Baking the day away...

Red Velvet Cake truffles...

.

And Checkerboard Shortbread....

Order Christmas Cookies

Cookies Make Great XMAS Gifts!

$16 for a dozen

pistachio cranberry icebox cookies

old school chocolate chip cookies

chocolate chocolate chip cookies w white choc. chips

cherry ginger biscotti

chewy molasses cookies

chocolate hazelnut biscotti

chocolate-mocha caramel cookies

toffee chunk brownies

butterscotch fudge

red velvet cake truffles

checkerboard cookies

contact me at foodfun.bham@gmail.com

COMFORT FOOD THURSDAY!

Perfect weather for comfort food! Get a mouth-watering delicious dinner delivered to your house from Food+Fun! Yummy French Onion Soup with melted Gruyere Toasts and Mixed Greens Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette. OR order a Classic Roasted Organic Chicken with root vegetables. For delivery tomorrow evening! For pricing email me at foodfun.bham@gmail.com

Lean Mean Bison Chili..ORDER THIS WEEK!

Why bison?
http://www.bisoncentral.com/cooking-bison/nutrition-information


Heart healthy dinner delivered to your door!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodfun/300024043359536
Lean Mean Bison Chili...Order NOW!...for any chilly night this week Tuesday-Friday!  $15 per quart or $25 for 2 quarts

Feel the heat and save a few calories after last week's binge!

Food+Fun on Facebook

Check out Thanksgiving photos and more @Food+Fun on Facebook! And like it!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Foodfun/300024043359536

FOOD+FUN, holidays, and YOU!

The holidays are upon us! FOOD+FUN can help!

Turn a regular holiday get-together or dinner party into a fun interactive cooking class with FOOD+FUN! Cooking, laughter, and lots of wine is a guarantee.

Busier-than-usual week days leaving you uninspired in the kitchen? Order a delicious gourmet meal delivered to your door.

Side dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Decadent 4-Cheese Mac N Cheese....Swiss Chard Gratin...Root Vegetable Gratin....Hericots Verts with Pancetta...Savory Bread Pudding Dressing...and more!

Or give the gift of FOOD+FUN to your friends or co-workers this Holiday season with a gift certificate for a dinner delivery.

Email at foodfun.bham@gmail.com and let's get cooking!

HOW-TO: Part 2: Our Fall Arrangement

Welcome Back!

Ready to slap this sucker together?

Well, ok, it does require a little more finesse than that...but I promise it's easier than you think!

I was blessed with a mother who is a fabulous flower arranger...so with her tricks of the trade let's knock this out!

Meet our container.  With a large arrangement like this one, it usually a good idea to have your vase or container  already in place...no tricky transporting required.  So, in this case, I've place some towels around the container to protect the table.  (Please try to forgive the ugly pink towels...they once hung in my bathroom circa 1996.)  Any wide flat bowl/container/urn will work here..honestly you don't even see it when the arrangement is complete.

Now every serious flower arranger knows oasis.  This is instant oasis, so you'll need to soak this only 15 or 20 minutes before cutting it to fit your container.  Oh, and I almost forgot...it's probably a good idea to line your container with some aluminum foil.  Then, using florist tape, secure your oasis into place.  Don't worry... we are going to cover up that ugly tape on the side.

  Doesn't this just look stunning!!!  Seriously, I promise we are about to get to the fun part.



So let's tidy up the base and hide our mechanics.  Any large dark leaves will work well here .  These are just cut from the yard.  But magnolia would also work, or you could purchase some from the wholesale florist.

Now remember this guy?

Yep, thats our millet...and let's start with this Purple Majesty for a little bit of height.  We want this to look natural, so it can "grow" a little off-center in our arrangement.

Now let's start placing our lovely lilies organically "growing" around the millet.

Y'all might notice that I didn't remove the stamens...simply because I am going for a natural look, and I like the dark color it adds.  But beware... they will stain! 

Hmmm what to add next....

I know!

                                               Safari Sunset...I just love that name!

Use your clippers to remove some of the lower leaves on the branches.  Work with them one at a time, carefully paying attention to the bend of the branch.  This will help add some shape to your arrangement.

This branch bends slightly, which lends itself great for giving some shape and extending the base of our arrangement.  Don't go too heavy handed with the Safari Sunset here...remember we still have a lot more players to add.  You'll also need to move very carefully around those lilies...the petals are extremely fragile, and you can create a big hole when they break or fall off.

Now we can start tucking in the spray roses..  I like to cluster these since they grow that way. 

Now time for our Rover mums...

Add that pop of red around the arrangement, filling any large holes.

NOW for my favorite part....texture!

And we start with bittersweet.

Shhhhh....Now listen to your arrangement...

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)...but seriously really look carefully at your work to see where you want to add that wild effect.  This is a branchy bright vine and that's how we want to display naturally in the arrangement. You'll be amazed as the arrangement offers the perfect spots.

And finally do the same with the rosehips and the safflower. Adding texture, but keeping things organic. 

Aren't you loving the bright orangey-yellow pop from the safflower tucked deep into this arrangement??

And ....we did it!

Your Thanksgiving table will never be the same.

My SECRET Go-To Nibble for Cocktail Hour

This one is sure to please.  No need to spend a bunch of money on a huge spread of cheeses and crackers.  Sometimes its best to keep things simple and settle for one AWESOME snack.  Here it is...

Raincoast Crisps  http://lesleystowe.com/raincoastcrisps/about/
(I love the Rosemary, Raisin, Pecan variation!

+

Belle Chevre Marinate Goat Cheese  http://www.bellechevre.com
(I love Chevre de Provence) LOCAL! LOCAL!


=

MMMMM nutty, buttery, herbal , sweet, and salty crunch. ENJOY!




(FYI I purchase Raincoast Crisps at Whole Foods)

Fresh Fall Flowers...perfect for fall gatherings and Thanksgiving!

Bring the brilliance of fall in your home.

 Want to learn how to make this gorgeous arrangement for Thanksgiving or your next fall gathering?...it's easier than you think!

First, let's meet our cast of characters. For a larger arrangement like this, I usually prefer to purchase from a wholesale flower supplier.

  Purple Majesty Millet...deep purple color.

Safflower...lots of texture, globe-like orangey-yellow flowers

Rose hips...the red-to-orange fruit of the rose plant

Bitterweet...woody, vine-like with bright red berries

Safari Sunset (protea)...tall, leafy wine colored branches

And finally more common flowers in vibrant fall colors...

 Asiatic Lilies 'Matrix', Red Rover Mums, and Yellow Spray Roses

Now that you've met everyone, check back tomorrow for step-by-step instructions to create this fabulous arrangement.

Fun Ideas for Fall Flower Arrangements...COMING SOON!

Let's get cooking!!!

Are you hosting a party? Do you want a memorable birthday for your child? or Are you just plain tired of the usual weeknight meals?

Let's face it, as much as we want to leap into the kitchen every evening with the enthusiasm of Julia Child or Martha Stewart...it isn't always so easy. Life often gets in the way, and can make the tasks that should be fun and relaxing seem very mundane, tedious, and uninteresting. That's where I come in!
Food should be FUN! It should be a learning experience for both the cook and the diners...every time.
So when you get tired of the shopping and chopping, I'll do it for you. Delivering everything to your doorstep in a cooler with a step by step recipe, so you can create a healthy and mouth-watering delicious meal. It can be our little secret. And you don't have to be a Real Housewife of Beverly Hills to afford it!
Or if you're planning a dinner party or birthday party? Let me help you organize, decorate and plan a menu. I'll even cook everything and serve it! Or I'll disappear like I was never there!
So let me handle the fussy stuff (leg work and the prep work) and leave you with the FOOD and the FUN.