Holiday Sweet Tooth

It's no secret that the holidays are a time of over indulgence. Don't even get my started on anything that contains chocolate and peppermint…it's a slippery slope!

And I'm about to make it even slicker…remember Mason Cakes... delicious cakes all packed up and ready to eat right out of a mason jar (we blogged about them here)?

They have new flavors, fun new packaging and a special deal…now through Christmas you can receive 20% off your order of Mason Cakes using the promo code STOCKINGSTUFFER! What a fun holiday gift, or a tasty hostess gift or even better, I tasty snack after a long day of holiday shopping! 

That's Entertainment

One of the best things about our new house is the dining room. I love entertaining, and condo living isn't really conducive to throwing dinner parties. Since we moved in almost eight months ago, we've thrown our fair share of fetes - including a very fun holiday party. But bringing friends together on a Saturday night is my favorite kind of entertaining. 

I thought I'd share my must-haves for a successful night with friends. 

First, good conversation. Our round dining room table is the perfect space to bring people together for some good old chatting...and believe me, this crew knows how to chat it up! 

What's good company without food and wine? Contrary to conventional wisdom, I always want to try new recipes out on my dinner guests. Thankfully they were all a success and everyone had clean plates - a few even went back for seconds (the ultimate compliment to the chef). We dined on a cheese plate, potato kugel gratin, soy-marinated flank steak, sauteed asparagus with Dijon vinaigrette, and the EASIEST, most delicious easy flourless chocolate cake. We also enjoyed some Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc from our visit to Napa Valley earlier this year. 

While I'm lucky to have some beautiful dishes and glassware that we received as wedding gifts, it's always fun to add a little something extra to the party. Since cherry blossom season is almost upon us, I thought these Caspari cocktail napkins fit the bill. If you aren't familiar with Caspari, they have the BEST paper products, and also make great candlesticks. Their products are sold all over, but there is a beautiful store in Charlottesville, Virginia, should you be in the area. 

And last, but not least, no evening is complete with out an ample amount of laughter. If you've played Apples to Apples but want something a little less PG, Cards Against Humanity is your game. It's aptly called "a party game for horrible people." We certainly had a horribly good time playing. 

Do you have any go-to entertaining tips?