Housewarming Success

Remember Itold you I recently moved into a new place? Well a couple of weekends ago LC and I hosted our housewarming party and it was a total success! We served up a full bar and some easy and delicious hors d’ oeuvres to our friends and family that came to the party. Remember that hosting should be enjoyable and not stressful. Pick some easy recipes that won’t take long to prepare and spend the rest of your day lounging waiting for your guest to arrive. Here are some pictures of what I chose to serve to up to our guests.  

Photo: Grab some smoked sausage and puff pastry dough for some super easy and delicious pigs in the blanket.

Photo: I admit I did a subpar job but take your pastry dough, cut it into squares, place sausage in the middle, egg wash the corners of the dough, wrap in a "taco" form and egg wash the top of the dough to keep it sealed. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes.

Photo: My pigs in the blanket turned out to be more like pigs on a bing bag but they were delicious nonetheless. Serve with some spicy stone ground mustard and viola, your guests will LOVE them.

Photo: Harry & David Pepper and Onion relish is one of only three ingredients for my next recipe. Easy crock pot meatballs!

Photo: Add 1 can of madarin oranges (only drain 1/2 the juice), a can of Harry & David Pepper and Onion relish and some meatballs (I opted for Turkey meatballs to save some fat and calories) and place in crockpot on low for 4-6 hours. Super easy and super delicious!

Photo: Okay, I cheated here and served a store bought spinach and artichoke dip, but it was on sale! Serve with tortilla chips.

Photo: Last but not least is my favorite, we pairs a goat cheese, roasted red pepper, pesto and pine nut torte with Manchego cheese, Boursin garlic & herb and Boursin Shallot and chive cheese with various salamis and Italian meats. Add some Carrs water crackers and you've got the perfect meat and cheese platter.

Photo: The whole spread!

Cheers!

Cristi

Thanksgiving Entertaining: Selecting the Menu

We will be hosting my in-laws this week and last week we decided on what is sure to be a delicious menu.  We will be preparing:

• Maple-Bourbon brined turkey
• a small ham
• stuffing
• roasted sweet potatoes
• green beans
• gravy
• cranberry sauce
• macaroni and cheese
• handmade dinner rolls
• dessert

foodnetwork.com

It is sure to be an eventful day in the kitchen, and that is one of the things I love most about the holiday!  We will also be serving wine, tap and sparkling water.  To start, I'll be stirring up a pomegranate-champagne cocktail.   For parties, I like to make a little beverage station near the dinner table and put out a spread of options, both alcoholic and not.

My iced beverage glasses with sparkling water and a pomegranate for decor

Pomegranate Cocktail recipe:

fill each fluted champagne glass with 1 oz. pomegranate juice (the 100% POM bottles are best)

top with 4 oz. champagne

garnish with orange peel and pomegranate seeds

Cheers!

Ana

Thanksgiving Entertaining: Setting the Table

When entertaining, I always set the table before I do any prep work or cooking.  Because food preparation can be exhausting, I've learned that waiting to set the table until just before dinner is served means my overlooking minor details and rushing the job.  The table setting should set the mood for the dinner you will enjoy.  My thoughts on the table scape is that is should reflect the work you've put into cooking your meal.  My New Year's resolution this year was to use my formal china more often, and so because of that, I've decided to set a formal table, minus the excess of silverware and multiple stemware per person at the table.  

So the first thing you will want to do is decide for yourself what kind of table you'll set.  We've found some inspirational table settings online to help guide your choice:

A harvest themed table with casual china and flatware, and occasional stemware, Pinterest

A casual table setting, hgtv.com

A formal table setting, Pinterest

Here is what I like to have at my table, regardless of whether it's casually or formally set:

• fresh flowers
• placemats
• charger plates (find the ones I've used below, $12/set of 4, here)
• dinner plates
• salad plates
• iced beverage glasses
• wine glasses
• silverware

This year, wishing to incorporate my formal china and monogrammed wedding napkins, I decided to go with a platinum and gold table theme.  

Our Thanksgiving table setting

Fresh flowers will be added come Tuesday!

Cheers!

Ana

{Thrifty Thursday} Hostess Essentials

First, let's get down to the thrifty.  Bloomingdale's is having a holiday friends and family event through Sunday.  20% off most sale and regular priced items when you enter code HAPPY at checkout.  Don't forget to also use code FREESHIP11 to qualify your order for free shipping. Bloomingdale's is my absolute favorite place to find beautiful dining and entertaining pieces.  I wish I could register all over again so that I could register off of their website!  

One of the things I would register for, knowing my love for hosting large dinner parties, are plates specifically for entertaining.  I already covered thrifty entertaining stemware in a previous post, and today we'll shop a few classic essentials for the rest of your dining table. 

First, you will want a set of 12 dinner plates.  Bloomingdale's offers a collection by 10 Strawberry Street that fits the budget of any hostess.  After the discount, you pay less than $30 for the set. 

Set of 12 dinner plates, $29 after discount

Second, I would buy 24 salad plates.  This is appropriate both for smaller dinner parties to use as salad plates or for larger parties where you want to serve mainly heavy appetizers.  10 Strawberry Street offers a great collection.

Set of 12 salad plates, $21 after discount

And last, I actually get the most use out of my Crate and Barrel appetizer plates.  I have 36 of them and find they come in handy for parties large and small. 

Set of 12 appetizer plates, $22.95 (10 Strawberry Street sells a set for $26 after discount)

Happy Shopping and holiday entertaining!

Cheers!

Ana

Were Having a {Baby Shower!}

One of my besties in the whole world, Lilly, is having a baby girl in November.  Lilly and I are practically neighbors so we brunch on Sundays, go on long walks after we each have our dinners, go to mass when Z is unable to go with me, go to networking events together and even volunteer together at the soup kitchen. She's also a fabulous hostess- remember?  Lilly was the one who had a full English tea buffet ready at 5 a.m. on the day of the Royal nuptials. I, along with two of our dearest friends, have been planning the baby shower our wonderful friend deserves.  We are hosting a brunch at my home, since brunch is her favorite meal.
Lilly gave me one hint for what she wanted as a theme: "Subtle, and if you could use this, that would be great."  At that moment she handed me a plastic giraffe.  The shower is in a week, but here is where I am going so far.  I cannot wait to celebrate Baby 'H.'

From right: the onsie banner (top), menu cards (bottom),  a welcome wreath for the front door, table of decorations

I'm excited to join my fellow hostesses and honor a good friend and welcome a beautiful new baby girl into the world!


Cheers!
Ana