Appetizers

Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party Tips

December 31, 2024 No Comments Appetizers

The end of the year is here. Again. And, if you’re like me, you’re not going out for the evening but rather, staying in and inviting others to join you! Per our usual style, we are inviting our family and a few friends over to enjoy an evening of delicious foods, sparkling cocktails, and board games while we wait to ring in the New Year together. Need a few last minute ideas to throw together the best New Year’s Eve party in a pinch? Look no further! Watch my recent spot with KATU’s Afternoon Live and read below for my tips!

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Fun & Festive New Year’s Eve Tips

For my last segment on KATU’s Afternoon Live in 2024 I shared some tips on how to ring in the New Year with style (and ease). Read on for some tips to throw together a last minute end-of-year soiree!

Last Minute NYE Party Tips

I feel like the entire year of 2024 has been last minute and behind. And, this year is no different. While I have a strong plan for tomorrow, my actual preparation time has been limited by work, life, and all the things that can get in the way of these things. But, by 6 PM on the 31st, ready or not, I’ll have a house full of people who don’t really care about much of anything other than getting to spend time together celebrating and having a good time. I’d still like to wow them a bit, and I’m sure you feel the same when people come to your home!

Decadent & Easy to Make Bites for New Year’s Eve

One of my favorite things to do for a NYE party is to serve an evening full of delicious appetizers and finger foods. I love to make them a bit fancy. Suggestions include:

steak crostini with horseradish – recipe by Lena’s Kitchen
blinis with caviar – recipe by my friend Kate who previously wrote the blog Fork & Vine
oysters with tabasco shaved ice – sharing my tips on this!
cranberry prosciutto goat cheese bites – delish, festive, and easy!
salmon and caviar bites (as shared on KATU)

Do some of these rich and decadent appetizers with a great charcuterie board, vegetable platter, and a selection of sweets and you’re set for your last-minute New Year’s Eve menu needs.

Layer on the Sparkle and Shine for NYE Decor

My favorite thing about New Year’s Eve is the excuse for sparkle. I mean, to be fair, I don’t need an excuse. But, what I love about this holiday is EVERYONE enjoys the sparkle. Gold and silver, sequins and mirror balls, twinkle lights and candle lights… it all goes!

Household Items to Gather for Last Minute NYE Decor

Dig into your holiday decor and pull out all the white lights, white/gold/silver bulbs and baubles, and any and all tinsel available! No need to go out and buy new things, dig into your holiday decor and I bet you find a few things that’ll pile together to make great elements to set your New Year’s Eve party apart.
Find every single clock in your house and pull them together. The thing about NYE is that everyone is counting down to one single time. Midnight. Bring out all your clocks and utilize them throughout the party space.
Utilize white, silver, gold, and black linens and paper goods to layer together a cohesive look.
Cut off the top of balloons and slip them on stemless glassware to give glassware a custom look. You can then write on then balloons with a paint pen to mark glassware!
If you want to add in another color —DO IT! Use all the tips above to add in some fun color.

New Year’s Eve Cocktails

Whether you are spending the evening with kids and celebrating with the best mocktails available or with friends enjoying a great cocktail… New Year’s Eve is the time to bring out the drinks! My favorite tip to make sparkling cocktails or sparkling mocktails even more sparkly and delicious is to garnish them with a stick of rock candy*. It adds a special and sweet twist to a traditional drink. Need cocktail ideas? Check out these great recipes!

NYE Cocktail Recipes

Bourbon Apple Punch: A good punch is fantastic for a NYE party with friends at home. They can serve themselves and still get feeling of having a crafted cocktail!
Spiced Negroni Cocktail: This cocktail is tart and spicy and delicious. It is not for the weak. If you need a lighter cocktail, for sure cut this one with soda water!
Rosemary Bliss Cocktail: A gorgeously balanced cocktail that has a fantastic seasonal flair.
Classic Manhattan: The classics are classic for a reason. This one is perfect for the new year. Subtle, sweet, and nuanced. Search for your word of the year deep in one of these!

Hopefully this post serves as a helpful tool for a.quickly thrown together ( but who would know that!?) NYE celebration. Wishing you and yours the best in the new year!

Cocktails

Six of the Best Thanksgiving Cocktails: Everyone Will Thank You!

November 25, 2024 No Comments Cocktails

Be the reason your friends and family are thankful this Thanksgiving get-together by bringing one of these delicious Thanksgiving cocktails to share. Each of these beverages are simple with limited numbers of ingredients (making them great to bring to an event) but they have also been tried and enjoyed by many groups of friends who all gave their thumbs up reviews! Utilize some of the best flavors of fall— pear, apple, cranberry, and spice— to create cocktails for Thanksgiving this year!

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Fall-Flavored Drink Recipes Perfect for Thanksgiving Cocktails!

Spiced Pear Cocktail featuring Wild Roots Vodka - A Well Crafted Party

Spiced Pear Thanksgiving Cocktail

Pears are often overlooked. They are the subtle and most delicious fruit of the Fall in my opinion! This spiced pear cocktail is similar. It is sweet, but not overly so. It is spicy, but again, not overly so.. making it just right for your Thanksgiving cocktail this year! Serve it in a martini glass* and garnish with a slice of pear! Click on the image above to access the full recipe!

Apple Cider Margarita

Apple Cider is a classic flavor profile for Fall and for your Thanksgiving drink. Make it a party by adding the classic citrus elements of a margarita! Due to the sweetness of apple cider this Apple Cider Margarita is made without Sour Mix. This drink is best served in a rocks glass*, don’t forget to rim it in brown sugar and cinnamon! Click on the image above to access the full recipe!

Bourbon Sparkling Apple Cider Thanksgiving Cocktails

Yes, I obviously love apple cider during the Fall season… but, let me tell you, bourbon and apple cider BELONG TOGETHER! This fall Bourbon Sparkling Apple Cider Cocktail is extra refreshing with the addition of sparkling wine making it a great opening cocktail for your Thanksgiving festivities! While you can make this cocktail with an apple brandy of your choice, I love the Wild Roots Apple & Cinnamon Vodka for the natural flavors and kick of spice! Click the image for full recipe.

Spiced Apple Cocktail

I know, I know… the apple is a theme. This one though is NOT an Apple Cider cocktail! Though I do enjoy a good apple cider cocktail, this Spiced Apple Cocktail brings the spice and flavor without being overly sweet. The cinnamon flavor is EXCELLENT in this cocktail. The secret to this cocktail is a spiced simple syrup that really comes together with a day in the fridge, so get started on this one a bit early! These beautiful belle coupe glasses* are available on Amazon! They are some of my favorite cocktail glasses! Click the image above for the full recipe!

Pear and Apple Cider Sangria // A Well Crafted Party

Pear and Apple Sangria

We’re mixing these two fall fruits together for this Thanksgiving cocktail! Sangrias are such a great beverage for a crowd. This drink is no exception. Mix together the wonderful flavors of pear and apple then fortify it with bourbon for this Pear and Apple Sangria! The soaked fruit then become a treat at the end! Click the image above for the full recipe!

Spicy Cranberry Cocktail | A Well Crafted Party

Chipotle Cranberry Cocktail

While I originally created this cocktail for Christmas (the red color is fantastic, isn’t it?) the flavor of cranberry is very much a Thanksgiving staple. This slightly spicy Chipotle Cranberry Cocktail will be exceptional paired with turkey and the heavier dishes from the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Filled with the best flavors of Fall, any of these drinks will be great Thanksgiving cocktails! May your Thanksgiving be filled with merriment and fun. Drink safely, of course, and monitor your dear Uncle who will inevitably bring up politics after one or two of these tasty drinks. Happy Thanksgiving from me and my family to yours!

A Well Crafted Pantry

Grocery Store Hacks: Surprise Your Friends with a Restaurant-Quality Fall Menu!

September 30, 2024 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

After a busy summer the routines of Fall always make me want to host friends. Enjoying drinks around the firepit on a crisp evening, sitting with friends around a table filled with my favorite Autumn dishes, and chatting the night away with glasses of port. However, despite the routines, Fall is just as busy if not moreso! So, that is where I pull out my Fall Dinner Party Hacks. Turn grocery store purchases into restaurant-quality dishes.

The below hacks were featured on KATU’s Afternoon Live, watch below to see the video!

Three Fall Dinner Party Menu Hacks

There is no shame in grabbing favorite pre-made items from a grocery store, deli, or restaurant to make your evening a touch easier when entertaining. While I enjoy cooking for others and crafting recipes from scratch, I also know my time is limited and will take necessary shortcuts when they don’t decrease the overall quality of my meal. If the day is busy and you want to have friends over in the evening, go to the grocery store and grab a few of the below items to create a Fall-themed dinner that will look and taste like you spent the day in the kitchen.

Mac & Cheese Stuffed Acorn Squash

What do you need from the grocery store for this beautiful Fall side or main course dish? Grab enough acorn squash for 1/2 squash per person (if serving as a side) and approximately 1 squash per person (if serving for main) and your favorite boxed mac and cheese (use the published servings to make sure you have enough to serve the guests that you have on hand). Make it extra special by topping it with a garnish that will go with the dish, but give it color and flavor. For example, I did shaved aged Gouda on this Gouda mac & cheese along with some smoked paprika.

Squash Soup (or dress up your favorite soup!)

Dress up your favorite Fall store-bought (or homemade) soup with a few garnishes right before you serve them. Not only will this add extra flavor to your dish, but it will make it look stunning and special. Add some pesto and heavy cream with pepita seeds and paprika to really make the squash soup sing!

Tip: To make sure the heavy cream doesn’t just sink to the bottom, whip the cream to nearly soft peak state. Add into a squeeze bottle to drizzle onto the soup or spoon it into the soup for a nice dollop.

Apple Cake Parfaits

Parfaits are one of my go-to easy, yet impressive desserts to serve. These are simple to create. You need pound cake or a good spiced cake cut into small bite sized cubes, apple pie filling, and homemade (or your favorite store bought) whipped cream. layer each ingredient in a clear glass bowl or glass for two layers. Start with cake, apple pie filling, then whipped cream and repeat. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick.

These simple grocery store hacks make for easy, but tasty Fall treats.