So first of all, I am not a great dessert maker. It’s probably because when I was younger and started cooking, I was always on a diet so I didn’t eat a lot of sweets. I have a few specialties I occasionally make but for the most part, I usually buy pre-made desserts….and they are usually expensive and might cost more than my entree. Or what happens is I do make a dessert, spend a lot of time and money on it and then by the time everyone has finished the main meal, no one’s really that hungry and I’m stuck with a tempting, calorie-laden sweet that I end up eating all by myself or it gets tossed. So now when we have a big group over, I make cupcakes….easy, inexpensive and fairly quick. And anyone can make them….whether you mix your own batter or buy it in a box. You can whip up your own frosting for next to nothing or buy it in a can. And I have found guests are more likely to eat a cupcake than a piece of cake because they’re small and everyone has room for a cupcake, even after a big meal. But if you start buying all the decorations like sprinkles and colored sugars, the price starts adding up. I made these cupcakes (ok, so they aren’t beautiful but they are tasty….and I was in a hurry to do a photo shoot before it started raining!) for about $3.00, including the cake mix, the frosting, the baking cups and flags. They took about 20 minutes in the oven and about 15 minutes to decorate.
The cake mix was bought on sale for 88 cents, (I always buy four or five boxes when they go on sale for $1.00 or less), I actually picked up my icing at a dollar store and the stars and stripes cupcake holders came in a package of 24 (including the flag decorations) for a $1.00, also bought at a dollar store. The eggs and oil cost about 30 cents (for the cake mix) and for an added touch I added a few drops of food coloring to sugar….for pennies. Twenty-four cupcakes for about $3.20 or 13 cents per serving. Not bad. You would pay more than double that for half the amount if you buy them already made. There’s lot of recipes for making colored sugars but the most simple is to just pour some sugar in a lined pan cookie sheet, add a few drops of food color and stir until it’s completely mixed and you’re done. You can intensify the colors by adding more drops of color. My favorite part of making cupcakes….extras can be sent home with your guests. I also bought the food coloring at the dollar store…four colors for $1.00.
And if you want to have guests over but don’t have a lot of extra money, why not invite friends over for a simple spread of inexpensive appetizers? (Make sure you let your guests know that’s what you’re serving so they don’t come expecting a full meal.) *You can also ask guests to bring something to share, which lowers the cost but still gives everyone the chance to visit, without someone footing a huge grocery bill. I have found that people are appreciative when you offer to host a get-together and are happy to bring a dish.
I like to have extra serving dishes available for items that guest pick up on the way over like a bag of chips or crackers. This blue tray, with six compartments and a center section for dip, is perfect for fresh fruits or veggies. If you buy your fruit or vegetables pre-cut, you’re going to spend twice as much. It really doesn’t take that much time and effort to buy them whole and cut them up yourself…big savings. If you have enough saucers or small plates, use those instead of paper or plastic and you’ll save money there too. (I usually never have to wash dishes after entertaining because we have wonderful friends and family who scrape, rinse and load the dishwasher before leaving!….If you’re a guest at someone’s house, this is ALWAYS a polite thing to offer to do!) And the dishes don’t have to all be the same, you can mix and match to whatever color-scheme your table is.
I love that red bucket. I picked it up for a dollar at the dollar store….perfect for filling with popcorn or for standing carrot and celery sticks in. Popcorn is another inexpensive item to serve. You can pop up a batch and sprinkle different seasonings on it like chili powder, or sugar and cinnamon, or parmesan and pepper. You can also add some peanuts for added crunch.
Look around your house and see what you have lying around that matches or complements your table colors. I used one of my favorite garage sale finds, (blue and brownish pottery bowl) to place napkins and forks in.
Bottom line, you don’t have to spend tons of time or money to set a festive table or entertain. Popcorn and cupcakes….might not sound exciting but with a few added touches you can take them from ordinary to special. And I think that what’s even more important than what you’re serving or how you’re serving it is the time you get to spend with loved ones….but keeping it simple and cheap will make it easier.