Champagne. Nothing says “Happy New Year” like the sound of a cork popping from a a big bottle of bubbly.

But movies and TV would have you believe that opening a bottle of Champagne means the cork should ricochet around the room while the precious wine gushes out of the bottle like a waterfall.

That’s just a waste of good (and usually expensive) Champers (not to mention a tad bit dangerous)!

If you plan to welcome the New Year with a glass of Champagne (or sparkling wine), make sure you know how to open the bottle so you don’t spill a drop!

Here’s how to chill and open a bottle of Champagne:

1. Chill the sealed bottle in a bucket of ice and water for 30 to 45-minutes before you’re ready to open and serve it. If you have more time, refrigerate it for 2 to 3 hours. The folks at Dom Perignon recommend serving the Champagne at about 54°F.
2. To open the bottle, keep the palm of your hand flat over the top of the bottle and remove the foil and wire cage.
3. Hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from you (and your otherwise terrified guests) and press your palm flat on the cork.
4. With your hand on the bottleneck, twist the bottle, NOT THE CORK, until the cork starts to loosen.
5. Gently ease the cork from the bottle. The cork should come out with a sigh not a bang!

Perfect! That’s how you open a bottle of Champagne! Now serve the wine in tall and narrow flutes or the old-school, wider shaped coupes (like the two in the photo).

And, while you’re sipping your Champagne, ask your guests: How many bubbles are contained in average bottle of Champagne?

The answer? Forty-nine million!

Have a safe and happy New Year celebration!

Everyone knows how to make a fruit smoothie, right? But do you know how to make the perfect fruit smoothie?

Here’s are my 5 tips for perfect smoothies:

1. Add the liquids first. This will help blend all the ingredients evenly. Milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut water, juice, tea and even kombucha or kefir are great base liquids.

2. Fat is your friend. As much as we want to save calories, using nonfat yogurt is NOT the way to go. It leaves the smoothie tasting like you’ve tried to pulverize sand and it’ll be grainy. Use low-fat yogurt instead.

3. Use frozen fruit. Frozen fruit thickens and adds flavor without diluting your smoothie. In the off-season, frozen fruit usually has more flavor than what you’ll find in the market. In season, put your fruit in the freezer for a few hours before popping it into the blender. Always pulse the blender a few times because the fruit can refreeze!

4. For a creamier (and healthier) smoothie, add ripe avocados or bananas. Those darker bananas will be sweeter so don’t worry about a few freckles! Honey, chia and flax seeds are also great thickeners.

5. Add the ice last. If you still want some icy-coldness, make this the last thing you put in the blender. Ice will thicken the smoothie without adding any additional calories.

Oh… and here’s one more important tip: always use the Hamilton Beach® Wave~Action Blender® for the creamiest smoothie!

My good friends at Hamilton Beach® sent me one of these good-looking babies to try out and, I’ve got to tell you, this blender is my go-to for smoothies. The Wave~Action blades continuously force the ingredients from the bottom to the top in a wave, so everything blends perfectly.

If you’ve got a big family, you’ll love the big 48-ounce glass jar (which is dishwasher-safe, by the way). The spout on the dispensing lid makes pouring super easy, with minimal drips. It also comes with a stir-spoon for thicker foods and mixtures.

Here’s the delicious Raspberries and Cream Smoothie I whipped up in the Wave~Action Blender!

       Print this recipe.    

There is something so elegant about Classic Shrimp Cocktail… I dare say, even glamorous.

Maybe it’s the presentation: Huge shrimp perched on the side of a fancy glass, waiting to be delicately dipped into a pool of spicy cocktail sauce.

A great shrimp cocktail starts with shrimp that are perfectly cooked and then chilled quickly so they don’t become rubbery. The sauce is equally important, with just enough kick to balance the sweetness of the shrimp.

This is an easy, and always impressive, appetizer you can make year round. But for all its simplicity, the holidays always seem to make this old-school favorite even more special.

       Print this recipe.