Cocktail Party Preparedness - Food & Beverage

Have you ever run into a scenario where at some point during the day you might be talking with your friends about dinner plans for the evening and the opportunity for you to host an impromptu cocktail party arises?  Well, I have run into this scenario all too often.  

I hate the feeling of not being prepared (regardless of what the situation may be).  A pop quiz in school always made me sick to my stomach and that deer in headlights look that typically results from a stressful surprise has never been flattering on me.  

Wouldn't it be great to be able to say to your friends at a moments notice, "Why don't you come over to my place for a quick drink before we head out to dinner."  You're confident with offering up an impromptu cocktail party at your house, because you know you have all of the necessary supplies to entertain.  This is actually very attainable and in all honesty, it doesn't take a lot to adequately equip your home for simple cocktail entertaining.  

Over the years I have learned a great deal from hosting my various cocktail parties (both planned and impromptu).  This post breaks down what I consider to be the cocktail party pantry essentials.  A list of the cocktail party food and beverages to have on hand, so that the next time you offer to host an impromptu cocktail party at home it will be naturally effortless.     

Drinks

  • Red and White Wine- If its a quick cocktail party (like an hour or two), I usually buy enough for the wine drinkers to have at least 2 glasses.  If its full on dinner party that I am hosting, I budget a bottle per guest to be on the safe side (Is it really a bad thing to end up with left over wine? Um no, definitely not a bad thing at all!).  A final note- Keep a bottle of white in the fridge at all times.  That way you won't be caught off guard if a guest asks for a glass of white wine (unless you are serving spritzers, white wine + ice cubes = suboptimal). 
  • Beer- My first piece of advice with beer buying for a party is this…know your audience.  If you have a bunch of beer drinkers coming over, head to Costco and pick up a 24pack of Glass Bottles.  If theres only going to be 1 or 2 light beer drinkers, you can stick with a 6-12pk.  If I am buying 12 beers, I will usually break it up into a 6pk of Regular beers and a 6pk of Light Beers.  
    • Brands- Again, unless you know your guest's beer preferences, its best to stick with a more well known brand that is mid-priced.
  • Liquor - I typically keep a bottle of vodka on hand because I find it to be the most widely liked by my guests.  Again, a mid-priced vodka would be my recommendation.  
  • Water -Have a carafe/pitcher of iced water available for your guests.  Cocktails and salty snacks tend to make people very thirsty, so having water available is never a bad idea.  In addition, I also like to keep both sparkling and tonic water on hand.  Whether sparkling water is needed hydrating or tonic water is needed as a mixer for a cocktail, they are certainly entertaining must haves for my parties.  

Food

2 Armadillo Spicy Cayenne Chick Peas, Rosemary Marcona Almonds and Roasted Almonds Lightly Salted

2 Armadillo Spicy Cayenne Chick Peas, Rosemary Marcona Almonds and Roasted Almonds Lightly Salted

  • Nuts- The cocktail party staple!  A mortal sin (in my opinion) is to host a gathering where you are only "watering" them.  Meaning, if you provide your guests with only beverages, it won't be a very long party.  Snacks not only take the hunger "edge" off but snacks also keep your guests from feeling buzzed or ever so slightly inebriated after a single cocktail.  Nuts are a great snack to serve at a cocktail party.  There are so many varieties, they taste delicious and they can be stored in your pantry for months at a time without spoiling.  
  • Frozen Apps- Trader Joe's Pastry Bites with Feta Cheese and Caramelized Onions, Edamame in the Shell, Flatbread Pizza (Love American Flatbread Cheese & Herb)
    • These are just some of my favorite frozen appetizers, but definitely go ahead and buy whatever you think that you and/or your guests would enjoy most.  

Entertaining Accessories

The goal of this post (like so many of my posts) is to let you know that even though you may be busy and not have a lot of time to plan, you can still easily host an impromptu cocktail party.  Hosting can really be nbd (no big deal).  Next time you are at the store for the weekly grocery shop, throw a few of these items in your cart.  Just like Rome not being built in a day, you can build your pantry over time.  Who knows, maybe the next time the opportunity presents itself you might surprise yourself and proactively volunteer to host an impromptu cocktail party.  

Morning Crunch Muffins

I learned of this recipe while on my honeymoon.  My husband and I took a cooking class, which I highly recommend doing with your significant other or even just a friend.  It was really nice to have an activity date night that wasn't just dinner and a movie (not that there is anything wrong with that) and we learned something to boot!  The class taught my husband a healthy and flavorful salmon recipe that he could easily cook.  As well, the class gave me great inspiration for recipes like these morning crunch muffins.   

These breakfast cakes are low sugar, high-protein, flavor packed and Paleo Diet-Friendly!  Added bonus, they are great for making ahead of time and freezing each cake individually wrapped (a perfect breakfast on the go).

Makes 12 Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1c Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (toasted)
  • 4 Tbs Toasted Flax Seeds
  • 3 Tbs Raw Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
  •  3 Tbs Sesame Seeds (not toasted)
  • ¼ c Dried Unsweetened Dark Cherries
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • ¼ c Sliced Raw Almonds 
  • 4 Tbs Grape Seed Oil (or Safflower Oil)
  • 4 Tbs Agave Syrup
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 4 Tbs Almond Meal/Almond Flour 
  • 4 Tbs Garbanzo Bean Flour (or Hazelnut Flour)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  2. Combine all ingredients
  3. Grease muffin pan either Grape Seed Oil or Pam Cooking Spray
  4. Distribute batter evenly in 12 muffin cups
  5. Press batter into each cup so that it is packed tightly
  6. Bake for 15 minutes
  7. Let cool and wrap individually

Displaying Hand Soap in Your Bathroom

Pump Soap vs. Bar Soap

This sounds crazy to discuss Pump Soap vs. Bar Soap, but many people (myself included) have an opinion/preference regarding the form of hand soap displayed in their bathroom.  

Pump Soap

  • Personally, I love pump soap for everyday hand washing.  I am a huge fan of the Mrs. Meyer's line of hand soaps. They smell delicious and I love that they are non-toxic.  I even think the packaging is pretty enough to display without transferring to a more formal pump soap dispenser.  It can add a fresh pop of coordinated color to a sea of monochromatic countertop accessories without having to permanently commit to that additional color.  Liquid Soap overall is a great option for everyday hand cleansing because it leaves little mess post-use and accomplishes the obvious (sanitizing your hands).   If you are interested in outfitting your bathroom sink with pump soap, here are a few suggestions for different liquid soaps and containers that I happen to love. 

Bar Soap

In the end, this debate really doesn't have a winner.  Actually, this debate really wasn't even a debate, but rather a look into the variety of options that exist in the world of hand soap and soap accessories.  Pick whatever soap works best for you and if you have the opportunity to try any of the items I have talked about in this post, you won't be disappointed!

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

While it may seem like Winter is this long, cold, dry, depressing season during the year, I have to say that I totally don't believe this to be true.  From snow skiing to the entirely different wardrobe I get to take advantage of during this season, winter has a bunch of wonderful things to offer.  However, my #1 reason for loving winter would have to be Soup Season!   

I love soup and during the winter, I seem to exist off of it!  Its so warm, comforting, delicious and can be very healthy.  Speaking of healthy, I have come up with a wonderful and very healthy Lentil Soup recipe made in my beloved Crock Pot!!  Oh how I LOVE my Crock Pot.  Just set it and forget it!  The best part about this recipe?  In addition to being inexpensive to make, it's delicious, nutritious and also vegetarian friendly!  This recipe yields many servings of soup, so I love to make it over the weekend and then my husband and I will reheat it during the week.  This slow cooker lentil soup is definitely worthy of being a staple in your recipe repertoire. 

Ingredients

  • 1 Bag of Hurst's Brand Garlic & Herb Lentils (Harris Teeter and Publix carry this specific bag of lentils.  You can also order them in bulk from the Hurst's Store Website)
  • 1 Medium Yellow Onion Diced Coarse
  • 5 Stalks of Celery cut into 1/2inch pieces
  • 1.5 Cups of Carrots cut into 1/2inch pieces
  • 6 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 Cups Water
  • 1 Parmesan Cheese Rind (Either Cut this off of a parmesan block that you buy or you can go to grocery stores like Whole Foods and buy a container of Just the Rinds--the rinds will keep in your fridge for months and are a staple in most of my soup recipes because of all of the flavor they add)
  • 5 Cloves of Garlic Minced
  • 3 Fresh Bay Leaves Cut in the Center (see image below)
  • 2 Dried Bay Leaves
  • 1/4Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
  • Fresh Baby Kale
  • Fresh Shaved Parmesan

Instructions:

  1. Add the Vegetable Broth and Water to the Crock Pot
  2. Add the Lentils, Flavor Packet, Celery, Carrots, Onion, Garlic, Parmesan Cheese Rind, Fresh Bay Leaves, Dried Bay Leaves and Parsley to the Crock Pot
  3. Stir contents and set Crock Pot to High 6hrs (Stirring Contents Every 2hrs)

4.  Once the Crock Pot transitions to Warm mode, the soup should be done and ready to serve.

5.  Add the baby kale to the bowl first, then ladle the soup over the baby kale (the kale will wilt in a few minutes.  This way you will have deliciously wilted kale that is bright green in color.  **Adding the kale to the crockpot to cook with the lentils will cause the Kale to turn a green/gray color.**

6.  Garnish with parmesan cheese shavings and serve!

Selecting a Fruit Bowl

Recently I had been itching for a little updating in the fruit bowl department.  Sounds ridiculous, right?  Well, I have had the same glass pedestal fruit bowl since grad school.  Don't get me wrong, it's a classic fruit bowl that has been a wonderful addition to my kitchen countertop for years.  However, I needed a change, so the search for a new fruit bowl commenced!

As fate might have it, I was perusing through CB2 for small hors d'oeuvres bowls and came across the most perfect fruit bowl to update my space!  The best part....$14.95!!!  The large CB2 pinch bowl (pictured above) has added that much needed update to my kitchen countertops.  In addition, I have also found it to be a fabulous pop of gold on my living room display shelf and even as a vase for a few of my flower arrangements.  

Classic Fruit Bowl

  • If a classic fruit bowl is your preference, a simple white or clear glass bowl with modest decor would be the way to go.  White and glass tend to have a very clean look and are adaptable to most decor settings.  I have also included the Nambe Fruit Tree Bowl because a wood bowl can also be a classic look.  In addition, I love the aesthetic of the attached banana stand (used for prolonging the life of your bananas).  

Favorites Include: Sur La Table Cabbage Serve Bowl, Juliska Berry & Thread Footed Fruit Bowl, Dartington English Country Collection Centerpiece Bowl, Nambe Fruit Tree Bowl

Pedestal Fruit Bowl

  • I ADORE a pedestal bowl.  The added height creates a sense of sophistication and added elegance to the bowl and fruit presentation.  Another benefit is that you can separate your ethylene-sensitive (ES) from your ethylene producing (EP) fruits by storing one group in the bowl and the other group at the base of the bowl (just an idea).  Here is an article from Real Simple that breaks down which fruits are ES and which are EP.

Favorites Include: Crate & Barrel French Kitchen Marble Fruit Bowl, Williams-Sonoma Monogrammed Fruit Bowl, Nate Berkus Etched Ceramic Pedestal Bowl, Crate & Barrel Del Mar Serving Bowl, 

Multipurpose Fruit Bowl

  • Living in the city, I am always in search of space-saving solutions.  At least 80% of the items in my home need to have purpose, and I am elated my home items can serve more than one purpose.  Below are suggestions for fruit bowls (some of which I own and use as fruit bowls currently) that serve additional purposes such as: Cake Stand, Punch Bowl, Salad Bowl, Bread Basket and even Mixing Bowls!
My Nambe Butterfly Salad Bowl makes a great fruit/produce bowl when I have a bunch of bulky items that need to kept at room temperature.  

My Nambe Butterfly Salad Bowl makes a great fruit/produce bowl when I have a bunch of bulky items that need to kept at room temperature.  

Fruit Bowls with Flair

  • Let me just say, I LOVE this category of fruit bowls.  While they are not necessarily multipurpose or classic, they are aesthetically fab!  Personally, I am all about the splash of MacKenzie-Childs in my kitchen.  This large hand-painted Courtly Check Enamel Compote makes for a great pedestaled fruit bowl, while adding a touch of character and charm to your space.  In addition, I wanted to include an option similar to my gold CB2 pinch bowl in price, aesthetic and functionality.  This Threshold Hammered Bowl with Gold Finish from Target certainly fit the bill!  These are four great options for updating your space, adding a little character and of course storing your fruit!

Favorites Include:  MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Checked Enamel Compote (Large), Threshold Hammered Large Serving Bowl with Gold Finish, Alessi "Marta Sansonic" Cactus Fruit Bowl, SPI Home Twig Basket

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that writing a post on fruit bowls could be this much fun and enlightening.  There really are so many different types of fruit bowls out there that can add a great deal to your space in both look and functionality. I would encourage you to take a little time to explore and decide on a fruit bowl that best suits your lifestyle.  A fruit bowl's potential really can go far beyond it's obvious face value.