Do you want to throw an unforgettable holiday party for your friends and family this year?
If so, Pick On Us would like to help out by giving you some tips and tricks for throwing a party - the easy way!
Are you ready to find out how you can throw an amazing bash with minimal effort? Read on!
Tips:
- Start with a blank table (white tablecloth) and choose a color scheme (2 colors and add a POP). I used white and light blue with a pop of red in the Winterberry Centerpiece. Remember that less is more, so keep things simple! White plates create a seamless look.
- Try a disposable runner using wrapping paper; it's inexpensive and offers many beautiful options.
- For a beautiful but simple centerpiece, use a white pitcher with Winterberry.
- Serve a signature cocktail.
- Vary heights to create more interest in your arrangement.
- Identify dishes; you can use ornaments to create cute food tags, or you can opt for paper tags or custom printed skewers.
- When arranging your buffet, start with plates at the beginning and place utensils and napkins at the end. This setup works well for guests.
- Opt for easy do-ahead dishes and avoid hot appetizers that go uneaten once they get cold. A general rule of thumb for appetizers is three per person. Check our blog post on professional appetizer presentation for tips on how to present your appetizers effectively.
Recipes
Cherry Bomb Fizz - specialty cocktail
½ oz maraschino cherry liquor
Prosecco
Maraschino cherries with stems
Add cherry liquor to a champagne glass and top with prosecco to fill the glass, drop in a cherry. Follow this recipe for each glass served.
Chicken Caesar Pinwheels
4 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
12 slices of good-quality chicken (or turkey) lunchmeat
¼ cup Caesar dressing (I like Marie’s brand, found in the refrigerated produce section)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup packaged bacon crumbles (in place of croutons, adds flavor AND crunch)
About 3 cups of shredded Romaine lettuce, or for a quick and easy tip, use Iceberg lettuce shreds in a package
Spreadable cream cheese
Lay one tortilla flat on a cutting board and spread a fairly thick layer of cream cheese all the way to the edges. Layer 3 slices of chicken and top with the Caesar salad mixture. Starting at one end of the tortilla, roll tightly towards the filling. Continue rolling until the filling is tightly wrapped, and the cream cheese holds the rollup together. Continue with the remaining tortillas until all have been assembled. Wrap each tortilla rollup tightly in plastic wrap.
Chill the wrapped rollups in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Slice each tortilla into 6 equal pieces. Secure with decorative picks. I used snowmen picks and tree picks from www.pickonus.com. Plan for about 3 pinwheels per person. Double or halve the recipe as appropriate for your crowd.
Brie Pomegranate Pistachio Phyllo Cups
1 package phyllo cup shells (15 per package)
Spreadable brie cheese (comes in a plastic wedge container)
Pomegranate arils
Pistachios (roughly chopped, can also buy them that way)
Place a heaping tablespoon of brie in each phyllo cup. Warm in a 300-degree oven for about 10 minutes and top with a few pomegranate seeds and pistachios.
Smoked Trout Dip on Crostinis
Approx. 3-4 oz. smoked trout
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 ½ Tbls. sour cream
1 Tbls. fresh dill
1 ½ Tbls. capers
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 small baguette
Mix together all ingredients (except smoked trout) to combine. Break up smoked trout and add to the cream cheese mixture, mix to combine (I like the smoked trout a little chunky).
Slice the baguette, brush with olive oil, and bake at 350 degrees for about 6-7 minutes until slightly toasted. Spread the trout on baguette rounds, or for even easier serving, place the smoked trout spread in a bowl with crostinis and garnish with a dill sprig. Makes about 2 dozen individually topped crostinis.
Santa Crunch Popcorn
8 cups cooked popcorn; salted and buttered
1 package red and green M&M’s
Mini gingerbread men
Mix everything together and serve in a large bowl with a scoop. Provide small cups or bowls for guests to scoop into. You can also consider adding sprinkles, mini holiday pretzels, or mini marshmallows for variety.
Sugar Snap Pea Wreath with Cherry Tomatoes
This dish is for the health-conscious people among you. :)
For a regular-sized plate, I used 2 packages of sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes. Arrange them on the plate and serve with your favorite dip (I used ranch dressing).
Easy Chocolate Mousse
Gotta end with something sweet!
8 oz. Cool Whip
11.5 oz. bag of chocolate chips (melt in a double boiler or microwave)
2 Tbls. whiskey (or more to taste)
Whisk the melted chocolate into Cool Whip, and whisk in whiskey if desired. Serve in small disposable dessert cups and provide peppermint spoons. The number of servings depends on the size of the cups. Mini cups are about 1.2 oz each.
Conclusion
If you want to throw a fabulous party this holiday season, give one or more of these tips and tricks a try! If you want to see some of our toothpick and skewer products, check out our collections on the Pick On Us website. Some of our collections include:
- Bamboo knot toothpicks
- Fancy toothpicks
- Sandwich toothpicks
- Decorative Party toothpicks
- Custom Skewers
And plenty more that you can check out on our website today!
Sources:
Tree and Snowman picks – www.pickonus.com
Target – Wrapping paper runner, ornaments, and wood base riser, cherries with stems
Party Store – Clear Dessert Cups
Amazon – Peppermint Spoons, plastic champagne glasses, gold 2-tiered servers, gold foil cups for popcorn
Trader Joe’s – Mini Gingerbread Men, red Winterberries for centerpiece
Jewel – Phyllo Cups
Entertaining Expert Carol Mackey - carolthatcooks.com