your fall entertaining guide
dinner party
dinner party
Playlist
All your guests will know these hits - regardless of their age!
Cocktails
We’re taking a cue from the cocktail queens at Habitual Hostess and serving their Apple Cider Margarita The color and rim will look perfect on our Corazon glasses. We’re also going to serve red wine at dinner and will have some beer on hand in case someone isn’t wanting tequila that evening. We’ll decant the bottle in our Egret Decanter and will serve in either our Triple Threats or Starry Wine Glasses
Outfit
Gosh the temps this time of year can vary so much So we decided to round up a variety of outfits (twist our arms)
Warmer Fall: this dress
Chilly but Still Manageable Fall: this top with these jeans
Flippin’ Freezing Fall: this sweater with these jeans
Menu
To start, we’re keeping it simple and will serve spiced nuts in our Revere Bowls. We know it sounds so basic, but it can be made ahead, and no one will fill up on snacks before dinner.
For the main dinner course, we’re serving Modern Proper’s shaved brussels sprout salad (we can’t stop eating the creamy maple dressing) and then we’re going all out with Half Baked Harvest’s creamy roasted garlic and butternut squash pasta Decadent is the only word to describe it. We’re definitely picking up some crusty bread from our favorite bakery to sop up the extra sauce. You know we love a pie around here, so we’re making our favorite apple pie (from the Joy of Cooking cookbook) to complete the theme
Seasonal Flowers
An old favorite is dried hydrangeas in our Tortoise Lettuce Leaf Vase - an arrangement that will last for months! But if that isn’t your vibe, we love the idea of three Petite Lettuce Leaf Vases down the center of your table. Each could contain the same arrangement (we love dahlias this time of year) or each could have something different. Intersperse Starry Votives and Hurricanes for an intimate, glowy effect.
min out checklist 30
Ideally, your salad dressing is made the night before
Prep the rest of your salad ingredients but don’t combine or mix yet (do that right before serving)
For the pasta, try to get to step 5 (with your pasta boiling) by 30 minutes out.
Complete the pasta dish as folks are arriving but don’t plate (keep warm by putting a lid on your post.
Batch your apple cider marg and pour into the Hourglass Pitcher
Pull out an ice bucket (we love this one) and fill it with ice
Pull out all your glassware, plates, and finish setting the table if you haven’t already
Put a lighter by your table so you can light your candles
Turn on your music and open your front door
dinner party recipes
Apple Cider Margarita
Ingredients
2 oz reposado tequila
½ oz Cointreau
2 oz unfiltered apple cider
½ oz lime juice
For the rim:
1 T raw sugar
1 T salt
1 t cinnamon
Maple syrup for rimming the glass
Apple slices for garnish
Sweet & Spicy Nut Mix
Ingredients
1/4 c unsalted melted butter
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 tsp cajun seasoning
2 tsp ground cumin
3 5 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
8 oz whole unsalted cashews
8 oz whole raw almonds
8 oz pecan halves
3 ea dried pineapple rings, 1/2" diced 1/2 tbsp salt
Instructions
1
2
Dip the glass in maple syrup, then the sugar, salt, cinnamon mixture.
Combine all drink ingredients in a shaker filled with ice Strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish with apple slices.
Instructions
1
2
In a large saute pan or skillet, melt butter over medium heat
Add cayenne, cajun seasoning, cumin and 3 T sugar Cook stirring constantly until butter begins to foam
3.
Add nuts immediately. Cook, stirring constantly, until nuts begin to brown and toasted, 4-6 minutes
Remove from heat and pour nuts onto a screen with a sheet pan underneath 4.
5
Allow nuts to cool, toss with pineapple, salt and 1/2 T sugar
Store in an airtight container 6
dinner party recipes
Creamy Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Pasta
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 c cubed butternut squash
6-10 cloves garlic
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt and black pepper
8 slices prosciutto
1/2 c ricotta cheese
1 lb long or short cut pasta
2 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
1/2 c shredded gouda cheese
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° F 1
2.
On a baking sheet, toss together the olive oil, butternut squash, garlic, thyme, 1 tbsp rosemary, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Arrange the prosciutto around the squash Bake 20 minutes, check the prosciutto, then bake another 10-15 min, until the squash is tender.
3
Add the butternut squash, garlic, and ricotta to a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil Cook the pasta until al dente Just before draining, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water Drain
5
In a large skillet, melt together the butter, sage, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Cook until the butter is browning, then add the butternut puree and 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, stirring until combined. Melt in the gouda and parmesan
7
Ingredients
1½ lb large Brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced
½ c pepitas
1½ c pecan halves, toasted
1 large honeycrisp apple, cored, sliced
1½ c dried cherries
1 c pomegranate, seeds (from 1 pomegranate)
¾ c creamy maple dressing
Dressing: mayonnaise
olive oil
maple syrup
stone-ground mustard
apple cider vinegar
Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. If needed, thin the pasta sauce with a little of the reserved cooking water.
6 Divide the pasta between plates Top with parmesan and prosciutto Twirl the pasta up. EAT and ENJOY.
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Creamy Maple Dressing
Instructions
1. Serve family style. 2.
In a large bowl, toss the shaved Brussels sprouts with the pepitas, pecans, apple slices, cherries, pomegranate seeds, and dressing until coated.
Note: The best way to get super thin shredded Brussels sprouts is to use a mandoline. If you don’t have one, just use a sharp knife and try to slice as thin as possible (watch your fingers!)
toddler’s birthday party
toddler’s birthday party
Cocktails
When our boys were little, their birthday parties were about adult interaction and celebrating the “survive and advance” of the baby years. So yes, we’re serving a cocktail but keeping it easy with Autumnal Dark & Stormies We’ll make them ahead of time and serve them in our Hourglass Pitcher
We’ll also have beer and white wine available We are serving these out of our Cabana Rocks glasses (in clear, unless this toddler party is for a boy, in which case the blue would be adorable). We’ll also have our Starry Triple Threat glasses available for any wine drinkers.
Outfit
Hosting these isn’t for the faint of heart, so comfort is key For us, that’s a long, patterned maxi dress Long-sleeves prepare us for any type of weather (we can always throw on a sweater) and we’ll still feel a little pulled together in a dress (plus a pattern can hide stains easily). We love this one, this one and this one.
Playlist
You might disagree, but we’re steering clear of Kidz Bop and sticking with something the adults enjoy.
Menu
We’re envisioning a two hour event, so we’re sticking with finger food. Our lineup will include: a bowl of popcorn
cut veggies with green goddess dip
guac and chips
mini ham biscuits
And since toddlers are also in attendance, we’ll have juice boxes (served in our Rattan Champagne Bucket), goldfish and apple sauce packets on hand.
Seasonal Flowers
We are placing Petite Lettuce Leaf Vases on both the bar and the buffet. We love dahlias, sedum, or small perennial sunflowers We’re anticipating people standing (and chasing their toddlers) so we won’t have any seated dinner component
Make your Dark & Stormies and pour into the pitcher
Pull out your glassware (and use our Soleil Tray to hold them)
Fill the Rattan Champagne Bucket with ice and put your juice boxes in
Pull out your appetizers and set your buffet
Make any last minute touches to your arrangements
Pull out napkins, paper towels and wipes for all those sticky hands and dirty faces
Turn on your tunes
Open your front door
Pour yourself a cocktail… the toddlers are coming!
birthday party recipes
Fall Dark & Stormy
Ingredients
2 oz apple cider
2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 oz Powell & Mahoney Ginger Beer
1 cup ice apple slices and cinnamon stick for garnish
Green Goddess Dip
Ingredients
1 c dill, lightly packed
1 c parsley, lightly packed
1 c basil, lightly packed
1/4 c ice water
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 scallions, cleaned and trimmed into 1” pieces
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 c Greek yogurt
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Instructions
1 Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy! 2
Fill a copper mug or similarly sized glass with ice Pour in the vodka and lime juice. Fill the glass with ginger beer and gently swirl it with a spoon once to mix
Instructions
Pull dill, parsley, basil, scallions and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times Add ice water and process until finely chopped (The ice water will shock the herbs and preserve the color ) 1.
2
Remove herb mixture to a bowl and fold in lemon juice, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, salt and pepper
3
Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let flavor combine- season to taste.
baby
shower
(it’s a girl)
baby shower
Cocktails
A Kir Royale is the perfect drink for this event! Use our Rattan Champagne Bucket to ice your prosecco and serve in our Starry Night Champagne Glasses. Don’t forget raspberries as a garnish. We would also serve white wine, like a Chablis or Sancerre (in our Starry Night Wine Glasses) and will have Perrier on hand as well
Menu
Since this isn’t over an actual meal, we’re keeping the food light. We’re going to start with soup shooters - either roasted butternut squash soup or tomato soup. Serve in mugs that guests can sip. We would pair the soup with small cheese toasts, a la Bon Appetit. In addition, we would have a platter of tea sandwiches (cucumber and pimento cheese) and some small desserts like petit fours Serve sparkling water in our Amethyst Corazon Rocks!
Playlist
There's a good chance your shower is multigenerational and we think this mix will fit the crowd
Outfit
For the mom-to-be, we love this look. For the grandmother-to-be, we’d go with this. And for guests we love this, this and this.
Seasonal Flowers
Of course you have to go with pink! Find any pink flowers that you can this time of year and if they are scarce, go with white and green (even Baby’s Breath will work great) We would arrange a Lettuce Leaf Vase and place that on the buffet.
min out checklist 30
Ice your champagne and place raspberries in a Revere Bowl
Pull out your glassware and place on our Soleil Tray
5 minutes before people arrive, prep several kir royales and have them ready for guests to take
Make your soup the night before so the flavors can really meld. Keep the soup on the burner on low until you’re ready to serve.
Pull out your mugs, napkins, and spoons and display in our Scalloped Rattan Tray
Place your tea sandwiches and desserts on their serving pieces and put on the buffet
Turn on your music, open the door and start sipping that kir royale!
baby shower recipes
Ingredients
Dry Champagne (or other sparkling wine), to top Garnish: lemon twist Kir Royale
1/2 oz creme de cassis
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 c vegetable broth
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped
1 medium (about 3–4 lb)
butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 sprig fresh sage
1/8 tsp cayenne pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste optional garnishes: smoked paprika, extra drizzle of unsweetened coconut milk, or see more ideas above
Instructions
Pour the creme de cassis into a Champagne flute 1 Top with the Champagne. 2. Garnish with a lemon twist 3
Instructions
1.
Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
2
Simmer: Add the vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
3
Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender )
4.
Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!
baby shower recipes
Creamy Tomato Soup with Cheese Toasties
Ingredients
3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 c plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 c chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 c fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 qt chicken stock or water
Instructions
1 In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock 2.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes
Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade Taste for seasonings Serve hot or cold 3.
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