5 Ways to Host for Less
This month, as we celebrate Mother’s Day and look forward to Memorial Day weekend, check out some of these ideas for ways you can welcome people into your home, have a great time, and do it all in a way that’s budget-friendly.
1. Game Night & Snacks
Since marrying my husband, I have learned about fourteen new card games I never new existed—and they are fun! Every Fourth of July, sixteen of us descend on my in-laws’ home for an entire week, and most nights, we gather around the dining room table, bust out the snacks, and play cards. Hosting a game night is a wonderful opportunity to have fun, enjoy one another’s company, and eat tasty treats. Below is a simple recipe for one of my go-to snacks and directions to one of our favorite card games. Happy game night!
Tortilla Roll-Ups
Ingredients:
- Flour tortillas
- 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
- Packet of taco seasoning
- Salsa
Directions: Mix the cream cheese and taco seasoning well. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture onto tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and cut into bite-size pieces. Serve with salsa.
Card Game: Books & Runs
2. A Simple, No-Frills Dinner
Whether we’re having two or ten people over for dinner, my aunt’s burrito recipe is a family favorite and a crowd pleaser. They are easy to prepare ahead of time, they taste delicious, and you can freeze the leftovers since they’re individually wrapped in aluminum foil. Plus, all you have to do to make this simple recipe a meal is offer whatever burrito toppings you like (our favorites include shredded lettuce, salsa, sautéed peppers, and sour cream) and set out a bag of tortilla chips and some salsa or queso. (If tacos are more your thing, this Easy Creamy Crockpot Salsa Verde Chicken recipe from Lovely Little Kitchen is ah-maz-ing!)
Aunt Barb’s Burritos
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium potato, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cans chilies
- 3 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 2 Tblsp chili powder
- Pepper to taste
- Can of refried beans (or black beans, drained and rinsed)
- Flour tortillas (medium size tortillas are what I usually use)
- 8 oz bag of shredded cheddar cheese
- Toppings (shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, sautéed peppers, etc.)
- Aluminum foil
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350º. Brown beef and drain. Add the onion, potato, and spices to beef. Simmer on low until potatoes are soft, about 15–20 minutes. Spread refried beans (or sprinkle black beans) onto flour tortilla. Top with beef mixture and shredded cheddar cheese. Roll up the burrito and then roll in aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Depending on the size of flour tortillas you use, this recipe makes anywhere from 6–12 burritos. Leftovers can be frozen and reheated in the oven at 350º for about 20 minutes. To crisp up the tortilla, simply open the aluminum foil and keep in the oven an additional few minutes.
3. Just Dessert
When I was in college, I think I made about fifty dump cakes. I lived in a house with three other girls, and we often enjoyed having our group of friends over. We lived close to the football stadium, so we also hosted our fair share of tailgates in our backyard. We each contributed our “usuals” for our gatherings, and mine was most often dump cake and ice cream. It’s easy, inexpensive, delicious, and it makes the house smell so good! The next time you’d like to have people over, serve your favorite dessert. (It’s also a great excuse to bake!)
Dump Cake & Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 20 oz can of cherry pie filling (I often use the ALDI brand to keep costs low)
- 20 oz can of crushed pineapple
- Box of white cake mix
- Stick of butter, melted
- Vanilla ice cream
Directions: Preheat oven to 350º. Pour can of crushed pineapple, including juice, into an ungreased 9×13 pan. Evenly drop cherry pie filling over the pineapple. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top. Drizzle butter on top. Bake for approximately one hour or until top is golden brown. Let it sit for a bit to cool off and then serve warm with ice cream.
4. An Evening Outdoors
In the Midwest, it seems like we often go straight from Winter into Summer, with few nights in between that aren’t either freezing cold or sweltering hot. So when those precious Spring nights come along that are the perfect sweater weather, our family loves to sit fireside and make s’mores. Whether you live in the country where you can build a roaring bonfire or live in the city and have just enough room for a gas fireplace or small fire pit, an evening outdoors is a great opportunity to invite friends and neighbors over for a delicious treat and fellowship.
Fireside S’mores
Ingredients:
- Graham crackers
- Chocolate bars
- Jumbo marshmallows
- Skewers (can be homemade from sticks you find laying around your backyard or store-bought)
5. Saturday Brunch
Soon after we moved into our home, we met a family who lived just down the street. A few weeks later, they invited us to their home . . . for Saturday morning breakfast! I thought that was such a fun and different idea, since I usually only ever think to invite people over for dinner. It made complete sense, though, because we both have small children and sleeping in on a Saturday is a thing of the past! We contributed a fruit salad, they provided a breakfast casserole and juice, and we had such a lovely time. Plus, with our gathering being in the morning, we all decided not to worry about “getting ready.” Our kiddos even stayed in their pajamas. Whether you serve a breakfast casserole, a quiche, pancakes and eggs, or crepes, breakfast (or brunch) is an easy meal that can also be conveniently inexpensive.
Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:
- 8 frozen hash brown patties
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1 pound cooked sausage, ham, or bacon (I usually go with sausage)
- 7 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
Directions: Preheat oven to 350º. Place hash brown patties in a single layer in a greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and meat. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt, and mustard. Pour over meat. Cover and bake for one hour. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Can be made the night before and kept in the refrigerator. Serves 8. (This recipe has been modified from this recipe from allrecipes.com.)
What are some of your favorite hosting gigs and go-to recipes? I hope you share your ideas in the comments below!
