Don't hog the stuffing!

Posted on November 21, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

With ~~THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER CREATED~~ Thanksgiving coming up in just a few short days, I think it”s obvious that my mind is wrapped around one thing: food. While I love turkey more than any meat, there is one thing that I just can never seem to get enough of each year — STUFFING. Stuffing is so delicious, it should be its own food group. And if your family is anything like mine, stuffing is one hot commodity come turkey day. You better be the first to get a good helping because if not, you”re out of luck! And in honor of my favorite side dish (or in some cases, DINNER), I thought it would be a great time to look at some different versions of stuffing. Because in my own opinion, you can just never have enough!

All of these recipes can be found on the Thanksgiving section of the Food Network website. If you haven”t seen it yet, be sure to take a look! They have a bunch of great tips and how-to”s. Here are some yummy stuffing recipes, just an example of what you”ll find on the website!

CLASSIC STUFFING

Yum yum yum! You can never go wrong with traditional bread stuffing. Fresh onion and celery is a must! Some people like to bake their stuffing in individual muffin tins, which is a cute idea — not so practical for myself and my usual mountain of stuffing each holiday, but to each their own!

BOURBON-PECAN STUFFING

I”m a big fan of pecans and I love all types of foods containing them. This bourbon-pecan stuffing sounds awesome! It also contains pears — basically it”s a classic stuffing with a little kick. It adds a little jazz to the Thanksgiving table while still keeping tradition!

APPLE-FENNEL STUFFING

What better way to celebrate the end of the Fall season than to incorporate apples into everything? This apple-fennel stuffing is obviously no exception. Perfect for apple fanatics that want to embrace Fall in every way possible, especially on the greatest holiday of the year! This recipe includes cranberries, too. Yummy!

BACON-RICE STUFFING

I love bacon, as does most of the world. While this stuffing goes a little off-tradition, it”s still a great option to have on the table next to the classic stuffing. Who doesn”t love a little variety? This recipe includes a pound of bacon and chopped chestnuts … get in my belly.

SPINACH-SAUSAGE CORNBREAD STUFFING

Take cornbread stuffing, add crumbled sausage, spinach and some parmesan cheese. What do you get? Spinach-Sausage Cornbread Stuffing. Oh my .. I really don”t know what other word to use to describe this stuffing other than FANTASMICAL. Yeah, I used fantasmical. Pretty sure this recipe is worthy of the title, though. Just saying.

For more awesome stuffing recipes, view Food Network”s list of 50 Mix & Match Stuffings. Yes, FIFTY. LOVE IT!

Are you a stuffing fanatic, too?

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Add a little spice to your coffee.

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Don”t you hate how whenever you make coffee at home it can never live up to what they serve in those recyclable cups with the green woman on it? (You know who I”m talking about.) Well not sure about you, but I”m tired of it. Making coffee at home is so much cheaper, but it”s only worth it if it tastes like the real deal. Therefore, it”s time to get down to business. Here are some tricks you can do at home to make your morning (or afternoon, or mid-afternoon, or evening pick-me-up) brew taste like utter happiness. Let the spices ensue! Grab these on the next trip the grocery store:

ALLSPICE

Add a little allspice to your coffee grounds before brewing! Mmm spicy delight.

CARDAMOM

Many people like to add a dash of cardamom to their grounds before brewing. Yum!

CINNAMON

Add a bit of cinnamon to your coffee grounds before brewing. You can even throw a stick in there, or add a stick to your bag of coffee beans to give them a hint of flavor before grinding.

SALT

Many people add a pinch of salt to their coffee grounds before brewing because it”s supposed to take out the bitterness of the coffee and boost up the flavor. Apparently many restaurants do this to their generic, bland coffee. Worth a try!

NUTMEG

Add some nutmeg to your coffee grounds before brewing for a Fall/Winter flavor.

VANILLA BEANS

Vanilla beans! Yum. Grind these with your coffee beans. You can also try making vanilla sugar — take 2 vanilla bean pods, put in an 8oz jar, fill the jar to within an inch from the top with sugar, close up and shake. Let stand for about a day or two, turning jar several times throughout. And voila, vanilla sugar! Try not to eat it before it makes it into your coffee cup.

CLOVES

Pop a few of these babies on top of your coffee grounds before brewing, or sprinkle the already ground stuff. I love cloves in cookies, so I can only imagine it would be delicious in coffee as well.

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

Also, we love Pumpkin Pie Spice. But if you already have the ingredients at home, why not save your $$ and make it yourself? Joy the Baker teaches us how. Sprinkle this on top of your coffee grounds, or even after your coffee is made! Maybe on top of some whipped cream? Delicious!

How do you prepare your coffee at home?

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Sweet as pie, cute (& small) as a button.

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Well, alright. A little bigger than a button.

I am a huge freak for all things miniature. Those mini ice cream cups at the store, mini candy, mini bags, mini cupcakes, mini jars, Polly Pocket (when she was actually the size of a fingernail, you know .. back in the day) — if it”s mini, I”m pretty much obsessed. So you can only imagine my reaction when I stumbled upon mini PIE. I basically died with joy and cuteness overload taking control of my brain. It was magical. I”m hoping you feel the same and spread the magic to your friend and family this holiday season! Oh and don”t worry — to top it off, these mini pies are in MINI JARS. That my friends, is what I call perfection (not to mention an amazing gift-giving idea).

CRANBERRY COBBLERS (IN A JAR)

To kick off my mini-pie-in-a-jar-magical-idea-since-when?! obsession, we have Cranberry Cobblers from Tablespoon.com. They really know how to get me over there — passion for food meets creativity. ALWAYS. And these cobblers are no exception! Perfect for Turkey day, wouldn”t you agree?

SPICED PUMPKIN PIE (IN A JAR)

ADORABLE! These mini spiced pumpkin pies are so cute. I love the jars that The Scootabaker used for this particular post — and the heart cutouts add the perfect loving touch, don”t you think? Wish I had one right now! Not to mention I love anything pumpkin.

LATTICE-TOP BLUEBERRY PIE (IN A JAR)

You had me at lattice-top, Family Kitchen. I”ve always loved lattice-top pies — not only does it take some serious skill to come out with a great looking pie, but they”re just so pretty! Shrink it down to mini and in a jar? I”m awestruck. LOVE these blueberry pies! It”s almost unfair that I don”t have one in front of me at this very moment.

FRUIT CRISP (IN A JAR)

I love fruit crisp — so clearly, I would love this particular post from Wendolonia. I think the best part about these fruit crisps is that you can literally use any type of fruit you wish and still come out with a delicious treat! Also you can put these babies in the freezer for whenever you feel a need for some freshly baked mini crisp. Love it!

GRASSHOPPER PIES (IN A JAR)

Okay, so we all love a good pie with a traditional crust. But then what about those other pies we love with non-traditional crusts? These grasshopper pies have a crumbled Oreo crust and look DELICIOUS. Not to mention, this post from A Southern Fairytale inspires me to get creative with this mini pie idea — crumbled graham cracker crust is another option I haven”t seen (yet) in mini pies. Time to get the foodie juices flowing!

What type of pie would you love to see served in a mini jar?

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Chilly day soups

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

What”s up with the chilly weather? AND THE SNOW? I think I”m all set. But with this cold season looming ahead, we”re starting to get a preview of what the Winter will bring. Needless to say, I”m not looking forward to it. However, I do love a good soup to keep warm during the cold days. Here are a few to add to your recipe box!

LEMON CHICKEN AND ORZO SOUP

It may be my Greek roots but I love lemon chicken soup. Orzo is a great pasta to use in soups, or even by itself. If you”ve never had lemon chicken soup, do yourself a favor and try it ASAP! I don”t usually eat it with spinach, but if you love spinach by all means GO FOR IT. (Recipe from Good Life Eats)

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Baked potato soup is a classic. And trust me, it”s so much better when you make it at home! This recipe from Rachael Ray will have you cooking up a storm in no time. Extra bacon, please!

CREAMY CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP

Cream of anything soup to me is delicious, but add wild rice and I am in HEAVEN. This creamy chicken and wild rice soup has gotten 5 stars and 1100+ reviews on AllRecipes.com — it MUST be delicious. Can”t wait to try this one out!

What”s your favorite chilly day meal?

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Sweet, Sweet Halloween Candy [INFOGRAPHIC]

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Nichole Magoon

Move over skeletons, ghosts, and ghouls–we all know what Halloween is REALLY about–candy! We love it all, Tootsie Rolls, Snickers, M& Ms, chocolate, gummies, gum, all of it! We hope you have a spooktacular and sweet Halloween from all of us at Social Grocery!

Click the image (or here) for a larger version.

Last chance for Halloween recipes!

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

With Halloween weekend looming, the clock”s a”tickin” to make your favorite Halloween desserts and treats in time for parties and get-togethers. Luckily, The Stir at CafeMom.com has put together a slideshow of 20 Favorite Halloween Recipes — from cookies, cakes, to big people drinks — to help us get a head start on the brainstorming.

Here are 4 of my favorites from the bunch:

PUMPKIN-CREAM CHEESE TRUFFLES

If the title isn”t enough, they”re covered in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed gingersnaps. My work is done here. (Originally from Whole Foods Market)

MINI PUMPKIN CAKES

These cakes from BusyMommy are absolutely adorable, and they”re actually made with little bundt cakes! The stem is a hand-molded Tootsie Roll. These would be delicious as little carrot cakes, don”t you think?

PEANUT BUTTER CANDY BAR SQUARES

This recipe from Bake or Break is a perfect way to utilize your leftover Halloween candy (if you even have leftover Halloween candy, that is). Maybe I”ll buy some extra candy this year just so I can make these bars.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN MARTINI

Who says Halloween isn”t for adults? This martini from The Stir contains OJ and pumpkin puree. Sounds interesting to say the least — definitely in spirit of the season!

What Halloween treats will you be whipping up this weekend?

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You can find me in turkey dreamland.

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Heads up everyone! There is only a month until Thanksgiving. That”s it. A month. Not sure about you, but Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. In fact, lately I”ve been finding myself honestly dreaming about turkey dinner and hallucinating the scent of turkey and gravy. A problem? No — I just call it anticipation.

And because November 24th will be here sooner than you realize, now is the time to start figuring out your dinner plans. Who”s house this year? What to bring? Meanwhile, I”ll be listing off the usual dishes present at my favorite feast of the year:

TURKEY (obviously.)
gravy
stuffing
mashed potatoes
cranberry sauce
creamed corn
steamed veggies
butternut squash
sweet potatoes (with marshmallows!)
brussel sprouts (not my personal favorite, but nevertheless they”re usually present.)
creamed onions and peas
dinner rolls
banana bread (homemade and with walnuts, please.)
zucchini bread
corn muffins
apple cider
wine
pecan pie
pumpkin pie
apple pie

… Have I made my case yet? Thought so!

For some fantastic recipes to wow the crowd this year, check out Food Network”s Thanksgiving section. There are so many goodies on there, you could be browsing for hours.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes?

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Craft-o-Lanterns

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

One of the best parts of getting into the Halloween spirit is decorating around the house. I”m not sure about you, but pumpkin carving is one of my favorite Fall activities — right up there with apple picking and visiting haunted houses. But as many crafties and creative heads have come to find, you don”t need a pumpkin to do a little carving (and no, that is not a slasher film reference). If you”re not feeling the strength to gut out a big pumpkin or if you can”t find any in your area, never fear — here are three alternatives that will prove to be just as fun for you and your family this Halloween.

FRUIT JACK-O-LANTERNS

What a cute idea this is. I love that with the pineapple thrown into the mix, it”s almost like a Tiki themed Halloween. Leave it to our friends at Tablespoon and their members (in this instance, bevcooks) to come up with something so fun and hilarious. And with fruit this small, large tools not required!

SNACK-O-LANTERNS

These fruit-salad-filled lanterns are adorable and a great way to celebrate Halloween without candy (or you can fill them with candy too, don”t expect me to stop you). These would serve as great party treats or for your child”s class at school. The possibilities are endless — but don”t forget that even with their kid nature, adults love fun snacks, too! If you”re looking for more ideas like this, check out Disney FamilyFun”s website for more cute recipes.

HALLOWEEN JAR LANTERNS

These creative jar lanterns from Fresh Home Ideas are perfect for those of us who don”t want to deal with rotting fruits and are more inclined to make something that will last more than a few nights. So if you”re feeling crafty — keep your leftover pickle and pasta sauce jars, make a trip to the craft store and get to decoupaging! (I personally love the striped one, so if you”re in the generous mood you can drop one off by my house.)

Do you like to channel your inner craft god for the Halloween season? Share your creations with us!

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Candy corn galore!

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Not sure about you, but it”s basically a ritual of mine to eat as much Brach”s Autumn Mix as entirely possible during the Fall season. While this can be extremely satisfying in itself, isn”t it more fun to get creative? These three recipes are exactly the kind of fun I”m looking for this Halloween season!

CANDY CORN COOKIE BARK

Okay, this just looks phenomenal. I”ve always been a fan of Recipe Girl (as you may have picked up by now) and somehow this gem has escaped me until now. I will definitely be making this candy corn cookie bark in the very near future! This gives holiday peppermint bark a run for its money, in my opinion.

CANDY CORN CHEESECAKE

So cute! I”ve definitely seen candy corn decorated cakes and cupcakes, but never something like cheesecake. What a great idea this is! This recipe calls for Candy Corn Hershey Kisses, which I never knew existed. Anyone ever tried them? Thank you to My Baking Addiction for sharing this treat.

CANDY CORN BUTTERFINGER POPS

These are possibly the most adorable and delicious sounding pops I have seen in awhile. And no, this isn”t just a Butterfinger candy bar dipped in candy melts — it”s HOMEMADE. Dear Vanessa from Blog 5 to 9, you are my hero. “NOM NOM NOM” is right!

Do you have a favorite Halloween themed treat?

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A time to sneeze, a time to wheeze.

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Allergy season. Sufferers know what a burden allergy season can be — on your body, your productivity and your social life. Even putting aside the aches and pains, the itching, the coughing, the sneezing, congestion .. it”s a disaster and none of us enjoy going through it. In addition to the stares and ignorance from co-workers, family and friends that confuse our symptoms with that of the flu or cold, it”s hard to always find relief. (Not sure about you, but most allergy meds I”ve tried have not made much of a difference.) The thing we don”t necessarily think of is that it takes more than just a pill and some tea to help ease the effects of allergy season.

First of all, it”s important to realize what your symptoms are. Many people have allergies and don”t even realize it, mistaking their sneezing for the common cold. According to Michael A. Kaliner, MD, (Medical Director, Institute for Asthma and Allergy) there are some determining factors when it comes to allergies vs. colds. While colds last about a week, allergies usually last in 2-4 week chunks of time. Also, when you are suffering from allergies, you will experience itch in your eyes, nose and/or throat. However, when you have a cold you may feel uncomfortable in these areas, but you will not itch.

If you are experiencing the itch and are tired of suffering, give these articles a read:

10 ALLERGY MYTHS
This article from Discovery Fit & Health addresses common allergy myths like allergies being all in your head, that moving to a place such as the desert will help your allergies, and that whole “allergic to pet fur” thing.

10 HOME REMEDIES FOR ALLERGIES
This list from TLC offers some great (and easy) remedies to help ease your allergies in the home. One that we may not think of is to bathe before going to bed — by doing this, we are getting rid of all the pollen and other allergens that may have caught onto our hair and skin throughout the day, meaning we”ll have less of a reason to wake up in a coughing/sneezing fit during the night.

9 FALL FOODS TO FIGHT YOUR FALL ALLERGIES
This list from Rodale.com lists autumn favorites that may help our fight against allergy season — such as broccoli, kale, pumpkin, etc. In addition, they give us a few pointers to look out for foods we should not be eating. These include apples, bananas, melons, honey (WHAT?!), etc. You may be surprised by what you find!

Are you an allergy sufferer? What”s your favorite remedy?

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Fridge Notes

Tag Archives: Fall