I love the holidays!  I love cheerfully decorated houses, holiday buffets, Christmas cookies and all of the get-togethers.  But I have to admit sometimes it can be a bit much trying to pack in all that holiday cheer between the day after Thanksgiving and New Years Day.   This year is especially tough because of the economic situation.  So,  I am trying to be more conservative with money which means I need a little extra creativity to not feel like I am scrimping on the holidays.

For this year’s holiday party my goal is to spend less time in the kitchen and less money over all than last year.  Never fear – I have an easy four step plan to accomplish both goals!

Step one -- accept that the house is already decorated enough as it is with tree and the lights.  No need to spend extra on lots of additional paraphernalia to decorate the table for the party.

Step two -- give up control of the buffet table.  This year instead of trying to do everything myself, I have opted to have a cover dish buffet where everyone brings their favorite holiday dish.  It divides up the work and can give a great variety to the table.

Step three – create a “wow” dish for the buffet.   Because I am still yearning to showcase my domestic talents, I have decided to prepare one signature “wow” dish.  A “wow” dish is something that is not only delicious it is served creatively.  It is a great way to create a highlight on the buffet table and make the table seem upscale.

Step four – fill in around the “wow” dish with simple things like mixed nuts, a cheese tray and the other dishes people bring.

Voila!  Holiday party accomplished with very little effort!!

This year my “wow” dish is going to be my Merry Shrimp Martinis.    This fun little appetizer works great on a buffet table or as an appetizer to a formal meal.  Besides the fact that is made with shrimp (which everyone loves!) I serve it in martini glass which just looks incredibly cool without a lot of extra effort or expense.  Check out the video below for a quick how to lesson on how to do it.  And if you need a little bit more of an all-family appetizer give the Popcorn Cranberry Dippers a try.