Entertain to Win: 5 Tips for your Next Holiday Party
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – why spend it stressed out? With only a couple weeks until Christmas arrives it’s time to enter full planning mode. Recently my amazing friends at Kroger invited me to explore some ways to take the stress out of the holiday season with their Eatertaining Made Simple campaign. Today I am sharing five tips that will make your next holiday party a breeze.
Fill your table with local products
Semi-Homemade
This holiday season be more present with the ones you love and head to Kroger for pre-made vegetable trays, deli trays, cheese boards, cake, cookies and more. All of the pre-made options are set up into a nice presentation and ready for you to share with your guests. These pre-made options are not only delicious but eliminate the number of dishes that you’ll have to do and allow you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the ones you love.
DIY Cheeseboard
Signature Cocktail (or Mocktail in my case)
Dessert
Who doesn’t love dessert? Personally, I am a big fan. If you’re not the best baker, no problem! Kroger has plenty of pre-made delicious dessert options, from cheesecake and brownies to cupcakes and cookies you’re sure to find something your guests will love. I absolutely love baking and always try to make a dessert that goes with my party’s theme. This year I am hosting a candy cane themed party and decided to make chocolate candy cane sandwich cookies with ingredients that I found at my local Kroger store.
Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies
One of my favorite things to do is make a seasonal cookie. During the fall I made Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cream Pies, which were a huge hit – I mean who doesn\’t love pumpkin spice? When it comes to winter one thing that is always on my mind is peppermint. Of course, with holiday parties coming up I wanted to make sure that I made something festive, and peppermint. These Chocolate Candy Cand Sandwich Cookies are everything I hoped for and more. The best part, they\’re vegan and no one will know! The candy cane pieces around the outer edge add the perfect sweet touch. These chocolate candy cane sandwich cookies make a great addition to holiday parties, potlucks, cookie swaps and more. I am wrapping them up and placing them in a tin to mail to friends that are out of state as well as bringing them to a holiday party.
Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies
Chocolate Cookie Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup nondairy milk (or you can use regular)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Peppermint Frosting Ingredients
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons vegan butter, softened to room temperature (you can also use regular butter)
3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 candy canes, crushed
Directions
1. Sift flour, cacao powder, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
3. Add in the sugar and whip for one minute – until combined and fluffy.
4. Add vanilla and gradually add the milk – while continuing to whip the mixture.
5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
6. Mix well using a wooden spoon or spatula.
7. Once combined form the dough into a ball.
8. Split the dough into two equal portions.
9. Place each portion into a piece of parchment paper.
10. Roll it out with your hands between the parchment paper until a log is formed. The log should be about two inches wide.
11. Try to flatten the ends – so you have a cylinder shape.
12. Wrap the two logs, and tightly secure the ends closed.
13. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until firm.
14. Once you remove the logs from the refrigerator, unwrap them.
15. Using a sharp knife, cut rounds that are about 1/4-inch thick.
16. Place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
17. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
18. Bake 5-7 minutes.
19. Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
20. For the peppermint frosting, combine the butter and confectioners sugar in a large mixing bowl.
21. Mix with a stand or hand mixer.
22. While mixing, add in the warm water and peppermint oil.
23. Beat until frosting consistency.
24. Pour the smashed candy canes into a bowl.
25. To assemble the sandwich cookies, spread some frosting onto the bottom of a cookie with a small icing spatula.
26. Place another cookie on top and lightly press so there is some frosting coming out of the sides.
27. Sprinkle crushed candy canes all along the sides of the sandwich – or you can roll the sides into the candy canes.
28. Repeat.
29. Allow the cookies to dry before layering them in a container.
30. These cookies freeze great and make the perfect addition to holiday parties and potlucks.
Waze Adds Snow Warning Feature
Do you have a favorite navigation app? I am personally a big fan of the crowd-sourced navigation app Waze. Waze has definitely upped its game in 2019. First, it brought the voice of Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster to its turn-by-turn direction service. Now, Waze is adding one of the most important features that it could, and just in time. Mother nature is gearing up for t throw some wicked weather across the United States and this year Waze has your bak. Waze now allows you to report icy road conditions as well as unplowed roads. This new function will help keep drivers safe and informed. I admit, as someone who lives in Michigan and deals with awful winters, I am thrilled that you can now report unplowed roads and icy road conditions right on the Waze app.
The new feature is included in the updated version of the Waze app, so make sure you’re up to date. When using Waze, you will now see a snowflake on your display with an “unplowed road” written beside it, which will indicate poor driving conditions. Furthermore, as a driver, if you come in counter with an unplowed road that has not been reported, you can also report this hazardous condition for others to see.
Hit the roads safely this winter with the Waze app.
Christmas Pop-Up: Jingle at Ale Mary’s Beer Hall
It\’s that time of year again, holiday bars are popping up all over Metro-Detroit to get you into the holiday spirit. These pop-ups are packed full of Christmas decor, Christmas themed and the perfect place to spread holiday cheer. Even though I do not drink, I can definitely enjoy a good holiday pop-up. I recently went to Ale Mary\’s Beer Hall where they have their Jingle pop-up going on. With yuletide decor, cocktails served in holiday cups and plates of Christmas cookies – Ale Mary\’s Beer Hall has definitely decked the halls this holiday season. Besides holiday-themed cocktails, you will also find seasonal milkshakes (vegan) and Christmas cookies. Their regular food menus including their vegan menu are still available.
You can find Ale Mary\’s Beer Hall at: 316 S Main Street, Royal Oak, Michigan 48067.
Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake
Impress your guests this holiday season with a homemade chocolate peppermint roll cake. No matter what your skill level in the kitchen is, you can easily make a roll cake. Trust me, this cake may look tricky to make – but it\’s actually really simple (we will keep that our little secret). Instead of using a traditional cake recipe, you will be making a sponge cake. I bet you\’re wondering what the difference between a regular cake and a sponge cake is, right? Well, a sponge cake is made up of flour, sugar, and eggs – no oil or butter. You\’ll want to cook the sponge cake in a jelly roll pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Once the sponge cake has finished cooking you will immediately turn the cake out onto a flour sack towel, that has been heavily coated in powder sugar (this will make sure it does not stick). You\’ll roll the cake up in the towel, starting at the short side. Then you will want to allow it to cool completely before you unroll it. Now let\’s talk about the filling, I used Hudsonville Peppermint Stick Ice Cream… because yum! You can use any ice cream that you desire though.
Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake
For the batter:
4 eggs, divided
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup sugar divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
3. Grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.
4. In a mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites until soft peaks (peaks will fall when you lift the beaters).
5. While mixing, slowly add in the 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
6. In a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on medium speed for 3 minutes.
7. Add 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla.
8. Beat for 2 more minutes.
9. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
10. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the 1/3 cup water to the egg yolk mixture in the stand mixer.
11. When thoroughly combined, fold the chocolate batter into the egg whites a little at a time.
12. Stir until completely combined.
13. Spread the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
14. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
15. While the cake bakes coat your bowl with powdered sugar.
16. When the cake is complete, immediately turn it onto the towel.
17. Remove the parchment paper from the cake.
18. Starting at the narrow end begin to roll the cake up in the towel.
19. Let the cake completely cool.
20. Carefully unroll the cooled cake.
21. Spread the ice cream evenly over the entire surface.
22. Roll the cake back up in the same way you did before, but this time without the towel.
23. Cover the cake in plastic wrap.
24. Place it in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
25. When ready to serve add a chocolate ganache.
26. Enjoy!
Fashion meets Food 