To Each His Own Holiday Celebration

It is that time of year!  A time for celebrating, eating, drinking & being merry.  It is a great time of year for a lot of people and a more difficult time for others.  I find myself getting extremely giving this time of year; wanting to make sure everyone has something to eat and a place to go for the holidays.  I am blessed to come from a family who has opened the door to those in need since before I was even a twinkle in their eyes.  And now, twenty-nine years later, the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree and I too do the same. The holidays truly should be more about giving & less about receiving in my opinion.  So, my thoughts are to incorporate a way to "give back" into all of your gift giving, entertaining, and celebrating throughout the holiday season.  There are many charities who have special programs specific to the holidays where you can buy "two for one" toys or gifts, or you can donate $10 and a sponsor will match your donation.  Some companies will even match an individual contribution to a charity so make sure you reach out to the human resources person in your office to find out what your policy is. 

If you are looking for some guidance, the site Network For Good is great because it gives you access to 1.2 million charities all over the world to donate to.  You can purchase a gift card that has a certain amount of money, become a monthly supporter, and/or set up what's called a "Charity Badge" where you can get people to help support the cause you are supporting this holiday season. There are also ways to have links set up on personal & work websites that go straight to the charity of your choice.  So, during this holiday season, remember that gifts are great but more important to those who are in need than those of us who are blessed to have everything we need.  Happy Holidays!

Countdown to Hosting!

With only two more weeks to go before Thanksgiving, some of you may already be shopping & getting things organized for the upcoming holidays.  Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas, some other celebration or all of the above, there are always ways to save & save BIG!  I, personally, do not procrastinate!  I try to get all of my holiday shopping needs out of the way well in advance.  When I shop for Christmas, I want to be finished before December 1 even hits.   It's easier for me to brainstorm, find the deals that I want, get the funds together and pick things up sporatically than do it all in one fell swoop!  However, if you are like my husband, you wait until the eve before the event to shop and get everything completed.  But, if you are more like me and want the bargains and to leave the procrastinating to others, here are some great finds for hosting during this time of year.   

My husband and I will not be hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas this year but we are throwing a "holiday fete" for our friends.  We want to do it right and make it classy but we also don't want to break the bank.  Here are a couple recipes I found that use some of the same ingredients so that you are buying more of one thing and using it in a couple different ways.  My mom makes this AMAZING beef & cheese dip (her secret recipe) that everyone loves.  The ingredients for that are very similar to those in this Mini Meatloaves Recipe that is absolutely awesome!  This is a great idea for a party because they are muffin sized individual servings and give everyone a hearty base.  So, while buying the ingredients for one you can buy for both & save time & money....which is great.   There is also this really great Beef Quesadilla recipe that includes some of these ingredients too so you can have multiple options for guests that aren't huge portions but heartier, which is always good when alcohol is involved.  And make sure to not forget about any vegetarian friends that may be at the party!   There are a couple great appetizers I love to serve for those who are not meat eaters.  Delish.com has a great article that includes 15 great recipes for side dishes and appetizers for the veggie lover which can definitely help you at least get some ideas for what to serve to them as well.

I love food and know you do too.....so enjoy these delicious finds!!