(Family Features) Holiday festivities with immediate family members or just a few friends rather than larger gatherings may feel different than normal, but you can make the most of the situation with these tips to add intimacy and special meaning to celebratory moments:
- Use special dishes, glassware and linens to convey the tone of the celebration. Go ahead and use your best dishes or enhance your everyday plates with the use of cloth napkins or a festive tablecloth. Bring out the fancy glasses to savor every sip.
- Arrange visually appealing, individual mini-snack platters for each person. Combine grapes with a special cheese, crackers, olives and nuts for an easy way to curb appetites before the main course.
- Set a festive table with a simple but creative centerpiece. For instance, you can combine candles, flowers and draped bunches of colorful grapes. Place votive candles on mirrors for added shimmer and sparkle. Tie a gold or silver wire ribbon bow around the napkins at each place setting. Handwritten place cards with guests’ names can add a surprising and special touch.
- Stay healthy to enjoy the holidays. Choose healthy foods like fruits and vegetables that help support the immune system. Maintain your exercise schedule as much as possible and ensure you are getting enough sleep.
- Opt for homemade over processed foods for signature dishes then reinforce with prepared items to fill out the menu, if needed. Let your guests bring part of the meal or something to contribute to the festivities.
Adding a sweet touch to the menu can help keep guests coming back for more. For example, fresh California grapes are available into January and are perfect for the holiday season. Enjoy them as a fresh, healthy snack or side dish, or as an ingredient to add taste and visual appeal to recipes to make the season feel special.
Start the meal with a simple but beautiful salad such as Grape and Spinach Salad with Raspberry Balsamic Dressing, where the grapes provide festive color and pleasing texture. Pair your chosen entree with Warm Farro Salad with Grapes and Delicata Squash for a hearty side dish that can also be served on its own. Finally, cap off the celebration with homemade Grape and Apple Sheet Pan Pie.
Visit grapesfromcalifornia.com/recipe to find more holiday-worthy dishes from appetizers and entrees to sides, snacks and desserts.
Create the Perfect Appetizer Plate
Delight your guests with individual appetizer plates this season by considering color, texture and presentation. Remember, this is the prelude to the meal, so small portions are perfectly fine. Consider this starter list:
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Fresh grapes
- Olives
- Hummus
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Salami slices
- Spinach or other dips
- Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves)
- Roasted red peppers
- Crackers
- Pita triangles
- Thin breadsticks
- Pretzels
- Jam or honey
The Perfect Appetizer Plate
Ingredients
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Fresh grapes
- Olives
- Hummus
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Salami slices
- Spinach or other dips
- Dolmades stuffed grape leaves
- Roasted red peppers
- Crackers
- Pita triangles
- Thin breadsticks
- Pretzels
- Jam or honey
Instructions
- Delight your guests with individual appetizer plates this season by considering color, texture and presentation. Remember, this is the prelude to the meal, so small portions are perfectly fine. Consider this starter list:
Source: California Table Grape Commission
Grape and Spinach Salad with Raspberry Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh baby spinach washed
- 4 1/2 cups California grapes
- 1 1/4 cups mandarin orange segments drained if using canned
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3/4 cup bottled light balsamic vinegar and oil dressing
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons raspberry jam
- 3/4 cup crunchy chow mein noodles
Instructions
- In large salad bowl, combine spinach with grapes, oranges and onion.
- Whisk together dressing, orange juice and jam. Pour over salad and toss until greens are coated with dressing. Divide among eight plates and top with crunchy noodles.
Source: California Table Grape Commission
Source: California Table Grape Commission