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10 Critical Ways To A Perfectly Food-Safe Kitchen
Food poisoning is related to unsafe food, a dirty kitchen, and dirty kitchen appliances. If you follow some safety rules, food poisoning will never occur.
Your Refrigerator
1. Freezing does NOT kill bacteria; it only controls their...
Barbequing, a Fun and Convenient Way to Make Dinner
"There’s nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered around amidst the wonderful smells of charcoal-grilled prawns, vegetables and selected favorites. Barbecuing is one of those time- honored rituals that go hand in hand with...
Creamy Alfredo Sauce
This creamy chef-style sauce is definitely NOT for the
weightwatcher in your family. Its high fat content means a high
cholesterol level so we don't eat this dish every night, but the
sauce is so rich and yummy, you'll want to make it as a...
How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner and Enjoy it Anyway
You've been nominated; or perhaps your family has issued a decree; or perhaps it's simply your turn. No matter what the reason, you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. This need not be a burden. In fact is can be a pleasure, given the...
Recipe: Warming Autumn Soup
Recipe: Warming Autumn Soup
1/2 pumpkin, cubed
1 carrot, sliced
2 sticks celery (celeriac), sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, chopped
4 cloves garlic (minced)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh...
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Setting A Festive Table - Tips For A Striking Presentation
You'll be slaving over a hot stove for hours, preparing a feast
fit for kings this Christmas. From the turkey to the desserts,
you put love into every recipe, and your family digs in with
gusto. Why not add some festive touches to the table as well,
and make the presentation as breathtaking as the dishes you'll
be serving? It doesn't take much time or money to transform your
table from humbug to very merry.
Choosing a Theme The easiest way to coordinate your decor is to
choose a theme. Your theme can be as specific as a single
Christmas carol, or as broad as a certain style or colors. For
example, you could choose "Jingle Bells" as your theme, making
the centerpiece a miniature one-horse open sleigh, and attaching
bells to everything that doesn't voluntarily move. Or, choose a
"Country Christmas" theme and add lots of country touches to
your table, like felt cut-outs and cross-stitched napkins.
If you're planning on selecting colors for your table, stick
with one main color and a maximum of two accent colors. Holiday
colors of green, red, and white look very festive, or accent
with silver or gold for a more elegant touch. Blue and white
work nicely together for a winter theme.
Table Coverings You may have your great-great-grandmother's
handmade lace tablecloth stowed away, ready to use for your
Christmas dinner. There's nothing wrong with this, of course,
but if spillage and possible staining are a major worry for you,
save the lace for accenting your decorative holiday displays
instead and pick up some inexpensive cotton or other fabric to
cover your table with, or use clean sheets in various colors.
You can even use two contrasting colors of fabric, and use the
second, smaller piece to hang at an angle over the larger one.
Christmas prints are cute and charming, but try to steer clear
of anything too busy or bright, as the fabric will overshadow
any other accents you add.
For a children's table, cover the surface with butcher paper or
inverted wrapping paper and provide crayons at each setting.
Christmas crackers are also great fun for kids, and look cute
sitting on each dinner plate.
Centerpieces Centerpieces can be as simple as a small grouping
of different sized candles. You needn't go overboard and spend
hundreds of dollars on fresh flowers and a beautiful decorator's
vase to hold them in. Potted Poinsettias make a pretty
centerpiece, as do small baskets filled with pine sprigs and
pinecones, or clear glass bowls full of bright Christmas tree
balls.
Keeping your chosen theme in mind, choose a centerpiece that
will stand out among your dishes of food, and become a
conversation piece for guests. If you plan to use lit candles,
never leave them unattended, and choose unscented candles
wherever possible.
Napkins You don't have to limit
yourself to simple linen
napkins, although these work perfectly well. Use facecloths,
small hand towels, or handkerchiefs instead if you prefer. Roll
your napkins and fold the roll in half, securing with a pretty
bow, or fold them origami style into an interesting shape.
Napkin rings can be made from pipe cleaners, mini wreaths,
licorice strings, ribbons, artificial flower stems, or anything
else you can think of that will look festive and do the job. Tie
bells, small ornaments, pinecones, silk flowers, or even small
toys onto each napkin ring for added decoration.
Serving Dishes and Platters Your serving dishes don't need to
match each other to look pretty. A mixture of different styles
and colors add whimsy and a country feel to your presentation.
If you don't have enough trivets for all of your dishes, cover
pre-cut pieces of thick cardboard with aluminum foil and use
these as shiny mats that will protect your table and still look
nice.
Place Cards If you want to use place cards to prearrange the
seating at your table, use your theme to come up with
imaginative ways to create or display them. Gift tags are an
easy idea, and they can be attached to each napkin or wine glass
with ribbon or pipe cleaners. Miniature artificial poinsettia
pots are available at many dollar stores, and they make gorgeous
place card holders. Simply fashion your cards and attach them to
straws or toothpicks, then secure them into the pots.
Pinecones can hold name cards as well, if you maneuver the cards
so that the 'teeth' of the cones hold them in place. Create
shapes out of clay or dough, thread the cards through candy cane
sticks, or simply place your cards on the top of each dinner
plate. The possibilities here are endless.
Extras and Finishing Touches Adding candles of varying heights
and colors will add warmth to your table setting. Scatter tea
lights, votives, pillars, and tapers around the center of the
table, making sure that they are secure and not interfering with
anything that could be flammable.
You can also decorate the stems on wine glasses with purchased
wine charms or pipe cleaners, or tie small bells to each one
with ribbon. Tie cutlery together in a similar fashion if you
wish, or tuck utensils securely inside rolled napkins.
For an added touch, decorate each chair with bows, bits of
garland, or pretty fabric. Anything goes as long as it doesn't
scratch or otherwise interfere with your guests' enjoyment of
your wonderful meal.
With a bit of extra effort, you can take a plain and boring
table and create a stunning masterpiece that will impress your
guests even before the first course is served.
About the author:
Author is a webmaster of 10 sites. Vist
http://www.for-women-only.com for more exciting holiday ideas.
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