Get Your Holiday Party Game on Point
“Keep it simple” is our kitchen team’s mantra for the holidays. While they all love to cook for their family and friends, they’ve learned not to let stress get in the way of the good times. Here are a few of the things they do to keep the holidays happy. And don’t forget to check out our Sun Basket Holiday Survival Guide for healthily getting through the holiday season.
Create a timeline
“The sheer number of tasks to complete when preparing for guests can easily become overwhelming,” says menu board manager Brittany Howlett. “I always make a list of things I need to do, groceries to buy, and food to prepare a week before my party. Then, I give myself a deadline for each task to minimize last-minute stress and ensure I don’t forget anything important.”
Start early
“The night before a party, I pull out my platters and serving dishes (don’t forget the utensils), get the wineglasses out, and stack up the napkins,” says executive chef Justine Kelly. “Basically, anything that’s not food is out and ready to go at least 24 hours before the party begins.”
Get the kids involved
“My daughter, Stella, and her cousins love to decorate the table. They write up menus and place tags,” says Kelly. “It keeps them busy, so I can focus on the things I need to do, and it helps them feel included in the party.”
Premix a cocktail
“I mix a big batch of Negronis (equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari) and store it in empty wine bottles. You can do this weeks, even months in advance because it only gets better with time,” says executive R&D chef Alan Li. “Just before the party, I put out a bowl of orange peel for garnish and a bucket of ice and let my guests help themselves. I offer that, plus beer, wine, and a non-alcoholic option like Jamaican Sorrel Punch.”
Don’t be afraid to outsource
“When I prepare an entertaining menu, I focus on the things I really love making, like my smoked trout dip and caramelized onion apple tart (I cheat and buy puff pastry—you should too),” says Kelly. “I outsource everything else. I’ve found that my friends love to contribute their own favorite party foods, and I fill out the table with cheese, charcuterie, and other store bought, party-worthy snacks.”
Set the mood
“Keep the decorations simple but beautiful,” says R&D sous chef Kate Langheim. “I fill different-sized Mason jars or glass tumblers with fresh herbs or small citrus fruits like kumquats and key limes. I also like to put fresh cranberries and white gardenias in water in big glass bowls.”
Music, music, music
“When I’m not cooking, I’m playing drums with my gypsy jazz band, The Sambassadors, so tunes are key to any gathering at my house,” says R&D chef Paul Conte. “During the holiday season, Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas plays on the regular.”
Sun Basket’s Holiday Gift to You
San Francisco based-mixed media artist Lisa Solomon created these holiday gift tags exclusively for Sun Basket and you. Just print, cut, and attach to your presents. These can be printed on standard printer paper, but for something more special try cardstock, linen paper, or even adhesive-backed sticker paper.
We’ll be using these tags on all of our holiday gifts this year, even our homemade treats like Christina’s Winter Spice Syrup, Chocolate Tahini Truffles, and Mulling Spices.
Click the above image to download your printable gift tag pdf.
Holiday (W)rap Session
Paxton Gate, a shop in San Francisco’s Mission District, is famous for its eclectic inventory of botanical prints, terrariums, and taxidermied animals. They’re also known for their skill with paper and ribbon. Sun Basket co-founder Tyler MacNiven recently dropped by the store to get schooled by grand master wrapper Wren Sayler in the art of giving gorgeous gifts.
All We Want for Christmas
Alan Li, executive R&D chef —”I like things that show a devotion to craft, so I’m really hoping that I get a Panettone By Roy. Roy Shvartzapel spent almost 10 years developing the recipe for his Italian holiday bread. Like me, he’s a bit of an obsessive.”
The Ultimate Party Platter
Holiday entertaining just got a whole lot easier now that you can order Sun Basket’s 2016 Ultimate Party Platter. Our 2016 holiday party box includes cheese, charcuterie, crackers, spreads, and snacks from some of our favorite producers. One box is perfect for 8-10 guests.
$89.99 + $5.99 shipping
Crackers and Toasts:
2 pieces California Lavash
1 box Rustic Bakery flatbread crackers
Charcuterie and Cheeses:
1 Olympia Provisions sopressata
1 Olympia Provisions Navarre chorizo
1 Vermont Creamery Bijou (fresh goat cheese)
1 wedge Beemster Premium (aged goat cheese)
1 wheel Ile de France brie (cow’s milk cheese)
Sauces and Spreads:
1 cup Sun Basket avocado hummus (avocado puree- chickpeas – tahini – lemon – olive oil- cumin – coriander – fresh garlic – salt)
1 cup Sun Basket spicy Greek feta spread (Greek feta – olive oil – Greek yogurt – roasted green bell peppers – cayenne)
2 tablespoons Divina sour cherry jam
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon sumac
Accompaniments:
6 baby rainbow carrots
2 Bosc pears
1 cup Marcona almonds
St. Luc cornichons
Castelvetrano olives, with pits
For delivery week of 12/26/16, place orders between 12/15 and 12/22 (noon PST)
The Ultimate Party Platter is available for guest checkout (guests do not need to be subscribed to weekly Sun Basket deliveries). Current customers can order the Party Platter in addition to regular Sun Basket deliveries. Available for order 12/1/16 – 12/22/16; for your choice of delivery weeks 12/12/16, 12/19/16, and 12/26/16 on your normally scheduled delivery day.
Warm up with Spiced Wine
If you’re looking to spice things up this season, skip the complicated cocktails and instead warm the hearts (and hands) of your party guests with a batch of mulled wine or cider. Make the mulling spice blend ahead of time and either pack each batch of spices in a muslin bag tied with twine with a gift tag or in a Mason jar tagged with a homemade label with directions for use, and give as a gift, or keep it warm in a sauce pot on the stove to serve at your own holiday gathering.
The recipe can be doubled or tripled for larger batches if you’ve got lots of gifts to give (just make sure to evenly distribute the orange slices and cinnamon sticks).
Mulling Spice Blend Recipe
Makes enough for 4 batches of mulled wine or cider (See recipe below)
Shopping List
1 orange
2-inch piece fresh ginger
8 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
24 black peppercorns
12 allspice berries
8 whole star anise
8 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods
Tools
Mandoline, optional, wire rack, sheet pan
1 Prep the orange and ginger
Heat the oven to 200°.
- Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the orange crosswise into ⅛-inch-thick rounds.
- Thinly slice the ginger crosswise.
Line a sheet pan with a rack. Arrange the orange rounds and ginger slices on the rack, spacing them evenly. Place in the oven and cook, turning the rounds and slices halfway through, until the orange is crisp and dried all the way through, about 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool on the rack.
2 Blend the spices
Set out 4 clean mason jars or muslin or waxed paper bags. To each jar or bag, add 2 each dried orange rounds, ginger slices, and cinnamon sticks, 6 black peppercorns, 3 allspice berries, 2 each whole star anise and cloves, and 1 cardamom pod. Secure the jars with a lid or the bags with butcher’s twine. The spices will keep for up to 1 month.
Mulled Wine or Cider Recipe
Serves 4
Shopping list
1 batch Mulling Spices (see recipe above)
One 750-ml bottle red wine or 1-quart cider
Cinnamon sticks or dried oranges slices, for garnish, optional
Tools
Large sauce pot
1 Mull the wine or cider
In a large sauce pot, stir together the red wine or cider and the mulling spices. Over low heat, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for at least 10 minutes before serving.
2 Serve
Ladle the mulled wine or cider into individual glasses or mugs, garnish with an additional cinnamon stick or dried orange slice, and serve.
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 190, Protein: 1g (2% DV), Fiber: 2g (8% DV), Total Fat: 0g (0% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g (0% DV), Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV), Sodium: 10mg (0% DV), Carbohydrates: 13g (4% DV), Total Sugars: 4g, Added Sugars: 0g (0% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Sun Signs – December
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22-Dec 21) The foundation you’ve been laying for more solid footing is set for a jolt of inspiration. Soon you’ll create order out of chaos and find new ways of doing old things. If you’re single, don’t be surprised if that stranger you see across a crowded room is love-at-first-sight or the catalyst for a creative revolution. Either way, it’s time to take a risk and trust your intuition.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan 19) While your eyes are on the prize professionally, an unexpected shift on the homefront might catch you by surprise. Whether you lose your lease, move to a new house, or suddenly embrace communal living, you’ll find the change brings you more freedom than you could have imagined. This holiday season, let loose. It’ll do you good, and you’ll wonder why you don’t do it more often.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20-Feb 18) You may be inspired to start a neighborhood group, spur positive, practical change in your community, or revolutionize your commute simply by riding your bike to work or buying an electric car. This holiday season, “Think global, shop local” is not just a slogan. Remember: the revolution will not be televised. It won’t be in Washington either, but in your own backyard.
PISCES (Feb 19-Mar 20) An unexpected promotion or windfall could bring you not only more freedom financially, but also an opportunity to cross a few things off your bucket list. Your spirit just may not be into it this holiday season; you might be more content to curl up on the guests’ coats, quietly dozing while listening to the goings-on in the other room.
ARIES (Mar 21-April 19) Throw off the shackles. You have permission to be the individual you always wanted to be, however crazy that might look. We all want to change the world, but Aries, right now the revolution is the freedom to be you, even if that means you show up at the holiday dinner carrying pictures of Bernie Sanders.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You’re so attuned, not to mention attached, to what you can see, feel, and touch, but now is the time to let inspiration come from your dreams. Tuning in, not out, can empower you to make changes in your life with grace and ease. Remember: imagination lays the track of the reality train. Your best gift this season would be a dream journal.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) All the restriction you’ve been feeling around your relationships is due for a shake-up. The jolt’s coming from those wacky, genius types who’ve been bumping their carts into yours at the grocery store and messing with your heart. It’s not on purpose, you know, but rather to rattle your old ways of being in relationships. If you plan on traveling over the holidays, be sure to double check the flight times or traffic reports and factor in time for delays.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) When it comes to your career, expect the unexpected. While suddenly losing or changing your job can be a shock, it might be the best thing that ever happened. If you stay focused on the day-to-day: floss, eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise, the shakeup won’t be so unsettling. Staying home for the holidays? OK. But don’t overbook family commitments. Make a list, then strike out the last five things on it.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Your belief systems are in the midst of a crucible. You can work within those structures to make positive changes as long as you’re putting in the hard work creatively. Those crazy, out-there ideas may be what’s needed to break through your creative block. This holiday season, less really is more and small really is the new big.
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept 22) If you’ve been doing double duty on the homefront, don’t be surprised if your domestic burdens are lifted by a windfall. This holiday season, you may find that good things come to those who wait. If you’re traveling, get to the airport early, there may be delays. Even if you stay local, you might get stuck in traffic and be late to the party.
LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct 22) While the press you’ve been getting is generally good, the sudden upsets and/or attractions in your love life have thrown you for a loop. Remember, breakups can wake you up to what you really want and even an unwanted divorce can set you free. Libras, whose biggest fear is to be without a relationship, may find new freedom not being in one, for awhile at least. Schedule some alone time, even social butterflies need downtime to recharge.
SCORPIO (Oct 23-Nov 21) These days, you’re good at managing collective resources; maybe better at it than handling your own. Unexpected changes in your routine or workplace could positively affect your livelihood, as long as you can be flexible. These innovations can free you to do things you’ve only dreamed of. ‘Tis the season to enjoy your family and friends-that-feel-like-family. Allow extra time for travel, it could be a parking lot out there.
Organic is all in the family
Farming is in Thaddeus Barsotti’s genes. His parents bought a quarter acre in 1976, and Capay Valley is now 600 acres of organic produce.
This farm produces many of the fruit and vegetables that fill our west coast boxes this week, like those featured in these recipes:
Steaks with satsuma-escarole salad and chimichurri
Chipotle chilaquiles with black beans
Sun Basket’s staff dietitian picks her favorite recipes from our menu
There’s a new option on the Sun Basket menu. Our Nutritionist’s Favorite is just that—the recipe coming out of our kitchen that hits all the key points for Kaley Todd, Sun Basket’s staff dietitian. Kaley, who takes a holistic approach to her job, is not one to focus narrowly on any single part of the nutrient breakdown, like calories or fat. Instead, she looks for dishes that balance all the principles of good eating, with great flavor being at the top of her list. After all, what’s the point of cooking something healthy if no one wants to eat it?
With that in mind, Kaley offers a preview of her favorite recipes for the next few weeks. Order them now at sunbasket.com
Shakshuka with Feta and Toasted Pita
Eggs are one of my favorite foods. There’s just so much that’s good about them. High in protein, low in calories, they’re also a powerhouse of disease fighting nutrients. And they’re particularly delicious baked in a vitamin C-rich blend of peppers and tomatoes with a side of fiber-boosting whole wheat pita.
Salmon alla Puttanesca with Chard
I’m a huge fan of the Mediterranean Diet. The evidence is strong that it promotes good health and longevity, and it’s strong on many of my favorite antioxidant foods like olive oil and tomatoes. Pair them with omega-3 loaded salmon, and you’ve got what I consider a perfect dish.
Avgolemono chicken soup with lemon, egg, and cauliflower “rice”
This soothing soup is just what I need to handle the stress of the holidays. There’s plenty of rich food around this time of year, so I really like how this fills me up without weighing me down. The lemon keeps the flavors light and focused, and the antioxidant-rich cauliflower is a disease fighter that’s also a good source of vitamins C and K, fiber, and folic acid.
Give a Sun Basket
This holiday season, give the gift of healthy and delicious home cooking with Sun Basket. Busy families, new parents, your food loving friends, that one person who has everything—there’s something on the Sun Basket menu for everyone on your list.
Sun Basket’s special holiday offer starts Friday, November 25th. Give two weeks of Sun Basket and save $10, or save $20 on a four week gift subscription. Our meals are available across 42 states, and you can schedule your electronic gift message to arrive on any day! Order now, cross holiday shopping off your list.
*Offer ends 12/25 at 11:59pm PST
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