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.

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

Chances are no matter where you were yesterday for Thanksgiving, you have leftovers. Even if you didn’t host dinner, you probably had a bag of leftovers packed up and sent with you. Relatives and friends alike love to think they’re helping us out. Especially when they are overwhelmed with leftovers themselves.

You could heat and eat the same old meal. Or you can think of each dish as a single ingredient and create some new dishes in a mini Iron Chef competition with yourself. By creating new dishes you’ll stretch your food budget, and surprise yourself with your creativity.

Have a pizza shell in the fridge or some dough in the freezer? Try making pizza with some of your leftovers. Try bbq turkey with shredded turkey, pre-made bbq sauce, chopped onions and bell pepper. Add some drained, canned pineapple if you’re feeling adventurous. You could also toss some turkey in pesto sauce spread over a crust, top it off with crumbled goat cheese and some leftover cranberry sauce. Make a vegetarian pizza with sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce on a crust covered in a garlic butter sauce.

Pasta is another great option. You could make a left over casserole with whole wheat ziti, turkey, leftover veggies, Use leftover gravy or a mushroom sauce to bind everything together. Toast leftover dressing and crumble over the top.

Turkey lasagna with a sweet potato cream sauce and spinach is another favorite. Or try egg noodles combined with turkey and green bean casserole – add a little milk to loosen it up if needed.

Have some leftover creamed corn? Try mixing it with diced pepperoncini peppers, and some turkey or grilled shrimp. Toss the mixture with angel hair pasta. Creamed corn is also the perfect base for a corn chowder. Just add milk, diced red peppers, cubed potatoes, more frozen corn if needed, and some fresh thyme. It’s my favorite cold weather soup.

If you made the turkey at your house this year, you can use the carcass to make turkey broth. It freezes great. You can put it in quart containers, or freeze in ice cube trays and store in Ziploc bags. It’s great to be able to take out a few cubes of stock at a time. Much better than opening a carton of stock for a few tablespoons worth.

Don’t forget the power of omelets. Any of the mixtures above would work great. Turkey and goat cheese is one of my favorites, but you can use any cheese you have on hand. Omelets are perfect for using up the tiniest leftovers.

Take these ideas and invite some of your friends over for a Thanksgiving leftover party. It just may be the least expensive party you’ve thrown all year!

Posted by Myriam under Fall Entertaining & Holiday Entertaining & Hostessing & Occasions & Recipes | 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!

Posted by Myriam under Drinks & Fall Entertaining & Hostessing | 2 Comments »

Pears are my favorite autumn fruit. Delicious, richly textured, and perfect to use in both sweet and savory dishes. They are a wonderful ingredient to plan a fall party around. You can create a cocktail or a full dinner menu incorporating this luscious fruit. If you have a big kitchen and a well stocked pantry, you could throw an Iron Chef style party. Your guests and you can make the dinner course by course.

If you want to plan your menu in advance and cook yourself, take a look at a few of the following menu possibilities. You’ll be surprised with how versatile the pear is.

Start your guests off with a pear cocktail. Ahead of time peel few ripe pears and puree the flesh in a blender with the juice of a lemon. Strain if you want a thinner syrup or add some water. Use this in your usual martini, or mojito recipe. Liven up the typical mojito by using basil in addition to the traditional fresh mint. If the pear is sweet enough, you may be able to leave simple syrup out of your usual recipes all together.

Assemble a pear-brie bruschetta on top of lightly toasted bread spread with a little pistachio-thyme pesto. It’s a beautiful appetizer. Make a silky pear winter squash soup with a hint of port wine. Serve with a spinach salad topped with dried fruit and goat cheese tossed in your favorite vinaigrette for a complete meal. (Hint: make your own vinaigrette using pear puree, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Incorporate some fresh herbs that you happen to have on hand.)

Create a quick and easy pear main course by getting a pre-made pizza shell at the grocery. Spread the crust with garlic butter or a your favorite pesto sauce, then a layer of thinly sliced pears, top with some truffle oil and sliced fresh mozzarella cheese. You can either bake it in the oven or cook it on top of the grill. As another option, Trader Joe’s has an Italian truffle cheese that makes a great panini combined with sliced pear and crusty ciabatta.

You probably already have a pear dessert recipe in your arsenal. But try a pear sorbet. It’s a snap if you have an ice cream maker. Just puree ripe pear flesh with a little of your favorite sweetener as a base. The pear makes it the perfect ‘ice cream’ consistency. Add fresh or frozen berries and a tablespoon of your favorite liquor to amp up the flavor.

Remember pears need to be stored at room temperature and should ripen within a few days. Throw them into paper bag when you bring them home from the store to speed the ripening process up a little. Once they are ripe you should use them immediately.

Posted by Myriam under Fall Entertaining & Recipes | No Comments »

With many tightening their budget belts these days, finding creative ways to save money can almost be considered  a new past time. From cutting back on your party budget to money saving tips on your party food here on Entertaining With Style we try to share practical money saving tips that don’t have you sacrificing your entertaining flair. After all, we believe you can be classy and thrifty- why not?

We have thrown out a lot of our ideas to you and are dying to know: How do you save money when hosting a party? Please, dish!

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

Cups, glasses, glassware… what’s the difference? Well, you should know the basic difference between two of the most common categories of glasses (glassware and tumblers). This information will come in handy if you are creating a wedding registry, working in a restaurant, or even hosting a fancy dinner. Who knows when or why you may need to distinguish between the two, but just in case- you will know.

Stemware vs Tumblers

Simply, stemware are glasses that have a foot or stem and that hold the beverages in a bowl shaped above that stem. Tumblers are glasses that have no foot or stem- they have a flat bottom that sits on the table directly.

Posted by Myriam under Hostessing | No Comments »

Going out for entertainment might not be in your budget, yet entertaining in your home might still be too costly. When it comes to planning your party menu- look for ways to save and you’ll be able to enjoy having friends over while not busting your grocery budget.

1. Serve Salads- Salads are so versatile. They can be fancy or simple, exotic or traditional. Putting together a couple different large salads is a great way to save money on  your party menu with out looking like you cut costs.

2. Have a Potluck- Your friends have called to ask, “what can we bring,” resist the instinct to tell them the usual “oh nothing, just yourselves,” and actually give them something to bring. After all, they asked and will most likely be pleased to contribute to the gathering. Ask them to bring a pasta salad, crackers and cheese, or whatever else you need.

3. Dish up a Casserole- Casseroles are filling and good! Why not serve up a large casserole? Just think outside the box and steer clear of the tune noodle.

Posted by Myriam under Party Food | No Comments »

With the long weekend approaching, I get eager to entertain (shocking, I know). With Memorial weekend having a laid back- soon-to-be Summer feel, I suggest keeping your planning, decorating, and preparation minimal.

Why not have a mellow outdoor barbeque? Or what about a family camp out, tents and all? You can roast marshmallows over the fire (or grill), tell scary stories, and sleep under the stars! Invite friends over too just tell them BYOT- Bring Your Own Tent! Send out a simple outdoor-themed  Evite  (pictured above) to make your planning a breeze!

What are you doing for Memorial Day? How will you be celebrating?

Posted by Myriam under Holiday Entertaining | No Comments »

Using family photos is a great way to decorate not only your home, but also any party space. The next time you are entertaining in your home, consider using personal photos as decoration. If you are hosting a formal dinner party with friends, gather a few photos of your guests and place them in simple frames. Set the photos in your entry way, the bar area, or the dessert table. Not only will this add a personal touch– I am sure the photographs will stir up conversation as well.

If you are celebrating a birthday, graduation, bridal shower, or other memorable occasion– gather photos of the guest of honor to display. Selecting candid shots always gives framed photos a sense of life that others will enjoy looking at.

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

Any party host or hostess has probably has some sort of love hate relationship with these for letters. ­

R.S.V.P. meaning, “répondez, s’il vous plaît,” in french (translated “please reply” in English), can cause such frustration for a party hostess. Why? Because many people do not R.S.V.P. which often times leaves the hostess guessing at the guest count and unable to finalize party details.

Why is that more often times than not- no one R.S.V.P.s? Do invited guests simply forget? Do they not think it is required or important?

Please share your thoughts? I would loooove to know what you think!

Posted by Myriam under Hostessing | 2 Comments »