Archive for the ‘Eating Out and Groceries’ Category

How to Make a Price Book

By: Green Panda | Date posted: January 28, 2009 (7:59 am)

grocery-store

Photo Credit: KSquier

This article was included in the Festival of Frugality #164.

My Two Dollars posted a story last week on what your grocery store may not be telling you. I thought it was an interesting topic and wanted to explore price books to help people become aware of possible savings in their grocery bills. Many people think of price book and think it’s overly tedious and don’t think it’s time well spent. I disagree and wanted to help get your price book started. 

I also collaborated with Simply Forties for a real life guide on creating a price book using Google Docs. She has put a lot of effort into this and I think it’ll be a real help.

Having a price book isn’t complicated. Here are a few steps to get you started:

  1. Write a list of the staples that you get every shopping trip, like meats, bread, juice, produce, snack ,etc.
  2. Visit your normal grocery stores and record the price and the size amount for each item.
  3. You can load up the data on a spreadsheet and figure out who has the deal by comparing unit prices (apples to aples comparison). 
  4. Base your shopping trips on the price book guide on who has the best value for certain products. 
  5. As a comparison, sign up for MVP/VIP etc emails from the grocery stores to see if any sales are on your grocery and if they are a better deal than the price book listings. 

You’ll discover trends on certain items and where you’ll most likely find the best deal. Costco and Wal-Mart can have good deals on dry foods that last for a bit. For our more time sensitive foods, we tend to go to Wal-Mart or take advantage of Harris Teeter’sVIP specials. I’m going to be checking the prices as we have our monthly grocery shop coming up.

Using a price book along with paper and printable online grocery coupons can draticall cut down your bills. 

If you’re looking for a wonderful real life example of how to construct a successful price book, Simply Forties has all the information. 

As always, please feel free to leave your tips in the comments section. We can learn from one another.

If you’re looking for more information on price books, please check out:

»crosslinked«

Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Desserts

By: Green Panda | Date posted: December 04, 2008 (8:03 am)

Photo Credit:  MR+G

Check out the whole Dinner Party Series

  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Drinks
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Appetizers
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Meals
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Desserts
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Conversations and Networking

    •  

    What Do You Need to Set Up a Dinner Party?

    • Decide how big you want the party to be. My suggestion? Try 6-10 guests for your first outing. 
    • Decide who you want to have over. Don’t just invite your same circle of friends. Introduce different people and personalities. 
    • Plan out a basic meal. Try to get a really easy menu planned out. If you’re not a good cook, make something easy or even buy something.
    • Consider asking others to bring something. It’s a great way to reduce your workload and get to know your friends. If you feel bad asking up front; wait to see if they ask if they could bring anything, take them up. They wouldn’t offer to help if they didn’t want to.

    Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes 

     

    Lemon Ricotta Granita

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup water
    • 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 2/3 cup strained fresh lemon juice
    • 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
    • Pinch salt
    • 1 lemon, for zesting

    Directions

    Stir the water and 3/4 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat just until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the lemon juice. Pour the lemon mixture into an 8-inch square glass dish. Cover and freeze, stirring occasionally, until the liquid just becomes slushy, about 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape the granita every 30 minutes until it is completely made up of ice crystals. (The granita can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen, and scrape every so often so that the crystals stay loose.)

    Whisk the ricotta, remaining sugar, and pinch of salt in a medium bowl to blend. Spoon the granita into dessert bowls. Top with a dollop of the ricotta. Zest the lemon peel over the desserts and serve.

    Special thanks for Remodeling this Life’s wonderful recipes.

    Apple Pie Cake Take 3

    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
    • 5 pounds tart apples, such as Granny smith (about 12)
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

    1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Using an electric mixer or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture forms pea-size pieces. Press two-thirds of the mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.

    2. Preheat oven to 350. Peel the apples, cut into thin slices, and place in a bowl. Pour off any accumulated liquid. Toss the apple slices with the remaining teaspoon cinnamon and the lemon juice, and put them in the prepared pan, pressing down gently as you pack them in (they will mound above the edge of the pan). Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.

    3.Put the pan on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and let the cake cool in the pan to set. Serve at room temperature.

    **Serving suggestion– Dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar. Also, a scoop of vanilla ice cream goes perfect with this.

    A Mug of Hot Chocolate Cake

    •  8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for coating
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
    • 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for dusting
    • 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
    • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

     

    What to do

    Preheat oven to 375° F. Generously butter, flour, and sugar eight 6-ounce coffee cups or mugs made of ovenproof stoneware (see tip below). Wipe the rims clean.

    Place the 8 tablespoons of butter and the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and melt, stirring once or twice until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

    Using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar at the highest speed until the volume doubles and the mixture becomes foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir the 3 tablespoons of flour into the chocolate, then gradually add it to the egg mixture, beating on low until it’s fully incorporated. Ladle the batter into each cup until it’s about 1/2 inch from the rim.

    Bake until the cakes puff and begin to crack but the centers are still a bit runny, 13 to 17 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with marshmallows, then return to oven for 2 to 4 minutes, until the marshmallow tops begin to crisp. Remove from oven; let cool about 5 minutes. Sift the cocoa on top.

    Tip: You can bake these individual cakes in coffee mugs or teacups, or use eight 6-ounce ramekins. (To determine if your mugs are ovenproof, refer to the packaging or check with the manufacturer.) Alternatively, a single cake can be made in a 10-inch springform pan or pie plate with enough regular-size marshmallows to cover. To do this, increase the initial baking time to 22 to 25 minutes or, if you prefer a more gooey center, to 17 to 20 minutes.

    Here is how mine turned out. Not as pretty as their photo but still looks and tasted sooooo gooey yummy delicious. It was really fun to do with my daughter, who loves anything involving chocolate and marshmallows.

    S’more Brownies

    Ingredients

    Crust:

    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • Pinch fine salt

    Brownie:

    • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
    • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
    • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 3/4 cup white sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
    • 4 large cold eggs
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour

    Topping:

    • 4 cups large marshmallows

    Directions

    Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

    For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

    Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

    Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

     

    Parting Thoughts

    Try and remember to keep the dinner party planning easy, classy,and affordable. The company and host make it memorable.

    What desserts do you serve at your dinner party? What works and what doesn’t?

     

    Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Meals

    By: Green Panda | Date posted: December 02, 2008 (4:00 am)

    Photo Credit: moriza

     What Do You Need to Set Up a Dinner Party?

    •  Decide how big you want the party to be. My suggestion? Try 6-10 guests for your first outing. Afterwards,decide if hving more guests is right for you. 
    • Decide who you want to have over. Don’t just invite your same circle of friends. Introduce different people and personalities. 
    •   Plan out a basic meal. Try to get a really easy menu planned out. If you’re not a good cook, make something easy or even buy something.
    • Consider asking others to bring something. It’s a great way to reduce your workload and get to know your friends. If you feel bad asking up front; wait to see if they ask if they could bring anything, take them up. They wouldn’t offer to help if they didn’t want to.

    When Should Food Be Served?

    Debrett’s, publishers of guides on taste and etiquette since 1769, suggests that food is served within an hour of guests arriving, which means that most of the preparation for the meal should be done before they turn up.

    Source: CNN.com

    How to Find Easy and Quick Meal Ideas

     I use Food Network’s site as a big reference guide. I love how you can break it down by meat type (or vegetarian) and how easy it is to make. They have a section just for 30 minute recipes. I don’t try make things harder on myself. The recipes also have fan reviews, so you can check out how others feel about the recipe. 

    Easy Salads To Make

     

    Quick and Easy Meal Recipes

     I looked for some easy and affordable meals on Food Network. I chose chicken for the meat as it’s one of the cheapest to purchase. 

    Rustic Mexican Stew

    •  3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    •  2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
    •    4 cloves garlic, minced
    •   2 scallions, sliced, white and green parts divided
    •   1 carrot, peeled and sliced
    •     1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
    •    1/4 teaspoon salt
    •   1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    •     2 teaspoons ground cumin
    •  1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
    •   2 plum tomatoes, diced
    •   1 ear of corn, husked and cut into 4 pieces
    •  1 tablespoon lime juicehttp://a19.g.akamai.net/7/19/7125/1450/Ocellus.coupons.com/_images/showlist_icon.gif
    •   2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

     

    Directions

    Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

    Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, garlic, scallion whites, carrot, jalapeno, salt and pepper to the pot and stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover, add cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes, corn and the cooked chicken; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in scallion greens, lime juice and cilantro.


    Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

    Ingredients

    •  3 tablespoons lime juice
    •  3 tablespoons canola oil
    •    2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
    •   2 teaspoons fish sauce (see Ingredient note)
    •     1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    •     1 pound chicken tenders

     Spicy Peanut Sauce (recipe follows)

    Directions

    To marinate chicken: Whisk lime juice, oil, soy sauce, fish sauce and crushed red pepper in a shallow baking dish until combined; add chicken and turn to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

    Preheat grill to high.

    To grill chicken and serve: Thread each chicken tender onto a wooden skewer (see Tip). Grill the chicken skewers until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 3 minutes per side. Serve warm or chilled with Spicy Peanut Sauce for dipping.

    To prevent wooden skewers from burning on the grill, wrap the exposed portion in foil before grilling. (Contrary to popular wisdom, soaking them in water doesn’t prevent them from burning.)Ingredient note: Fish sauce is a pungent Southeast Asian sauce made from salted, fermented fish. You can find it in the Asian section of large supermarkets and in Asian specialty markets.

    Spicy Peanut Sauce:

    •    2 tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
    •     2 tablespoons “lite” coconut milk
    •   1 tablespoon lime juice
    •    2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
    •  1 teaspoon brown sugar
    •    1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

    Whisk together peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

    Sweet and Sour Chicken with Brown Rice

    Ingredients

    •   2 cups instant brown rice
    •   1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
    •   2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
    •   2 tablespoons cornstarch
    •    2 tablespoons apricot preserves
    •      2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
    •  1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
    •   4 cloves garlic, minced
    •    2 teaspoons finely grated or minced ginger
    •   1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
    •    6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetableshttp://a19.g.akamai.net/7/19/7125/1450/Ocellus.coupons.com/_images/showlist_icon.gif, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
    •    1 5-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained

    Directions

    Prepare rice according to the package directions.

    Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.

    Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

    Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in water chestnuts and the chicken. Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

     

    Seared Ahi Tuna and Salad of Mixed Greens with Wasabi Vinaigrette

    Ingredients

    •   1 ahi tuna steak, 6 ounces
    •   2 teaspoons five-spice powder, available on spice aisle
    •   1 teaspoon grill seasoning, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning, or salt and coarse pepper
    •  Cooking spray or vegetablehttp://a19.g.akamai.net/7/19/7125/1450/Ocellus.coupons.com/_images/showlist_icon.gif oil, for brushing the grill pan
    •   5 ounces, half a sack, mixed prewashed baby saladhttp://a19.g.akamai.net/7/19/7125/1450/Ocellus.coupons.com/_images/showlist_icon.gif greens
    •    2 radishes, sliced
    •   1/4 European cucumber, thinly sliced
    •   1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
    •  1 tablespoon ricehttp://a19.g.akamai.net/7/19/7125/1450/Ocellus.coupons.com/_images/showlist_icon.gif vinegar or rice vinegar
    •   1 tablespoon soy sauce
    •   3 tablespoons -virgin olive oil
    •     Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Directions

    Coat your steak with a combination of five-spice powder and grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or griddle over high heat. Spray grill surface or wipe with a thin layer of oil. Add tuna steak to the hot cooking surface and sear tuna 2 minutes on each side. Remove tuna from heat.

    Combine greens, radishes and cucumber in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk wasabi, vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk in oil to combine dressing. Drizzle dressing over your salad and toss to coat evenly. Slice tuna on an angle and arrange on the salad.

     Parting Thoughts

    Try and remember to keep the dinner party planning easy, classy, and affordable. The company and host make it memorable. Focus on the people and it’ll be a success. 

     

    What meal do you like to serve at your dinner party? What works and what doesn’t?

    Check out the whole Dinner Party Series

  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Drinks
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Appetizers
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Meals
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Desserts
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Conversations and Networking

    •  

     

    Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Appetizers

    By: Green Panda | Date posted: December 02, 2008 (4:00 am)

     

     

    What Do You Need to Set Up a Dinner Party?

    • Decide how big you want the party to be. My suggestion? Try 6-10 guests for your first outing. 
    • Decide who you want to have over. Don’t just invite your same circle of friends. Introduce different people and personalities. 
    • Plan out a basic meal. Try to get a really easy menu planned out. If you’re not a good cook, make something easy or even buy something.
    • Consider asking others to bring something. It’s a great way to reduce your workload and get to know your friends. If you feel bad asking up front; wait to see if they ask if they could bring anything, take them up. They wouldn’t offer to help if they didn’t.

     

    Quick and Easy Appetizer Recipes 

    Cheesy Appetizer Loaf (Serves 24)

    • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Natural Italian* Cheese Crumbles
    • 3 Tbsp.   Mayonnaise
    • 2 Tbsp. chopped Spanish olives
    • 1/2 tsp.  garlic powder
    • 1 loaf French bread (24 inch), cut lengthwise in half
    •   paprika
    HEAT broiler. Mix first 4 ingredients.

    SPREAD onto cut sides of bread; sprinkle lightly with paprika.

    BROIL, 6 inches from heat, 1 min. or until cheese is melted. Serve warm

     

    Bacon Quesadillas (Serves 4)

    •  4 flour tortillas, (6 inch)
    • 1 cup  KRAFT Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
    • 1/4 cup OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits
    • 1/4 cup  thin green onion slices

    PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Top half of each tortilla with 1/4 cup of the cheese and 1 Tbsp. each of the bacon bits and green onion. Fold tortillas in half; press lightly to secure.

    PLACE in single layer on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

    BAKE 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

    Sausage Dip with Tortilla Chips

    • 1-pound roll of sausage (I like to use Italian sausage)
    • 8-ounce pack of cream cheese
    • 1 small can of Ro-Tel tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with chilies)
    • 1 bag of scoops tortilla chips

    Preparation: Brown the sausage and drain it, then throw everything together i the crockpot and heat until the cream cheese melts. It’s ready. Serve with chips.

    The spiciness is controlled by the sausage and the type of chilies with the tomatoes. I’ve found that Italian sausage and mild chilies strikes right balance, at least for us. 

    Apple-Walnuts Stuffed Mushrooms 

    • 32 lg mushrooms, fresh vegetable cooking spray 
    • 3 tbsp celery, finely chopped 
    • 1/2 cup apple, minced 
    • 2 tbsp fine, dry breadcrumbs 
    • 1 tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped 
    • 2 tbsp walnuts, finely chopped, toasted 
    • 1 tbsp Blue cheese, crumbled 
    • 2 tsp lemon juice

    Clean mushrooms with damp paper towels. Remove stems, finely chop 1/3 cup of stems, reserving remaining stems for another use. Set mushroom caps aside. 
    Coat a small skillet with cooking spray, place over medium high heat until hot. Add 1/3 cup reserved chopped mushroom stems and celery; saute 2 minutes or until tender. 
    Combine celery mix, apple and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stir well. Spoon 1 1/2 tsp apple mix into each reserved mushroom cap. Place mushrooms in a 15×10″ jelly roll pan, bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

     

    Cheese Puffs 

    • 8 ea slices white bread 
    • 2 cup milk 
    • 8 oz old English cheese slices 
    • 1/2 tsp pepper 
    • 3/4 tsp dry mustard 
    • 1/4 cup butter, melted 
    • 1 tsp salt 
    • 3 ea eggs

    May be prepared the day before. At least 4 hours before cooking, trim crusts and cut bread into 1″ squares. Cut cheese into bite size pieces. In large greased casserole, alternate layers of bread and cheese. Pour melted butter over top. 
    Beat eggs well, stir in salt, pepper, mustard and milk. Combine thoroughly. Pour over casserole. Cover and refrigerate. One hour before serving, bake at 350 degrees, 30 minutes covered, then 30 minutes uncovered until top is golden and puffy.

     

    Ham-Swiss Croissants 

    • 3 tbsp butter 
    • 3 cup mushrooms, sliced 
    • 3 tbsp green onion, sliced 
    • 1 1/2 tbsp flour 
    • 3/4 cup milk 
    • Salt and pepper to taste 
    • 4 lrg Croissants, halved 
    • 8 slc ham 
    • 6 oz Swiss cheese, sliced

    Melt butter in saucepan. Saute mushrooms and onions until tender and mushroom liquid has evaporated. 
    Blend in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
    On bottom half of each croissant layer 2 slices of ham, one quarter of the cheese and one quarter of the mushroom sauce; replace top of croissant. 
    Bake in 350F oven about 15 min. or until heated throughly.

     

    Sweet and Sour Meatballs 

    • 1 bag of frozen meatballs

    Sauce: 

    • 1/2 cup ketchup 
    • 1/3 cup sugar 
    • 1/3 cup vinegar 
    • 1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce

    Combine sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs. 
    Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F. for 45 to 60 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Stir occasionally. 
    Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately.

    Sources: Kraft Foods, Food Network, Green Panda, Gourmet Recipes

    Photo Credit: Zesmerelda

    Parting Thoughts

    Try and remember to keep the dinner party planning easy, classy,and affordable. The company and host make it memorable. Focus on the people and it’ll be a success.

    What appetizers do you serve at your dinner party? What works and what doesn’t?

    Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Drinks

    By: Green Panda | Date posted: December 01, 2008 (12:51 pm)

    Photo Credit:  Idea-Listic

    Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Drinks 

    Throwing a dinner party can be a great way to have a good time with people. Many people remember when they got invited over as it is a special event. How can you throw a classy party without spending a fortune or stressing out?

    With the help of family, friends, and of course the web, I’ve put together a handy guide to help relieve some stress when throwing a small dinner party.

    Should you Serve Alcohol?

    It’s up to you to serve alcohol. If you’re really on a budget and the quality of food will be sacrificed, then skip the alcohol. It’s a dinner party. Alcohol is not the main event and can actually stress you out as you plan for others. Weigh the pros and cons carefully before deciding.

    Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Serve

    Some people choose not to drink at parties and this can be a good thing. Alcohol does raise the amount of money you have to spend and it can cause more stress as you make sure your guests are having a good time without getting carried away.

    Besides soda and water here are a few recipes for some non-alcoholic drinks:

    Almond Iced Coffee

    Combine 1 cup of strong brewed coffee with 1 cup of skim milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract and 1 tsp sugar. Pour the mixture into two ice-filled 10-oz glasses and garnish each with a light sprinkling of cinnamon. Serves 8.

    Cherry Spritzer

    Pour the cherry juice into the old-fashioned glass filled previously with 3 to 5 ice cubes and add the mineral water. Stir before you serve. You can mix the juice and the mineral water in the fifty-fifty percent relation too, but it is faster energy-delivering and even healthier this way. Serves 8.
    Blend briefly with half a glassful of crushed ice in a wine goblet. Garnish with fruit, and serve with straws. Serves 8.
    Combine the strawberries, pineapple juice, coconut cream and crushed ice in a blender, and blend well at high speed. Pour into a collins glass, garnish with a cherry and pineapple wedge, and serve. Serves 8.

    Source:DrinksMixer.com

    How Many Drinks to Plan for Guests

    If you want something easy, have a punch ready for guests as they arrive, both non-alcoholic and alcohol.

    To decide how many drinks to plan out, it depends on the type of alcohol you’re serving. If it’s your first party, just go with wine as you learn.

    As you get more experienced, you may want to have a few cocktails. The general rule of thumb is 2 drinks per person. You want to have a good time while reducing your stress of set up and clean up.

    Some Popular Alcoholic Drinks

    You want to try find a cocktail that is easy to make.

    Update December 2, 2008: I just finished reading and watching (see for yourself) a post on Get Rich Slowly on some wonderful and affordable wines. J.D. asked Gary Vaynerchuk to offer his expertise. It’s a great resource and I wanted to make sure you knew about it. 

    Parting Thoughts

    Try and remember to keep the dinner party planning easy, classy,and affordable. The company and host make it memorable.

    What do you serve at your dinner party? What works and what doesn’t?

    Check out the whole Dinner Party Series

  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Appetizers
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Meals
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Desserts
  • Throwing a Classy and Easy Dinner Party: Conversations and Networking

    • Free Taco at Taco Bell Tuesday!

    By: Green Panda | Date posted: October 24, 2008 (8:29 am)

    This post is dedicated to my husband who adores Taco Bell. Taco Bell is giving away a free taco October 28, 2008. Spread the love!

    • Free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Taco.
    • Pick it up between 2pm-6pm.
    • All eligible consumers: Everyone in line at a participating Taco Bell restaurant before 6:00 p.m. local time will receive a Free Taco, even if it is provided after 6:00 p.m. Free Taco offer is subject to store availability and Taco Bell reserves the right to substitute an item of equal or greater value if due to unavailability.
    • No Purchase Necessary. This offer is open to residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia only. Void in all other territories, possessions, commonwealths and all other countries. Void where prohibited.

    I’ll have a regular post this afternoon. I didn’t want to wait to share this news.

    Saving on Your Grocery Bill

    By: Green Panda | Date posted: October 09, 2008 (1:23 pm)

    Photo Credit:  KSquier

    Prices have increased on almost everything from gasonline, electricity, to groceries. I wanted to share how we save money on our grocery bills. I’ve updated my list from last year. If you have any tips, please add them in the comments.

     

    ·         Sit down and make a shopping list. This seems really elementary, but it is the most important step. Can’t figure how to make a good food list? 

    ·         Try working backwards. Think of the meals you like to have this month. Do you like spaghetti, chicken wings, or tacos? Break the meals down until you have a list of items.

    ·         Buy for the month (or longer). Our goal is to go a big grocery shop once a month. We’re not crazy about grocery shopping, so we try to make this as less painful as possible. Wal-Mart typically has the cheapest prices on our core items. We try to get the majority of items from there and just get milk, bread, juice,etc. when we get low.

    ·         Use the internet to find great coupons.  Stephanie Nelson, founder of CouponMom.com says you can find fantastic deals. “In about half an hour a week, you can make a real difference in cutting your grocery bill in half.” She saved over 70% on her grocery bill when shopping with the Oprah show.

    ·         The shopping list is king. A shopping list can be tedious at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll save money. You’ll buy what you need to and are less tempted to pick up extras along the way.

    ·         Buy meat in bulk and freeze. We try to get a huge chunk of ground beef on sale. That tip drops the cost per pound down. When we get home, I immediately portion the meat into several meal sizes.  Bags and freeze it.  I have broken it down for meatloaf, spaghetti, tacos, hamburger helper, etc.

    ·         Take advantage of sales that you’d actually buy without the sale. Sometimes I want to buy something because it’s on sale. It’s not something that we use a lot or even at all. When you do that you’re not really saving money, you’re spending more. It’s not bad if you do this once a shopping trip if you want to expand your menu, but since you’re on a budget, save it for after graduation when you have more income to work with.

    ·         Making it yourself can save you money. We do grab a few prepackaged meals for when we’re time crunch, but otherwise we just cook it ourselves.

    ·         Cut the junk food snacks down. Sometimes grabbing 5 cans of Pringles is a bit too much. Don’t completely stop getting them, just cut down. Your waist and wallet will be grateful.

    ·         Eat leftovers. Some of the best food I ate was leftovers; pasta taste better the next day. Be reasonable, though, and don’t keep things in the fridge until they grow stuff. Be safe and eat it within the next 2 days. If not, dump it.

    You may also want to see if it is cost effective to join Costco’s or other bulk shops. How have you changed your grocery shopping habits? 

    How to Enjoy Eating Out Without Hurting Your Wallet

    By: Green Panda | Date posted: July 28, 2008 (4:49 am)

    Does being frugal automatically mean not enjoying yourself? Definitely not.

    Enjoy eating out  can be done frugally. The best advice is to plan ahead and set a budget for how much you spend. While I don’t eat out all the time, I do enjoy getting together with friends over a meal and not having to worry about cleaning up or cooking.

    Here are some tips to maximize your meal:

    • Dig to find local spots. We asked around and discovered a fantastic Cuban place in the area. Lunch specials (entrée and 2 sides) are $5.95 ad dinner is $7.95. The portions are great and I usual have to have a to-go box.
    • Make a second meal on leftovers. I fill up on my bread or chips (depending on the place). I’m not acting greedy, but I do enjoy what they offer. If salad is included with a dinner, then eat the entire salad. It fills you up and it’s generally good or you. Two meals for the price of one!
    • Get a discount. See if they have lunch/dinner specials or use a site like Restaurant.com to get a deal on gift certificates. Sometimes you can get a $25 gift certificate for $10 or less!
    • Mix Appetizers. Sometimes you can get a good deal by having two appetizers.
    • Drink water. Soft drinks and ice tea are now $2! Having water is a good thirst quencher and if the food is flavorful, it’s a nice complement.

    Don’t be frugal with your tip. That should go without saying, but if you got good service, please tip accordingly. After all, you wouldn’t want your boss to be miserly with your paycheck.

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