Guest Post: Valentine's Day from Kisseo eCards

You might have noticed we've been hibernating for the winter, but the inner romantic in all of us at FunnySpoon had to come out for Valentine's Day! So we teamed up with our friends at Kisseo eCards to give you some last-minute do's and don'ts for Valentine's Day. We wish you all a special day tomorrow!

Either you're sick of all our Valentine's Day articles or you're excited for tomorrow! For those of you who aren't overloaded on candy hearts, we have one more post for you in our series and we feel like we've saved the best for last: What to Eat on Valentine's Day.

Because what's more exciting than indulgent food, right? OK, we can think of one thing but this isn't that type of blog!

With a little help from our friends at FunnySpoon.com, we've compiled the ultimate Eat vs. Don't Eat Guide for Valentine's Day. Get your appetites ready!

Avoid like the plague:

• Ingredients that give you bad breath, leaving you unkissable at the end of the night. Examples: excessive amounts of onion or garlic.
• Anything that could potentially get stuck in your teeth. Examples: Pesto and oregano.
• Any foods that leave your stomach feeling unsettled so you have to cut the date short or make an embarrassing dash for the bathroom. Examples: Beans or Indian food.
• Ingredients one of you could be allergic to. The last thing you want is to swell up like a chipmunk, break out in a rash or start coughing hysterically. Examples: strawberries, nuts, shellfish.
• Food that is hard to eat. You'll be focusing on eating instead of conversing! Examples: lobster in the shell, escargot.
• Anything with chopsticks unless you're both experienced. No need to complicated things!
• Anything messy. 'Nuff said.
• Anything that requires you to eat with your hands, other than sides like bread. Examples: oysters
• Any dish too spicy runs the risk of breaking out in a sweat when you're trying to appear cool and collected. Examples: jalapenos, certain ethnic foods

Wondering what in the world is left? Try this easy and delicious V-day menu! It's ready in a snap so you can focus more on your date:

Spinach Fettuccine Alfredo & Chicken

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Chocolate Truffles

And before you fire up the stove, be sure to fire off a Valentine's Day ecard to your sweetheart!

I'm thinking of you

Koala love

Passion...

Kisseo eCards is the global leader in online greeting cards, with free eCards for every occasion. Send a Valentine's Day card today, either on their website or Facebook!

Leaving the Labor out of Labor Day

Labor day unofficially marks the end of summer, so profit from these last few days of sun, free time, and savory BBQ moments. Here are a few things that will keep the labor out of your holiday and allow you the enjoyment you deserve!

• School is just around the corner, so keep your money in your pockets and don't buy a bunch of decorations. It's just not necessary! Show some pizazz with colorful desserts, such as stuffed strawberries or liven up ice cubes by dropping in some brightly colored fruit.
• If you can prepare it in advance, why not? Potato salad is a must at all backyard dinning events and it actually tastes better if you let it sit (in the fridge) for at least 30 minutes before serving. So, the night before your party boil your potatoes, chop your veggies, toss together, and let chill overnight in the fridge.
• It's hot, so it's a good thing you can whip up ice cream sodas and floats in a jiffy. Just remember to not fill your glass too high with soda or you'll have quite a mess on your hands!
• And what is the most important part of any backyard cookout? Why the grill of course! On the morning of your lovely holiday sling your chosen pieces of meat, seafood, or veggies (with your favorite marinade or rub, of course) into a large ziplock bag and let marinate for 6 hours. This way you won't lose any precious time when your guests arrive.
• Lastly, don't forget to relax, laugh, and enjoy some delicious bits and time with friends and family!

Stuffed Strawberries	Patriotic Fruit Spritzer	Patriotic Flag Cake
Baked Potato Salad	Yellow and Green Potato Salad	Dijon Potato Salad
Lemonade Float	Classic Root Beer Float	Blackberry Ice Cream Soda
Teriyaki Salmon	Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs	Java Marinade
Kansas City Rib Rub	Memphis Rib Rub	Carolina Pulled Pork Rub

Patriotic Party!

It's a chore going out and buying decorations for just one day of fun, or maybe even just a few hours. Plus, most of the decorations only get used one time before you have to throw them away. So, this year, keep your money in your wallet and let your food do all the decorating!

Celebrate the 4th of July with this festive, All-American menu featuring all things RED, WHITE, and BLUE!

Patriotic Summer Salad
Red, White & Blue Cookies	Stuffed Strawberries	Patriotic Cheesecake
Patriotic Spritzer	Patriotic Sangria	Patriotic Shooter

Want more? Check out all our easy recipes! Happy 4th of July!

A Day for Dads

Believe it or not, the time to celebrate your dear ol' Dad has come! He has helped you with your projects, given you extra hugs when you were sick, taught you how to do things, and certainly tons more. So what better way to show him your appreciation than to give him some love-filled home cooking? However, since you would rather be spending time with him than slaving away in the kitchen, we have provided you a quick and simple, (but, oh-so-love-filled) list of menu options.

Breakfast:

Breakfast is a big deal for dads, or at least for my dad, so don't let mom hog all the attention with breakfast in bed! Serve on a tray with some orange juice and/or coffee and all your Father's Day cards.

French Toast Casserole

French Toast and Egg Strata

Spinach Quiche

Lunch:

Dads love hearty foods and these mouthwatering sandwiches and sides are guaranteed to please!

BBQ Pork and Slaw Sandwiches	Southwestern Steak Sandwiches	Meatball Subs
Cole Slaw	Chef Pasta Salad	Grilled Corn Salad

Dinner:

Make dad feel like a king on his special day by preparing a savory and delicious dinner with all the people he loves. Here are some fast and easy dinner ideas that will make any dad think "Wow, I feel special!"

Grilled Steak with Goat Cheese Sauce	Beer-Roasted Asparagus
Cheesy Garlic Biscuits	Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

Looking for something else? Check out all our easy recipes!

FunnySpoon hopes you have a lovely, fun-filled, and of course delicious Father's Day! Happy Father's Day, Dad!

International Spotlight: Mexico

In honor of Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) we have decided to spotlight Mexico. For those of you who do not know or have forgotten, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. Actually, it is the celebration of the Mexican army's victory against the fierce French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Although it is celebrated in Mexico it is not a Mexican holiday, but actually an American Civil War holiday and therefore we Americans join in on the festivities. So in honor of our Mexican pride, let's raise our Margarita glasses and get started!

Mexican cuisine is known for its bold, mouth watering flavors, colorful decorations and plentiful assortment of spices. It's great family and party food, so why not combine the two and go loco?!?


Guilt-Free Guacamole

• Guacamole dates all the way back to the time of the Aztecs and was originally called ahuca-milli, which translates to avocado sauce or mixture. There are many variations to creating your own guacamole, but traditionally it only includes avocados, onions, chilies, tomatoes, and salt.
• The avocado sits center stage in this recipe and is therefore essential and that is why choosing your avocados are very important. Hass avocados have the best taste and are actually the easiest to find, as they are produced year round. The darker colored fruit are usually the ripest, but it is not the best indicator. Get up close and personal with your bumpy, green friends. If your avocado is tender, but not squishy than that is your winner.
• Serrano and jalapeno chilies are the Mexicans' preferred chilies and are most commonly used. Small chilies tend to be super hot, so be sure to chop them well and wash your hands after handling, as to avoid any accidents. Another than that, the choices are yours, amigo.
• Serve immediately or chill for up to 3 hours.

Tangy Orange Margaritas

• Margaritas are a Mexican cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime, and often served with salt around the rim of the glass, but there are hundreds of variations to the drink.
• It was be served as is, with ice, or blended.
• Although thought of as a popular Mexican drink, its founder was an American from Texas named Margarita Sames, who created it in 1948 at her vacation home in Acapulco.
• Margaritas are super easy to prepare, can be made ahead of time, and tons of fun to drink!

Tempeh Tacos

• Tacos are the Mexican equivalent to our sandwich. Traditionally, the contents can vary depending on the region, but usually include some marinated meat served on two overlapped small tortillas and sometimes garnished with guacamole, salsa, onions, and cilantro.
• Contrary to popular belief, tacos are actually eaten as an entree or a morning or midnight snack. However, tacos are perfect for parties because they can be served without utensils and can be prepared on the spot. Just serve up some salsa guacamole, cilantro, onions, and lettuce and you have yourself a festive taco bar!
• If you want to keep tradition in mind, most taco stands accompany their tacos with whole or sliced red radishes, lime slices, salt, pickled or grilled chilies, and even grilled cambray onions.

Salud ("cheers" in Spanish) and Happy Cinco de Mayo! We'll see you next time when we spotlight another cultural favorite, Italy.

When The Hunting Has Ceased

One of the oldest traditions of Easter is painting eggs. They are super fun to do with children and look amazing as place settings for Easter dinner. However, the problem is what to do afterwards ...

If you plan on eating your splendid little Easter eggs, then boiling them perfectly is key. Nobody likes rubbery eggs or grey insides.

1. Fill your pot with cold water about an inch or two above the tops of your eggs.
2. As soon as your water comes to a boil, remove from heat and let stand for about 15 minutes.
3. Drain and run through cold water to stop the cooking process.
4. Stencil, pattern with paper, draw, dye, or paint!

It is also best to use older eggs, as opposed to fresh ones, because they tend not peel as well.

After the hunting has ceased, you can put those boiled eggs to good use and reuse them in tons of our recipes!

Cobb Salad
Smoked Salmon Nicoise Salad	Veggie Sandwich	Breakfast-for-Lunch Salad
Phyllis' Famous Chicken Salad	Six Ingredient Tuna Salad	Egg Salad Sandwich
Salad Nicoise	Country Egg Salad	Chef Pasta Salad

Eggs, as we know, are very delicate and when stored can take on all the lovely smells in your refrigerator. In other words, remember to store you precious eggs in an air tight container.

Happy Easter everyone!