Cold Weather Blowouts

This is the time of year when we wind down from the holidays and start into the long haul of deep winter. A simple, low stress party can be just the thing to get us through the cold slog to spring. These party themes should inspire you to spend some time celebrating with friends and family.

1. Turn up the heat in your house, pick up some tropical and beach-themed decorations, and have a winter beach party. Serve tropical drinks and use a stovetop grill pan to make hamburgers and hot dogs or grilled fish for tacos.
2. Have a hot drink party – make several flavors of hot cocoa, mulled wine and cider, and hot teas. Accompany the drinks with all the fixings – flavored syrups, marshmallows, whipped cream, and sprinkles. Keep the theme going with sweet and savory fondues.
3. Celebrate February holidays and events – host a Super Bowl party with a football theme, have a sweetheart party for Valentine’s Day, or hold a movie-themed bash for Oscar night. You could even have a patriotic party for President’s Day.
4. Of course you can always have a plain old winter themed party. Decorate the house with snowflakes and white twinkle lights, and set out a hearty feast on a snow-white tablecloth. Encourage guests to bring a winter item, anything from a hat and scarf set to a winter mix CD, to swap!

Five Most Romantic Songs For Valentine’s Day

Happy Friday!

We hope everyone enjoys their weekend and stays warm!

Five ID-Theft Protection Tips

During the holidays, when we’re busy, distracted, and spending more money than we do at other times throughout the year, it’s especially important to be wary of identity theft. Here are some tips to help you stay protected this season:

Keep an Eye on Your Statements

Identity thieves know that you’ll be wracking up a higher number of purchases around the holidays – and they’re banking on their fraudulent charges going unnoticed. The way to avoid this is to regularly monitor your checking, credit card, and debit accounts.

No Purse Needed

A large percentage of identity thefts happen when you’re out shopping. It’s easy for someone to grab your purse when you’re distracted in busy crowd. So, carry only the essentials with you.

Look Over Your Shoulder

Make sure you’re aware of people standing too close behind you while you’re using your card; be especially wary of someone pointing a cell phone toward you (cell-phone cameras are increasingly popular with identity thieves).

Holiday Shopping: Top New Toys for Kids

There are so many toys on the store shelves today that shopping for little ones can be a daunting task. Here are five of the best new toys on the market, sure to entertain and educate the kids on your gift list this year:

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Tablet
LeapFrog has long been a leader in technology-based learning toys for kids, and this latest product from them is truly outstanding. It contains games, digital books, videos, flash cards, and a built-in camera and camcorder. Perfect for kids aged 4 to 9 years old.

Fijit Friends Interactive Toys
These miniature interactive robots feature lifelike movements and voice recognition with over 100 different responses built in. They can also dance to music and play their own songs. Ideal for kids aged 6 and older.

Power Wheels Dune Racer Ride On
This is the ultimate in battery powered ride-on cars for those boys and girls who like to get behind the wheel. The large wheels give the car excellent traction and the seating area has more room than other similar brands. A good choice for little drivers between 3 and 7 years of age.

LEGO Ninjago Limited Edition Lightning Dragon
This is a brain-stretching building and adventure game in which kids have to set up and execute the rescue of a character while avoiding danger from enemy forces. A good choice for kids 8 years of age and older.

Magnetic Thinking Putty
All kids love playing with ordinary silly putty, but this product takes putty-play to a whole new level! The mesmerizing magnetic properties make the putty take on a life of its own when played with in proximity to magnetic items. A great gift for kids aged 5 and older.

Arthouse Awesomeness: Quirky Indie Films

We all love the big-budget Hollywood blockbusters, but sometimes our cinema tastes desire something a little more alternative. Thankfully, the world of independent film offers a wide selection of movies that think outside the box. In this feature, we’ll share some quirky indies that you might not have seen:

-          Ghost World, directed by Terry Zwigoff. This hipster comedy launched the career of Scarlett Johansson. Based on a graphic novel, it tells the story of a teenage girl friendship that goes awry when they start stalking a geek (played by Steve Buscemi).

-           Eagle Vs Shark, directed by Taika Waititi. From New Zealand, this romantic comedy is about a shy fast food cashier who develops a crush on a video game nerd who is looking for revenge against his high school bully.

-          Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, directed by Shane Black. Black paid his dues in mainstream Hollywood – he wrote Lethal Weapon, after all – but his directoral debut was a decidedly different affair. A dark film noir comedy with some incredible performances, it’s totally unique and very worth watching.

-          The Baxter, directed by Michael Showalter. New York improve comedy veteran Showalter also stars in this hilarious romantic comedy, about a guy who’s always left at the altar in every one of his relationships.

Shop Smart: Five Places To Get Unique Gifts

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and it’s getting harder and harder to find presents that are off the beaten path. Thankfully, a number of online retailers have sprung up that source awesome things from all over the world. Here are five of the best places to get gifts that you won’t see anywhere else:

-          Fab.com – This design-oriented store offers a daily deal on cool, artsy products from all over the place. With savings of up to 70% on some items, this is an incredible way to get in on the ground floor of future trends. Unfortunately, you need to be a site member to get the deal, and it’s currently invitation only.

-          Woot.com – Targeted at techies and gearheads, woot.com is another daily deal site. Every midnight, they put up a new product available in limited quantities, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. These can be deeply discounted items, some of which are very cool.

-          ArchieMcPhee.com – This Seattle institution has been selling novelty items for decades, and their selection is absolutely unbelievable. From practical jokes to bizarre costumes, there’s a little bit of everything here.

-          SiteNYC.com – Based in the trendy Astoria neighborhood, Site offers a great selection of cool stuff for adults and kids alike. Local artisans sell their limited edition wares there, and they also stock some of the hippest national designers.

-          UncommonGoods.com – This national firm offers a great collection of environmentally conscious, intelligent gifts for a variety of audiences. Their prices are reasonable and their stuff is very well-designed.

Game On: Great Dishes For Tailgate Parties

With football season here, tailgate parties are a major event on your social calendar. There’s nothing better than getting hyped up for a game with friends and family while eating some food and enjoying a day off. If you’re invited to a tailgate and don’t know what to bring, here are five easy ideas that are always popular.

-        Hot wings are always a good choice. This delicious finger food is inexpensive, easy to prepare and disappears in an instant. The traditional Buffalo style is made with Frank’s Red Hot sauce as a base, but using a sweeter barbecue sauce is also fine. Serve with cut up sticks of fresh, crisp celery.

-        Ribs are also a very nice meat contribution. The best way to prepare them is to slow-cook them until they’re tender and then quickly reheat them at the party to caramelize the outside and bring out the flavor.

-        Fresh guacamole can be a good choice, especially if there are vegetarians present. Making this avocado-based dip from scratch is surprisingly easy, but make sure to use ripe avocados that are soft to the touch but not brown on the inside. Save the pits and place them in the bowl to keep it fresh until serving.

-        Deviled eggs also make a good tailgating snack. They’re easy to prepare in bulk and store well, so you can cook them well in advance. Make sure to top the yolks with lots of hot paprika.

-        Desserts are always a good choice. Bar cookies and brownies are easy to make and transport, and you don’t even have to take them out of the pan – just slice and let people serve themselves.

Leave The Leaves: Autumn Outdoor Activities

Even though summer has come to a close, that doesn’t mean that the world of nature should be closed off to you. Fall offers a wide variety of enticing outdoor activities to experience. Here are some of our favorites:

-        Apple picking is a great way to enjoy the crisp, cool fall weather and also take home some food. Many apple orchards around the country let visitors pick apples and take them home for a small per-pound fee. The experience of wandering through groves of trees selecting fruit is very fun. And you can even make a pie later on with your spoils!

-        Go fishing. Even though the catch might be a little lighter than in the summer months, fall fishing is still a great deal of fun. Waking up early, paddling out in the boat to a calm, tranquil spot, and casting your lines is the perfect way to start a day.

-        Taking a nature walk is a great way to get in touch with the change of seasons. Appreciating the foliage as it turns color from green to vibrant red, yellow, and brown colors is wonderful!

-        Go camping. With the weather cooling down, there are few more pleasant things to do than gather around a campfire at night, roasting marshmallows, drinking hot cider, telling stories, and singing songs.

-        Visit a farm. Harvest time is one of the most exciting and popular parts of the year on the farm, and a visit to your local producer can be educational, entertaining, and most of all delicious.

The King Of Radishes: What To Do With Daikon

The Daikon radish has been an essential ingredient in Asian cooking for quite some time, but it’s just starting to catch on in America. Unlike the small, red radishes that's familiar to Westerners, a good-sized daikon can be as long as a man’s arm and almost as thick. The flavor is sweet and refreshing with a little bit of spiciness, which is mostly concentrated in the peel. Here are some suggestions if you’re perplexed on what to do with it.

One of the easiest and tastiest things to do with daikon is to pickle it. Make a bath of warm water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add a little turmeric if you want the pickles to have a yellow color. Leave thinly-sliced daikon in the liquid for at least 24 hours. These make a great addition to sandwiches.

Daikon is also great for making pan-fried cakes, sort of like corn fritters. Grate it, pat it dry, and sprinkle it with salt. Mix with garlic, onion, egg, and breadcrumbs and shape into patties. Pour vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the patties about three minutes on each side.

Fresh daikon is also a great salad ingredient. You can make a simple salad with daikon and crushed peanuts in a vinegar and sugar dressing, or go more complex and pair it with lettuce, carrots, or even strawberries.

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