Hi there,

On the morning of August 28 as I was getting ready for work, Joan Rivers inexplicably popped into my mind. For some reason, I began wondering what the world—and QVC—would be like without the inimitable Joan. It wasn’t until an hour or so later while driving to work that I heard the news that Joan had been admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital after undergoing an endoscopy in a Manhattan clinic.

Like the rest of the world, Joan was in my thoughts during the following week as news continued to come in about her condition. Just when it sounded like she was improving, her daughter, Melissa, announced Joan’s passing on September 4. I immediately began thinking of all the times Joan touched my life since I started working at QVC 16 years ago. As editor/writer for QVC’s program guides and InsideQ magazine, I had many opportunities to work with Joan and her incredible New York team at Joan Rivers Worldwide. And whenever I saw Joan in old movie or TV show (like The Swimmer with Burt Lancaster or an episode of Here’s Lucy), I emailed her office to let them know how much I enjoyed it.

Joan was a trouper in the true sense of the word. If I needed a photo, quote, or interview, all I had to do was pick up the phone and call her New York office. She never hesitated to contribute what was needed so that her customers got the very best. As QVC President and CEO Mike George said, “She has been a special part of our QVC family for 24 years, and we knew Joan not only as an extraordinary comedian, writer, producer, and business leader, but as a generous and caring spirit, who inspired us to be better every day. Joan truly loved her customers, and delighted in bringing joy and inspiration to their lives over these last many years.”

One of the first projects I worked on for Joan was when she brought hers and Melissa’s Faberge collection to QVC Studio Park in 1999.

There were many beautiful pieces in this collection, including jewelry, boxes, and a silver-gilt tea and coffee set. Joan and Melissa generously lent this collection to QVC so that her customers could come to West Chester, Pennsylvania, and experience it firsthand. It was a self-guided tour, and my job was to write the script Joan would record to describe the pieces. Joan also recreated some of these pieces for her QVC customers, and I purchased the enamel trinket box shown in the poster above (which still decorates my office) and this set of miniature Faberge-inspired eggs. 

Here is a sampling of the Insider/InsideQ magazine and program guides Joan graced throughout the years. Though QVC no longer publishes weekly and monthly program guides, I saved these and I’m happy to share them with you.

Above: Insider and InsideQ magazines from 2003, 2004, and 2010.

Above: Insider and InsideQ magazines from 2010 and 2013.

Above: Weekly and monthly program guides from 2010, 2001, and 2009.

Here are some of the witticisms and words of wisdom Joan shared throughout the years in these publications:

“I felt that Melissa and I were a team the moment she was born. She made her entrance into the world exactly 24 hours after I finished my second show and left the stage at New York’s Upstairs at the Downstairs. Talk about great mother-daughter timing. Melissa and I had it right from the start.” –2004

“After my husband died, Melissa and I fashioned a precious philosophy together: passing through life, with its good times and bad, was like acting in an adventure movie with both its highs and lows. We decided we were the stars of that movie and so we had the power to give it a happy ending.” –2004

“Spending time with my daughter, Melissa, and my grandson, Cooper, makes me the happiest.” –2007

“I was conceived in a Faberge egg; my umbilical cord was from Cartier. Jewelry is in my DNA.” –2009

“Believe in yourself…believe in your product…and never, ever settle for anything but the best! Other than that, marry rich and do what you want.” –2009

“I’ve always worked out of emotion. It’s gotten me through life.” –2009

“If I wasn’t a performer, I think I’d be politician because I love meeting and interacting with people. I hate the term, but I’m very much a ‘people person.’” –2010

“I am your basic, traditional holiday cook. I don’t want exotic on the holidays. Give me a nice ham or turkey with all the traditional fixings—cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top—topped off with pecan and pumpkin pies.” –2005

And since the holidays are upon us, here is Joan’s recipe for Sauce a l’Orange that she shared in 2005:

Ingredients

1 16-oz bag cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 cup orange juice (preferably fresh)

2 tsp grated orange grind

¼ to ½ cup blanched slivered almonds

 Directions

1. Wash cranberries. Combine all ingredients, except almonds, in a saucepan. Cook on a low flame until the cranberries pop open (about 8 minutes).
2. Skim the foam form the surface. Let stand for 3 minutes. Sprinkle almonds on top and chill before serving.

A customer recently wrote to me and said “Always will fondly remember [former program host] Kathy Levine sitting with Joan Rivers in her Malibu living room presenting jewelry with the help of some of Joan’s dogs. There are so many memories that make me smile.”

If you’d like to share memories of Joan that make you smile, please send them to me atQVCInsider@QVC.com and I’ll post it in a future blog.

Happy trails!

Troy

QVC Editor

Hello Denim Divas,

I hope you are enjoying the new season and am sure you are very busy preparing for the holidays. Such a great time of the year!

My team and I recently went to Europe trend shopping, and I wanted to share some pictures with you. Plus, we saw a lot of really nice fresh color combinations done in different ways, such as color blocking and prints.

We would love to hear your thoughts and have you vote on your favorite below.

Jennifer and me in Barcelona!

I love this sign outside a restaurant…hamburguesas!

Cute little DIY piggy banks on the street in Barcelona!

Maryanne, Jennifer and Lucia in London!

Shopping in London!

Always make room for dessert!

OK…so please see below three different color combinations that we saw in Europe. These could be as a color block, a print or just something fun to wear together. We would like to hear from you with regards to what you like. Pick your favorite combination, and feel free to leave feedback. We always love hearing from you!

Have a great fall!!!

Teal & Gold

Navy & Spice Orange

Pink & Grey

I just wanted to share a

As an inventor, investor, entrepreneur, Shark Tank “shark,” and much-loved QVC vendor and guest, Lori
Greiner knows a thing or two about business. So when I had the opportunity to interview her recently, I, of
course, wanted to draw from her wealth of knowledge. But because the holidays are quickly approaching, I
also wanted to find out a little more about some of her favorite festive traditions!

Anne Creedon: Tell me about the other “sharks.” What do you admire
about each of them?

Lori Greiner: People are always wondering what the other
“sharks” are really like, so I’ll share some things about them you
might not know. Daymond John is one of those witty guys who
comes up with one-liners all the time. He is constantly making
me laugh on the set! Barbara Corcoran has incredible drive—
when she wants something, she’s not going to give up until
she gets it. She’s also pretty zany and always says just what
she’s thinking. Mark Cuban might be aggressive and feisty in
the sports arena, but he can also show a softer side, which I
like. Robert Herjavec is a kid at heart and loves to play with
big-boy toys. You’ll notice he’s always the first to jump up when
toys come in the tank. And, although Kevin O’Leary is the guy
everyone loves to hate, I really like him! He’s extremely funny—
to the point that sometimes I have to stop and compose myself
when we’re in the middle of shooting the show!

AC: What about the entrepreneurs?

LG: We see about eight or nine entrepreneurs each day, and
we have no idea who (or what) is going to come into the tank.
When you see episodes of Shark Tank, you’re only seeing about
10 minutes for each entrepreneur. But, in reality, their pitch can
take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. There are a lot
of innovative things that came into the tank this season that I
love. I wish I could reveal more, but I don’t want to give away
anything that would ruin the fun of watching the show!

AC: Speaking of innovative products, tell me about your November 14
Today’s Special Value® Gold and Silver Safekeeper Double-Sided Jewelry
Armoire.

LG: The QVC customer asked me to create a product that would
be the largest capacity jewelry storage cabinet ever—and this
is it! It stores over 800 pieces of jewelry and they’re all hanging
in clear view like a beautiful store display. It’s designed with
my popular anti-tarnish lining, has two full-length mirrors, and
holds necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, pins, cuffs, and more!
And best of all, it takes up a really small space.

AC: Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. What are your family’s
Turkey Day traditions?

LG: Me making dinner! My mother didn’t really like to cook,
so being the food lover that I am, I learned fast and young. I
love making everything from scratch. I make all the traditional
Thanksgiving foods, plus I like to make different appetizers like
bruschetta and spanakopita (Greek spinach pie)*.

AC: This is a really important question—what is your favorite
Thanksgiving Day food?

LG: Stuffing and gravy. My preferred mix is 50/50!

AC: It’s not quite Christmastime yet, but that won’t stop me! What
do you love about the holidays? Any particular traditions that are
your favorites?

LG: Of course, I love getting together with family and friends.
And in recent years, we’ve started having a lobster-fest dinner
on Christmas Eve—which is a lot of fun! My husband and I also
have the tradition of collecting ornaments from all over the
world. It’s fun to pull them out and remember great memories
as we put them on the tree.

AC: When it comes to holiday shopping, do you have any gift-giving secrets?

LG: I always pay attention when people talk about what they
like. And I pay attention to the items being sold when I’m at
QVC throughout the holiday season. I often order great gifts
from the greenroom while I’m watching them being presented
on air!

AC: Thanks, Lori. Have a great holiday season!

LG: The same to you!

I saw a version of this recipe several years ago online. Since then, I've tweaked it to include ingredients my family likes.  Even if you think it sounds strange, I highly recommend you try it. No one in my family can tell the difference between the taste of real fried rice and this cauliflower dish. In fact, this is one of my family's favorite meals. I always make extra because my daughters' love taking it to school in a thermos for lunch. It makes me feel good to see both kids to eating giant bowls of vegetables.

You'll notice that in my directions, I give you estimates of what I have used. I have made this many times, using many different veggies, so don't worry about following this recipe exactly. It seems to come out good every time and it cooks really quickly!

First, clean your rice, I mean cauliflower.

Shred one head of cauliflower. I guess you could use a hand grater, but I use my KitchenAid food processor. You want the processed cauliflower to look like a combination of white rice and shredded cheese.

Heat 1- 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a wok or large saute pan. Add any veggies you like. Here, I'm using 6 scallions, garlic, 1/2 head of broccoli, and 2 carrots. I have also used bell peppers and asparagus with good results. Saute for 5 mins.

 Add cauliflower. Cook and stir until cauliflower had a tender but still firm, about 4 to 5 minutes.

 In the meantime, in a separate skillet cook your favorite protein.  Here, I sautéed tofu in sesame oil until brown. You could also use pork, beef, chicken or shrimp.

Add your protein to the veggies and stir in 4 tablespoons of soy sauce. I use the lower sodium version. Saute for a minute and then push all of the veggies to the side of the pan. Pour 2-3 scrambled eggs on the other side of the pan and cook, stirring, until set.

At this point, I added some peas that I had cooked from frozen. Again, this is optional. Just use what vegetables you have and like. 

Mix it all together and serve.

Hope you enjoy! I would love to hear your comments or how you "tweaked the recipe." Feel free to reach out to me on my Facebook page {Sandra Bennett QVC} and be sure to follow me on twitter {@SandraQVC}. If you're looking for other recipes, beauty how-to's or style guides, follow me on toGather {Sandra Bennett}. 

Every woman needs a great hobo in her handbag wardrobe. This is the last time I will get to be with you for a handbag Today’s Special Value® from the G.I.L.I.(TM) line, and I am so proud of this bag! I have found that great hobos are hard to find. Most of them tend to be either too generic for my taste, or too geared towards teenagers. This is a great hobo in seven different options. The design of this bag means that you can carry a little in it or a lot. It will look beautiful both ways. The contrast handle, the tassel, and the finish of the bag make it look more special, high-end, and designer. The exotic leather on the body or trim completes the status look.

I am struggling with one thing...deciding on my favorite color!

I love the Natural Ostrich...it is a timeless, status look.

But the new Grey Ostrich is the perfect cross between taupe and gray that is that new, cooler neutral.

The Nude Ostrich is that perfect lighter color for the cooler weather that is grounded with the contrast handle.

The Cream Snake has been one of my "go-to's" in my other bags, and I absolutely love it!

The new Brown Matte Snake is absolutely rich (and both colors in the snake are a softer leather).

The Black Pebble leather is soft and buttery and I love the ostrich trim.

And the Chestnut Croco is the warmest, richest chestnut I have ever seen.

See?! How is a girl to choose?! I hope you love it as much as I do. If you want to get it first, go to my QVC Facebook page. There is a post with a link at the top. You can click the link and get it early at the TSV price and Easy Pay. :) It's only on my FB page right now, so you have the inside scoop!

See you soon. :)
—Lisa

Alright, who’s with me? Of course the hustle and bustle of the approaching holidays has me in a caroling, cookie-swapping, gifting, menu-planning mood. Especially since just walking into QVC these days is like stepping into Santa’s workshop.

And with Cooking on Q: Holiday Edition right around the corner on Sunday…well, let’s just say I’m getting a head start on sampling plenty of yummy holiday goodies. Not to mention, a head start on my gift list, too. (Santa’s little helpers will definitely want to check out my temp-tations Facebook page Oct 23, 24 and 25. Each day leading up to Cooking on Q, you’ll be able to “unwrap” a brand new temp-tations item we’re offering early exclusively to my Facebook family!)

This is also a great time to remember one of my other favorite holiday traditions. Every year, whenever my calendar starts to fill up with holiday projects, events and gatherings, I make it a point to block out a special night just for me…and Fraulein Maria. ;)

From the time I was little, “The Sound of Music” has always had a special place in my heart. Of course, I sing along to every song. But I always sing “My Favorite Things” loudest of all. (Sometimes, Fozzie even helps!) For me, this song is the perfect reminder to celebrate MY favorite things about the holidays, so I don’t get buried in all the planning, prepping and projects.

So even though I was right in the middle of Cooking on Q prep this week, I made it a point to settle in with a big bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup and “The Sound of Music.”

I sang louder than ever. And came up with this list of my four favorite things about the holidays:

• Every year, just after we say Thanksgiving grace, my family goes around the table and we all list all the things we’re most grateful for. We all put so much love into making a beautiful holiday meal and setting a beautiful table. And that one moment where we pause to appreciate it with our family is what I love most about the holidays.

• When I was little, my sister and I were able to open one present from our stocking on Christmas Eve. It didn’t matter what it was, that one present felt so special. As we got older, that turned into a tradition of celebrating the holiday on Christmas Eve with all our friends and family. Over the years, we’ve adopted so many different traditions from our friends and extended family members…It’s like a quilt of special moments that tie everyone together. To this day, I still make authentic Swedish Meatballs every Christmas Eve – and they always remind me of my mom’s best friend, Diana, who was originally from Sweden and would bring them every year.

• Pumpkin ANYTHING. Seriously, pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors, and I work it in just about any chance that I can get…and even more so when holiday entertaining season rolls around. Here’s a super-easy, super-delicious recipe that’s always a hit at my holiday gatherings. And it’s gorgeous in our temp-tations 3 qt Soup Tureen.

TARA’S PUMPKIN SOUP

6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp, then crumbled (1 Tbsp bacon grease retained)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion diced

2 Granny Smith (or any tart apple) apples, peeled, cored and diced

½ tsp kosher salt

4 cups vegetable stock

½ cup natural applesauce

½ tsp ground white pepper

1 tsp chopped sage

1 tsp chopped thyme

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 large can (29 ounces) pumpkin puree

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup Greek yogurt

Heat a Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the bacon grease and 1 Tbsp olive oil and heat until it shimmers.  Add the diced onion apples and salt.  Sauté until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes.  Add the vegetable stock, applesauce, pepper, sage, thyme and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil and cook until the apples are very tender, about 5 more minutes.

Add the pumpkin, brown sugar and cook for 10-15 minutes over medium heat.  Use an immersion blender and blend soup until it’s smooth.  (You can use a blender to blend the soup in batches if you want to.) Add the crumbled bacon and yogurt to the soup and heat through over very low heat.  (Simply add water at this stage if the soup is too thick.)  Remove from heat and serve.  Garnish w/dried apple slices, pumpkin seeds or sliced scallions.

And, did you know you can also make this recipe on the stove top, using my new, incredible temp-tations Old World 3.5 quart Stove-Top Baker? It’s debuting on-air during Cook Event, so be sure to tune in…you just have to see this oh-so-versatile baker to believe it!

• Gathering…It doesn’t matter whether it’s a formal holiday dinner, a causal buffet, brunch, dessert or drinks. I love any excuse to get together with others to celebrate around the holidays. And because so many people used to come and gather around my mother’s table for the holidays, I have plenty of practice!

In fact, here’s one of the recipes my mom passed down to me. I love it because it’s so easy. And you can even make it in your temp-tations crock pot, so it’s perfect for a holiday crowd.

MY MOM’S SAUSAGE STUFFING

1 (14 ounce) bag bread cubes

1 Tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 (12 ounce) package bulk sausage

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

1 medium onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, finely diced

½ cup butter

1 egg, beaten

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Pour the bread cubes into a large bowl.  Sprinkle in thyme, sage, salt and pepper.  Set aside.
• Place sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook until browned.  Crumble, drain and add to bread mixture.
• In the same pan melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Sauté the onion and celery until the onion is soft, but not brown.  Add to bread mixture. Pour the broth and egg over the bread and toss to combine.
• Spoon stuffing mixture into a temp-tations 13” x 9” baker, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 15 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. Or, try this crock pot method: Heat your temp-tations crock pot on high for 10 minutes, spoon stuffing mixture into crock pot, dot the top with 2 tablespoons of butter, reduce to low setting and cook 3 – 4 hours.

So how about you? No need to sing about it (unless you want to, then go right ahead!) I can’t wait to hear what tops YOUR list of a few favorite things to focus on during the holidays.

And here’s how temp-tations can help. We’ve got plenty of brand new arrivals in store for you this week on Cooking on Q. So tune in Sunday for everything from great gift ideas to incredible temp-tations pieces that will make your holiday entertaining so much easier.

If you want to be the first to find these new temp-tations, remember to keep checking in on my Facebook page this week for exclusive early offers that you won’t find anywhere on QVC until the day of the Cook Event.

And did I mention Easy Pays? Plenty of them to go around…Looks like all my temp-tationistas and temp-tationisters are on Santa’s “Nice” list this year!  

Happy Cooking on Q to one and all!

XOXO Tara

Hello, foodies…

Have you gone apple picking yet? Or have you made your first apple recipe yet this fall? I made my first pie last weekend (and somehow it’s gone already…) but that’s only the start of my apple escapades. I was making my list of must-make recipes and found…well…a few. Here are 18 Apple-tastic dishes.

Bacon Jam Bruschetta with Apple Slaw

Ham & Apple Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Homemade Apple Cider

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Caramel Centers

Apple Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

Apple-Blueberry Muffin with Streusel Topping

Warm Cinnamon Apple Stuffed French Toast 

Cornbread Stuffing with Apples & Bacon

Braised Pork and Apple Stew

Apple Cinnamon Snickerdoodles

Apple Cinnamon Cake

Apple Brown Betty

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

Stuffed Baked Apples

Spiced Baked Apple Dumplings

Apple Crisp

Skillet Apples with Cranberries

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I created a Pinterest board with all these recipes so you can pin them, share them, and of course, try them. There are even more apple recipes on my QVC.com recipe page. I’ll blog with you again tomorrow.

Keep it flavorful!
—David

Boo! Did we scare you?! :) A few Q hosts are celebrating the season with a look back at some of their all-time favorite Halloween costumes! Take a peek

Albany

This is me and my brother circa 1975!.  I am on the right!  Our mom made those costumes because we were living In Maine at the time and it was below zero out.  We had on full  snowsuits underneath!!!

Sandra

“My kids are absolutely obsessed with Halloween. Before it was even October we had already made three visits to the Halloween store! Because the kids love it so much, we make it a complete family affair and we go all out!”

Shawn

I think I'm like 7 or 8 here. Have no idea what I'm attempting to be, just that mom made the tie and hat from the comics section of a newspaper. And I'm clearly wearing dads white button down. And clearly I am happy, even though I look ridiculous. Hey, its more clever and creative than buying it off the rack and looking like everybody else (justifying) and I am hours away from a pillowcase of free candy so of course I'm happy (justifying) 😃

Sharon

At my house, we try to make it a family affair!  It's more fun when everyone is in character.  We love the reactions on everyone's faces when they see us all coming together down the street!

Kerstin

I went through this about 6 years where I was either a cat or a mime.  I thought maybe its because I liked the color black? But now, as a mom, I realize it was probably all my mom could put together on short notice, for her very indecisive child. Ha!

Jacque

Halloween 2007 as Big & Little Snow White!  Her nose was orange from all the Spaghetti-O's she loved to eat - and smear on her face!

What was your all-time favorite Halloween costume?

When I tell the story of how my husband Dan and I met, I usually mention he was living in a boat. What good California girl could resist a guy with a house on the water? In the next seven months before he proposed, I fell in love with his love of the water, his humor, his dancing, his hair… but what really sealed the deal for me was the way he cooked. 

I don’t really cook…like really at all.  I can make brownies from a box; an important skill, but not really a skill right?

So when Dan confessed his love for cooking my basic instincts kicked in and I snatched him up so my family-to-be would never go hungry.

In our first years of marriage I tried to cook for him. When he is sick he wants grilled cheese sandwiches, and so I tried in the first few months as a wife. It ended with me crying on the kitchen floor. The next year it was chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Again tears; and cookie dough all over the inside of the oven. The final straw was when I opened a bag that had a day-old baguette inside and lost my grip. The bread fell onto my leg and cut open my thigh. I have a scar to this day.  This was not the knife my friends, this was me actually cutting myself with bread. I always knew carbs were dangerous.

Dan is very understanding and it’s a running joke in our family and with our friends that I don’t really get to go in the kitchen. When he goes out of town he makes us food and we keep them in Lock N Locks for easy heat up.

When we were dating in Manhattan Beach, Ca we fell in love with this little beach bistro. We couldn’t afford dinner but we would always go for this spectacular portobello mushroom appetizer and a glass of wine. Before we moved he begged the recipe of the chef. 11 years later it’s still one of my favorite things he makes.

Portobello & Goat Cheese Appetizer

Ingredients:

4 portobello mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned, and cubed

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup olive oil

1 bottle of red wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

As much goat cheese as you like!

Directions:

Put portobellos in a Ziploc bag or a covered bowl. Add soy sauce, olive oil, and balsamic, then let marinate for about 30 minutes. Pour the bottle of wine into a pot over medium-high heat, and let it simmer until it’s very thick, and almost evaporated. Add the portobellos into the reduced wine and let simmer until liquid continues to thicken, about 5-10 minutes. Place in a bowl and add the goat cheese.

Years later in San Diego, we had another go-to restaurant within walking distance. Brussels sprouts were never something I thought about until I tasted them roasted with prosciutto and balsamic. Again, my husband was able to recreate the recipient and cook it for me and my four-year-olds (who love Brussels sprouts, score!) nearly every week.

Brussels Sprouts Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 bags of Trader Joe's Brussels Sprouts

½ cup diced pancetta (or more if you prefer)

Balsamic drizzle

Parmesan

1 tsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Boil the sprouts until you can cut with a knife but not mushy. Cut them in halves, and then set them aside. Fry the pancetta in a pan until it’s translucent. Add a little olive oil and butter to the pan, then add the sprouts and cook until they are a bit crisp. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, transfer to a bowl, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

He also loves to cook sausage and peppers, and his turkey chili is amazing! We do Thanksgiving dinner a couple times a year complete with my quinoa stuffing (that he cooks) and my guilty pleasure, crescent rolls.

As California natives, we do a ton of Mexican food like enchiladas and tacos, all with a little healthy twist; and his salsa is also to die for.

With the Vitamix, I have actually started “cooking” a little too.  I earned permission to at least work with that kitchen appliance. Though I do need to confess my first day using it, I put the tamper in without the top and chopped up the bottom. Don’t do that. But, I’ve gotten much better and now I even get major kudos from Dan and our usual dinner guest, my cousin Katie, over my dips. Here are the two I make every week; hummus and Tzatziki. In the summer, I grow my own dill, cucumbers and mint and use that in place of the store bought.

Tzatziki Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 cucumbers (more if you prefer), sliced into rounds

½ cup fresh dill (more if you prefer)

¼ cup mint

1 Tbsp champagne vinegar

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 pint plain Greek yogurt

½ cup sour cream

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place the cucumbers on a paper towel, draped over a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let the salt leach the water from the cucumbers for a few hours, or overnight.

Add the cucumbers, dill, mint, vinegar, lemon and garlic to the Vitamix and blend on variable 4 or 5 until the ingredients are mixed and the cucumbers chopped but not pureed. Fold the mixture into the yogurt and sour cream. Add a dash of salt and place in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve with any chip, pita or veggie, Yum!

I also do a mean hummus.

Hummus Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cans chick peas, drained

½ cup lemon juice (more if you prefer a creamier hummus)

1 tsp cumin

6 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ cup sesame seeds, or tahini if you have it

1-2 or cayenne peppers (optional, and also easy to grow in the summer!)

Dash of Tabasco, or tarjin; a spice you can find in Mexican grocery stores (optional)

Directions:

Chill the chick peas overnight, and then add to the Vitamix all other ingredients. Blend from 1 to 10 variable slowly, then on high for about 30 seconds until creamy.

I’ve got my hubby’s salsa recipe and my corn and tomato salad recipient on my Facebook page, so go there for more fun food from the Lindquist family!

No matter who does the cooking, I wish you mindful meals and happy comfort food this fall.

Blessings,

Kerstin

Great Joan Rivers Style and Jewelry Gift Ideas

As the holiday season approaches, I will think of Joan and the joy she always felt this time of year.

For Joan, the holiday season meant delivering meals to homebound people with her favorite charity, God’s Love We Deliver. It meant decorating her homes with both Christmas and Hanukkah themes. It meant giving extraordinary gifts to loved ones. Always wonderful dinners and parties with her friends and most important, it meant time with her family.

I learned so many life lessons working with Joan for 25 years. The importance of loyal friendships, generosity, and being thankful every day for all of the wonderful things we have in our lives.

I will have the pleasure of presenting one of Joan’s favorite jackets in AM Style on Saturday, October 25^th.

The Moroccan Flair Jacket  is a vibrant, colorful soft knit jacket and (drumroll please!) we will debut two brand new color choices: blue and a fabulous neutral.

I think Joan said it best:

“It will add just the right amount of fabulous to your wardrobe in every season!"

As I start planning my holiday gift shopping, jewelry and accessories always seem to be on the top of my list.

One of my new favorites is the High Society Simulated Pearl Necklace with w/ 3" Extender, a stunning, dramatic new pearl necklace that we collaborated on with CINER, the wonderful family-owned fashion jewelry maker who has been in business for over 100 years.  This is quality you almost never see today.

Another favorite is our sensational new cardinal themed scarf!, It’s a perfect gift for anyone in your life who loves this special bird and comes with custom designed gift packaging.

Joan and the team had great fun creating these whimsical, charming holiday pins, the Choice of Enamel Snowman or Candy Cane Pin. Instant gift giving in a holiday box and pop-up gold bow, the lucky recipient will wear these adorable pins the entire winter season.

These styles and many more will be part of our shows on Monday, October 27^th at 1-3am with Nancy Hornback and 11-noon with Jacque Gonzales.

I would like to take a moment and thank our entire QVC family for the incredible love and support expressed to me and Melissa over the last two weeks. Your messages on Facebook and here on my blog have been extraordinary and filled my heart more than I can say.

I know how happy this would make Joan and I thank you.

A255184 - Quilted Barn Jacket with Corduroy Detail

J296983 - Crystal Mélange 18” Statement Necklace w 3” Extender

October Dates:

Saturday, October 25

8-10am    AM Style with Leah Williams

Monday, October 27

1-3am    Joan Rivers Classics Collection

6-9am    Fashionably Early with Jayne & Pat

11am-Noon    Joan Rivers Classics Collection

7-10pm   PM Style with Lisa Robertson

Follow Joan’s FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/joanrivers

Or INSTAGRAM at www.instagram.com/joanrivers

Follow David on FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/daviddangleqvc

Or on INSTAGRAM at www.instagram.com/daviddangle

www.joanrivers.com

Happy Fall!

It's here again, one of my favorite times of year. When the leaves change their colors and we cozy up our homes for the Holidays.

I wanted to share with you some of my decorations this year. I like to spread the feeling of the season throughout my home, so there is something special in every room.

Here is my Halloween display. It looks great at night when lit. Not too spooky!

The dining room is always my specialty. I start with a seasonal runner and keep building from there. Although I like to vary the heights of my table display, I always keep it low enough to see family and friends seated across the table.

I want my guests to experience the season from the minute they arrive. The front door is the best place to start.  Plus, it makes me smile when I arrive home from a long day.

I'd love to know some of the things that you do to decorate for the Fall Season.

Please share.

I'm also very excited about my 1 hour MCM show coming up this Sunday, Oct 26th. We will have some great gift ideas for the cook that are perfect for all levels of cooks from the beginner, to the novice, to the chef.

It's a great idea to gift kitchen tools. It's the gift that keeps on giving because they can then cook for you with their new tools. Our great gift sets are perfect for the "one for you... one for me" plan. I give one and I keep one and everybody is happy. :)

My philosophy in the kitchen is "have fun, have fashion and have function".

Please tune in Sunday and see what I've been working on for you.

I hope to see you then.

Deeg-in,

MarkCharles

The AM Style ladies and I love a “Craft Challenge”! And there are few things we look forward to more than our annual Halloween activity.

This year we decided to each make something using Halloween Candy. I originally thought I would give Candy Corn a try, but I settled on Tootsie Pops. They are the perfect treats to make a colorful bouquet. It was really fun and easy to make and if I have a taste for something sweet, I can just Pluck A Pop!

Here's the "recipe":

You will need:

• Clear vase
• Styrofoam ball
• Bag of mini chocolate bars
• Bag of Tootsie Pops
• (Optional artificial leaves, baby’s breath flowers, and bow for decoration)

How to make:

Fill a clear vase with mini chocolate bars. Place styrofoam ball in vase. It should sit so that the dome of the ball is on top. Push Tootsie Pop sticks into the ball starting at the base and going in a circle. Continue making circles of pops until the ball is completely covered. Add leaves, baby’s breath and a bow for and you’ve made a fun candy centerpiece.

I can’t wait to see what the others made. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for fashion, fun and halloween candy crafts!

Leah

As a young boy growing up in St. Joe, Michigan, I loved to go down to the lake and sit at the foot of the lighthouse on the north pier to watch the sunset.  It was there that I would dream about what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I dreamed that I would be many things; a baseball player, a musician, an actor or maybe a preacher.  Whatever it was, I knew that God had a plan but as I turn 60 and take a look back, I have to admit that my life has been better than any of those childhood dreams.  I am beyond thankful for it all.

Reflecting on the past 26 years that I have worked for QVC has made me realize that I have had remarkable opportunities and thousands of memorable moments.  I have been able to broadcast shows from around the world and have often found myself looking out my hotel room to see the Goodyear Blimp.  At those times, I realized I was where the rest of the world wanted to be. 

I’ve hosted shows from throughout Germany, New Zealand, Italy and Australia.  I witnessed the first dawn on the planet over the Indian Ocean in Gisborne, New Zealand with our amazing crew and musician extraordinaire John Tesh.  Our New Year and New Millenium show was a full 18 hours ahead of Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve in New York. 

As the host of many of the QVC Sports shows over the past few decades, I have attended and broadcast from seven Super Bowls, two MLB All Star Games, Two World Series and two Summer Olympic Games (Atlanta-’96 and Sydney, Australia-2000.)  I witnessed those events from either the press box or great seats in the stadiums.  But the best seat I ever had was sitting next to so many of my childhood heroes as I interviewed them on QVC.  I was so fortunate to interview dozens of Hall of Famers, Olympic heroes and legendary athletes.  From Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken, Jr. to Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith, Johnny Unitas, Dan Marino and Brett Favre to Bill Russell, Shaquille O’Neal, Nadia Comenici and George Foreman (and that is to just name a few) it has been absolutely incredible.  I am privileged to say that some of these people have actually become good friends away from the camera.  I wrote a book in 1999 about many of my experiences called, “Best Seat in the House: Untold Stories of DiMaggio, Mantle, Foreman and Other Sports Legends.  George Foreman was kind enough to write the Foreword to the book.

Music is a huge part of my life.  It has been an honor to play with the band “Blue Sky” for the past ten years performing at over 100 charity events and helping to raise money for many worthy organizations. 

You can imagine how exciting it has been for me to play guitar with the likes of Jose Feliciano and Jeff Cook of Alabama on QVC.  I had the opportunity to interview and work with the likes of Daryl Hall and John Oates, Smokey Robinson, Michael McDonald, Alabama, Martina Mcbride, Kenny Loggins and Willie Nelson, to name a few.

Finally, one of the biggest thrills of my life was to work with some of the brightest stars of film and television; Charlton Heston, Rich Little, Tim Conway and Bob Hope.  To sit next to Mr. Heston and hear that rich, powerful, one- of –a- kind voice literally gave me goosebumps.  Rich Little and Tim Conway had me laughing so hard I was crying.  But perhaps one of the most amazing days of my life was spent with Bob and Delores Hope.  Bob was one of the most talented and one of the kindest people ever to walk this earth.  To interview him and hang out with him in the Green Room was the best. 

As I look back, I am so thankful and so humbled by this journey that I have been blessed to travel.  None of this would be possible without my loving family, QVC and you.  As I blow out the candles on my 60^th birthday cake this Sunday I will be giving many thanks for all of you who have made more than I ever dreamed come true!  “Thanks for the memories” as Bob Hope used to sing.  Let’s make many more!!!

-Dan

Hello, foodies…

I was supposed to be apple picking at the orchard today, but the pumpkins kept calling my name…

I did manage to pick a few apples in the end and I'm going to cook my heart out over the next few days. After all, there were 18 apple recipes in the blog I shared yesterday. If you’re craving something classic and familiar, you’ll find it. If you’re ready for some new challenges, we’ve got those, too.

Sunday’s recipe on In the Kitchen with Davidmay be familiar to some of you—especially if you’re from central Pennsylvania. When I was a news anchor in Altoona, Chicken and Corn Chowder was a church bazaar special, the signature soup at the fire-hall fundraiser…it was everywhere. And it was GOOD.

Here’s the recipe, as I remember it. I wanted to make it in the Vitamix because you need exactly one dish: the blender itself. If you don’t have the Vitamix, stove-top directions follow.

Chicken and Corn Chowder
Serves 4–6                                     

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup medium-diced onion
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 10-oz boneless chicken breast, cooked and cut into chunks
• 1-1/2 lb medium-size russet potato, baked or boiled, and peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise, divided
• 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted and divided
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and drained
• 1/2–3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 scallions, sliced

Vitamix Preparation:

1. Place the milk, chicken stock, onion, thyme, garlic, chicken breast, 4 quarters of potato, 1/2 cup of corn, salt, and pepper into the Vitamix container. Secure the lid and place the container on the base. Start the machine on low speed for 10 seconds and then increase the speed to high and run for 8–9 minutes.
2. Turn the machine off, remove the lid-plug carefully, and through the opening add the bacon, remaining potato, and corn. Secure the lid-plug back in the container lid and pulse on low 3–4 times so the bacon, potato, and corn are chopped into small pieces.
3. Ladle into serving bowls and top with cheese and scallions.

Stove-top Preparation:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat in a 2–3 quart saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the stock, thyme, chicken, 4 quarters of potato, 1/2 cup corn, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 5–10 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and add the milk. Place the soup into a blender and hold the lid in place with a dish towel (to prevent the lid from popping off). Blend on low, to start, and gradually increase the speed, pureeing until smooth. Place the remaining potato, corn, and bacon into the blender and pulse until chopped.
3. Ladle into serving bowls and top with cheese and scallions.

This recipe is prepared with the Vitamix 64-oz Professional Series 13-in-1 Variable-Speed Blender (K41953).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Speaking of Altoona, PA WTAJ is one (of many!) stations that carry the Mr. Food segments. In fact, that’s where I first learned about Mr. Food. I never dreamed that many years later at QVC, not only would I meet Art Ginsburg himself, but I would then go to the Mr. Food studios in Fort Lauderdale to talk about my second cookbook!

Some of you may have already seen the clip earlier this week if your local news station also carries Mr. Food. But, you can also watch here on the Mr. Food Test Kitchen website. I’m with Howard Rosenthal, of course, who has taken over the Mr. Food helm after Art Ginsburg’s passing two years ago. You can also enter to win a signed copy of my new cookbook and get the recipe for my Mississippi Mud Pie.

Your blog question today iswhat’s your go-to soup recipe. Do you make a great tomato soup? Cream of mushroom? Lobster bisque? I’d love to hear what you make and how you make it. And, I bet your fellow foodies would as well. I’ll see you Sunday at Noon ET.

Keep it flavorful!
—David

I dedicate this Tip Tuesday to Halloween fun for our kids.. Swamp pudding is easy and fun for the whole family.. here is a ghoulish dessert for Halloween!

Swamp Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pre made vanilla or tapioca pudding
• 3-4 drops of green food coloring
• Gummy snakes or worms
• 2 crushed spiced cookies
• Optional-green gel to decorate

Directions:

Mix food coloring into pudding...Crush spiced cookies and  sprinkle cookies on top of pudding...Add gummy snakes and decorate with green gel.

Enjoy your Halloween!!

You can find me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/PatJamesDeMentriQVC

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If you've shopped with me for a while, you probably know I'm Halloween obsessed. I love decorating the house for fall and Halloween. Every year we have a themed Halloween party. Last year was Harry Potter, this year is The Great Pumpkin! Here I am as Lucy from Peanuts.

When I decorate the outside of the house, I like to make it Fall themed so I can leave the decorations up through Thanksgiving.  

Inside, anything vintage is my favorite, from the 1960's especially. The living room gets a Disney Halloween makeover.

My favorite decoration is a little Haunted House that lights up. My Mom bought it for me when I was in school and it's my first and favorite piece of decor. Once, in a move, it got broken and my Dad carefully glued it back together (there was nothing Dad couldn't fix with duco cement) and painted it for me. Now I treasure it even more.

Unfortunately for Kiki, even the cat gets decorated at our house.  Happy Halloween!

it’s that time of year again when we are asked “trick, or treat”?

at philosophy, we certainly choose treat! our skincare, fragrances, and bath & body products allow you to treat yourself, not just at this time of year, but every day!

our skincare is designed to help reveal radiantly beautiful, smooth, youthful-looking skin, allowing you to be truly makeup optional. our fragrances are designed to empower and uplift, because we believe if you smell good, you’ll feel good. and our bath & body products are designed to let you indulge in some of your favorite past times without feeling guilty. from head to toe, philosophy treats your skin and your well-being. 

read on to see what dara, mari lyn, and heidi love about this spooky time of year….

the tricks?  or the teats?   happy halloween!

dara lynn:
trick or treat?  well i must admit, i would have to say treat. 

on a recent trip to france i learned of a "treat" named canelé, a specialty from bordeaux.  they have adorable shops filled with these delectable treats.  i would love to serve one of these little cakes with a hot mug of apple cider or hot chocolate. of course i love all of our special candy treats we have here in the us for halloween! x, d

mari lyn meier:

trick or treat?   a little of both!  

as a kid, my house had the reputation on the block for having the best candy.  this was in the day when you could still give apples as a treat and not be worried about any wrong-doing.  my mom would buy blow pops and tootsie-roll pops.  it was hard to keep my hands out of the pumpkin bucket.  i do have a bit of a sweet tooth and i love to snack on candy corn during the halloween season and love to eat them in sections, big end to little. some of my favorite costumes are ones that my nieces and nephews have worn. i’ll never forget the year that my nephew daniel was a singing california raisin, or my neice lauren’s beautiful handmade peacock costume.

when david and i were in our first home, i put him in charge of the candy. he purchased full size candy bars! and to this day, i have never had another zero bar, nor butterfinger!   

he was fired from candy duty after that year.

in elementary school, i used to stay up late and watch old-time classic horror movies like dracula and frankenstein with my older brother and sister. i think they enjoyed watching my eyes pop out of my head from fear.   as i got older, in my teens, i loved a good scare.  jason and freddie krueger were the scariest.  oh, how i miss friday fright nights at the movies!

heidi guest: 

trick or treat?  treats and decorating!

i love to decorate and halloween is no exception.  though we have decorated differently  in the three places we have celebrated halloween, san francisco, new york and now phoenix, we always draw our inspiration for home decor from nature.  in phoenix, where we live now, much of our inspiration comes from the bright orange sunsets that we enjoy most fall nights. pumpkins, whether carved or arranged in groups, inside and outside, always set the mood. bright and burnished orange flowers, like marigolds, arranged in vases, throughout all the living areas, create a festive feel.  and luminaria, native to the southwest, but beautiful anywhere, are placed on the patio and along our walkways.  we love wrapping our palm trees with lights to welcome guests and trick or treaters alike. particularly at halloween, i love to wrap traditional candies, in multiples, like candy corn and pretty pumpkins, in clear bags with french ribbon.  it makes a beautiful centerpiece at the table or in the entry hall and it's fun to give any visitor a bag of treats when they visit.

QVC may have sent you an email on Monday (October 27) in error regarding the Kringle Express 24" Pre-lit Decorated Christmas Tree in Gift Box (H202702). This is a legitimate email that was sent in error, please disregard.

We apologize for the confusion and look forward to serving you this holiday season!  

Hello, foodies…

Halloween is right around the corner! Have you gotten your candy yet? Will you get very many trick-or-treaters this year? I haven’t bought my candy quite yet—I wanted to wait as long as possible so I didn’t eat it all myself. So far, my plan has worked. But I’m going to the supermarket tomorrow. And, while I'm there, I’ll also be buying ingredients to make my Ghost Shortbread Cookies because, well, they’re just mandatory for Halloween!

As if Halloween candy or Ghost Shortbread Cookies weren’t enough, I’m going to tempt you even more with a sneak peek at Wednesday’s recipe. We’re making Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars on In the Kitchen with David. Here’s how you make these, start-to-finish.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Serves 18

Ingredients:

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened

Apple Cheesecake Bars:

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/4" pieces
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp white sugar, divided
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce, for topping

Preparation:

1. To prepare the streusel topping, place all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl. Gently, with your fingers, mix the dough until it's crumbly with medium-size pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
2. To prepare the apple cheesecake bars, first place an oven rack in the lower-third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9" x 13" baker with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Toss the chopped apples, 2 Tbsp sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium-size bowl. Set aside. Combine the flour and brown sugar a large bowl. Gently, with your fingers, add the butter and mix the dough until crumbly. Evenly press the mixture into the prepared baker and bake 25–30 minutes, or until light golden brown.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter over the warm crust. Evenly spoon the apples (without the liquid it produced) over the cream cheese mixture, and sprinkle the streusel topping on top. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is set.
5. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Cut into desired-size bars and drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.

This recipe is prepared with the Lock & Lock 6-Piece Bowl Set with 6 Holiday Gift Bags (K40983).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Foodies, the Lock & Lock 6-Piece Bowl Set is Wednesday’s Today’s Special Value® and I can’t think of a better way to store these bars after you make them. Or, if you’d like to give a friend or loved one a gift of food, why not make a batch of these cheesecake bars and give them a container to keep.

Let’s talk cheesecake for your blog question today. What does your favorite slice of cheesecake look like? Is it covered with strawberries? Is it mixed with chocolate chips? Does Junior’s make your all-time favorite cheesecake? I’ll see you Wednesday at 8pm ET, foodies.

Keep it flavorful!
—David

Someone asked me if I thought boots were a good choice for a holiday gift, and I answered "of course!"  Thinking back over the last few years, either I've given my daughters a pair of boots for Christmas, or I got a pair from them! We know the shoe size of the women closest to us, so figuring out the right size is usually not a problem.  And, since this year boots are so awesome, finding the right style for the right lady shouldn't be an issue!

Boots (and shoes) have always been a part of our Christmas season because we celebrate St. Nicholas on December 6th. Growing up we hung our stockings on December 5th before bed, and then woke up to little treats and a new set of PJ's to wear on Christmas Eve.  

When Sean and I were visiting an elementary school for Cara when she was still a toddler, we happened to visit on December 6th. In the hallway were dozens of pairs of tiny shoes waiting for a treat for St. Nicholas! I knew this would be the right school for her (Deirdre hadn't made her appearance yet!) and it was. After that we started putting out shoes instead of stockings, just like they would in Europe for St. Nicholas to fill!

So think about giving a great pair of boots this holiday season, since our return policy is extended throughout the end of January 2015 for gifts, and maybe start a new family tradition to celebrate St. Nicholas!

-Jane