Today, I am going to share four simple snack items that are easy to prepare and explain how to create an atmosphere that will make you look like a Party Planning MVP to your guests.
The most important part of party planning is thinking about all the little things that add up to make a great atmosphere. You are not going to want to do a lot of dishes when your guests leave so I highly recommend using disposable plates, cups, and napkins, that have a football theme that can be tossed at the end of the night. Maybe you want a banner to hang over the food table, as well as a festive runner, that will add extra spirit to the food table. Now, what if I told you to consider a balloon arch? Most people would hear that and think, “I do not even know where to begin with a balloon arch, much less do I want to pay someone to make me one because that can be expensive.” I want to share a secret I discovered that makes the whole decorating process, much, much simpler.
All the things needed to make a great party atmosphere can be found here at DecorDrop.com. With one click of a button, I was able to skip going to five different stores to find all my decor supplies, plus they have other helpful items, like a two balloon electric pump that will create a balloon arch in no time. There is a white glove service option you can add to your order, to have someone come setup the decor for you. However, I consider myself a DIY type person and decided to try to set everything up myself. When the box came, it did not take me long to get everything in place and looking great. The contents were organized and a helpful step-by-step instruction video was provided on their website so I could conquer the balloon arch like a pro. Needless to say, their decor box takes all the headache out of decor shopping and saved me time and gas.
Now that the decorating is handled, it is time to huddle up and focus on the stars of the party…the snacks! A great and simple snack that friends and family will enjoy is little smoked sausages in a delightful, yet simple, BBQ sauce. This recipe is so simple to prepare and can be served with a variety of items. To start, combine 1 lb. of smoked sausages with 1/2 cup grape jelly and 1/4 cup yellow mustard in a crock-pot and put on low for a two to three hours. Stir occasionally to help combine and once the sausages are warmed through, that’s it. Be sure to turn the crock pot down to warm and then enjoy. These little sausages go great with your favorite roll, cheese and crackers or just by themselves.
Another game-day favorite is buffalo wings. Wings are an easy score that pack a punch of flavor. These are so super simple to do if you have an air-fryer. All you need to build a great buffalo wing bar is 3 lbs. of chicken wings, your hot sauce of choice or two or three, some celery and carrots, and blue cheese dressing. Preheat the air-fryer to 400 and make sure your wings are lightly coated in some cooking spray or olive oil, and then put one layer in the air-fryer for 25-30 min, turning every 5 min. The wings will take a few batches to cook all 3 lbs. After the wings come out, put the wings in a bowl, coat with the hot sauce, toss a couple of times in the bowl and then serve. If you have other sauces, divide up the wings evenly for each sauce offering. They can also be prepared with just a salt and pepper rub put on before cooking and served dry. Take the wings out of a bowl and put on a platter with celery sticks and some blue cheese dressing. You can also substitute ranch for blue cheese.
The last snack to prepare is Spinach Artichoke dip. All you need to do is preheat the oven to 375 and then combine 1 box frozen chopped spinach (thawed), 1 (14oz) can of artichoke hearts (drained and chopped), 2 cups shredded parmesan, 1 (8oz) softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup mayo and 2 tsp minced garlic, in a bowl. After well combined, put in a 9x9 baking dish and cook for 25 min. You will want to serve this right out of the oven with some tortilla or pita chips.
It is not a party without dessert. There are two ways to go about dessert: the super easy way and the other easy way. If you like to bake, then go ahead and whip up some cupcakes or if you like super easy, then buy some cupcakes at the store. The good news is that the decor box you ordered comes with decorations for the cupcakes and a cool cupcake stand. Boom, dessert is tackled and your food table looks like a spread fit for royalty.
This year you can avoid the delay of game penalty and create a hall-of-fame party that only requires a trip to the grocery store and a mouse click on your computer. It is important to plan ahead and gather your food and decor items a week or two in advance. Just follow these steps and you are well on your way to being a Party Planning MVP.