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Filed Under pretty things on February 11, 2009

I didn’t cook last night. You can’t blame me, really — after the tornado, all I wanted to do was crawl into bed. Preferably with a bottle of vodka.

I didn’t do that either, in case you’re worried.

Wade went out, to a business dinner; he ate at a new French restaurant (where he had shortribs, which I did not realize were French). One of the perks of his job is that he sometimes has dinner meetings that take place at swanky restaurants, the kind that don’t have children’s menus or paper table cloths to color on.

A couple of weeks ago, on a fluke, we found ourselves with both a babysitter and a little extra cash, so we went out for dinner. Oklahoma City has some great restaurants, although I don’t often eat in them, because they’re not for kids, so this was a chance for me to put on a dress and some heels and have a real grown up dinner.

We went to the Metro and had seafood risotto (me) and pan-roasted duck breast (Wade). It was the most delicious food ever.

But it was also expensive, and not something we can do all the time, especially these days. We’re in that fortunate sliver of households for whom this economy is annoying but not devastating, but we’re still feeling it, and we’re trying to be proactive about our money and our lifestyle.

2009 is going to be the Year of Staying Home — not just for my family, but for everyone. If I were one of those trend spotter people, I would predict that this year you’re going to see a big resurgence of the dinner party — not big catered affairs, but friends getting together for meals, either pot-luck or hosted, because that’s easier and cheaper than going out. People will entertain at home more, in the way that our parents did when we were kids — cocktail parties and barbecues and Friday night dinners where the kids go off and play while the adults talk and drink.

Remember that?

I think that recession entertaining will be more than just ordering a pizza with the neighbors, though – I think people are really going to throw themselves into this and make it special. They’re going to cook and clean and get dressed up and call it a party, even if it’s just those same neighbors coming over.

Because if you can’t afford to go out, you might as well make the best of staying in.

For those of us who don’t really cook, the idea that entertaining is back is a little scary. Thank god for the internet, which lets you cobble together a whole virtual library of cooking and entertaining information. Phone apps like the iFood Assistant and web sites like Cookstr put great recipes right at your fingertips. And of course you have me to tell you what to wear.

I think that, in this recession, new media is going to be the lifeblood of the new entertaining. Mark my words.

And since good entertaining needs good music, how about I give away TWO $25.00 iTunes gift cards? Tell me what your favorite online entertaining resource is — where do you go for ideas when people are coming to your house?

Contest ends at 6:00 am EST tomorrow.

Thanks to the people at Kraft for providing the iTunes and AmEx gift cards for the winners, and for hooking me up with the Kraft iFood app.

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When I need great recipes, I go to Allrecipes.com or to the cooking board at Babycenter.com.

Is it a cop-out to just say Google? If I need ideas, I just type in a search for recipes (usually for a specific ingredient). Though I will say that I wind up at epicurious more than any other recipe site.

Ummm, I have no resources. YOU are my resource. Somebody please help me get a life already!

Foodnetwork.com, Cookinglight.com and when I’m going all out, marthastewart.com

I’d have to say Sandra Lee’s SemiHomemade site. That and her books. She’s a bit annoying on tv, but she has some great entertaining ideas and recipes. I’ve had success with quite a few of them.

Here in Stillwater our little friend circle has a THRIVING dinner party rotation. I think it may be because there really aren’t very good restaurants unless we drive to Tulsa or OKC? Anywho…I check Pioneer Woman Cooks website, my battered Joy of Cooking cookbook, and good old foodnetwork.com.

I tend to go to recipes.com or foodnetwork.com I’ve also had fun trying some of the pioneerwomancooks.com stuff. So yummy!

I am constantly tagging recipes on my feed reader, mostly from Pioneer Woman Cooks or Smitten Kitchen. Other good sources: Kraft foods, Cooking Light and Rachael Ray!

I go to about.com! They have all of life’s answers…well not really, but close! If you just type in dinner party it will pull up a bunch of great resources…and then I usually get my recipes from cooks.com.

I usually go to food networks website! Sometimes Martha Stewart, if I want to delude myself into thinking I can actually do that stuff!

We don’t entertain. It isn’t just because we tend to be hermitish, but mostly it’s because in our 320 sq ft house, we have room at the table for 2 and only 2. We could seat one of us on the [very steep, narrow] stairs and let a guest have one of our chairs, but that isn’t exactly ease of dining.
However, when I have a couple of chicken thighs and want to do something different than I usually do, I go to Epicurious.com and type chicken thighs into the search and get back 220 recipes to do with chicken thighs. Then I toss out the ones that have ingredients I don’t have on hand and choose among the remaining recipes. The interwebs are wonderful.

Designmom.com, and google. I google everything. I know, mindless sheep, but it works.

ANd we already entertain family that way, but I agree. You are also going to see a resurgence of homemade gifts. Joann Fabrics saw an increase in revenue last year. One of the few retailers to do so.

I go to foodnetwork.com and then sort my recipe results by chef so that all I get are Ina Garten’s.

She has never let me down, and her food is really approachable so even if I don’t know the preferences of my guests I have a very good chance of pleasing everyone.

I’m partial to the New York Times for recipes…Melissa Clark and Mark Bittman.

southernliving.com
tastespotting.com

I have numerous recipes from numerous sites and blogs bookmarked in my delicious account. And if all else fails, just google. It’s never let me down.

Might not be what you’re looking for, but evite.com is heavily used by me and my friends.

Martha Martha Martha.

I frequently go to epicurious.com (aka bon appetit). I love pictures so I can see how it’s supposed to look in the end.

[…] Previous Next » […]

Martha Stewart, Smitten Kitchen and Pioneer Woman

Elise’s Simply Recipes. Glorious, wonderful food - something for every occasion, organized by main ingredient or by type of dish. Wonderful!

But now I can’t wait to try all of these other resources!

Chris at Work It Mom! Love the crockpot recipes

I completely agree with you. And, I think it will be fabulous for people to start entertaining more in their homes. My go-to online resource is foodnetwork.com for recipes.

I use my New Basics cookbook or allrecipes.com…and google, of course! I have started doing more “theme” type dinner parties…nothing outrageous but Italian, Mexican, football, make your own pizza, etc. Our circle of friends has quite a few children so this makes it participatory and lively!

Recipezaar.com!

I get at least 90% of my recipes from there. I used to google or search foodnetwork/allrecipes/recipes.com but since I found recipezaar like 18 months ago I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used recipes from other sites. I am nothing if not loyal, lol.

my sister-in-law — she’s awesome in the kitchen and always has great ideas.

I love smitten kitchen and simply recipes. i’ve never had a bad recipe from them.

now if i could only get vodka gimlets to shoot out of my computer while i’m making dinner, then we’d have something extraordinary for entertaining.

I call my sister and use martha…

Honestly I think blogs are the best source of entertainment ideas. There is always someone out there doing things I never would have thought of in ways that I might actually be able to afford.

Although Real Simple will work in a pinch too.

I love smittenkitchen.com and orangette.com.

marthastewart.com

Allrecipes.com and thepioneerwoman.com

;o) Ami

I usually start with diynetwork.com, hgtv, and martha for entertaining ideas, and allrecipes (they have an iphone app now!), cooks illustrated, and ina garten for food ideas.

I used to use allrecipes.com until Pioneer Woman came along. She’s the perfect cook for picky eaters. So I mostly just use her recipes. Occasionally I will use cooks.com or go to the food network’s site.

Long gone are the days where I watched 30 minute meals everyday. Plus that Rachael Ray will eat anything. Me and my husband will not.

Sandra Lee, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, Martha.. and a mishmash of other blogs

Allrecipes.com for me!

I am all about Smitten Kitchen and Epicurious.com for food and I admit it… I love Martha Stewart. I get the magazine, and I love the website for ideas on entertaining. Of course, the random Google search is always good…

Ah yes! We have gourmet potlucks and I make every effort to be the wine and/or dessert person. We actually play charades, Scene-it, Apples to Apples, Moods and paddle-in-the-pants-pong when it gets drunk I mean late.

Epicurious.com - I use the search feature to look for recipes using whatever ingredients need using up.

smittenkitchen.com and cooksillustrated.com

YUMMMMMMMMMMM

Allrecipes.com and foodnetwork.com
I figure I can’t go too wrong with those sites.

I guess it totally depends on what kind of entertaining I am doing. Something casual like a BBQ may require a visit to Kraftfoods.com (I really have been using them for some time. I liked when they had free Kraft Food magazines) or cooks.com. If I am going fancy or a big social (which I have done a few times) I head to Marthastewart.com. I can’t really do her recipes, but I like to get ideas and then go from there. She does have good ideas for table decorations and such.

I always go to foodtv.com. I have a few favorite chefs and I use them to help make something special.

food network and my blog list to be honest! I love hearing what other blog mommies do - so many creative folks out there… Thanks!

I’d have to say foodnetwork.com or just google. We had a 70’s party last year and google had way too many ideas. But it was our best party ever. Dance floor, disco ball, lava lamps, good costumes and very bad food and drink!

RECIPESOURCE…my favorite web site. I am a bit of a snob really, wont make anything with processed food; basically anything Kraft is out!( I blame my mother- an awesome cook!) I love to have friends over but since we moved and I have no friends, I am doing all my socializing online.

thenest.com or kraft.com

Easy…peasy

foodnetwork.com and mags.

Cookbooks! ok…I use the foodnetwork and others but I still like my cookbooks!

RealSimple.com or my stash of ideas torn from magazines. And ThePioneerWoman.com.

I go straight to www.foodnetwork.com! There are so many ways to sort your search results. My favorite thing though is that most recipes have been rated by people who made the recipe.

Since you introduced Cookstr I have been searching it a lot recently as well! I made an awesome Herb and Goat Cheese Frittata last night when my friend came over to watch a movie and it was DELICIOUS

I go to the Good Eats Fan Page. I’ll make pretty much anything the way Alton Brown tells me to.

I have been getting some good ideas from The Pioneer Woman. I made some of her dishes for our Super Bowl party. I also google recipes alot.

epicurious.com or foodtv.com

NYT (Mark Bittman) and Food Network. AND old-fashioned cookbooks…I’m a librarian, after all!

Epicurious.com and allrecipes.com! Plus DesignSponge for decorating ideas. Ooooh now I want to throw a dinner party!

I frequent a few sites - epicurious, Martha Stewart, Food Network. I try to use websites that have reviews and only use the highly recommended recipes.

I’ve never had a recipe fail from either “The Best Recipe” cookbook, Real Simple (and they live up to that title), or the pioneer woman (and she’ll make you laugh in the meantime).

I like thekitchen.com (part of apt therapy)and davidlebovitz.com whose ice cream and frozen yogurt recipes are the best. But I also use The Google a lot too

Foodnetwork.com, allrecipes.com and marthastewart.com have all served me well!

The only website I can think of is my dear friend Alisa’s-

www.thatslifeenjoyit.blogspot.com

she is so clever and always has great recipes.

besides that, I would probably try

rachelray.com

My go to is always smittenkitchen.com.

I check out food network if I’ll be entertaining in my home. It’s not often that we host anything, the last thing I hosted was Wii and Pizza night.

Epicurious always comes through for me!

Most of our entertainment is heavily food oriented, so I spend time looking at recipes, either at Allrecipes.com or Pioneer Woman Cooks.
I also like googling “party games” and making my friends play embarrassing games.

i use www.cook.com but Foodnetwork.ca has landed me a few good ones too. when i met my partner he did all the cooking, at some point we all have to learn thankfully he didnt fall in love with me for my cooking , but now that i have gotten better he enjoys the added benefit of not always having to cook

My favorite sites are recipies.com and the pioneerwomancooks.com. Seriously Ree (Pioneer Woman) not only has fabulous recipies but great step-by-step pictures.

Foodnetwork.com. I love the Barefoot Contessa’s side dishes, her corn salad and guacamole salad are great for a BBQ.

Nigella.com, its always great for inspiration.

I love the recipes on allrecipes.com and kraftfoods.com always has great appetizers

I’m more likely to go through my magazines (Better Homes & Garden or Southern Living), but I like Smitten Kitchen and The Pioneer Woman.

I usually stick to foods I know for dinner parties, but when I’m looking to try something new I’ll check out pioneer woman, or mennonitegirlscancook.blogspot.com.

All recipes and Food Network are my mainstays. I also like Pioneer Woman Cooks, Year of CrockPotting, and Smitten Kitchen

www.glam.com has some good ones (and I don’t just say that because I used to write for them!) and I love Smitten Kitchen for party recipes

southernliving.com & foodnetwork.com-can’t go wrong with either.

I’m a grown woman, but the closest I come to an “internet” resource for entertaining (other than recipe sites) is e-mailing my mom!

One of our new entertaining ideas is weekend brunch, no tired kids and you still have your evening. I rely on two things: google and my very favorite cookbook called Bay Tables which is put out by the Mobile AL Junior League.

We recently hosted a dinner and started with a desert (peach cobbler) and a drink (dirty arnold palmers) and then filled in with recipes from foodnetwork.com specifically Paula Dean.

allrecipes.com is my one stop recipe location. I have yet to be steared wrong with a recipe from there!

My favourites are foodtv.ca and canadianliving.com (can you tell I’m reading from Canada?)

I’m rather addicted to the food network, so I’m more likely to just try making something “inspired by” a recipe on a show.

However, for guests, Canadian Living recipes always work. (always)

Not that you asked, but my favourite cook book is one of theirs:

http://www.amazon.com/Canadian-Living-Cooks-Step/dp/067931122X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234393367&sr=8-1

mainly because I’m comfortable just winging it for stirfrys, but if I’m trying to cook a roast, or steak, or whole bird, it has a reference for how hot and how long to cook such things.

Sarah

I often find myself perusing the Pioneer Woman’s recipe index when looking for a new recipe idea for hosting a meal. Her food is always rich and delicious…and totally full of fat. Just the way we like it!

For recipes, I look at smitten kitchen, not eating out in ny, and “simply recipes” (elise.com/recipes) the most. For other ideas, I have to admit to being partial to Martha Stewart.

I read The Kitchn (part of Apartment Therapy). They’re focused on cooking but have plenty of specific ideas for entertaining– including lots of cocktails inspired by classic movies.

allrecipes.com or just my lovely well-used cookbooks. I love to cook, so it’s exciting for me to think that I won’t be the only one hosting dinner parties in the near future!!

Definitely good ol’ Martha-I love her everyday food meals; They’re simpler and just as tasty. She also inspires me on the decor side.
And I’ll introduce you to a couple of great canadian ones:
Chatelaine.com
Canadianliving.com
They’re fantastic!

I’m loving the idea of the casual dinner party. You’ve inspired me to host one next weekend

i love going to myrecipes.com (it’s a combo of cooking light, coastal living, etc.) or tastespotting.com for inspiration. i also have some tried & true recipes that i can usually pull together from pantry staples. we’re doing a casual dinner party for valentine’s day on sat with kids included. too often our entertaining turns into byom(bring your own meat) on our grill out by the pool. the adults eat & drink-the kids swim-popsicles are eaten. it’s all good.

Really there is no better resource for food ideas than epicurious.com . Love them. I used to read Bon Appetit cover to cover before Al Gore invented the internet and Jesus gave me a lap top, epicurious is almost as good and a lot more convenient. At least until Obama sends me a kindle to boost the economy.

I have been surprised to find some nice family meal ideas on weightwatchers.com. But I also explore epicurious, food network and anything else for entertaining ideas.

I really just Google incessantly or call my mom. No one knows better than mom, right? Right!

I subscribe to relish.com and I LOVE it! Not only do I get great weeknight meals, but there’s a section of hour d’oeuvres recipes and other fun party foods. When I threw our New Years Eve party, I used it to help me plan the menu.

so for cooking, i have used pioneerwomancooks.com for recipes. especially around the holidays!

for just ideas in general - i google or visit decor sites like apartmenttherapy or realsimple or *gasp* martha stewart.

or i just call my sister who is perfect at party hosting and food making.

I know it’s a little “been there, done that”, but I go to Martha Stewart. That woman knows what she’s doing. She has fun ideas for big and small parties. Kids crafts and fun snacks….she’s where it’s at. Sometimes she’s a bit over the top, but Martha, I still love ya.

Cookstr, Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray (don’t judge), and the pioneerwoman.com. But mostly, I pull down my grandma’s handwritten cookbook and punt . . .

For recipes I always turn to epicurious.com first, but if I’m feeling particularly theme-y I’ll check out Martha

My go to is allrecipes.com. It has lots of reviews, I can search by ingredients and rating, and it lets me adjust serving sizes.

I go to my Mom…she was the queen of dinner parties in the 70’s and still throws a pretty awesome soiree!!

thepioneerwomancooks I have tried quite of few of her recipes and they have all been good - one of my favorite is her pork roast

Recipezaar is the. bomb.

Epicurious and food network. If I have time I look at the most popular recipes and try to make those, but their search by ingredient recipe finder is awesome for when you have ground turkey and tomatoes only and guests coming over!

Allrecipes.com - because you can search by title AND ingredients you do and don’t want in the recipe - there are a million recipes for meatloaf, but do you really want one with anchovies?

Also, my trusty Fiddlehead cookbook (restraunt from Juneau, AK)… great seafood recipes!

Dinner parties are very popular in Alaska… much more intimate and fun than a restraunt - and you can linger much, much longer over great wine! We usually do potluck style - mostly because everyone wants to contribute and be a part of the dinner. Host usually does main course and assigns appetizer, salad, etc.

We also love to host Sunday brunch at our house… you don’t have to work all day Saturday and everything is cleaned up and put away by 3pm on Sunday! Mimosas, pom juice and champagne with frozen raspberries, Baileys in coffee… mmm… brunch is fun!

Um, people don’t really come over to my house. At least, not people that I would potentially ‘entertain’. If I were to have people over though, I definitely got a lot of ideas for websites to check out from the preceding comments!

Cooking Light has a great on-line recipe finder…love it!

I have an enormous collection of cookbooks. I try to use these for planning.

foodnetwork, allrecipes, and I use Yum to collect recipes on my computer.

I go to Martha for food & decorating ideas and then back it up with a trip to Epicurious for recipe reviews.

I have a zillion cookbooks–my mom was quite the collector. Martha Stewart’s Entertaining is my old reliable.

realsimple and allrecipies are two of my faves. Or I hit up my girlfriends on one of the boards at yuku

I love Bill Granger because often when we entertain it’s early evening, with children, or afternoon tea and cakes, which he is really good at.

http://www.bills.com.au/recipes/recipe3.htm his chocolate pudding is just fantastic

I have plenty of recipe books that I like to use also the almighty Google;)

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