Having friends and family over is a great way to spend time together and make lasting memories. However, for the host, the experience can become overwhelming and tiring from prep and cleaning.
Here are a few tips for easy appetizers so you can spend more time enjoying your company and less time in the kitchen.
Decorative Plates
A variety of plates and bowls in different sizes and heights add interest to a display of appetizers. Watch your local discount home stores such as Ross, Marshall’s and others for fun, festive and pretty dishes. Colorful cloth napkins laid out under dishes and bowls also adds color and elegance.
Shrimp Cocktail
Most grocery stores have pre-made (usually frozen) shrimp cocktails rings, sauce included. Just defrost and transfer to a prettier plate if desired. You can usually get larger shrimp from the butcher area of your store, or if you already have shrimp in your freezer, just defrost and easily whip up sauce with a mix of ketchup, lemon juice and horseradish (taste test to find the ratio of flavors you like).
Meat and Cheese Tray
Grab a few interesting cheeses from your store’s deli area. A mix of 2 or 3 textures and flavors of cheese provides a nice variety for guests to sample. It’s also a fun talking point if the cheeses are from various areas around the world. Cut the label off the wrapper or hand write the cheese name and location made (such as France, Spain, etc) on a small piece of paper and use a toothpick to secure the label to the cheese so guests know what they are sampling. Add a small container of honey or sweet chutney to drizzle over cheese such as brie. If desired, add a few other items to the platter such as nuts, grapes, dried fruit, salami, or sweet pickles. And of course provide a couple types of crackers on the side.
Veggie Tray
Most stores have pre-made veggies trays complete with sauce. All you have to do is refrigerate until you’re ready to put out. If making your own, keep a few veggies on hand and made a quick dip with sour cream and Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix.
In addition to ranch dip for veggies, a healthy alternate is hummus. Select a good brand from the store (Boar’s Head is a good option). You can buy some with items already added (such as pine nuts and sundried tomatoes), or add your own toppings to dress it up. One combination that works well is a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some feta crumbles, chopped up kalamata olives and a little fresh basil.
Bread with Olive Oil & Balsamic
Set out extra virgin olive oil and good quality balsamic vinegar with some a pre-purchased “bread dipping” herb mix and small, shallow dipping bowls. Add a bowl of warm pieces of broken up bread (warm in oven for 5 or 10 minutes). Guests can create the combination they like in their own personal dipping bowl.
Fruit
Purchase pre-cut fruit from the salad area of your grocery store and place in a decorative bowl for a colorful and refreshing dessert.
Making any sauces a day prior and having everything ready to grab out of the fridge and put out will make your entertaining time much easier and more enjoyable for everyone – especially the host.
If you need help getting things back in order after your company, just give us a call. We’re happy do the cleaning so you can relax!