenings with friends. It’s the perfect time of year for a backyard potluck. But things can get tricky when it comes to figuring out what food to bring to a get-together. If everyone followed their first instinct—or at least my first instinct—you’d end up with a party full of salads and nothing else. Party foul.

4 ways to cook dinner with a bottle of beer

Nifer — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:05:23 +0000

There’s something about a warm summer night that makes the idea of savoring a cold, frosty beer so enticing. Could it be the way the tangy smell of the hops wafts about in the humid air? For me, it’s that tingle on my tongue that comes with the first refreshing sip.

Don’t Miss: 5 Perfect Pizza & Beer Pairings

How to pickle anything (no canning necessary)

Nifer — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:16:32 +0000

There are certain things I will never understand in this world: the rules of cricket, how fish reproduce, quantum harmonic oscillation…and people who don’t like pickles. That last one is probably the hardest for me to grasp, however.

Because: come on, pickles taste amazing! Snap into a perfectly crisp gherkin that’s sopped up plenty of gleeky vinegar, fresh herbs and just a hint of salt and tell me you’re not in briny heaven. Sneak a dill spear into your next burger and tell me it’s not tangily enhanced.

Keep It Fresh Challenge Tip 5: Host a Dinner Party

Sarah Hoff — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:29:09 +0000

Welcome to the final week of our Keep It Fresh Challenge. We’re glad to have you along on our a 5-week journey to becoming (or celebrating your status as) a fresh-food aficionado, one who plans meals—and forages snacks—from the healthy ingredients stashed in your fridge.

This Week’s Focus: Host a Dinner Party