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Holiday Open House Menu and Recipes
This year, why not host a holiday open house? A Holiday Open House is an old
fashioned way to entertain during the Christmas Holiday season
and New Year's Eve that's easy on the host and hostess.
It is a fun, easy, and an informal way to celebrate the holidays
with those friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers you won't
actually be spending the big day with.
Set the day and time: Usually an open house takes
place on the weekend and lasts about 4 hours. Also include a definite ending
time. The idea is for people to come and go to sort of spread
out the guest list over several hours, thus avoiding
overcrowding and giving the host/hostess more opportunity to
visit with more of their guests.
Send
invitations, call, or email friends and family to drop by during
the hours of your party. Make it clear
whether children are welcome. If children
are also invited, set up a corner (away from ornaments and
decorations) with toys and trains for young children to play
with. Also offer kid-friendly foods.
Create the menu: When planning your Open House Menu,
think about food that will last through the party with not
much fuss. Keep your menu simple and plan a
stress-free menu. Serve foods
that can be prepared ahead of time. Remember this is a "grazing
party" with your guests moving around. Check your food platters and replenish them often.
Serve bite-sized party food to
eliminate plates and utensils. The style allows for plenty of
make-ahead dishes, and allows you to spend more time enjoying
your guests. Make any appetizers or sweets ahead of time, so
you’ll have time to visit with your guest.
Set the mood: Have Christmas holiday music
and decorations in your home. Light a fire in the fireplace. Place simple
poinsettias or holiday flowers throughout the house.
Mingle and enjoy your guests: Move
around the room, making sure you’re greeting guests as they
arrive and seeing them off as they leave, and that the food and
drinks are flowing throughout the event.
Click here for
Buffet & Party Safety
Tips
and hints. Let's have safe and healthy family gatherings and parties!
To view more dinner party menus
and recipes, check out
Linda's Dinner Party Menus and Recipes.
Beverage Ideas:
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Alcoholic Drinks
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Non-Alcoholic Drinks
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Egg Nog Punch
This is an excellent egg nog recipe for a large crowd during the holidays.
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Tom and Jerrys
This drink is a Christmas tradition for my family.
For children, just omit the alcohol. |
Chai Tea - Spiced Milk Tea
The spices in Chai Tea vary from recipe to recipe, but is traditionally
consumed hot and sweet. Play with the
flavors and make this tea your own! This is a great alternative to
coffee.
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Hot Chocolate
Have
you seen the movie, Chocolat? This is like the hot chocolate that
was served in the movie. Your guests will love this! |
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 Since we have a small
vineyard, we also
serve a choice of wines. You could also do
this.
You could have a wine tasting of different types
of wine with your guests. Check out my article
How To Successfully Taste Wine - Wine Tasting Basics.
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Peppermint Float Punch
This punch is always a hit at gatherings. It's like drinking a peppermint float. I always make this punch a couple of times during the Christmas holidays.
Adults and children love this punch. |
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Cheese, Vegetable, and Meat Platter Ideas:
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Cheese Boards, Cheese Plates, and Cheese Platters
With assorted
breads and crackers. Very
easy to prepare as you purchase the cheeses.
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Platter of assorted cut-up fresh vegetables,
chesses, and meats
plus
Dill Dip for Vegetables
and/or
Shrimp Cheese Ball or
Spread
with
Bourbon Pecans, and/or
Andalusian Marinated Green Olives
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Appetizer Ideas:
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Check out my large collection of
appetizer recipes
(includes gourmet and easy-to-make appetizers, hors
d'oeuvres, starters & amuse bouche
recipes).
Appetizer Main Index
Bruschetta, Canapes, and Crostin
Recipes
Caviar
Appetizer Recipes
Cheese Appetizer
Recipes
Cheese Boards, Cheese Plates, and Cheese Platters
Diet
Appetizer Recipes
Dips, Spreads, Pates, Salsas, and Terrine
Recipes
Egg
Appetizer Recipes
Fruit Appetizers
Recipes
Hummus
Recipes
Meat Appetizer Recipes
Mushroom
and Truffle Recipes
Nuts and Seeds
Recipes
Olive
Appetizer Recipes
Seafood
Appetizer Recipes
Sushi, Wraps, and Roll Recipes
Vegetable Appetizer Recipes
Vegetarian Appetizer Recipe Index
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Meatballs in Cranberry Pinot Noir Sauce
These meatballs are easy to make and so good! These
are so addictive! |
Goat Cheese Torta
When this Goat Cheese Torta is sliced, it reveals colorful distinct layers. |
Caviar/Dip Spread
A very easy, but also very gourmet, way to serve caviar to your guests.
This is a great starter dish for the
"grandest" of affairs. This is also a way to make your expensive
caviar go further.
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Your guests won't
be able to stop "grazing" on these delightful
nuts!
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Dried Fruit, Nut, and Seed Crisps
I love crackers with nuts and dried fruits in
them. They are
excellent served with some cheese and wine, and they are so addictive!
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Hot Crab Appetizer
This delicious,
addictive crab dip will have your family and
friends
begging for more.
or
Easy Street Crab Dip
This is fantastic
looking and tastes wonderful. Your guests will rave about this one. This recipe
can be made up to two days in advance.
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Stuffed
eggs are always a favorite at any
gathering. Men especially go "wild" over
stuffed eggs.
Stuffed "Deviled" Eggs with
Caviar
Add some caviar,
and you've added a touch of elegance!
or
Stuffed "Deviled" Lemony Eggs
or
Uptown Deviled Eggs
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Dessert Ideas:
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Candy: |
Cookies: |
Misc. Desserts: |
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Northwest Apple and Apricot Candy (Aplets & Cotlets)
Aplets and Cotlets are a delicious Northwest candy. Aplet
and cotlets candies are considered a Northwest
delicacy.
Chocolate
Truffles
This chocolate truffle recipe can match
even the priciest truffles you can find to buy.
Additional Christmas Candy
Recipes
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Ten Plus Brownies
or
Dieters Beware Brownies
These brownie recipes screams with
calories. Very rich, very good, and very fattening - but your guests are
worth it!
Spritz Cookies
What Christmas holiday
cookie plate would be complete without Spritz Cookies?
Additional Christmas
Cookie
Recipes - Bar, drop, molded, rolled & chocolate cookies. |
Cream Puffs
Everyone loves
cream puffs, but most cooks are afraid to try making them since they are
considered time consuming and difficult to make. This is actually false, as
they are quite easy to prepare and very impressive to serve.
Regal Fruit
Cake
It wouldn't seem like the holiday season
without a fruitcake. |
Fruit Pizza
A beautiful dessert for brunch or any special occasion. It will not keep well, so plan on using it up. You may also use your own sugar cookie recipe in place of the refrigerated cookie dough.
Panforte Di Siena
An Italian confection that is a cross
between fruit cake, candy, and honey cakes called Lebkuchen. It is a
wonderful confection and so easy to make. I always
make this for the Christmas season.
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Holiday Open House M
