EASY ENTERTAINING: HOW TO SET UP A TACO BAR

One of my favorite ways to entertain is to set up a D-I-Y station or interactive bar and one of my favorites is a DIY Taco Bar. You can dress it down or make it more upscale- that all depends on your budget and your crowd. 

A taco bar is one of the easiest ways to serve your party guests! (Photo by Arden Photography)

THE MENU

The centerpiece of my DIY taco bar is always my Slow Roasted Chipotle Pork recipe and/or, based on my budget, my Tequila Lime Tuna. They are both so good- inside a taco or on their own. Add a couple of salsas... I always have one mild, one spicy, and one spicy-sweet like my Pineapple Tomato Salsa for the perfect fresh toppings.

When building a taco bar, it is important to consider the flavor of everything you offer;  the flavors need to work well together. Your guests will love this easy to make, easy to serve menu and you can have fun at your own party!

My Slow-Roasted Chipotle Pork is always on my taco bar. Simply shred it using two forks and dress with a squeeze of lime, and a pinch of cilantro. Add a fresh salsa or slaw. (Photo by Arden Photography)

If you have the budget for it, my Tequila Lime Tuna makes incredible tacos! (Photo by Arden Photography)

Other options for your tacos are hamburger, chicken, shrimp, or steak. Provide two or three options so guests have a choice. Keep the meat warm in a warmer, slow cooker, or on the stove.

SET UP

Start with a big basket of chips. Use two kinds if you can find them; I used corn and blue corn. Add sliced limes, cilantro, salsas, a hot Queso dip, creamy guacamole, pico de gallo, sliced jalapenos, lettuce, and cheese for the condiments. I like to warm the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel in the microwave. Or put them into the oven; wrap in foil with a damp paper towel inside to steam them slightly. I prefer corn tortillas. If your store doesn't have them, inquire at your favorite Mexican restaurant. (I always pick up tortilla chips from my favorite Mexican restaurant. Serve them warm and hit them with a pinch of salt... soooo much better than store bought chips!)

For a big crowd, there is no shame in using paper plates and napkins for serving to make clean up easy.  I like the square, white Chinet plates you can find at the grocery store. They are made in the USA from recycled material and are biodegradable for home composting. I LOVE that. Caspari makes pretty plates and napkins in all sorts of patterns and themes. Find at higher end gift or specialty stores.. The folks at SustyParty.com (they were on Shark Tank) make hip and environmentally friendly paper products that you can now find at Target. You can find a million different options of inexpensive paper products at the party store.

Get my Pineapple Tomato Salsa recipe... And thank you to my great and oh-so-talented friend, Tena Payne of Earthborn Pottery for the beautiful bowl and serving pieces.

DRINKS AND COCKTAILS

You can have a taco party without margaritas... but why would you?

Pre-mix drinks ahead and put them in a dispenser or pitcher so guests can help themselves. No bartending duties. Offer options for non-drinkers and designated drivers, too. I love pomegranate juice on ice topped with club soda for fizz. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Here are my two favorite margarita recipes: CLASSIC MARGARITA RECIPE and POMEGRANATE MARGARITA RECIPE.  

HOW TO FORCE SPRING BLOOMS INDOORS

In the South, we are fortunate to have fairly mild winter weather. However, sometimes Mother Nature will warm things up enough for our flowering bushes, trees, and shrubs to think it is Spring so they begin to produce young buds that cannot survive a bitter cold snap. Some of these buds will bloom and can be enjoyed indoors if you bring them in prior to the shock of the freezing temperatures. I did that yesterday with some lovely Camellia buds from my yard. I simply cut the stem and then immediately submerged it in warm water. One day later, I have blooms!

Forced blooms are very easy to do and so pretty for an early Spring or Easter arrangement. Look at these images below... looks like Spring is just about to burst out! I should have started these a bit earlier so they would be in full bloom for the party. If you are a day out and your branches have not yet bloomed fully, simply re-cut and submerge them in very warm water. That should help.

Photos: Arden Photography

You can force blooms from your flowering shrubs like Forsythia or Hawthorne that already have budding branches to help Mother Nature along and bring a bit of early spring to your table. I Here's how:

HOW TO FORCE BLOOMS FROM FLOWERING SHRUB OR TREE BRANCHES

Supply List:

Sharp pruning shears or scissors

A large bucket

Warm water

Household bleach, like Clorox

Cut flower food

STEP 1: Prepare the bucket by filling with extremely warm water. Add 1 teaspoon household bleach and 1 tablespoon cut flower food to the water.

STEP 2: Cut and gather branches from trees, shrubs, or bushes where you can see blooms beginning to form. I always make notes in my garden journal on bloom dates so I know approximately when blooms will happen for different trees and plants. You can also look up anticipated bloom dates for different species online via your state or local agriculture association or flower clubs. Cut 12-18" lengths of branches for a stately and elegant arrangement.

STEP 3: Prepare the branches by making a fresh cut in the stem. The old school way is to crush the base of the stem to allow the plant to absorb water but I find a fresh cut with a very sharp knife or pruning shears will do the trick.

STEP 4: Immediately submerge the cut branch into the prepared water in the bucket.

STEP 5: Place the bucket with the branches in a cool room away from direct sunlight. Depending on how long it takes for the buds to open, you may need to re-cut the stems and change out the water. Once blooms begin to appear, you certainly want to use fresh water and re-cut the stems before making your arrangement. Lightly mist the blooms every other day.

EASY ENTERTAINING: MY TOP 10 CHEESES FOR A CHEESE BOARD

When I have to whip up something fast for a party, there is nothing easier to put together than a cheese board--- and who doesn’t love cheese! Simply find an interesting tray or a fun item on which to serve your selection of cheeses. For example, I like to use the boards from a wine crate to serve cheeses. I lightly sand them with fine gauge sandpaper then wash them with water and very little soap. After they dry, I take wax paper and rub across the top of the board to lightly wax it—almost like waxing a surf board. I make sure to provide each cheese with a label to let guests know the names. I always get calls after the party from someone asking for the name of “that cheese I loved” as they stand in front of the counter at the grocery store. Here are a few of my favorite “go-to” cheeses. Shop at a local specialty store or a good organic grocery like Whole Foods to find these; you typically won’t find them at a discount store.

The top of a wine crate makes a wonderful tray for a cheese board. Make sure to sand it first, wash it well, let it dry and then rub wax paper over it before using it to serve.

1. Manchego: Spain. This is my all-time favorite. I have noticed it in lots of stores lately so it must be increasing in popularity. Maybe that’s because I have served Manchego at every party, picnic, or tailgate I have hosted since my first trip to Spain in 1997. Get the Manchego that has been aged for twelve months. It is worth the price difference.
   
2. Saint Andre: France This soft, smooth triple cream cow’s milk cheese is on every single cheese board I present, also. It is almost like brie but tastes better and is not as thin as brie in appearance.  Delicious when served with a fresh baguette and pear or apple slices, this one is really a crowd pleaser.
   
3. Belle Chevre: Alabama A soft, ripened goat cheese that pairs well with honey and pears or wild mushrooms and earthy flavors.  
4. Valdeon: Spain An award winner for Spain’s best blue cheese, the distinctive sycamore leaf wrapping makes this cow and goat’s milk blue stand out in a crowd. It is a less intense blue cheese, perfect for a cheese board and paired with smoked or cured meats.
5. Quickes Farm Traditional Cheddar: England This is everything a good cheddar should be. The rich sharp flavor has a slightly spicy undertone. Everyone will ask about this one.
6. Amsterdam Reserve Gouda: Holland Gouda is a familiar favorite but this young cow’s milk variety is very creamy with a hint of honey and butterscotch.  
7. Cypress Grove Midnight Moon Goat Cheese: California Firm, dense, and smooth, this pale ivory cheese is a perfect compliment to cured meats and fruit.
8. Amadeus: Austria Buttery soft with a Havarti-like taste that is best paired with something sweet like figs or roasted meats like turkey and chicken.
9. Brillat Savarin: France Rich and buttery with a sweet but tangy taste, this triple cream brie is best served with grapes, apples, and pears.
10. Parmigiano Reggiano: Italy It is impossible to have a top ten list without this one. Most people think it is just for cooking or grated over pasta, but it is wonderful alone or with crusty bread, dipped in good balsamic vinegar, and with olives. It has a complex nutty flavor and dense, slightly grainy texture.