Fall Entertaining with Family and Friends!
With the holidays on the horizon, I’m looking forward to gathering with friends and family again after nearly two years. But if we’re being honest, being a host is not without its challenges.
So today I’m sharing a few food and drink ideas sure to make your hosting duties a little easier this fall, courtesy of this fabulously curated box of goodies from Babbleboxx.
** This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx, however, all opinions are my own.
ENJOY A GOOD SIP!
A delicious Sonoma wine is a great way to kickstart any dinner party. And Rodney Strong Wines from the Rodney Strong Wine Estates in Sonoma County never disappoint.
Rodney Strong has been highly regarded for decades for producing great wines. I can attest to their Cabernet Sauvignon and California Chardonnay.
If serving steak, lamb or grilled winter vegetables, their 2018 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is ideal. It is rich with dark cherry, plum and baking spices with a medium palate with a velvety lush finish.
I recently paired their 2019 California Chardonnay with homemade pasta with simple basil tomato sauce. It was delicious and crisp. The smell of lemon curd and apple with hints of toasty oak and baking spices lingered with every sip.
FLAVORFUL MAIN COURSE
I’m kinda famous amongst my family and friends for making a mean tomato tortellini. But adding Dorot Gardens chopped basil cubes to my tomato-based pasta sauce took it to another level. Dorot cubes are a total game-changer, in ease and flavor!
These cubes are easy to use, require zero chopping and don’t create a mess. Just pop a pre-portioned cube and add to effortlessly season and flavor your dishes. I also love their pre-chopped garlic. Add that garlic to some olive and add shrimp and broccoli for one amazing stir-fry dish.
Best part: they are fresh! Dorot Gardens harvests their products to process and flash freeze within 90 minutes.
Dorot cubes come in eight different flavors: Crushed Garlic, Crushed Ginger, Chopped Basil, Crushed Turmeric, Chopped Cilantro, Chopped Parsley, Chopped Dill and Sauteed Onions. I purchased mine from Kroger. They are also available at Walmart.
FRIENDSGIVING ENTERTAINMENT
Friends Friendsgiving, The Official Guide to Hosting, Roasting, and Celebrating with Friends by Shoshana Stopek, is a great guide to hosting unforgettable year-round celebrations.
The book is segmented in three parts: the first showcases amazing recipes; the second is filled with Friends-style entertaining tips, music playlist and DIY-ing party decorations. Part three keeps the fun going with games and other similar entertaining activities.
While perusing the book, I came across Monica’s Apple Crumble — a recipe I cannot wait to try!
SWEET TOOTH?
Dewey’s bakery has been making delicious cookies and confections since the 1930’s. Their cookies are made with 100% real ingredients with no artificial flavors or colors, and no preservatives.
My daughter absolutely loves the Sugar Moravian Cookies, especially with a glass of milk. The flavor is mild and these thins absolutely melt in your mouth.
I am partial to the robust cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice flavors in the Ginger Spice Moravian Cookies — perfect for fall, especially when accompanied by a good cup of tea.
These cookies thins are a must for the holidays, and really all-year round.
Head over to the Dewey’s Bakery website to browse their selections and try these for yourselves. Be sure to use
Discount Code DEWEYS10 to save 10% sitewide, from November 10th to December 10th.
SPICY CHARCUTERIE
If you’re looking to take your charcuterie board up a notch, add Frank’s RedHot Almonds to your spread! The flavor is mind-blowingly delicious, with the perfect blend of flavor and heat.
These are great for your guest to enjoy its own or in a trail mix while the main course is being prepared. It’s also a great snack addition on game day!
These are made with Frank’s Original Hot Sauce and California Almonds. They contain zero artificial colors or flavors.They are currently available for sale at Meijer Grocery Stores and at Amazon.com
In our increasingly busy lives, it can feel challenging to entertain at home, much less prepare a large meal for a group of family and friends. I hope these products make it easier to entertain without feeling overly stressed.
I’m so glad you stopped by! Be sure to check in weekly on this blog for updates and also catch up on my daily lifestyle and home decor tips by following me on the gram @thefarafix
