Fun and Easy Easter Party Planning!

If you are planning an Easter party or if you are helping someone throw a party, you may feel preparation stress. Venturing into the world of party planning can be stressful at times. But party planning can be just as much fun as the party itself! To make it easier, I have put together some simple tips that will help you plan and prepare a successful party.

First, you set a budget for the party. This information will help you make smart and clear party planning decisions.

Second, you can decide where the party will take place. Will it be at your house party or out at another location. Once the location of the party is defined, you will know if your guest list needs to be limited by the available space and how the food can be served comfortably.

Third, you should create a guest list based on your budget and event location. For your guest to have fun, they should have room to roam and comfortable seating. Also, you should decide if you want to spend your budget on affordable refreshments and food for a bigger group of people, or if you prefer to spend it on a more sophisticated menu for a smaller guest list.

After making these initial decisions, you will be to easily choose between a sit-down or buffet style party. Then, you will be ready to put together the party menu – that’s my favorite part of the process.

When planning a party menu, you should consider your budget, the number of guests, how the food will be served, preparation time and your guests’ life style or healthy needs (i.e.: vegetarians, diabetics, food allergies). Though you should consider all these factors when creating a party menu, it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming process.

I will share with you many party menu ideas for the next 10 days. I hope I will be able to inspire you and save you time. Plus, I want to take the guess work out deciding what foods do together well. I have chosen recipes based on their ease of preparation, taste appeal and appropriateness for a buffet or sit-down party type service.

I am excited to share my favorite Easter Party recipes with you and I am looking forward to your feedback.

It is Olive time!

I have always been a big fan of olives! When I was small girl my dad use to take me to the city's only Deli & Imports store to taste and buy olives and I was excited to go every single time! Sometimes I was so anxious to try all the different kinds of olives that I would put 2 or 3 in my mouth at the same time – it caused me swallow a couple of pits but it was worthy!

I like olives so much that I am always trying to incorporate them in my dishes. Today, I want to share with you two recipes that can be great life-savers when you are planning a party:

Tapenade

Ingredients

2 cups of Kalamata olives, pitted and drained

1/3 cup of green olives, pitted and drained

1 clove of garlic, coarsely chopped

½ cup of sweet roasted peppers

1 tablespoon of capers, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

2 large leaves of fresh Basil, roughly chopped

¼ cup of olive oil

Ground black pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds or until you obtain the desired consistency. Put the tapenade in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours for flavor infusion.

Use it in dips, savory tarts and appetizers or as a spread for sandwiches and bruschettas.

Light Olive Dip

 Ingredients:

15oz (1 container) of ricotta cheese

Tapenade

In a bowl combine the ricotta cheese and homemade tapenade. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Preserve it covered in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Serve it with crackers or small toasts.

If you don’t have time to make your homemade tapenade, you can use an entire jar of store-bought tapenade to make this quick and tasty dip.

Bon Appetite!