Tuesday, July 28, 2009

And A Good Sale Was Had By All

We all know how excited women are at a sale! Let alone a sale that involves finding one of the most important dresses of your life. Congratulations to all of our lucky Brides who found their dream dress at our Annual Tent Sale. As well as to all of the Bridesmaids, Mother's, and everyone else that found the perfect dress at the perfect price for their special occasion. I can't tell you how happy we were by the response we got this year at our Tent Sale. Everyone was so excited with their deals that they were squealing with delight at the cash register. I love that! It is very possible to have a dream wedding on a dream budget! We have decided to keep our clearance room open through the middle of August to accommodate all of the bargain shoppers out there right now. But shop early, things are literally flying out the door!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Seal The Deal For An Engagement!


While I am not really all for superstitions I was very curious when I came upon a recipe for a chicken dinner called "Engagement Chicken" in my 2004 subscription of Glamour. It caught my eye as I read about a Glamour editor who made the dinner for her then boyfriend, and a few weeks later he popped the question! She then (thinking it was pretty catchy) dubbed this recipe Engagement Chicken. Supposedly it is a recipe that a man imagines his future wife making and he might look at you in a new light after that. As she passed the recipe along to all her hopefull friends, rings started popping up on fingers everywhere.

My eyes widened as I read, I had been dating my now husband for 7 years at that point. (We were high school sweethearts!) I really wanted to get married, I was ready, and we had talked the subject to death. It just never seemed to happen. So, I decided to try the recipe. Why not? What would it hurt?
I made the recipe exactly as it read, potatoes and asparagus included. (Why take risks?) We sat down at my little kitchen table in my apartment and he began to eat. I watched him with curious eyes. He loved it. He'd never tasted anything so good before! I laughed to myself, knowing the little secret that he would never find out!

5 weeks later he proposed! I laughed, was it a coincidence? I eventually told him about the famous recipe for getting women engaged and he laughed and told me I was crazy! He had already decided on a ring at that point. Oh well, better to seal the deal right?


The recipe was brought up again when my Mom was telling one of our customers about the Chicken. She had been waiting years for a proposal, and she told her the funny story. Well, she definately wanted that recipe so I found it online and printed it off wishing her luck. She came back about 2 months later ring on hand ready to shop for her Bridal Gown. I laughed. It was such a foolish thing and yet it proved its magic.


I decided that more women should know about this magical recipe. But use it with caution, it truly works!
Married? Every now and then when I really want something done around the house I dig up this recipe and pop it in the oven. Works every time!!
Engagement Chicken
1 whole chicken (approx. 3 lb.)
2 medium lemons
Fresh lemon juice (1/2 cup)
Kosher or sea salt
Ground black pepper
Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Wash chicken inside and out with cold water, remove the giblets, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander until it reaches room temp (about 15 minutes). Pat dry with paper towels. Pour lemon juice all over the chicken (inside and outside). Season with salt and pepper. Prick the whole lemons three times with a fork and place deep inside the cavity. (Tip: If lemons are hard, roll on countertop with your palm to get juices flowing.) Place the bird breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan, lower heat to 350 degrees and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn it breast-side up (use wooden spoons!); return it to oven for 35 minutes more. Test for doneness—a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 180 degrees, or juices should run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork. Continue baking if necessary. Let chicken cool for a few minutes before carving. Serve with juices.
GOOG LUCK!!