Satisfy your holiday party guests with fun food ideas

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If you entertain a lot, coming up with new things to serve your guests can be hard. If you don't entertain a lot, coming up with foods that don't take a lot of prep work can be daunting. But it doesn't have to be.

First things first: When a guest asks if he or she can bring anything, say yes! It doesn't make you a bad host; it will relieve some of the burden, giving you more time to prepare your dishes and therefore more time to enjoy your own party. (One tip: Have some idea of what you'd like people to bring so you don't end up with an assortment of chip-and-dip trays.)

And keep in mind parties are supposed to be fun, and that means for you, too. A stressed and frazzled host does not make for a good party.

DIY stations

Kelly Fields, banquet chef for Ray's of Kelso, says a bruschetta station is always a hit with guests. "The guests can build their own, using different toppings and different tapenades," he says. "That's a fun station that the guests usually enjoy a lot."

Similarly, you could set up a grilled cheese bar and let guests build their own sandwich. The only prep work for you is slicing. Offer a selection of breads -- maybe sourdough, whole wheat and rye -- and cheeses that melt well like cheddar, mozzarella, fontina, pepper jack and Gruyere. Provide some spreads (think spicy mustard, garlic mayonnaise and fruit preserves) and a bounty of toppings -- prosciutto, arugula, basil, pear and apple slices, bacon, jalapenos, avocado, onions, the options are endless. Set out a panini press or two (a George Foreman-style grill works, too), some butter and oil and let guests get to work. You probably won't even have that much clean up.

Another build-you-own option: a pizza bar. Set out English muffin halves or thick slices of bread for the crust, some sauces and toppings and let your guests go wild. Just swap out the panini press for a toaster oven.

If you want something sweet, try a s'mores station Set out a few lit Sterno cans (you usually see them under chaffing dishes on the buffet line) and bamboo skewers for guests to use to roast the marshmallows. Speaking of marshmallows, they come in a variety of flavors these days, so give your guests options. Then set out some graham crackers, crushed chocolate, nuts and candy. It's a guaranteed good time.

Think small

If you're tired of serving the same thing over and over, try changing how you serve it. Instead of a veggie tray and bowl of dip, put the dip in the bottom of cocktail glasses and arrange the vegetable sticks in the glasses. It's cuter and more sanitary -- no worries about double dipping when there are individual servings. The same idea works for fries and ketchup.

Fields says he serves a smoked butternut squash soup in a shot glass with a chive garnish. He also says shrimp cocktail shooters are always popular.

You could try serving tomato soup in a shot glass with a mini grilled cheese or a serving of dip (maybe spinach-artichoke) in a martini glass with a few crackers as garnish.

If want to serve more substantial fare, don't feel like you need to carve a roast. "A good item is lamb skewers or satays served with mint chutney," Fields says.

And, really, who doesn't love food on a stick?