1. Eat Up!
Everybody likes a challenge. If you can polish off these two tails on your own, you’ll be well-prepared for your long winter’s nap, my friend. Be careful, though. Don’t hurt yourself. We aren’t kidding when we say “huge.”

2. Be Someone’s Best Friend.
Invite a friend over to watch the game. They’ll be expecting chips and dip, and you pull out lobster! Of course…you might be setting the bar a little high for future games, but you can cross that bridge when you get there (or you  can just order more! We’ve got plenty here).

3. Be the Hit of New Year’s Eve
Everybody brings something. Wait till they see you walk in with a massive bowl of lobster dip, or a tray of lobster rolls. Yours will be the first invitation they send out next year, for sure.

4. Be Generous
As they sat, ’tis better to give, than to receive. Especially when you still have one back at the house.

5. Find That Special Someone
Invite someone you’d like to be that special someone over for dinner. Surprise them with a slightly scaled back version of the dinner for two we already described (you don’t want to scare them off). Make it a first date they’ll never forget.

Sure, as with the friend on game day, you might be setting the bar a little high…but come one, this is love! Isn’t it worth it?

These are just a few suggestions. Of course, you can’t win if you don’t enter the contest!

Now, this is Santa…so these are no ordinary grocery-store-fish tank lobsters. We’re talking massive tails from two of the biggest lobsters we could find. They say it took half a dozen elves just to get ‘em in the boat!

How do you get on the Nice list for these beauties? Simple: just leave a comment on this post telling Santa what you’ve done to get on the nice list this year. We’ll forward the list to Ol’ Saint Nick, he’ll check it once or twice, and we’ll let the winner know on Christmas Eve!

So come on, convince the big guy that you deserve these tails.’,
‘Win Free Lobster For Christmas!’,

’2007-12-03 14:28:41′,
‘Let’s say you’re lucky enough to win this month’s giveaway, and you have that special someone all picked out. Here’s an idea for a great romantic dinner for two.

1. Location, Location, Location
The setting should be something special…but that doesn’t mean it has to be fancy. Some of the most romantic dinner tales come from newlyweds having a candlelight dinner on cardboard boxes in their new home. What those special locations tend to have in common are the following; privacy, mood lighting (candles are the perfect tool), something that connects the two of you, good music and, most importantly, lots of alcohol. Kidding, sorry. Most importantly, the two of you should at least FEEL like you’re the only two people in the world.

2. Ambiance
We’ve discussed the mood lighting already. Ideally, the light will illuminate the two of you, the table and little else. That way you can focus on each other. No matter what kind of table (or box, or suitcase…whatever) you’re eating on, a nice white tablecloth can bring it all together. Find something nice to garnish the table. Not a bif centerpiece that will get in the way…but simply sprinkle it with rose petals…bunch some silky fabric around the base of the candle holders…something that makes it look like more than just your table.

The music should be soft and simple.

3. The Food
Prepare and plate the food for that special someone. And go ahead and remove the tails from the shell. I know, I know, it’s part of the experience. But it’s hard to stay in that romantic state of mind while you’re breaking through a carapace with a mallet and a pair of pliers.

Trust me.

4. The other person
Don’t forget to tell them (hey, you never know…I felt in needed saying). Of course, you don’t have to tell them everything. Or anything but a date and time for that matter. There’s nothing better than a surprise…walking them into a romantically lit place with an intimate table all set up and waiting.

5. Drink
If you’re not into alcohol, no problem. It’s not a deal breaker. But nothing compliments a nice lobster better than a little chardonnay or some champagne.

Sparkling cider can work in a pinch, too. I only mention it because (since we mentioned ambiance), the candlelight playing off of a champagne flute, highlighting the tiny bubbles is a nice touch.

Mix to Taste
And the rest is all you. Don’t try hard to be fancy…the work you’ve done will carry you a long way in that department. Relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Of course, even if Santa doesn’t pick you, the same rules still apply. We’d be happy to fill your order for your New Years’ feast for two. We even have some packages that can help you put the whole meal together in a snap.

Now, you  want to get really festive, you place a couple of lobster tails on the table, on a platter covered with lettuce: red and green—it practically SCREAMS Christmas!

Add a little more flair…an hors d’oeuvre tray: your favorite round crackers, each topped with a scallop. On each scallop, get creative: create a windmill design with cocktail sauce so they look like peppermint candies.

If that’s not your style, and you’re looking for something a little more subtle, then toss your usual dinner rolls and replace them with our fresh lobster rolls.

This is a special time of year, when you get together with friends and family. Make dinner special too, and not just an instant replay of Thanksgiving, with presents.

And speaking of presents, we know timing the delivery of a Lobster Anywhere package around people’s holiday travel schedules is tough. That’s why we make it easy: Lobster Anywhere Gift Certificates. It’s the perfect gift, every time. And it won’t go bad, no matter how long it sits in the mailbox.

Heck, while you’re at it, tell everyone that’s what you want for Christmas, too!

Butternut Squash Puree.

Wow…imagine what that would be like paired with a nice lobster roll the day after. (You’ll understand better on Thursday,when my T-day post hits.)

Oh…and Pioneer Woman’s blog is worth the read just for the laugh factor. I spent longer there than I probably should have, just because it was so entertaining. (Don’t miss the Spanish Green Beans post. Don’t know that I’d pair that one with lobster—maybe scallops, though!)

Hmmm….if she has this much fun with butternut squash, I wonder what she would do with a pair of lobster?’

That’s right. Each month we’ll be holding one (maybe two, if you kids are good) contest where we give away free stuff to our readers.

Keep an eye right here for more info! (or if you want to make sure not to miss out, subscribe to our feed!)

good luck to all!

by Martha Harrington

Each fall the town of Conway hosts what it calls the Festival of the Hills. This rich cake with a caramel glaze celebrates the mature flavors of that event. It comes from Conway’s Martha Harrington, who serves it to guests at her homey Nestle Inn. She recommends dishing it up with a dollop of whipped cream.

½ cup apple slices, (peeled) plus 2 cups pared and shredded apples
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1½ cups oil (Martha uses corn oil)
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup (1 stick) sweet butter
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons milk

Grease and four a 10-inch tube pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the apple slices in an overlapping pattern on the bottom of the pan.

Combine the four, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the oil, white sugar, eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the oil mixture until the combination is smooth.

Fold in the shredded apple pieces and the pecans and turn the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool the cake for 20 minutes, and remove it from the pan.

To prepare the topping, bring the butter, brown sugar and milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Spoon the hot mixture over the cooled cake, allowing it to run down the sides (It gets absorbed better if you stick holes in the cake with a fork before spooning.) This cake tastes even better the next day, says Martha.

Serves 10 to 12.