Today he’s sharing some holiday entertaining tips, including going gourmet on a budget, making your buffet table look fabulous, and some tips for pulling of a successful last minute holiday party.

Enjoy!

Me: Many have to keep a tight rein on their expenses with the economy. What are some of your favorite tips for making your holiday party gourmet on a budget?

Ryan: Think cheaper cuts of meat and braise them to make them tender. Also, think shrimp and pork tenderloin as an alternative to filet mignon and lobster.

Me: What are some of your favorite foods for holiday entertaining?

Ryan: I don’t like to do the classic turkey ham. An herb crusted prime rib, yorkshire pudding, garlic roasted mashed potatoes and spiked egg nog is a family favorite of mine. It’s very easy to do buffet style and everyone can serve themselves. A roast is very easy to serve and you don’t have to worry about individual temperatures as you would with individual steaks.

Me: Do you have any tips for pulling off a successful last minute holiday party?

Ryan: Everything store bought is not a bad thing. A bag of baked pita chips with hummus is a great little chips and dip alternative. Procuitto wrapped dates stuffed with Parmesan is a quick and easy appetizer that you can pop into the oven and get done in 5 minutes. You can make a great mimosa with Zipang Sparkling Sake, Pomegranate seeds and Eldeflower Liquor.

Me: Any secret ideas for making your holiday buffet fabulous?

Ryan: Use chafing dishes to keep things warm and affordable. They range anywhere from $40-$75 and will pay for themselves throughout the year. These can be found at any restaurant supply store and look fabulous on a buffet table.

I want to thank Ryan for taking time out of his busy schedule to share some holiday entertaining tips with She Knows Party readers.

Image: Istockphoto.com

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Here are just a few of the things you can celebrate during December. If you have a celebration coming up and it’s not on the list, please feel free to add it to the comment section.

December Celebrations:

• December 12th Hanukkah begins (at sundown on December 11th)
• December 21st The First Day Of Winter~ Why not celebrate with a snowflake party?
• December 24th Christmas Eve
• December 25th Christmas Day
• December 26th Kwanzaa begins
• December 26th Boxing Day
• December 31st New Years Eve

December is a big month for weddings, and many have holiday celebrations and parties going on all month long. It’s a great time to get together with family, co-workers, and friends to reminisce about your year and catch up on old times.

What are you celebrating during the month of December?

Image: Sxc.hu

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Image (c) L Gerlach

There aren’t many holidays or events to celebrate in August, but it’s a great time to get started planning your Halloween, Harvest, Christmas or New Years Eve parties. Start working on a timeline, and do a little pre planning so you’ll be organized and ready to go when the holidays hit. They’ll be here before you know it. It always seems like I blink in August, and it’s Christmas.

If you are looking for something to celebrate here are a few ideas for you.

• Celebrate your children’s return to school with an after school party in their first day back.
• August 2nd is Friendship Day~ So get your friends together to celebrate!
• August 5th is Sister’s Day~ A great day to get together and catch up with family, or sisters in spirit.
• August 9th is Smokey Bear’s Birthday, he’s turning 65 this year.
• August 14th is World Lizard Day, the perfect day to have a creepy crawly party.
• August 19th is National Aviation Day~ celebrate flight

August is also Peach Month, and Harvest Month, two fine reasons to celebrate if you ask me.

Do you have a reason to celebrate in August, feel free to share!

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It’s a good message about making sure your guests are safe from walking out the door with too much alcohol in their system. I would hate to ever be responsible for someone causing a wreck after leaving a party from my house. Be a responsible host and make sure your guests have fun but can also drive themselves home safely.

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