We’re seriously considering hosting a holiday party this year.
Catering is an option (if they’re not all booked up) but to extend that - or if caterers aren’t available, I need SUGGESTIONS.
Preferably stuff that can be made in advance and frozen (or kept in the fridge for a few days). In large-ish quantities as well.
I make a great cheese ball that can be done in advance and is simple to set out.
Hot cider is always good. A few pitchers of sangria. Beer and regular wine. We don’t drink much liquor but I can always get a few bottles of stuff (suggestions? mixers to have available? It’d be “mix your own”). Maybe eggnog though I despise the stuff and can’t understand why anyone would voluntarily drink it ;).
Something easy we do is pinwheels. Use the refrigerated pie dough that comes in rolls. Lay one out and spread a thin layer of filling on it, roll it up, egg wash, bake, and cut into pinwheels when done.
We use spinach, ricotta, mozza cheese, or meat sauce and parmesan, or even cinnamon and brown sugar. Possibilities can be endless. And perhaps interesting… They can be kept in the fridge until festive time, pop them in the oven and enjoy.
Meatballs freeze well. Make tiny little cocktail-sized meatballs, cook them and then freeze them. On the party day thaw and warm up in sauce of your choice.
A meta listing of foodie blogs, each entry is a picture. You hover over the picture to see the title and if it sounds interesting, click on the picture to go to the blog.
Really, food porn at it’s greatest. I surf it frequently to vary our repertoire of recipes. You can use it’s gimpy little search function for specifics like chicken or hor’s d’oeuvres or soups … great site.
Crowd Pleaser Potatoes are easy and can be made before hand. It’s just everything you would have in a loaded baked potato, but made into a casserole*. There are a thousand different recipes on the net but I prefer the ones with bacon.
*I guess it can also be called a twice-baked potato casserole
I hope we have some anthropology students taking notes on contemporary American celebrations.
Most of what’s been suggested here is 100% foreign to me. My parents never went to parties… or gave them. What are these “pinwheels” of which you speak?
Yes on the pecan tarts. I do them in mini-muffin pans. I also do fruit pie versions. This year I plan to add mini brownies to the list, and maybe some other stuff if I am inspired. Bite size desserts are fantastic for parties. You can try a bit of everything, and you don’t need to balance a fork as you’re walking around.
Here in Mexico we call them botanas. A very easy and delicious one is with fresh pineapple. Cut up the pineapple into bite size pieces, add juice of a fresh lime, add cilantro and sprinkle with ground red chile. Serve with toothpicks.
If I may suggest a potent potable, Germany has an drink called the Feuerzangenbowle (Fire Tongs Punch). My father makes this for every Christmas and New Year’s Day. Mull some red wine (warmed with cinnamon, cloves, citrus peels, and such) in a bowl and set it over a candle to keep it hot. Soak a large cone of sugar in a strong rum (over 100 proof, or it won’t burn), suspend that over the bowl (with a slotted metal spoon, or whatever serves), and light it up! Pour more rum over until all the sugar is melted into the wine, enjoy the night…
Liquor to have on hand: Spiced rum, Southern Comfort, gin, vodka, peppermint schnapps.
I had a holiday party once where my wife and I invented a cocktail and handed to guests as they arrived: in a martini glass, put a sugar cube in the bottom, pour vodka to the top of the sugar cube, put in a splash of cranberry juice and fill the glass with champagne. We called it a French Russian. People loved it. Bubbly, strong, sugary and red.
Dips are always good with pita chips-- spinach dip, seven-layer taco,warm beer and cheddar.
You can make great finger food with phyllo dough. I make lots of little treats by cutting squares of phyllo dough and either fitting them into cupcake tins or folding the square over stuffing. Bake and serve. Some filling examples: Chicken & pesto; mushrooms, garlic, & feta, crab, garlic, & parmasan; cheesecake (pre-baked); whipped sweet potato and pecans. The possibilities are endless.
