Great Recipe for Home Entertaining - Pheasant with Cranberry Peppercorn Sauce

I recently made this dish for a dinner party, and it was a huge success; succulent, flavorful, and simple! I know some don't really care for Pheasant, but with the seasonings, it wasn't at all "gamey." But if you can't bring yourself to eat pheasant, you can easily substitute a roasting chicken or turkey breast. Here is the recipe for 4 guests, as it appears in "An American Bounty":

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 whole pheasants, trussed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup dry red wine
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons ruby port
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Dilute the cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water and set aside.
2. Pat the pheasants dry with paper towels and rub the skin with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavities with the thyme and bay leaves.
3. Place the pheasants on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 55 to 60 minutes, to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, or until the juices show no trace of pink when the thigh is pierced with a kitchen fork.
4. Remove the pheasants from the roasting pan; set aside and keep warm. Immediately add the wine to the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring; scrape the pan well to release all the browned bits on the bottom. Pour the juices into a saucepan.
5. Add the broth, cranberries, sugar, and cracked peppercorns to the saucepan and simmer over medium heat until the cranberries are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Stir the diluted cornstarch if necessary to recombine and add it to the sauce; simmer for 2 more minutes.
7. Stir the ruby port and butter into the sauce. Add salt to taste. Cut the pheasants in half and serve with the sauce.

I served this with wild rice and it went nicely with a Santa Ema Reserve Merlot. For presentation, this dish has beautiful color, so I simply chose to plate it on a clean white dinner plate, like Raynaud's Hommage Dinner Plate.

Checklist for Holiday Entertaining

The holidays can be stressful enough and then some have the added stress of entertaining. I don't know how some people do it! So here is a quick checklist of things you might have overlooked in your holiday party planning:

Candles - A simple decoration that sets the mood and makes people feel warm and welcome

Cocktail Napkins - Good etiquette and adds a festive touch

Tablecloths - Check to see if there are any of last year's stains and if it needs to be ironed.

Serving Pieces - Look over your menu and make sure you have the serving pieces for each dish

Guest Towels - More than three linen or terry cloth ones or plenty of disposable guest towels

Napkin Rings - This is a festive touch that will liven up your table

Stemware - Make sure they are clean and that you have plenty. A good substitute for crystal during parties are the GoVino stemless wine glasses - unbreakable and meant to go in the dishwasher.

Remember, this is the time for joy and fun. Now is the time to forgive and be celebratory. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Keep It Chill with the Vagabond House Champagne Bucket with Lion Handles

To keep from running back to the refrigerator during dinner party, use a fashionable champagne or wine bucket placed predominately on the table. The Wood Lion Champagne Bucket by Vagabond House is not only practical, it is very handsome as well. The wood is smooth and refined as well as the pewter inside that keeps the champagne chilled. The lions are fashioned as handles for a regal and unique look. This bucket is wonderful whether you're hosting a dinner party or used while snuggling up in front of a fire enjoying a loved one's company over a glass of champagne. Click here to view more of the rustic inspired pieces of Vagabond House offered at Sallie home.

Price: $304

Celebrate the New Year with Class: Varga Crystal Champagne Flutes

If people start decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving even happens, then its ok to start thinking about New Years Eve before Christmas even happens. New Years Eve is one of the best celebrations of the year, so why not go eleborate? While you are preparing, remember everything leads up the champagne toast and kiss at midnight - why not make this a memorable moment with Varga Crystal Champagne Flutes? Varga Crystal is flawless and impeccable, there would be no classier way to enter the new year. For a simply elegant toast, check out the Varga Art Crystal Simplicity Flute; it is stunning in its simplicity. For a more ornate and embellished toast, ponder the Varga Art Crystal Avignon; divine in all its detail. Ring in the 2009 year with class! Two flutes would make a great host or hostess gift. Click here to view all of the Varga Crystal stemware and barware available at Sallie home.

Great Conversation Starts With TableTopics

Do you hate the typical small talk at parties and events? Spice it up with questions from TableTopics. With TableTopics you'll be able to spark up fun, interesting, meaningful discussions anywhere or anytime! Tabletopics comes in a cube for easy travel and contain 135 questions to begin conversation. You can choose from ten different cubes, like Teens, Family, Book Club or the Original. Teens is a great way for teens to talk to other teens or for Moms and Dads to start talking to their teenagers. Family is perfect for conversations over the holiday dinner table and book club is great for those who love books and sharing books with others. And of course there is the original, the one that started it all - you can't go wrong with this one! These little cubes make great hostess gifts or party gifts or try it at your upcoming holiday party. These TableTopics cubes are available at Sallie home now, check them out.

Price: $25