Zach and I, along with my family leave for a holiday cruise tomorrow morning, so I thought I would do two posts this week, since you won't get one next week.
New Years Eve is right around the corner and this blog is dedicated to helping with your party planning. Are you having a New Years Party? Do you have plans to go to a friend's party, and feel like you need to take something?
I have mentioned before I love to cook what I call small bites - basically appetizers or small versions of any food that can typically be eaten with your fingers. It makes eating more fun! This can be a more time consuming method of cooking, but can absolutely be manageable.
Having a party will not be stress free, despite what my husband thinks :). The key is trying to do what you can to decrease the stress and make it somewhat enjoyable. To have a successful party, adequate planning and prep is a must. Hopefully you can take some of my tips to impress your guests and have an amazing party!
I have mentioned before I love to cook what I call small bites - basically appetizers or small versions of any food that can typically be eaten with your fingers. It makes eating more fun! This can be a more time consuming method of cooking, but can absolutely be manageable.
Having a party will not be stress free, despite what my husband thinks :). The key is trying to do what you can to decrease the stress and make it somewhat enjoyable. To have a successful party, adequate planning and prep is a must. Hopefully you can take some of my tips to impress your guests and have an amazing party!
Tip #1 - Spend enough time planning. Start this process a few weeks out if time permits.
Tip #2 - Keep in mind the amount of people you are inviting. You don't want to run out of food and leftovers are not a bad thing, so always do more than less. Most people will have a couple of each item.
Tip #3 - Plan a variety of food. Think about fruit, veggies, beef, chicken, seafood, dips, desserts, etc. Keep in mind if alcohol will be served at your party, you need to have enough food to balance the alcohol consumption. When planning your menu, keep in mind the ingredients you need and if they can be used in multiple dishes. Finally, don't feel like you need to cook everything - take shortcuts when you can.
Tip #4 - Make a detailed grocery list. When writing out a grocery list, put the items in the order you walk around the store. I know I always start with produce, then move through the different isles (ie: group items that are in the same isle - like all of your canned food items), then the meat counter and bakery. This is really only possible if you know the store you typically shop at pretty well, but will really help you maximize your time.
Tip #5 - Make a detailed plan for cooking. What can be done the days ahead of time? How long does each time take to cook and at what temperature? Organize what needs to be done in what order so you are proactive and can move from one thing to the next, without really needing to think about it.
Tip #6 - Make the presentation of the food fun.
Alright, so more on making the presentation fun. This is definitely one of my favorite parts of having a party! I am not very creative by nature, but in the kitchen my creativeness wants to come out.
People eat with their eyes first, so making the food look good and presenting it in a unique way helps make your party professional quality. Anything you can do in an individual serving, do. I have collected different servings 'vehicles' (bowls, plates, etc.) over the years, but just be creative with what you have.
People eat with their eyes first, so making the food look good and presenting it in a unique way helps make your party professional quality. Anything you can do in an individual serving, do. I have collected different servings 'vehicles' (bowls, plates, etc.) over the years, but just be creative with what you have.
Serve in different glass wear:
Fill shot glasses with your favorite blended soup.
Fill a martini glass with cocktail sauce and hang cooked shrimp off the rim.
Serve food on sticks:
Fill cherry tomatoes with a mixture of goat cheese, green onions and cooked bacon.
Dip different types of fruit and angel food cake in chocolate, let firm up in fridge and insert sticks onto a piece of styrofoam so they can remain standing up.
Serve on your favorite cracker (mine is one that looks like a mini piece of toast):
Make your favorite tuna, crab or salmon dip.
Make an open face sandwich with a thick piece of roast beef, an arugula leaf and a drizzle of mustard vinegar sauce.
Serve on a spoon:
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Make your favorite stuffed mushroom. An easy version can include cooked onion, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and parsley.
Serve in small edible cups:
Mix a variety of mexican inspired ingredients (ideas include: black beans, corn, shrimp, chicken, avocado, red onion, tomato, cheese) together and serve in a 'scoops' chip variety with a side of your favorite salsa. Also, try baked wonton wrappers or fillow dough.
Serve mini versions:
Make mini hamburger patties and serve along side various toppings and spreads. Share different ideas of potential combinations.
Make small individual pizzas. Try my shrimp and feta version. Another simple idea: cheese, some diced tomatoes and ribbons of basil.
Serve in mini bowls:
Mix fresh fruit with a yogurt and honey (or agave nectar) sauce and a sprig of mint or with angel food cake pieces and whipped cream.
Serve something simple that can be assembled by the guest:
Have a couple of different cheeses, fruit spreads and some nuts along side a variety of types of crackers.
~Ashley
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