CheekyChicago

Gearing up for holiday entertaining can be overwhelming, so a helpful tip is to make a list and head to a warehouse retailer, like Sam’s Club where you can find all of your needs from foods to wines and even gifts for everyone on your list to boot! It’s the perfect one-stop shop/entertaining destination for anyone – especially on a budget.

‘Tis the season…we have to be ready to whip up a chic and stylish menu from now until after New Year’s. And if your family is anything like mine, it’s most often spur of the moment, and you need to rely on your gourmet go-to sources for all foods fabulous. I love a party menu with interesting drinks and eclectic bite size offerings – it makes shopping and party prep easy, yet elegant.

For the holidays, I love a champagne bar – you can feature a rose, a sparkling wine from Napa and a Prosecco (these are both around $10 from Sam’s Club and Jewel). These are all inexpensive, and make tasting fun and interactive. It’s always great to serve several options, so a few whites and reds (these are roughly $12-24) work well in addition. Last, it’s always important to have non-alcoholic drinks as well, and this trio of sparkling juices in pomegranate, cranberry and apple from Trader Joe’s is a great value (and my kids can’t get enough of them).

My favorite menu this season includes a hearty buffet of heavy hors d’oeuvres from Sam’s Club: chicken quesadilla trumpets (so easy to heat, serve and pop in your mouth), mini beef Wellingtons (again, no silverware required), the fantastic Black Tie Gourmet Appetizers like crabcakes (I serve them with a dollup of horseradish cream on top), mushroom turnovers and cheese soufflés. Everything is about $10-12 per dozen.

And what menu is complete without something sweet for dessert? No one can resist an eye popping Hot Chocolate Bar – featuring hot chocolate in my favorite chrome carafe from Pampered Chef – with a half dozen toppings from white cream, strawberry cream, chocolate shavings and more. Better yet, you can display them in the matching white mugs or bowls (I love Simple Additions bowls from Pampered Chef) and can be used long past the holiday season. They pair perfectly with a dessert menu of decadent chocolate truffles, profiteroles and the party favorite: mint ice cream bonbons, again all from Sam’s Club. Everything’s about $7-10 each.

Bon appétit!