I’m not a sports fan, but even I am waiting to find out if the New Orleans Saints are going to the Super Bowl. I lived in New Orleans for 12 years and everyone loves an underdog.

Now that I’ve told you just about everything I know about sports, let me talk party food to you. That’s something I really have a knack for. If the Saints do make their way to the big game, make your party center around the food of New Orleans. Have a big slow cooker full of gumbo and another of jambalaya. This way, your guests will be eating the best food of all the Super Bowl parties on your block.

Most large supermarkets have frozen crawfish which adds an exotic touch outside of Louisiana. Use it in the dishes above or in a dip in place of crab. Also, change up the spices a little. You can try some of Emeril’s Essence, which is also available nationwide. Add a little cayenne or Tabasco to spice it up a bit. You can also do it all the easy way with Zatarain’s Mixes. It’s really all up to you.

If the Saints let us down, you can still do better than a table of chips and pre-made dips. Get out your little dipper Crockpot and make a fondue instead of the usual nacho cheese. Even if you use cheddar and beer in it, it’s still a step above. Have lightly toasted bread hunks, steamed veggies, and you can still have a few tortilla chips out for the die hard junk food fans. Turn a plain old bean dip into something special by adding some goat cheese in place of the usual Monterrey jack and puree some chipolte chilies in adobe sauce to replace the jalapenos.

Create a make your own sandwich buffet. Use your Sengware platters to put out an array of thin sliced meats and cheeses. Have and array of interesting rolls - ciabata, oat, whole grain, sunflower and more. Have a few unusual cheeses, including goat cheese, so the vegetarians have something yummy too. Put out smoked mustards, basil aoili, and even steak sauce, they all make a sandwich more interesting.

Have cute mini cupcakes in place of a big cake. You can make them easily at home and even healthy them up with whole wheat pastry flour if you want to. Make sure to put out a fruit tray so your friends can keep their new year’s resolutions at least a little longer.

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Posted by Myriam under Hostessing & Occasions & Party Food | No Comments »

No cool weather gathering is complete without a toasty drink. Kids and grown-ups alike love a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

Having 20 children over for a pumpkin carving party? Get ahead of the game by making a batch of hot chocolate in your slow cooker. You can make large amounts, and it’ll be ready when the thirsty herd is.

For a smaller gathering you can still prepare it in advance, just use a thermal carafe to keep it warm or use a little dipper sized slow cooker. I do this before a fancy sit down dinner with coffee and tea. It lets me enjoy the company of my guests instead of staying hidden away in the kitchen.

Let the kids add their own touch to their drink. It’s amazing how easy it is to have so much fun. Create an area filled with little bowls of goodies to add to their cocoa. Decorate the table with a tablecloth and a few mini pumpkins.  You can also use flame-less candles to add a special touch with no danger to the little ones.  My hot chocolate goody bar usually includes whipped cream, chocolate shavings (milk, dark, and white), crushed peppermint candy, mini peppermint patties, mini marshmallows, and anything else I have on hand that seems like a fit.

If you will have older kids or adults around, try a mixture of ground chili, ginger, and cinnamon for a taste similar to what the Aztecs drank. It can have a kick, so keep an eye on the kids when you let them use this topping. Also try infusing the hot chocolate with a cinnamon stick and some cardamom pods when you make it for a delicious drink that needs no topping at all.

Flavored syrups like vanilla, hazelnut, and almond are another great addition. You can use them in fancy coffee drinks you make at home too. If there will be a lot of adults, bring out the liquors. Bailey’s, Amaretto, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, and even spiced rum make great grown up additions.

Make sure to ask the parents if any of the children have food allergies, before you decide what to put on your topping table. For someone with a milk allergy make your favorite hot chocolate recipe and use vanilla soymilk or almond milk in place of the dairy. Most mixes contain dairy, so you will need to make yours from scratch. It’ll be worth it and you may find yourself doing that for all your cocoa parties. It doesn’t take much time or effort, but it has a huge party payoff!

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Posted by Myriam under Drinks & Fall Entertaining & Hostessing | No Comments »

A lot of party preparation cannot be done until a couple of days before you plan to have guests over. However, there is one thing that you can (and should) do about a week before- CLEAN. Here are a few areas that you might not clean on a daily basis but should be given a little attention when you are having guests over (especially if they will be staying overnight).

- The inside of your refrigerator and freezer

-The outside of your kitchen cabinets

-Your coat closet

-Wipe down any patio furniture

A little elbow grease about a week ahead of your party and you will not only have less to do the day of but you will also be able to rest assured that no guests will be turning up their nose at the sight of jumbled coat closet.

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Posted by Myriam under All About the Home | No Comments »

If you find yourself entertaining for a large crowd (perhaps a backyard BBQ), or attending a potluck event, try to avoid bringing the same old boring dishes. I mean really, hasn’t everyone had enough of the same old deviled eggs and potato salad by now? Try to think creatively while still preparing large portion that are crowd pleasing.

-What about fresh fruit skewers in place of the traditional fruit salad?

- pulled pork on rolls instead of meatballs?

- Try Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad in place of Macaroni Salad

- Change things up by preparing Broccoli Slaw in lieu of granny’s potato salad.

What’s your favorite potluck dish to bring that needs to be reinvented? What is the most creative dish you serve a large crowd?

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Posted by Myriam under Party Food | No Comments »

My favorite reason to host a party is actually no reason at all. I love having friends and family over “just because.”  Without a Christmas color scheme, birthday decor, or formal attire, I find it fun to get a bit creative when entertaining. Here are a few trendy party supplies you might not otherwise use; but that can really make a statement.  Mix up patterns and bold colors and your decor will be as vibrant as your party.

Retro Cake Platters {set of 2}

Whimsical Flower Napkin Rings

Modern Orange Placemats {set of 4}

These are a few bold party accessories I found that can get your creativity flowing. Now- all you need is a non-reason to host a party!

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Posted by Myriam under Occasions | No Comments »

The most important thing that you can do to make sure that your special event or occasion is a success is to relax. Accept the fact that not everything is going to be perfect and enjoy not only the event itself but the process leading up to it. Planning and coordinating the event should be half the fun and not be a high stress situation for you. The joy of watching your plans neatly fall into place should far outweigh the small details that may get overlooked. Try to remember that it is just one of many dinner parties and occasions that you will probably host and with good company and good food, you and your guests will have a good time even if everything isn’t perfect.

One way that you can do this is by keeping the planning as simple and organized as possible. If you have a plan in place, even if it doesn’t go like clockwork, you can still be flexible and continue to have a wonderful event. Do as much as possible ahead of time. Set up the décor and the table with everything you plan on using for the party including dinnerware, linens and any decorative items you are using so you are not rushed before the guests arrive. The more details you can have taken care of before the day of the event, the more relaxed you will be and the more time you will have to actually enjoy your guests and the event.

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Posted by Myriam under Hostessing | No Comments »