Better Homes and Gardens Australia January 2015

The barbecues begin in earnest around November. Then the celebrations keep coming, spinning on over into Christmas, through New Year and continuing unabashedly right up until the end of the Australia Day weekend. We do love a long party! And right now we’re slap bang in the middle of it! So we filled this issue with fabulous celebratory food as well as a raft of amazing ideas, quick tips and tricks for you to turn your home into party central. And because it’s as exciting being the host with the most as much as it is being a guest, we want you just to shine! Take your pick of fast, fabulous recipes, or those that just groan gorgeousness. Go into the garden and schmick up your outdoor areas or plant…

Berry sponge ice-cream log For a fabulous frozen treat, spoon softened strawberry-flavoured ice-cream into the base of a lined loaf tin. Scatter with crushed frozen raspberries, then arrange sponge finger biscuits on top to cover completely. Spoon over softened vanilla-flavoured ice-cream and freeze overnight until firm. Turn out and top with fresh raspberries and finely grated lemon zest to serve. Chocolate cake with raspberries Raspberries can turn a basic chocolate cake into a bejewelled spectacle. Simply spread a store-bought chocolate slab cake with chocolate frosting and arrange fresh raspberries side-by-side on top, open-end down, then dust with icing sugar mixture to serve. Berry easy, berry good! Raspberry meringue stack cake Build a tower of wonder with luscious layers of cream, raspberries, crushed shortbread and lemon curd – the recipe is…

We love the thought of you having a ball with all your favourites in this season of celebration, so we’ve made thrilling loved ones the easiest it’s ever been. The main trick is knowing your supermarket is a one-stop shop for all you need, and remembering to hide the evidence… We won’t tell if you don’t! And the celebrations can go on and on when you follow this clever cheat’s guide to savvy entertaining – a few smart products are all you need What to buy ■ Punnets of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries ■ Limes and peaches ■ Bottles of cordial and fruit syrup ■ Bottles of sparkling wine ■ Bunch of mint Bubbles bar Your very own bar is just a few bottles of bubbles, colourful cordials and vibrant…

What to buy ● Sparkling wines ● Champagne Cheers to bubbles Ring in the season with a selection of sparklers for your guests to choose from – it’s not a celebration without the bubbly! When you’d like a more formal feast, you can still get a whole lot of help from the supermarket. With a quick cheat here (ready-made pav) and a sneaky switch there (frozen over fresh), they’ll never know how you did it! What to buy ● Store-bought oysters, sushi seasoning and pickled ginger ● Breadcrumbs ● Olive oil ● Fresh chives and parsley ● Parmesan Oysters with two toppings Twelve with pickled ginger and sushi seasoning (both store-bought!), 12 with a crunchy herby topper, and all with no nonsense. Pancetta-wrapped fresh asparagus Sometimes the fuss-free things are…

Turn your dining areas into beautiful spaces for entertaining and relaxing with these three gorgeous table-setting ideas. You can add to the welcoming mood by inviting your friends to venture further afield, providing them with several places to mingle and chat, inside and out. 1 This party-perfect centrepiece can be ready in five minutes tops! And all thanks to a few pomegranates – or any glossy fruit – from the supermarket. Like these multilayered blush roses? Guaranteed to take your breath away, they’re best preordered from a florist. 2 A big picture window or glass doors looking out are the perfect locale for dining, as they allow the outdoors in while you dine in comfort. For a blend of rusticity and elegance, act like a stylist and casually drape a…

Become the champion of gift-giving by curating personalised parcels for those loved ones who are difficult to shop for. Filled with little things that together make a big impression, these special bundles can be handed over as is, or wrapped up to keep it a surprise. For the wrapper 1. Making wrapping a joy is all about having everything you need on hand. To make a wrap station, coat an MDF caddy in white paint and decorate the ends with a panel of bright fabric. Then fill it with a selection of colour-coordinated tissue paper, tapes and tags. Add in a pair of scissors that will live forever in the caddy and essentials such as blank cards and envelopes. What’s inside ■ Tissue and gift paper ■ Cotton string ■…