Hormel Foods Recipes

Holiday Party Tips

• · Plan on serving three to five appetizers per person per hour.  Keep a small buffet set up with platters of meats, cheeses, breads and condiments, vegetables with a dip, and various bowls of nuts, olives and chips.
• · Use snow in ice buckets to chill soft drinks, wine, or beer.  Snow chills better than ice, looks nice, and saves you the cost of purchasing ice.
• · Serve a variety of appetizers--creamy/crunchy, raw/cooked, hot/cold, savory/sweet--but make sure everything would still go together if it was on a plate at the same time.
• · Dress up platters with small holiday ornaments, herbs, or small fruits and vegetables.
• · Keep the clutter to a minimum by setting up easy-to-find areas for people to leave used glasses and plates.  Also, have several small waste baskets scattered throughout the room.
• · Don't forget about your designated drivers and non-drinking friends!  Keep a supply of fun and festive nonalcoholic drinks on hand.
• · If an appetizer is hard to prepare, make less of it and more of another.
• · Small appetizers are best.  They should be one-biters and easy to pick up.
• · Start the party with an empty dishwasher.  As the party progresses, you can fill it up, reducing clutter.
• · Have lots of cocktail napkins!