Home is Where the Heart is
17 Mai 2007 - 4:15PM
PR Newswire (US)
Country Crock 'Dishes Out' Today's Trends in Get Togethers and
Reveals Americans Are Still Connecting the Old Fashioned Way
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Stay home, make room
in the den, turn on the tube and invite everyone over! Today's
trend of connecting with friends and family is in the home, often
around a meal or television show. A recent survey conducted by
Country Crock(R) Deluxe Side Dishes found that one dilemma people
face is the issue of space when entertaining in the home, and more
people would be inclined to have get togethers in their homes if
they had more room to entertain. It also showed that gathering for
the hottest reality and drama shows is on the rise, unifying the
masses through a common form of entertainment. Entertaining expert
Jeanne Benedict offers some great mealtime solutions to alleviate
the problem of space in a home, as well as fun, unique ways to
entertain around the television that will keep the gatherings going
all year round! "Getting together with friends and family takes
little effort, and creating a fun casual atmosphere that allows
guests to feel at home, and the host to feel more relaxed about
entertaining, is the key to success in entertaining in the home."
said Jeanne Benedict, author and host/designer of the TV theme
party show, "Weekend Entertaining." "You can make any day of the
week special, by spending time with those you care about, simply
watching TV or playing board games, and enjoying an easy to prepare
meal." So, how do you pull it off, how do you entertain and what
will be served? Jeanne Benedict has some great tips and suggestions
on how to host a great get together that will keep your guests
talking about it for days! Entertaining in Small Spaces Nearly half
of those surveyed (44%) believe they would entertain more if their
homes could accommodate it. However, the fact is, a small space can
be just as inviting as a large home -- you just need to know how to
seek out and capitalize on the entertaining possibilities presented
in every room. Jeanne suggests starting the process by determining
seating and locating surface potentials for food, then getting
inventive with supportive accents. * The Kitchen Countertop Buffet
-- Who would have thought your countertops could transform into an
elegant and sophisticated serving station. Simply lay out fabric on
all surfaces and use risers for food -- replenishing straight from
the refrigerator or microwave as needed. * Take-off on Plates --
When dining space is limited, serve food in easy- to-hold
decorative containers that function as plates. Chinese food
take-out containers are perfect for an Asian-themed noodle and
dim-sum party, or fill coffee-mugs or crocks with comforting
Country Crock Deluxe Mac and Cheese for a Southwestern fiesta.
These allow guest to mingle while munching. * Niche Nooks -- Who
says closets are solely for clothes? Converting tucked away spaces
into serving areas is a breeze. Simply remove clothes or clutter
and temporarily stash them under a bed or even in your car, drape
fabric from the closet rod for a nice backdrop, and create a chic
bar by placing a table or raised surface in the closet to serve
Country Crock Deluxe Mashed Potato Martini bar in stemmed
glassware. Your TV is Your Entertaining Best Friend Television has
truly become today's entertaining medium, discussed over coffee,
commuting to work, or on the phone at night. Why not use it as your
central form of entertainment for your gathering? Jeanne suggests
creating a theme for your menu based on the program friends and
family are gathering for. * Grey's Anatomy -- Is there a Doctor in
the house? Have some fun with this fan-favorite by offering
character themed food such as Izzie's delicious muffins, McDreamy's
Ice Cream and Lady Fingers, and O'Malley's Country Crock Deluxe
Scalloped Potatoes. Dress your buffet table with surgical blue
cloth, place silverware in stainless steel tray and use clear/glass
plates to demonstrate a crisp, sanitary scene. For entertainment,
write-up one-liners from the show's casts and have your guests take
a crack at who said what. * Deal or No Deal -- Open the case! Set
up a suitcase buffet using silver metal lunchboxes with numbers on
them. Inside each box, highlight on a card a meal the lucky
recipient will be eating that evening. Friends can then draw
numbers from a hat to see what lucky case they'll be enjoying.
About Country Crock Deluxe Side Dishes Country Crock's Deluxe Side
Dish varieties include Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Scalloped Potatoes,
Cheddar Broccoli Rice and the classic Macaroni & Cheese. These
hassle free, fully-prepared sides are refrigerated, never frozen,
and ready to heat and serve in just five minutes. Country Crock
Side Dishes come packaged in 21-24 ounce reusable tubs with lids
(approximately four servings per container) and are found in the
refrigerated meat or deli sections of supermarkets nationwide.
About Unilever Unilever [NYSE: UL, UN], one of the world's largest
consumer products companies, aims to add vitality to life by
meeting everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care.
Each day, around the world, consumers make 150 million decisions to
purchase Unilever products. The company has a portfolio of brands
that make people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In
the United States these brands include recognized names such as:
Axe, "all," Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country
Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Lipton,
Knorr, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Snuggle, Suave
and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered
trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving
consumers and the communities where we live, work and play,
Unilever in the United States employs approximately 15,000 people
in 66 office and manufacturing sites in 24 states and Puerto Rico-
generating more than $9 billion in sales in 2005. For more
information, visit http://www.unileverusa.com/. Contact: Kristen
Ryan M Booth & Associates 212-539-3225 DATASOURCE: Country
Crock Deluxe Side Dishes CONTACT: Kristen Ryan of M Booth &
Associates, +1-212-539-3225, or Web site:
http://www.unileverusa.com/
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