Our Loyal Customer's Favorite Super Bowl Recipes!

Kathleen in Elgin, Illonois writes: "My family loves when I make Betty Crocker cupcakes, I stick to the box mix, but always decorate them in the colors of the playing teams! I use food coloring, sprinkles, football candies...whatever I can find. Always a huge hit!"


Sarah in Buffalo, New York says for any party she throws, chicken fingers are a must! She sent us this delicious-sounding recipe from recipes.com:

Ingredients
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1 tablespoon finely snipped parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup bottled blue cheese salad dressing
2 teaspoons water
1 to 2 teaspoons bottled hot pepper sauce
Celery sticks
Bottled blue cheese salad dressing

Directions
1. Combine crushed corn flakes, parsley, and salt in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Cut chicken breasts into strips about 3/4 inch wide and 3 inches long. Combine the 1/3 cup dressing, water, and hot pepper sauce in a large mixing bowl. Add chicken; stir to coat. Roll chicken pieces individually in crumb mixture to coat. Place strips on a foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
2. To serve, heat oven to 425 degree F. Place frozen chicken strips in a single layer in a lightly greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink in center and crumbs are golden. Serve warm with celery sticks and additional blue cheese dressing for dipping. Makes 12 servings.
Make-Ahead Tip
Place frozen strips in a freezer container. Cover and freeze up to 1 month>


Louise in Houston, TX shared her favorite, easy-to-make Guacamole: "I don't follow any specific recipe, but you don't really need to because it's so easy. I usually use 2 ripe avocados, 1 large tomato, 1/2 an onion, dash of salt, dash of pepper & lime juice. Chop the tomato & onion into small pieces, mixing them together in a serving bowl. Then pit the avocados and add them, and mash them until the guacamole is as smooth or chunky as you want it. Add a little salt and pepper to season, and some lime juice to keep it fresher longer. Make it when you are ready to serve immediately after & don't forget the tortilla chips!"


And last, but not least, my favorite!! I got this off of the Frank's Red Hot website, and make it for every gathering I go to...it's a huge hit!

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing

1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® REDHOT® Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cans (12.5 oz. each) SWANSON® White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth.

MIX in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.

BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

TIPS:
Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.

Tips: You may substitute 2 cups shredded cooked chicken.

Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Cover pot. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 1/2 hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Stir.

Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Thanks to everyone who sent in their favorite recipes! It was hard to choose just a few! For anyone else who wants to share, comment on this blog post with your favorites so that everyone can see and enjoy them :)

Bring a Little Shimmer in With the New Year!

As 2010 approaches, we are all looking for the perfect pieces to make our outfits for ringing in the New Year complete! For me, I know how difficult it is to get everything to fall together just the way I want. For instance, finding the perfect dress isn’t good enough until you find the perfect jacket to go with it.

I always find myself wearing the same everyday jackets throughout the year, but on New Year’s Eve I want something a little more special, something that will stand out and liven up my look! With all of the metallic and sequin pieces available this season, the options are endless. With just a little bit of sparkle, I will be on-trend while still looking festive! Nothing screams New Year’s style like this FABULOUS Silver Metallic Twill Trenchcoat. Throw it over your holiday outfit to make a statement, and wear it straight through 2010 because this one is sure to be in style all season long! Happy New Year!

Last-Minute Gift Ideas

It’s that time of year again & it’s down to “crunch time” for buying holiday gifts. Most of us are on our way to the finish line, but there’s always SOMEONE who you just don’t know what to buy for. You want it to be thoughtful, but you’ve thought everything through and you’re running out of ideas.

To make things a little easier, we’ve come up with some great themed gift ideas for even the pickiest people on your list this holiday season. Not only are these thoughtful, but they are very affordable!

The Wine Gift Basket: Holiday-themed wine glasses like those featured below are a great gift. Pair them with a bottle of wine, a Christmas-themed wine stopper and a bottle opener.

The Coffee Gift Basket: Some nice mugs, flavored coffees (of both the caffeinated & decaffeinated variety), a powdered creamer, and some delicious biscotti round out this delicious coffee-themed basket!

The Martini Gift Basket: Frosted martini glasses, a bottle of gin or vodka, a jar of olives and a box of toothpicks will delight any martini-drinker out there.

The Girly Gift Basket: A nice cosmetic bag with a well-rounded supply of makeup for the ultimate girl on your list. Include all the essentials: lip gloss, mascara, nail polish, a travel-size perfume, etc. and she’ll be good-to-go for that upcoming New Year’s party!

The Art Gift: A fine art print like the one below is a great addition to most households. Paired with a pre-cut mat and frame make this a great gift for anyone. Check out our artwork selection for some other great prints!

The Traveler’s Gift Basket: Have a jet-setter on your list? Here’s something they can use! A travel toiletry bag is always very useful when on the go. Add to it with travel-size everything! Shampoo, conditioner, razors, perfume, body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, and other mini-sized toiletries are perfect!

The best things about making your own gift baskets are that not only are they more affordable, but they are customizable to suit the recipient! Do you have other ideas you’d like to tell us about? Share them with us – we love to hear from you!

Why I Love Blazers for Fall

One word: Layering. Blazers are perfect for this and are a great, fashionable alternative to a cardigan. Plus, they’re very in right now!

Blazers come in all shapes and sizes, and the key is to find one that flatters your figure. I own a single black blazer; it’s cropped above the hips and has ¾ sleeves and a slight military-like styling. It is unarguably the most versatile piece of clothing I have ever purchased. I can wear it to work for a professional look, to a BBQ for an extra layer over just about anything, at a nice dinner or out on the town for a casual chic look. There are very few items in my closet that it doesn’t work perfectly with and its’ timeless look will never go out of style.

With summer coming to a close and autumn not far off, now is the perfect time to purchase a great blazer. As temperatures drop, it’s the perfect layering piece for any outfit to add just the right amount of warmth and style!

Below are a couple of my favorites from the BCO site:

Five Essential Pieces for Flawless Fall Fashion

1 – A great pair of boots! Spend a little, or a lot…but make sure they’re as versatile as possible. You want a pair that can be worn with anything…jeans, leggings, stockings… Riding boots are a classic, but there are plenty of on-trend styles to pick from. Just make sure they’re comfortable and most importantly, cute!


2 – Handbag. As women, we find any excuse for a new handbag (or ten), and a change of season is the ultimate incentive. I like medium to large-sized bags, big enough to throw a cardigan in if I’m wearing layers as temperatures fluctuate. Look for dark, neutral or metallic colors for Fall.


3 – Scarf. I LOVE scarves. And so do my co-workers at BCO. If we pooled our collection of scarves together…we’d probably have enough to wear nothing but T-shirts for the rest of our lives and still look fashionable! OK, maybe that’s a bit exaggerated, but here’s my point: Let’s say you’re wearing a white T-shirt (or something plain) for whatever reason (i.e. comfort or nothing else is clean) and you’re thinking it needs a little “something.” By throwing on a scarf or a shawl over your top, you get an instant style boost AND as the weather gets cooler, you stay warm! It’s a win-win. ☺


4 – Statement Earrings. Bold earrings are eye-catching and if you pick the right pair, add elegance to any look. They give an instant upgrade to any outfit. A little bit of sparkle goes a long way, but a lot of sparkle goes even further!

5 – Leather Jacket. Choose one in whatever style suits you and go with it! A staple in any wardrobe, leather jackets are worth the investment and can accent any style. Wear it with jeans to give off a biker attitude; or with a dress to add just a touch of edginess.


Have anymore suggestions for Fall wardrobe must-haves? Let us know – we love to hear from you!

Putting Your Essentials to Work

While searching for something to wear to work the other day, it occurred to me that I tend to wear the same items over and over. I think of it as a bad habit, but in reality the pieces that I keep grabbing are office staples. There are just some things that are classic and they never go out of style. Office fashions do not change drastically from year to year, so a few key pieces of apparel are all you really need to work with. To add a little variety, I mix things up by mixing and matching patterns and adding accessories. While you’re deciding on office appropriate clothing, invest in the key pieces listed below and you’ll be set until they fall apart!

Trousers: These have been in style since the beginning of time (or at least it feels like it!) and will likely be fashionable for many more years to come. Don’t be afraid to invest in trouser pants since few good pairs will last you a long time. Keep in mind that you may need these in different lengths. I make sure that I have at least one pair that works well with heels and one that works with flats.



Dark Denim: My favorite day of the week is the one where I can wear jeans to work…Friday! For those of you who get the luxury of “casual Friday,” take advantage of it! For those of you who don’t, these types of “dressy” denim pants can be worn when going out for a nice dinner with a great looking blouse, or worn out for a drink with friends. Stick to the dark colored denim, keep the whiskered and distressed denim at home!

Blazer: A structured blazer is an essential piece to have in any work wardrobe. You can wear it over a blouse with a pair of trousers or dress it down for casual Fridays over a printed tee and a pair of your dark denim. The blazer also looks great open with a long flowing necklace with a simple top underneath it. Layers are great!


Skirt: A simple black skirt is a piece I always gravitate towards…and that’s okay! Find your most flattering silhouette and stick with it, mine is the A-line shaped skirt, but don’t forget about the pencil skirt silhouette too!


Shirt: Mix and match a crisp white shirt with your trousers, dark denim, or skirt…three days of outfits set! Keep changing the look by adding a great pair of earrings or bangle bracelets!


Dress: Find that one work-perfect dress and keep it. Mine is a brown colored v-neck wrap dress. I love it and wear it to work all the time but change the look by adding different necklaces and even changing the color of the camisole I wear underneath it. You can even throw a blazer over most dresses, or a cardigan depending on the temperature. Below is another one of my favorite career dresses:



These are the classic pieces you should own. Keep them fresh and updated by mixing and matching, and don’t forget to throw in color and patterned pieces and accessories! Be sure to check out BCOutlet.com to find your missing essentials.

Tell us about your work wardrobe and which favorite piece(s) you tend to wear the most...

Summer Sailing’s A Breeze!

With warm weather at its peak, taking the time to get outdoors and spend some time by the sea, lake or pool is a must! To get prepared for this, kick your summer style up a notch by incorporating themed outfits.

Below are some nautical themed items to get you in the mood to set sail or take a walk on the beach. Keep to the white and blue theme, but add a touch of gold like the accent buttons on the blazer or the gold belt buckle. Don’t go overboard, but adding a few pieces of gold jewelry are also great additions! A summer staple that works well with a nautical-themed ensemble is white pants, which should definitely be in everyone’s closet. Pair these with any tee, a pair of slides, and a tote bag and you’re ready to set sail!