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Last weekend I hosted some friends upstate for a Galentine’s party, and it turned out to be such a fun and magical evening! I’ll be honest with you, I don’t always love cooking dinner for a large group. I’m usually stuck in the kitchen the entire time, only to emerge at the dinner table. This is where the snacky party comes into play. A snacky party is an array of apps, perfect for a casual mingle and graze. To create a successful spread, I use my bites, bowls and boards method. If you can feature at least 1 or 2 dishes in these categories, you’ll cover a wide range of different textures, colors and flavors. But first, let’s start with the decor!
THE VIBE
For the decorations, I went with a red, pink and white theme with bow and heart details. I loved the lace tablecloth, it added a delicate texture to the space without being too distracting. The colorful candlesticks and tea light candles also added a nice warm glow to set the mood. See below for links!
THE SNACKS
Now for the food! I wanted to have a balanced spread of both cheesy offerings and some freshness for contrast. I also wanted each dish to tie into the Galentine’s theme, using red hues and heart accents. I went with the following:
BITES: Tomato, Mozzarella and Roasted Red Pepper Skewers
BOWLS: Beet and Apple Winter Salad + French Onion Dip with Sea Salt Chips
BOARDS: Cheese and Chocolate Board + Sourdough Bread with Salted Butter
BEVS: I also whipped up some tasty espresso martinis for everyone!
On the cheese board (love this three-tiered tray) I featured a heart-shaped brie, espresso rubbed cheddar, salami, strawberries, dark chocolate, red pepper jam, candied pecans, crackers and rosemary! There were seven of us total, and it ended up being plenty of food. We also planned to go to another location after this (a dance party in a nearby barn… gotta love upstate) so the intention of the party was to just enjoy the light apps.
I’m going to try and host one themed snacky party a month, so stay tuned for more ideas.
