The holiday season is a time when people interrupt their normal activities to get together and celebrate with their loved ones. To make this season even more special, why not host the gathering? Whether it’s a quiet dinner or a joyous party, inviting people to your home is a way to show that you care about them. Oh, and you don’t even have to make it a big deal for yourself. With this very special group of Oprah favorites, you can take the stress out of figuring out what to serve. Whether it’s ready-made bites that make you look like you spent hours in the kitchen or a colorful main course that will delight adventurous adults and picky kids alike, we’ve rounded up some delicious must-haves that will have your guests asking “When can we come back?”. Plus, we’re sharing some handy tips and tricks to make your party go off without a hitch.
1. Arte Cheese and Charcuterie Platter
Why DIY when you can just remove the packaging, and voila? Beautifully assembled on an acacia wood board, this charcuterie platter has it all, and then some. Creamy goat cheese, truffled cheddar, Marcona almonds and chili-tangerine marinated olives artfully share space with sweet jams and savory jellies. Preparing such a charcuterie platter could take hours - and when your time is precious, treating yourself to this dish is a genius idea. You can also bring one as a contribution to a holiday dinner or simply as the best hostess gift ever.
Buy: Arte Cheese and Charcuterie Platter
2. The taste of Trapani
Pasta is a dish that appeals to all ages, during the holidays and all year round. A good pasta dish is quick to prepare and allows you to adjust it on the fly, making it easy to adjust if you forget something on your shopping list. Speaking of shopping lists, yours just got reduced to one item: this crate from Bona Furtuna, an organic farm in Sicily. It has everything you need for a hearty dinner, from pasta to marinara sauce that looks like it’s been simmering on the stove all day. And it all comes in a tomato-decorated box that will look adorable on your kitchen counter after the party. Fill it with many things - or whatever thank-you note you will receive for hosting your party.
Buy: The taste of Trapani
3. Crocchi
There’s no law that says classic Italian flavors can’t be mixed with the whimsy of modern cooking. For a fun take on a pasta dinner that will delight the kids’ table as much as the adults’, try these rainbow “crocchi”-small crescent-shaped gnocchi made with pasta in every color of the rainbow. To let the vibrant colors take center stage, just toss them with a good olive oil and a little salt and pepper.
Buy: Crocchi
4. Set East Meets West
A quick way to add flavor to simple roasted vegetables: the East Meets West sauce set from Gambian chef Jainaba Jeng. She started her company to bring African flavors to a wider audience. Zanzibar and Somalia inspire the set in East Africa to Gambia and Senegal in the West. The sauces come with different levels of spice, allowing you to customize your dishes to suit your guests. It’s also a perfect gift for your most gourmet friends.
Buy: Set East Meets West
5. Sweet Potato Cake
Some of us look forward to holidaying desserts all year long - and this sweet potato cake is definitely worth the wait! It’s a unique twist on the traditional sweet potato pie, combining a light cake with a cream cheese frosting for the perfect blend of sweet and tangy. It looks - and tastes - like something you picked up at a quaint farm bakery, but with fast delivery, it can be at your door in a matter of days.
Buy: Sweet Potato Cake
