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CONNECT WITH US
WE
ASKED: What is your
latest or best discovery for
easy entertaining, such as
potlucks, parties, and
gatherings with family
and friends?
W ITH TODAY’S ECONOMY
SO
uncertain, people are cutting
back everywhere. One way we
get together with my boyfriend’s
family—without putting a financial
strain on the host—is to have
“Bring Your Own Steak Night.”
The host provides the side dishes
(usually grilled potatoes and corn
on the cob), and each family brings
whatever meat they want to grill.
We have good food, no one busts
the bank, and we all have fun.
Abigail H utchinson, Rockport, T X
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
has started
a “girls’ night.” Whenever any of
us gets the urge or needs some
female support, we start the
calling. The only rule is that
whomever is hosting has nothing
else to do at that time. Everyone
brings their own drink, plus a
snack, dessert, or some other
food item to share. It is a wonder-
ful way for all of us to support
each other. We’re able to stay in
touch over the winter months
that usually keep everyone apart
until the spring thaw.
B. Young, St. Jam es, NY
DURING OUR DARK
and cold
Pacific Northwest autumns and
winters we rely on premade
cheese fondue for easy enter-
taining. Fondue transforms the
mundane into a meal that is
memorable and fun. Meatballs,
cubes of warm sourdough bread,
slices of Honeycrisp apples,
broccoli, and even Brussels sprouts
are irresistible when dunked in
cheese. We love to invite friends
for Thanksgiving Eve and
Christmas Eve fondue parties
because we get to relax and visit
as we jostle for position around
the pot. And fondue doesn’t steal
the thunder from traditional
holiday meals.
M elinda Spencer, O lym pia, WA
THESE DAYS MY LIFE
is hectic
as a home-school mom and small
business owner. I realized I’d have
to really tone entertaining down if
it was ever going to happen. I’ve
found that, instead of inviting
friends over for a whole meal, just
having them for dessert works
wonderfully. I can grind beans and
make a great pot of coffee to go
along with my Key Lime pie or
New York cheesecake. I have such
a huge selection of teas and coffees
that I think it would be fun to host
a coffee and tea bar for friends on a
Friday night.
Carol Jackso n , N orfork, AR
STAYING IN TOUCH
with our
friends is very important to my
husband and me. We have a group
of four couples, all going 90 miles
per hour, so we decided to each
host a dinner once a year. This
gives us a chance to catch up on
everything every three months.
We make it a point to get the
dinner dates on our calendars as
soon as we can so that we don’t
overbook. Each couple has the
option of preparing the whole
meal or just the main course with
everyone else bringing a dish to
share. I always take a picture, and
at the next get-together I give
everyone a copy.
Dawn Dahlinger, Kalam azoo, Ml
w e
HAD A
“stone soup” party
on the day of the Rose Bowl one
year. I asked everyone to bring
something to go into homemade
beef soup. I made the stock and
some crusty onion rolls, and
everyone brought “something.”
It was a great soup. It simmered
during the first half of the game,
we ate it during the halftime
show, and after the game we had
homemade ice cream sundaes
with lots of toppings.
Peggy D onaldson, Bradenton, FL
Beyond onions, carrots, and garlic,
here are some ingredients that our
food editors suggest throwing into
the pot of a beefstone soup:
•
Coarsely chopped dried
cranberries, apricots,
or cherries
•
Red wine (add a little
to the soup; use the rest
for drinks)
•
Sweet potatoes or squash
•
Hearty greens such as kale,
Swiss chard, or spinach
We’d love to know.
.,
-how you chase off the
midwinter blahs. What are
you doing more (or less) of
nght now to bring new
eneigy to your life?
LETTERS & CO M M ENTS
BHGEditor@ meredith.com
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IO FEBRUARY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
