Looking for a gift for both your wallet and your waistline? This weekend, instead of heading to the nearest restaurant, why not fire up the flavor in your own kitchen with friends and family?
“Inviting guests into my home is like sharing a piece of myself. It's a comfortable setting and it allows me to dip into my creative outlet,” says Kelsey Nixon, chef and former contestant on the “The Next Food Network Star” reality TV show. “There is a feeling in a home that you can't recreate in a restaurant.”
If the idea of an elaborate dinner party seems too time intensive and costly, here are a few simpler ways to entertain at home:
Drinks and desserts: Skip the cost of full entrées and limit the menu to all that is decadent. What’s your pleasure: champagne and cupcakes, cocktails and chocolate-dipped fruit? Offer a variety of drinks (be sure to include non-alcoholic options) and sweets for an event sure to delight every attendee.
Recipe exchange: Choose a theme and invite your guests to bring their best dish to share. For example, you could host an appetizer night or one featuring 30-minute meals. Ask each guest to bring enough copies of the recipe to give to everyone in the group.
Theme potluck: A variation on the recipe exchange, you can assign parts of the meal to various friends or family members, all based on a theme. The theme could be as broad as “Cuisines of the World,” for example, with guests bringing appetizers, salad, dessert, drinks and side dishes to represent different countries.
Ready to get started? Here’s a summery recipe that works as an appetizer for nearly any type of gathering.
Spread one side of each flour tortilla with butter. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.
—Recipe courtesy Kelsey Nixon
“Inviting guests into my home is like sharing a piece of myself. It's a comfortable setting and it allows me to dip into my creative outlet,” says Kelsey Nixon, chef and former contestant on the “The Next Food Network Star” reality TV show. “There is a feeling in a home that you can't recreate in a restaurant.”
If the idea of an elaborate dinner party seems too time intensive and costly, here are a few simpler ways to entertain at home:
Drinks and desserts: Skip the cost of full entrées and limit the menu to all that is decadent. What’s your pleasure: champagne and cupcakes, cocktails and chocolate-dipped fruit? Offer a variety of drinks (be sure to include non-alcoholic options) and sweets for an event sure to delight every attendee.
Recipe exchange: Choose a theme and invite your guests to bring their best dish to share. For example, you could host an appetizer night or one featuring 30-minute meals. Ask each guest to bring enough copies of the recipe to give to everyone in the group.
Theme potluck: A variation on the recipe exchange, you can assign parts of the meal to various friends or family members, all based on a theme. The theme could be as broad as “Cuisines of the World,” for example, with guests bringing appetizers, salad, dessert, drinks and side dishes to represent different countries.
Ready to get started? Here’s a summery recipe that works as an appetizer for nearly any type of gathering.
Fresh Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
Yield: 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Granny Smith apples — peeled, cored and diced
1 pound strawberries, diced
8 ounces fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
10 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup cinnamon sugar
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, strawberries, raspberries, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
INGREDIENTS:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Granny Smith apples — peeled, cored and diced
1 pound strawberries, diced
8 ounces fresh raspberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
10 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup cinnamon sugar
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, strawberries, raspberries, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread one side of each flour tortilla with butter. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.
—Recipe courtesy Kelsey Nixon
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