Last-Minute Hors D’oeuvres with Gourmet Gift Baskets for Holiday Entertaining

Holiday entertaining is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the season, but it can also get a bit stressful! With so many social engagements and activities, you may end up needing some emergency entertaining ideas.

Whether you’ve just answered the door to find unannounced guests or need a quick and easy idea for your dinner party, take a look at some of our favorite last-minute appetizer ideas.

Maple Summer Sausage

This hors d’oeuvre recipe from Yummly is perfect for keeping your guests happy prior to Thanksgiving dinner. Rich maple summer sausage and maple are perfect for fall and winter, and our gourmet sausage is perfect for adding an extra-special touch to this dish.

Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets

Combine juicy Crown Comice ® Pears from one of our fruit baskets with rich blue cheese and puff pastry to create these elegant Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets.

Cheesy Cheddar Fondue

This recipe for Cheesy Cheddar and Apple Cider Fondue provides another great use for our gourmet cheeses. Use our gourmet sausages for dipping, as well as apples or pears from our fruit baskets.

Wine and Cheese Bar

Hickory Holiday Reserve from Hickory Farms

This is actually one of the easiest solutions for holiday appetizers, but it is sure to be a hit with your guests! Set up a wine and cheese bar on a sideboard or table with wine glasses and charms (to identify the owner), a selection of red and white wines, a cheese board with a variety of gourmet cheese, and some delicious gourmet crackers.

Our wine gifts are a great solution for last-minute entertaining, almost like a ready-made party! These gourmet wine gift baskets come in a variety of combinations, accompanied by mixed nuts, orchard fruits, and gourmet sausage and cheese.

Grazing Boards

Another fantastic idea for easy holiday appetizers is to create a grazing board. For some lovely ideas, check out At Home with Kim Valée. Basically, a grazing board should contain some combination of meat, cheese, bread, and an accent like gherkins or caramelized onions.

Beef Summer Sausage from Hickory Farms

Our gourmet gift baskets filled with Beef Summer Sausage, Smoked Gouda and other gourmet cheeses, and delicious specialty condiments like our Sweet Hot Mustard allow you to create a beautiful spread of pre-meal munchies, without the stress.

The Original Cheese Ball from Hickory Farms

Cheese Balls

And of course we can’t forget one of the best time-tested holiday appetizers of all time – the classic cheese ball! Head over to our classic food gifts to order a selection of cheese balls for your next gathering.

How do you use Hickory Farms gourmet gift baskets to simplify your holiday entertaining routine? Share your ideas in the comments section, or head over to our Facebook page!

Join Us on Pinterest for Holiday Entertaining Ideas

With the holidays just around the corner, it’s time to start planning festivities. With hundreds of ideas and suggestions regarding holiday planning, organizing your plans can be a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, Pinterest not only provides inspiration for holiday entertaining, but also helps you keep your ideas organized. Billed as an “online pinboard,” the site allows users to collect, or “pin,” ideas from anywhere on the Internet.
Visit Hickory Farms on Pinterest and follow our boards to stay up-to-date on seasonal entertaining, gift ideas and more. You’ll find ideas for everything from holiday gift baskets and recipes to party inspiration and stocking stuffers. Here are a few of our favorite fall entertaining ideas for your next party.

Pasta salad is a great choice for holiday parties because it still tastes great at room temperature. To make a tried-and-true dish like pasta salad feel extra special, dress it up with the rich flavors of beef Summer Sausage and one of our delicious gourmet cheeses, like our Jalapeno and Cheddar Blend or Smoked Gouda.

Nothing says fall like the classic combination of orchard fruits and cinnamon, so we love this idea for Warm Pear with Cinnamon Ricotta. As a bonus – it’s a healthy dessert that still tastes indulgent!

The “Apple Pie Apple” recipe also looks delicious, and the creative presentation is sure to impress your guests. For best results, use high quality fruit, such as the Crown Comice Pears and Fuji Apples in our fruit baskets.

Gourmet sausage and cheese from Hickory Farms

Beef Summer Sausage from Hickory Farms

For last-minute celebrations or impromptu guests, it’s a good idea to have easy, delicious foods on standby. Our gourmet gift baskets are the perfect supplement when creating a last-minute holiday party menu. A selection of slice gourmet sausage and cheese with some specialty crackers and gourmet mustard makes a great spread that your guests will love. Add some gourmet nuts for a bit of crunch and one of our candy gift baskets or sweets and you’ve got an instant party!

Do you use Pinterest when planning holiday parties? Share your favorite ways to make holiday entertaining easier in the comments below, and be sure to follow Hickory Farms Pinterest boards!

Host a Happy, Healthy Halloween Party for Everyone!

From fresh fruit baskets to gluten-free treats and more, plan the perfect Halloween party by creating options for guests with dietary restrictions.

Having dietary restrictions can be a challenge any time of year, but it can really take the fun out of the holidays. Whether you have special dietary needs or you have a child, friend or neighbor who does, consider throwing a Halloween party that provides treats everyone can enjoy!

Throwing your own party ensures that you get to enjoy the festivities without worrying about any hidden dangers on the menu. Using Hickory Farms gourmet food gifts is a great way to cut down on your preparation time without sacrificing flavor, but you’ll also be glad to know that many of our items are gluten free and diabetic friendly.

These days, there are so many ideas for gluten-free meals, including seasonal serving ideas that kids and adults alike will love. The Tarantula Tacos and Chili-Filled Coffins from Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom are both cute and creepy, not to mention delicious! Consider dressing up your chili with our Beef Summer Sausage and some gourmet cheese, like the Smoked Cheddar Blend from our Savory Cheese Collection.

Other gluten-free options include Frankenstein Baked Peppers and Scary Eyeballs.

Halloween is also a challenging time of year for people with diabetes, but there are lots of diabetic-friendly Halloween foods you can include at your celebration. Diabetic Friendly Halloween Tips has some great advice on keeping the holiday fun and healthy for everyone.

One suggestion is to steer clear of sugary treats in favor of savory delights like gourmet nuts. This Vampire Bite nut mix is a bold way to welcome guests, but you could also serve one of our nut gift baskets for a no-fuss party solution.

Entice partygoers with a platter of gourmet meats and cheeses or even a festive holiday cheese ball. You can create a spooky spider cheese ball using bell pepper slices, olives and some black sesame seeds.

The trick to great entertaining with dietary restrictions or food allergies is to keep an open mind and be creative. How can you serve or display a food to fit the Halloween theme?

Do you have any ideas for creating an inclusive Halloween party that everyone will enjoy? Share your experiences entertaining for Halloween with dietary restrictions in the comments section below!