Each year, millions upon millions of people will host some type of holiday party in their homes. It could be anything from a gift exchange party to a New Year’s Day celebration. No matter the size of your home, food will be involved. If you are not hiring a caterer, than you just took on some major responsibility.

There are a number of ways to approach your hostess duties, like purchasing various trays and desserts from Costco. You could also try the potluck route, but you know your friends better than me, and everybody cannot cook. Last, but not least, you can pull up your sleeves and wow everyone with your culinary prowess. I vote for option three, but than again, I actually enjoy cooking.

Hosting a party does not mean you need to drown yourself in debt. I live in a small space which is not big enough to do a sit down dinner for a large group of people. If you are working with a smaller space having a tasting party is than excellent option. Your guests get to experience tastey food in small portion sizes like they would if they went to a tapas restaurant.

I love soul food. It is not something I get to eat on a daily basis, but it is so good. Thanksgiving was just here and I am sure you remember all the food that your mother or grandma stacked on a plate was probably a week’s worth of calories in one setting. That slice of sweet potato pie by itself was easily 450 calories, but who is counting. Having a tasting party can let you include some of your favorite soul food dishes without overindulgence.

I recently found small tasting dishes to serve guests from Pier 1. I used these tasting dishes to serve items like arugula salad with bacon bits and crumbled bleu cheese with poppy seed dressing. In a second dish, I had macaroni and cheese with a small piece of steak. Another tray had cornbread squares with greens. While for dessert, I made carrot cake squares. Once you add cocktails and music, you have made a party while only cooking a few dishes and not breaking the bank.