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November 10, 2015 by: Ashley Greenwood

Easy Tips for Holiday Entertaining this Fall

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayPairings #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

In the South, Autumn is a thank you gift we receive for making it through the sweltering heat of summer. It’s a reason to celebrate life and enjoy time with our loved ones.

This year I’ve planning an outdoor party with the vibrant colors of Fall and a fun Macaroni and Cheese Bar as the stars of the show. I’m sharing fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining that you can use to host your own Fall or Thanksgiving Party!

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Holiday Entertaining Tip #1 ~ Plan a Simple Menu

After planning lots of parties for my children’s birthdays and family events, I know the most important tip for holiday entertaining is to plan a simple menu. One main course, a few finger foods, and a super simple dessert is all you need for a great party.

With my party supply list in hand I head to our local Walmart. I know that it will be a one stop shopping trip for me. The first stop is for Barilla Pronto Penne Pasta. The quick cooking pasta will make a creamy one-pot pasta dish for a fun Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar.

Pepperidge Farm Distinctively Delicious Crackers paired with a variety of cheese and olives are always  a hit. Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Collection Cookies for dessert rounds out the meal.

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

A quick trip down Walmart’s wine aisle for Mark West Pinot Noir {Honey’s favorite} and Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon. We always enjoy the great selection of premium wines available at Walmart. There is a wine for every party and pallette right there on their shelves!Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

One-Pot Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

  • One box of Barilla Pronto Penne Pasta
  • 1 cup of Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese Blend
  • 1/2 cup of Process American Cheese, cubed
  • 3/4 cup of milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon of Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Mustard
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Begin the macaroni and cheese recipe by cooking the Barilla Pronto Penne Pasta according to package instructions. I love how this yummy pasta is finished in about 10 minutes and there is no draining once it’s done!

Once the pasta is tender simply add all of the other ingredients and stir until combined. It transforms into one big pot of creamy cheesiness. Yum! Barilla Pronto helps make your pasta mealtime prep faster and easier – all in one pan!

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Holiday Entertaining Tip #2 ~ Hunt Your House

My goal for holiday entertaining is to always spend as little money on party decor as I can. One way to save money is to hunt your house for any and everything you could use for your outdoor party. Search for linens, tableware, pillows, blankets, candles, and whatever else you might need.

Have your kiddos haul everything outside then beg your husband to cut a few pieces of firewood. You will need them for the next party planning tip!

Holiday Entertaining Tip #3 ~ Create a Unique Centerpiece

Artfully arranged flowers are fabulous. But they are also expensive and a tad hard to make {at least for me}. Instead of flowers I kept with the outdoor fall theme and adding wood slices to the center of the table. The wood makes a unique centerpiece paired with a tall metal plate stand and a few plates.

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Small dishes of macaroni and cheese complete the look. These little vintage ceramic casserole dishes were passed down from my grandmother. It makes my heart so happy to use them for our holiday entertaining.

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Holiday Entertaining Tip #4 ~ Mix It Up!

Colorful linens and pretty tableware make me happy. I tend to hoard collect these things just in case there is an occasion to celebrate ~ like a Fall Outdoor Party! All of these pieces get mixed up to create an interesting tablescape.

My collection is made up from inherited pieces, a few new pieces, and lots of thrift store finds. The amber glassware is from my mother. She inherited from my grandmother. The amber plates are new and I love them! Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

You can’t go wrong with white dishes so I’m always on the hunt for more. Food always looks good plated up on them and they are perfect for any holiday entertaining. All of the napkins were also found at my local thrift store.

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

 

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little GreenwoodsFabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little GreenwoodsHoliday Entertaining Tip #5 ~ Make It Fun!

We all love macaroni and cheese but turn it into a Mac & Cheese Bar with lots of yummy toppings and you’ve got fun! Our party guest got to play with their food and created their own mac & cheese concoctions using the following toppings: roasted red peppers, bacon, crispy fried onions, and green onions.

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little GreenwoodsOur guests loved welcoming the season with this fun outdoor fall party. Thanks to one-pot Barilla Pronto Pasta the Macaroni and Cheese Bar was a huge hit! Everyone loved pairing the food with Mark West Pinot Noir  and Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon.

Fabulous party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining! Perfect for Fall or Thanksgiving Party ~ Host an Adult Macaroni and Cheese Bar! // 3 Little Greenwoods

Is it your turn to host a fabulous Fall or Thanksgiving party? Make sure your use these easy party planning tips for Holiday Entertaining!

Did you know that Walmart will be having wine tastings as well as Barilla and Pepperidge Farm demos throughout November and December at select stores? Check out the Simple Entertaining Hub to find a demo near you.

You won’t want to miss all the inspirational holiday ideas they’ll be sharing!

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Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and/or is a sponsored post. I may receive compensation in the form of monetary compensation or product compensation in exchange for my review. I take pride in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. And while this post is sponsored or contains affiliate links, all the opinions are my own. Why do I do this? It will help me keep this DIY’ing Mama crafting for another day! For more on my disclosure policy click here.

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Comments

  1. 1

    Stephanie says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:39 am

    This is absolutely gorgeous! What a great idea to use the wood slices on your table. I love the way they double as food stands! I wasn’t planning on having a fall party outdoors..but after seeing your plan and how easy the menu can be, I think I might! PS: My grandmother had the same casserole dishes..you just took me back to my childhood with those! 🙂 Love everything about this party. [client]

    Reply
    • 2

      3littlegreenwoods says

      November 12, 2015 at 8:41 pm

      Yay ~ I’m so happy that my grandmother’s dishes reminded you of your grandmother! I love using her pieces through out our kitchen and dining room.

      Reply
  2. 3

    Andrea Kruse says

    November 11, 2015 at 9:31 am

    What a beautiful and rustic party spread! I love all the natural accents you combined with the fall gourds and pumpkins, basket for toppings as well as the wood slice risers. It is not only beautiful, but looks delicious, too! #client

    Reply
  3. 4

    Amy | Canary Street Crafts says

    November 12, 2015 at 7:09 pm

    So pretty, Ashley! I love the wood slice idea and the food looks yummy!

    Reply
    • 5

      3littlegreenwoods says

      November 12, 2015 at 8:39 pm

      Those wood slices are the bomb! I’m so excited I asked my husband to cut a few for our Fall tablescape!

      Reply
  4. 6

    Cathy says

    November 12, 2015 at 8:22 pm

    So pretty – love your woodsy table setting and every thing looks so yummy. Cathy

    Reply
    • 7

      3littlegreenwoods says

      November 12, 2015 at 8:27 pm

      Thank you so much, Cathy! I’m so glad I asked my husband to cut those tree slices for me so I could add them to the centerpiece.

      Reply
  5. 8

    Bre @ Average But Inspired says

    November 12, 2015 at 9:05 pm

    These are such great tips, Ashley! I ADORE the idea of a mac and cheese bar. That is totally fun and right up my alley. I’m hosting a 60th birthday party for my mom soon, so I will be using some of your tips.

    Reply
    • 9

      3littlegreenwoods says

      November 16, 2015 at 12:56 pm

      Hey Breighanne!

      Thanks so much for your sweet comment about our Mac & Cheese Bar party! We had a wonderful time hanging out outside!

      Reply
  6. 10

    April R @Uncookie Cutter says

    November 12, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    This is so cool!! What great tips, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • 11

      3littlegreenwoods says

      November 16, 2015 at 12:55 pm

      Thanks so much April! We had the best time at our Mac & Cheese Bar party!

      Reply
  7. 12

    Katherines Corner says

    November 13, 2015 at 9:24 am

    Wonderful tips and I just love the welcoming feel of the table too. I miss you.Hugs P.S. I hope you will share at the Thursday Hop ( you can link up through Sat midnight)

    Reply
    • 13

      3littlegreenwoods says

      November 16, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      Aww… I miss you too Katie! I’m trying to get back into blogging more now that I’ve got preschool figured out. 😉

      Reply

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