Holiday Entertaining Made Easy

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I don’t need to tell you that the holidays are upon us…..we all know this.  Entertaining plays a significant role during the holidays.  I don’t know about you but when November rolls around and I start to contemplate Thanksgiving followed so quickly by Christmas I begin to stress out.  It’s a double edged sword for me in view of the fact that I adore the holidays…family, friends, food…ahhhh yes food!  It takes a considerable amount of planning to successfully prepare those traditional holidays meals or host a holiday party.  I teeter back and forth from elation of seeing everyone I love to worrying about how much time I’ll spend planning and working in the kitchen.

This year I’ve found a solution to alleviate some of my worrying.  I found a few products that pair together beautifully and will make my life easy when we throw our neighborhood “come & go party” between turkey day and Christmas.  I am still in the process of trying out different shopping options here in Greensboro and decided to try a Walmart Neighborhood Market to load up on party supplies.  While there I found out during the months of November and December, Walmart will be doing in-store demos featuring wines, and Barilla and Pepperidge Farm products.  You know me, I’m a shade of a wine snob and I was impressed with the wine selection and prices at this store!  You can visit the “Simple Entertaining Hub” here for info on demos happening in your area.

Being new kids on the block I want to be sure and keep this party super simple so I can spend my time getting to know my new neighbors.   Here’s my plan.  I’ll set up a table offering these crisp Pepperidge Farm crackers with fresh fruit and a selection of yummy toppings as folks arrive. I plan on keeping a few boxes of these on hand throughout the holidays to serve any guests who might pop over. I’ll have a wine bar set up close by with a selection of Clos du Bois wines for my guests to pour themselves.  Of course I’ll offer water and non-alcoholic beverages for all the designated drivers!

I want to serve a light meal, a simple pasta dish for my guests to nosh on as the evening progresses.  I found a one-pot pasta by Barilla that requires no work at all.  Seriously it’s ready in a matter of minutes – all in one pot!  No water to boil and no straining necessary.  Love this idea!  I’ll keep the pot on my stove with bowls and utensils nearby.  The garlicky fragrance of Spaghetti with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto will beckon my guests to the kitchen.  Below the pasta all ready for sauce…all in one pot – you’re going to like this for quick family meals too!

All I did was stir in a bowl of my Sun-dried Tomato Pesto to create the easiest meal for my party guests.  One pot- one bowl and a fork.  Dinner is served!

Now let’s talk dessert.  Dessert is always my favorite course and I love to bake…however this time I’m leaving that up to Pepperidge Farm. I purchased their cookie collections, one classic and one chocolate.  That dark chocolate they dip or layer those cookies with will be so tasty with a glass of cab!  Or milk! The variety of cookies in these collections fashions an appealing plate of goodies to choose from.

I also want to send my guests home with a little something and since I think these Pepperidge Farm cookies are pretty delicious I am putting together little craft boxes, stuffed with cookies.

Assemble craft boxes, string, parchment, scissors and cookies.  All I did to make these cute little “take aways” was tear a few sheets of parchment, line the kraft paper boxes with the parchment and add a few cookies.  Wrap a 12″ piece of festive or fun string, ribbon or raffia around the box, (knot the ends to prevent fraying) and pile them in a basket or bowl by the front door for guests to grab on their way home.

Bullet points for a simple and easy holiday party:

Leave the work to the professionals
*Purchase pre-made crackers, cookies, dips or toppings
*Keep your meal selection simple – I suggest a one pot meal
*Choose pre made containers and fill with goodies as party favors

Here’s what you need to know – your guests will enjoy the festivities as much as if you slaved in the kitchen for days prior to the party and YOU will leave yourself time to relax and enjoy some fresh air with a glass of vino before they arrive!

All food & beverage products were purchased from Walmart Neighborhood Market – easy one stop shopping for all my party needs!  Easy to locate in the store too..Wine on the wine aisle, cookies and crackers on the same isle and pasta…well you guessed it..on the pasta aisle!