by Stephanie Berenbaum – November 30, 2011

Throw a Dinner Party on a Dime

Want to throw an upscale holiday dinner party without the price tag?  Has your office party been canceled this year because funds have been cut?  Don’t let the bad economy put a damper on your social sparkle – throw a Posh Potuck instead! Your next elegant evening could be as near as your very own cupboard.  We love the very Fab & Fru idea of hosting a Posh Potluck anytime of year, but the holidays couldn’t be a better time to celebrate in style. ‘Posh’ and ‘potluck’ are not two words which we generally associate with one another.  But, put the two together, and you get an incredibly chic evening — at a bargain basement price!

In fact, Brandi and I just threw a Posh Potluck a few weeks ago at my home in LA.  Here’s how we did it!

Use What You’ve Got

Like so many of you, I sometimes forget I have all the makings of an elegant dinner party just waiting to happen!  I mean, who doesn’t have some hidden treasures lurking around, just dying for a chance to be seen again?  I am always looking for an excuse to show off the fabulous cocktail dresses that I inherited from my grandmother, and the bling-festooned jewelry that I never get to wear.  And then there’s the loads and loads of wedding china which rarely sees the light of day…

So –  if the burden of shouldering all the costs (& the work) of a chic dinner party sounds overwhelming, a posh potluck is just what you need to put elegance well within your reach!

Chicken Wings and Waterford?

All a Posh Potluck involves is having your friends each bring a dish like they would for a normal potluck, but instead of sitting around in your grubby jeans and eating off of paper plates…use all the fancy stuff what you’ve got!  –Meaning: so what if you’re just eating neighbor Nicki’s famous mac and cheese?  If you’re eating it off china and drinking Two Buck Chuck out of crystal, it’s bound to improve your mood, don’t you think?

The Invitations

Don’t just send out a boring email to invite your guests.  Invite them formally!  Paperless Post is a virtual paper invitation that gives your guests the feel of opening a formal invite with wasting paper or spending a small fortune on stamps.  The first 25 invites are free, and after that it’s just 5 bucks to send out another 30.  Besides intriguing your guests, an invitation will also help you organize who’s bringing what to the party!

What’s for Dinner?

As the host, you don’t have to do EVERYTHING by yourself to throw a successful and enjoyable party.  However, you need to organize, delegate and set the mood for the evening.  When assigning courses for people to bring – be strategic.  Besides dusting off the china and creating a formal dining setting, the host should be in charge of cocktails, appetizers and the salad.  Assign main courses, sides and dessert to your guests.  If you have some seriously kitchen challenged guests on your list, ask them to bring a bottle or two of wine instead.

Prep for Your Posh Nosh

From the clothes to the table settings – it’s the pomp and circumstance that will define the night.  But don’t rush out to buy anything.  Turn what you already have into a night to remember.  Just looking through my own closets and cabinets I uncovered:

• One beaded cocktail dress of my grandmothers that I have been dying to have an excuse to wear. (Men, pull out that fancy suit!)
• One pair of gold, 4 inch heels i haven’t worn since my wedding 7 years ago
• A huge opal ring I look at lovingly in the case but never take out
• Full place settings of china, crystal and silver – everything from dishes to ice buckets and pickle forks..
• Linen napkins & tablecloths
• A crumb scraper (like they use in fancy restaurants)
• Silver candlesticks
• Wine decanters
• Wedgwood wine coasters
• A few demoralized crystal bowls sitting in my storage shed

Put them all together, turn on some swing music, put on some make-up, and you’ve got a black tie affair that won’t put you in the red!

by Brandi Savitt – November 14, 2011

Fancy & Frugal Anytime Appetizers

Looking for easy to make appetizers this Holiday Season?  And, yes,  of course we mean ones that don’t cost a lot, but will please even your foodiest of friends.  Well, you’ve come to the right place: Try out our 3 delightful, meatless crostini variations and instantly become the hit of the dinner party!  Make one kind – or do what we do – make a sampling of them all.  They’re bite sized, beautiful, and sure to please even the most curmudgeonly (is that a word?) of relatives.

Quality & Freshness Count

The difference between making a good crostini and an excellent one is starting with the freshiest ingredients.  None of the ingredients in the following recipes are expensive, and a little will go a long way – so don’t skip on quality and taste just to save a few pennies…

Start with Good Bread

The first step in creating a perfect crostini is a good French baguette.  One large baguette will yield about 40-45 crostini.  Slice the baguette into 1/4 inch slices, but cut the bread at a slight angle to get larger pieces.  Place the slices onto cookie sheets and lightly brush each piece of bread with olive oil. Toast the crostini in the oven until they begin to brown around the edges and the oil bakes in.  Do not over toast.  The bread is best if it remains crispy on the outside but slightly chewy in the the center.  Let the crostini cool.  –This step can be done in advance.

The Avocado Pesto Crostini

*Makes 12 crostini

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of Fresh Pesto
• 3 Ripe Avocados
• Ground Black Pepper
• Sea Salt

When you are just about ready to serve the appetizers, assembly of the crostini begins.  Of course, you can easily make your own pesto by blending (in a blender or mixer) a bunch of fresh basil with a 1/4 cup of olive oil, an 1/4 of pine or walnuts, and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.  Or….  buying a $3 container of fresh pesto from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s will do the trick in a pinch too!

Instructions:

Spread a layer of pesto on each crostini.  Cut each avocado into halves and slice.  Gentle pile each crostini with avocado slices then sprinkle each creation with salt and pepper.  -Each avocado should make 4 crostini.

By Megan Segura – October 17, 2011

Birthdays Without Big Bucks

While I no longer get particularly excited for my own birthday, I still remember how much I used to love that day.  Even though it usually coincided with our winter family vacations, my parents made a point to make me feel special by throwing a small party wherever we were.  But as any parent can tell you, many of today’s kids’ parties come with adult price tags!

So – if the economy has thrown a dent in your party planning budget – don’t fret!   You can still throw a superbly fun birthday bash without spending a small fortune.  Remember — The size of your party budget does not represent the amount of love you have for your child, or how much fun all the kids will have.  The key is to get creative – here are some of our fave ideas and sites to help you plan…

Get the Guest of Honor Involved

Evites may be cheap and easy, but I miss the personal touch only a physical invitation can bring. Why not get your birthday boy or girl involved by having them create the invitations?  Fold a piece of construction paper, and let your child decorate the outside. Add the What, When, Where and Why inside, and you’re done! Just make sure you start this process a couple of weeks ahead of the actual date you want to send invites by, so your child doesn’t have to spend hours at a time on the project.

Pick A Theme

Parties are easier to organize once a theme has been chosen. From there, you can base the rest of your choices on that one central decorating scheme. Your child should be able to provide some great ideas, and Hostess With the Mostess is always full of creative party themes, but don’t let the site intimidate you – no one expects you to be THAT crafty…  For fun, affordable and retro party ideas, also check out these Fab & Fru kid party tips.

Make a Homemade Cake

Aside from the invitations, the birthday cake is a great place to flex your domestic muscle. Try looking at Family Fun for cake ideas. They also come with detailed instructions, so the final product actually looks like the picture they show.

Choosing A Venue

Frugal Confessions created a handy chart that lists venues by their price per child. This is a great tool if you’re looking to go outside your home for the birthday party celebration.  Remember, though, staying home can be just as fun if you organize time and events so that the kids are constantly doing something fun.

Party Favors

If you want to send kids home with something sweet, try looking at bulk candy sites like Candy.com. You’re able to buy large amounts of candy for less (they’re great for Halloween, too), and since most do not come individually packaged, you can wrap the candy in cellophane or a small box that matches the theme of your party.

Make the Day About Your Kid

While it’s important to set a good example for your child and make all of your guests feel welcome, the day should really center on the birthday boy or girl.  Throwing a party that impresses the other adults won’t ever be as important as the sweet memories you’re creating for your little one.

What is the most memorable kid party you little one has been to lately?

Moving Beyond 2 Buck Chuck

When I was in my swinging single hey day – and entertaining up a storm – my go to wine was Trader Joe’s “2 Buck Chuck.” You know the one – that Charles Shaw wine that sold for $1.99 a bottle…  And while I love an extreme bargain as much as the next girl, I have to admit my palette has become slightly more refined over the years.  So, as we enter the entertaining and holiday season, I wanted to know what fabulous deals Trader Joe’s could offer me (and my snobby taste buds) now.  In other words, I’m ready for an upgrade!

TJ’s Wine & Cheese

I walked into my local Trader Joe’s and cornered the manager, who was very excited to share with me his insider picks for the best wine and cheese pairings TJ’s has to offer.  I told him my criteria was that his picks must taste like they cost a lot more than they do.  Very Fab & Fru, right?  And the Winners Are…

White Wine

The pick for top bang-for-your-buck white wine?  Black Mountain Vineyard 2009 Chardonnay.  At only $5.99 a bottle, he said this one was a staff winner when they do their behind-the-scenes wine tastings, and likened it more to what you might expect from a $9.00 bottle of wine.

Red Wine

This was where Mister Manager really got excited.  He told me without hesitation that his top pick for red was Trader Joe’s Reserve 2009 Medocino County Cabernet Sauvignon.  At $9.99 a bottle, he said it easily compares to wines that cost twice as much!  They had done a recent in-store wine tasting, and this was the huge winner among customers and staff alike.  When put head to head with the $18.99 per bottle Rodney Strong, the Trader Joe’s Reserve was the winner, hands down!

Cheese, Please

Ok, so now you’ve got your vino taken care of.  What about cheese pairings? No offense, but haven’t we all gotten past putting out the pre-sliced little squares in the Trader Joe’s Crowd “Cheeser” Tray?  Again, I told my new-found friend I wanted grown-up cheese that you had to slice yourself – and of course that tasted like a million bucks!

The Good Goat

It was at this point that several Trader Joe’s employees began clamoring around to find the one cheese they all went crazy for at a recent in-store tasting.  Their pick?  Trader Joe’s Cranberry Chevre – this delectable log of cranberry covered goat cheese makes for an elegant presentation and a sweet treat.  No one will know it only costs $3.99 for an 8 oz. log.  They also had a couple other sweet varieties of chevre log which looked yummy, including Wild Blueberry/Vanilla and Honey.

Better Cheddar

Next up? Navigating the sea of sharp cheddars.  I asked Mister Manager what was his top pick out of all of their sharp offerings, and I have to say his choice surprised me.  It wasn’t an import from England, but rather Vermont’s very own Cabot Extra Sharp White Cheddar.  At only $5.99 a pound, you can get a nice sized wedge sharp and tangy enough to rival the best that English cows have to offer!

Reinventing the (Brie) Wheel

My new favorite thing at TJs is also a great way to round out (no pun intended, you’ll see what I mean) your cheese platter.  I just love Brie, but those big wedges become a total mess and are hard to navigate on a tray.  Thankfully, Trader Joe’s offers a Brie Cheese Log!  Why didn’t someone think of this sooner? This brilliant brie easily slices into round cracker size toppers, and it is only $3.99 for a 6 oz log.

Salty and Sweet

Everyone knows that the only thing that can make a glorious wine and cheese party better is — well, a little chocolate, of course!  I always like to add a bowl of Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Mini Pretzels to the cheese platter.  The guests go crazy for it, and it is a perfect inexpensive accompaniment to the wine and cheese.  And it’s WAY cheaper than having to buy blocks of dark chocolate for all your guests!

Taste For Yourself

One of the best things about my experience at Trader Joe’s this morning?  I really wanted to taste one of the English Cheddars to see how it compared to the Cabot. So, the manager ripped open a package and let me break off a hunk right there – and, no, it did not measure up to the Cabot!

I have no idea if all managers are this helpful, but I loved that TJ’s let me do this.  In addition, my local Trader Joe’s usually offers a couple wine and cheese tastings per month, and yours probably does too…  So, if you’re looking to save BIG and entertain in style this fall and winter, check out what your local TJ’s has to offer!

So what’s YOUR favorite wine and cheese from TJs?

*This is NOT a paid advertisement.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Here at Fab & Fru, we are beyond excited it is finally Labor Day. The storm in New York from last weekend had everyone in hibernation mode, so it will be nice to make up for it by spending some extra time with family and friends!

Throwing a party or having friends over today? Try one of these yummy cocktail recipes from Baileys Original Irish Cream and Moon Mountain Organic Vodka:

Labor Day Iced Latte

Ingredients

1 ounce Baileys Original Irish Cream
1/2 ounce Chilled Espresso
1 ounce Bulleit Bourbon
1/8 ounce Simple Syrup
3 Mint Sprigs

Instructions

1. Mix coffee and sugar syrup together and set aside
2. In a highball glass, layer 2 mint sprigs in the bottom of the glass, then top with crushed ice
3. Add Baileys Original Irish Cream, Bulleit Bourbon, and simple syrup
4. Swizzle together, leaving the mint at the bottom of the glass
5. Float coffee on top and garnish with last mint sprig

Summer’s End Sipper

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Moon Mountain Organic Vodka
1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
1 ounce Simple Syrup
3 Cucumbers
4 Mint Leaves

Instructions

1. Muddle fresh mint, cucumber and raw simple syrup in a mixing glass.
2. Add Moon Mountain Organic Vodka and lime juice and shake with ice.
3. Strain over fresh ice in a high ball glass.
4. Garnish with a slice of fresh cucumber.

What are you doing to celebrate Labor Day?

by Stephanie Berenbaum 

Turn A Boring Frank into a Fabulous Feast

As you might remember, our favorite spread for Labor Day is the Regional Hot Dog Bar. Think about it: for the same price as it costs you to lay out some boring old dogs and the fixings, with a little imagination and a couple of extra minutes, you can make cheap hot dogs seem- frankly- a whole lot more exciting!

Setting Up Your Regional Hot Dog Bar

When setting up a hot dog bar, it is particularly frugal to start with the most famous regional styles of the bunch: the Chicago Style hot dog and New York Style hot dog.  By ‘marketing’ your get together as a ‘Regional Hot Dog Bar’, instead of just serving a cheap meal you suddenly have a festive and fun theme going!

The Chicago Hot Dog

*Recipe courtesy of Fluky’s Chicago Style Hot Dogs

Ingredients

• Boiled Hot Dogs
• Poppy Seed Buns (S. Rosens are a Chicago favorite)
• Yellow mustard
• Bright green (Neon) sweet relish
• Chopped Onions
• Kosher Dill Pickle Spears
• Tomato Slices
• 2 Serrano Sport Peppers (they are HOT)
• Dash of celery salt

Instructions

Heat hot dogs in boiling water to 170 degrees.  Put the hot dog in a steamed poppy seed bun.  Pile on toppings in this order: Mustard, Relish, Onions, Pickle, Tomatoes, peppers and celery salt.

New York Street Cart Dogs

Brandi is a New Yorker now, so let’s check out the recipe for those famous New York City “Street Cart Dogs” – sometimes affectionately referred to as “Dirty Water Dogs!”

Ingredients

• Boiled Hot dogs
• Plain Buns
• Deli Mustard
• Sabrett’s Onion Sauce
• Sauerkraut (optional)

Instructions:

The classic NYC cart dog is boiled in water, with onion sauce and deli mustard and sometimes sauerkraut, on a plain hot dog bun.  You can find recipes claiming to replicate the traditional Sabrett Onion Sauce online, but at only about $3.75 for a package, you might as well buy it.  lt looks like even Wal-Mart is carrying it these days!

**If you prefer to go the way of a traditional grilled New York weiner (a la Nathan’s) all you need to do is grill your franks instead of boil them, and top with brown mustard and sauerkraut and you are good to go!

By Megan Segura – August 10, 2011

No Need to Shop When You Can Swap

As summer wanes, the dreaded back-to-school shopping becomes an increasingly necessary evil.  And while you probably need to replenish at least part of your wee one’s wardrobe, part of you can’t help but ask, “What’s the point?” He or she will soon grow out of those expensive clothes, or worse, ruin them with grass stains and lunchroom spills. What’s a Fab & Fru mom to do?

Stop Shopping & Start Swapping

Have you ever been to a clothing swap? From designer threads to Halloween costumes, this hit or miss fashion alternative to thrift shopping really came into vogue when the recession first struck in 2008.  Well, what about kids clothes?  Open your kids closets and drawers, and I’ll bet you’ll find armfuls of items that your kids outgrew before they ever even had the chance to wear them!  Not only will a swap save you money, but it’s eco-friendly. Professional swappers – like the go-to kids clothes swapping site, ThredUp, or the ladies from Swapaholics - have already turned back-to-school shopping into back-to-school swapping – so why don’t you?!

Host Your Own Swap

A clothing swap of kids clothes can save you and other moms you know tons of money. Make a list of your favorite mom pals, send out an evite, and host a kids clothes swap!   Obviously, the clothes should be clean and and in good shape.  Encourage everyone to spread the word and invite all of their other mommy friends, too - the more the merrier!

Even More Fun Than Swapping Spit!

On the day of, set out some fun adult drinks and snacks, and let the women nosh while you sort. First, separate the clothes each mom brought by gender. Next, put each size/age group in separate bags or bins. If you want the clothes to look extra appealing, you should bring in some rolling garment racks and wooden hangers. This also makes browsing a little easier, so moms aren’t having to unfold and refold items that are sprawled out on a table. It might also be helpful for moms who have never swapped before to put some nicely worded signs around the clothes that inform friends to only take as much as they brought. Finally, let the shopping begin!

Don’t Expect to Get Everything You Need

It’s best to begin with a list of all the items your kids need for the upcoming school year. Try getting what you can at the swaps first before heading to the stores to fill in the blanks on your list.

Get Chatty With the Help of This Mat

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Sam Smith – the creative director of YourChatMat.  And I have to say, I was so impressed with their product that I was thrilled when Sam offered to make it this week’s Fab & Fru Giveaway! This is my new favorite gift item for all the moms I know. YourChatMat is a new line of decorative placemats that aim to “Put Conversation Back On The Menu,” so obviously, as a mom of two boys, who continuously tell me they do “nothing” at school all day, I was intrigued ….

This is where the brilliance of YourChatMat comes into play – the placemats actually have a vast array of questions, quotes, dares, facts and thought-provoking conversation starters on every mat!  They are specifically designed to facilitate meaningful mealtime interaction.

So what’s the “natural” spin on these mats?  Unlike many plastic-y placemats that smell toxic. These mats are made (in the USA, by the way) with BPA-free plastic and high-quality paper made from sustainable resources with 30% minimum post-consumer recycled.  The quality of each mat is vigilantly maintained in an FSC certified facility.  The high quality and non-toxic nature of these mats makes them both Fab & Fru in my book.

Mats can be bought directly on their site, and range from $19.95 – $26.95 per set.   But this week, one lucky winner will WIN A SET OF FOUR for FREE! Just sign up for our newsletter and leave a comment below telling us why you want to WIN your own set YourChatMats!

By Megan Segura – July 14, 2011

The Best Home Entertainment Alternatives

If you’re a Netflix subscriber like me, then you were probably surprised to receive an email from the company this past Tuesday announcing the change in subscription plans and prices. You see, I was a lifelong Blockbuster fan (call me biased – they gave me my first job in high school), until Netflix lured me away with their super low rates.  But now that they’ve decided to suddenly increase their prices without citing a reason – I’ll be honest – I feel a little ripped off…

Here’s the Deal with Netflix

Previously, Netflix customers were able to enjoy unlimited DVDs by mail (only 1 DVD mailed out at a time) and unlimited access to their streaming movie & TV series database (via computer, mobile device and TV) for $9.99 a month. However, beginning on Sept. 1, 2011 – to get both services – you’ll have to pay $15.98 a month!

There Are Plenty of Fish in The Sea

Too often, customers accept price changes without looking into their alternatives. I mean, let’s be honest, who really wants to sit around all day and compare prices? Luckily for you, we’ve done some Fab & Fru legwork for you!

Hulu Plus – $7.99 a month

• What You Get – Tons of movies and TV shows that can be enjoyed via your TV, mobile devices and computer.
• Upsides – No waiting for movies to arrive in the mail (unless your high speed internet connection is down). You can cancel your subscription at any time.
• Downsides – While they offer current TV episodes, you’re not going to be able to see the newest released movies.  Some of your movies/shows will be interrupted by ads.

Blockbuster – $11.99 – $19.99

• What You Get – You have the choice to rent 1, 2 or 3 movies at a time (the less movies you rent, the less you pay a month). You can exchange movies via mail or in-store exchanges.
• Upsides – Blockbuster gets new releases 28 days before other movie rental services. If you have a Blockbuster store nearby, there’s no waiting for the mail, and you can exchange as many time within a month as you want.
• Downsides – Because they don’t offer a streaming service, their rental plan is slightly pricier than Netflix’s.  You also must  cancel your subscription before your monthly billing date in order not to pay for the next month.

CinemaNow – No monthly fee

• What You Get – Watch their extensive collection of new releases through any device that hooks up to the internet. You can pay to rent a movie ($2.99+) and watch it within 24 hours of downloading it, or you can buy a movie ($12.95+) and have it stored forever to watch as often as you want.
• Upsides – Instant access to new releases without waiting for the mail.
• Downsides – You will have to budget out how many movies you watch a month to make sure that you’re not paying way more a month than you would for a subscription-based program.

Redbox – No subscription fee

• What You Get – A Redbox is a small movie vending machine that allows you to rent and return movies to any Redbox location.
• Upsides – There’s no subscription fee; you pay a low price ($1.00-1.50) for each movie you watch with your credit card.
• Downsides – While they do have new releases, the selection is small, so you’re not able to rent classic or slightly old movies. You have 24 hours to return the movie before your credit card is charged with a late fee.

What Will You Do?

Whether you’re outraged by the sudden rate increase or not, in the end, you may decide to stick with Netflix for its price or convenience. The point is that you thoughtfully consider your other options. As for me, I’m going back to Blockbuster. Yes, their prices are a little higher, but I also feel less jerked around by the company – and that means a lot to me as a consumer.  –Besides, as someone who watches movies non-stop, I love being able to go to the store if I can’t wait for the DVD to arrive in the mail or my internet connection is down!

What about you? Will you be sticking with Netflix, or do you have a better recommendation?

7 Frugal Tips for the Hostess with the Mostess

After spending the last several days hosting my favorite Scandinavian friends/business colleagues, I realized that being a fabulous hostess can cost you a lot more than you bargained for if you aren’t careful!

Sure, having out-of-town company can be great - especially when they are friends or family that you actually want to see.  But if you’re anything like me and start to see every little thing wrong in your home (I actually seriously considered replacing my cat scratched couch before the Norwegians came),  you need to take a step back and put things into realistic perspective.  Take it from me – there is a Fab & Fru way to turn your home into an oasis of comfort for your guests without going overboard…

Clean & De-Clutter

The cheapest and most simple way to create an inviting and calm environment for your guests is to clean your house and get rid of clutter.  Scrubbing the tub, getting rid of that pile of old mail and putting away the laundry doesn’t cost you anything extra, plus tidying up for your guests is a fantastic excuse to bring order to your home and reclaim your space for yourself!

Change the Sheets

Steph may have come a long way in getting over her germophobia, but unidentifiable stains on sheets are NOT ok!  And of course, sheet sets can get very expensive – or the cheap ones feel like sandpaper.  Our solution?  Tee shirt sheets!  They feel luxurious and cost the same or less than cheap, crappy sheets.  Buy a set in white – we found twin sets at Target for only $10 or so.  Now you’ll know why even Oprah threw out her multi-count sheets in favor of jersey knit ones!

Invest in White Towels

No, your old, raggedy towels are NOT okay either – that’s just gross!  However, before you go out and buy an entire set of new towels, we recommend trying to bleach your old ones first.  If the the bleach doesn’t do the trick, then it’s time to invest a little money in a new set of towels.   But keep in mind- DO NOT use your guests as an excuse to buy luxury Turkish bath towels when you can’t afford to.  By making a trip to your local linen outlet, you’ll be able to find (and feel) a nice but affordable 6 piece set for under $20-30.  *Be sure to buy white towels only.  This way, you’ll be able to bleach them after each house guest!

Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet

This next prep step won’t cost you a dime….  Clean all the gross stuff out of your medicine cabinet!  Many of us will be sharing a bathroom with our treasured guests, and the last thing they need to see is your anti-fungal cream, yeast infection tubes or anti-psychotic meds staring them in the face in the morning.