It's the holiday season. You know what that means? It's party time. It's also a time to enjoy food, friends, family and fun. Every time I've planned a party, I've paid a lot of attention to the kinds of foods I was going to serve. Preparing treats for party-goers is part of the fun of hosting such an event. At least, it is for me.
That doesn't mean it's easy. That's why I keep a list of resources to help me out. I've already found some great ideas at the Party Food section. Carrie features yummy recipes and offers advice about how to get jiggy with your food the right way. (Hehe!) For example, how many appetizers you need depends on a lot of factors such as your overall menu, the amount of guests you'll be inviting and the time of day your party will take place.
It's a lot to think about and Carrie breaks it down for you. I tend to over-serve so I found her guidelines quite enlightening and cost-effective too!
In the article, Carrie also includes a recipe for a Cranberry Baked Brie that's absolutely mouth-watering. You can spread it on crackers or serve it with bread. The tart cranberry sauce provides a nice accompaniment to the smooth, French cheese. Even my husband, who's such a picky eater, enjoyed it.
Wanna whip up a treat that even Martha Stewart would envy? Try the Blue Cheese and Port Spread. It doesn't take a lot of time to make, which I love. I'm more of an eater than a chef. However, your guests will never know how simple it was - as long as you don't tell them. Shhh! It's our little secret.
As a mom, which I am, I often find myself doing more party planning - and cooking - for the children than for my husband and myself. Carrie understands that. (She's a mom too!) She gives busy moms tips for hosting parties for the kiddoes such as Back to School events. She also provides recipes for holiday parties. I love the one for Reindeer Food. I'm going to try the one for kiddoes out at the December potluck dinner at my daughter's school. The wee ones are always looking for finger foods that are fun to eat and sticky too!
Carrie's focusing heavily on the holidays right now - and why not? There's some fantastic suggestions for cheese balls and fondue. The retro faves have never really gone away, but are making a comeback especially at this time of year. Maybe it's the nostalgia. Maybe we want to be reminded of our childhood. For most of us, it was a simpler and happier time. The memories of the holidays are so tied to the food we ate, aren't they?
In the future, I hope to entice Carrie, who's already written a guest article for me here about the Bachelor, to work on a "Survivor" theme party. The finale's coming up in January. Between her work at the Party Food site and Reality Shack, I'm sure she has some ideas. Hopefully she'll have the time.
All I can say is that if you want to know how to wow your guests at any party you host or dazzle the masses at a potluck shindig or just read a lot of tips and tricks for making fantastic party food any day of the week, check out Carrie's site. It's required reading for the party foodie in you.
