Gourmet Cooking Made Easy: Holiday Party Ideas

by: ARA

(ARA) - More entertaining takes place during the holidays than all the rest of the year put together. Relatives come to visit, friends and neighbors drop by unexpectedly -- this time of year you have to be prepared for a party on short notice.

But with all the other things going on during the season, it�s hard to find the time to cook something nice for your guests. How can you put together a gourmet menu at the last minute?

�You don�t have to be a gourmet chef to cook like one,� says Jill Blashack, president and CEO of Tastefully Simple, an easy-to-prepare gourmet foods company. �I don�t have time to cook, and many other people are in the same position.�

The following are some tips from the experts at Tastefully Simple on how to be prepared at short notice for any kind of gathering this season:

* Archive good recipes. From time to time you run across a recipe that would be great for entertaining: a quick and easy soup, an interesting hors d�oeuvre, a good mulled cider mixture. Keep an active file of the ones you want to try so they are ready for you when you need them. This way you won�t have to scramble when you need to find something to make at the last minute.

* Keep important staples on hand at all times. There are certain items that your pantry shouldn�t be without during the holidays: a variety of crackers, chips and mixed nuts; cream cheese for a cheese ball; sour cream for an easy dip; some fresh spices such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves for mulling and condiments such as mayonnaise, mustard, preserves and chutney. It�s also a good idea to have a selection of beer, wine and soft drinks available.

* Stock some items that can be ready to serve quickly. Even if you don�t like to cook, you�ll be able to whip together a menu that will impress your friends and relatives with the help of a few Tastefully Simple products. Each one is either ready to serve, or can be prepared by adding just one or two additional ingredients.

Ensure your gathering will be a success with these simple, savory dips:

Tastefully Simple Spinach & Herb Mix, Garlic Garlic and Bacon Bacon Mixes

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

3 large red or green bell peppers

Tastefully Simple Bountiful Beer Bread Mix

12 ounce beer (or any carbonated beverage)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Prepare all three dip mixes with sour cream and mayonnaise as directed on packaging; chill in separate bowls for 2 hours. Prepare Bountiful Beer Bread Mix with beer and butter as directed on package; cool and cube. Carefully slice tops off bell peppers, seed, core; reserve lids. Fill each pepper with one of the prepared dips. Place filled peppers next to lids on lettuce-leaf-lined plate; serve alongside basket of Bountiful Beer Bread cubes for dipping. Makes 3 cups dip.

You can find hundreds of recipes and find out how to get Tastefully Simple products by visiting www.tastefullysimple.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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