All month we are sharing Cleaning Tips for spring! Spring cleaning usually involves windows, curtain cleaning and moving furniture, but there are other areas that are often ignored like your spice rack or pantry. Today we are tackling the fridge!

Cleaning the fridge, really deep cleaning it’s more than simply tossing the white Styrofoam containers. Here are our tips for cleaning and reorganizing your fridge.

To get started grab a few cleaning essentials such as dish towels, dish soap, a sponge, paper towels, a trash can, some warm water and an all-purpose cleaner (make a simple solution using a gallon of hot water, 1 cup clear ammonia, ½ cup vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda).

If you can, pull the fridge out from the wall so you can dust underneath and behind. You can unplug your fridge if you want to save a bit of energy while cleaning; just don’t forget to plug it back in!

Grab your trash can and remove everything! Check expiration dates, and throw anything out that is expired or near expiration (if you don’t think you will use within the date). Put everything you’re keeping on a counter or on the floor so you can organize later.

Now that you have an empty fridge, you can remove the drawers and wash them in your sink or bathtub. If you can remove the door bins, take those out too. Some refrigerators have removable shelves, if so, yep – get ‘em out of there! Spray the interior with your all-purpose cleaner and let sit for a few minutes. For sticky messes, take a dish rag or towel and soak in your cleaner. Put the wet rag on the sticky mess and let sit for a few minutes so it can loosen up to make it easier to clean. Wipe down everything, the walls, shelves, shelf seams (that spilled soda is still lurking here) and the door seal.

Put back the drawers, bins and shelves and you are ready to start organizing! This is also a good time to check the thermostat. Refrigerators should be kept at 40° or lower to prevent bacteria growth. The doors are typically the warmest area in the fridge, so keep perishable items out of this area.

Take a quick inventory of what you have left. How many barbecue sauces do you really need? Combine where you can and wipe down the lids, jars and other items that might be a bit sticky. Upper shelves can be for leftovers, drinks, things that are used often and that can be easily found. Lower shelves can be saved for items you will use in meals throughout the week as well as eggs, and ready-to-eat items. Keep your veggies and meats in the drawers, separate of course if you have two drawers! If they are stacked drawers, use the lower for meat, you don’t want to accidentally contaminate your fresh veggies and fruits. Condiments, sauces, salsa, pickles, etc., can be placed in the door(s). Try to keep like items together so it is easy to find and grab what you need. Feel free to add fridge organizers if you want, most stores have lots of space-saving storage items for soda and more! Have you ever considered putting a small lazy-susan in your fridge? It is great for small items like yogurt for quick grab-n-go in the morning!

Now that you are re-stocked, plug it back in (if you unplugged when starting), push it back in place and wipe down the exterior. Depending on your fridge surface, use the correct cleaner. For a stainless surface, use a special stainless cleaner, wiping in the same direction of the grain. An all-purpose cleaner can be used on enameled steel surfaces.

And now you’re done, set back and admire your sparkling clean fridge! The best way to keep it clean is on a weekly basis, throw out old food and check for expired food, and clean up spills immediately before they get sticky and hard to clean. What tried and tips do you have for a clean and organized fridge?

Now that we tackled the Spice Rack, how about getting the pantry organized? How long has it been since you did a purge and cleaning in there? Can’t remember – then it has been too long! In just a couple of hours you will have a pantry that is just as hard working as you are! Here’s what to do…

With social media becoming such an acceptable way of ‘recording’ our lives, why not take a ‘before’ shot of your pantry and the ‘after’ so you can share the results of your hard work! You will want to first get rid of all stale or expired food. Check everything for dates and open your flour and grain bags for kitchen pests, and throw anything away that has been contaminated. Look at your canned items; they should have a best by date stamped on the can or lid. Most unopened canned products are good for three years. Check each can for leaks, swelling or anything that could indicate contamination and throw it out. The best by dates don’t mean the product is bad; it is simply the date that ensures the best quality of the product. If you have items that are still good, but you don’t think you will use them, this is a great time to donate to a food bank, check feedingamerica.org for locations near you. Put all items for donation together or in a box, and only donate items that are still good! Don’t forget to check pasta for expiration; yep even pasta has a best by date! If you have the space move things like flour, grains and opened pasta into airtight containers. Not only does it help keep things fresh it also helps keep bugs and other contamination out! Flour, baking soda and baking powder also have best by dates, so check everything for dates. But wait, didn’t we say put them in airtight containers? Yes, we did. We also suggest that you put a piece of tape on the bottom with the best by date written on it. You can pull the tape and jot the new date down when you replace it. Don’t forget to make a list of staples you need to replace, nothing more frustrating than starting a recipe only to find you don’t have all of the ingredients!

Now, what about those small appliances in your pantry? Take a look at everything and ask yourself “when was the last time I used this?” if is been awhile or you since became a vegetarian, maybe you can get rid of the meat grinder? It’s up to you and how much storage space you have. Add these items to your donation box. You know what they say…one person’s trash is another’s treasure!

After the great purge, go ahead and wipe down the shelves. It’s a good time to start clean, keep critters at bay by having a clean space, no crumbs, opened packages or sticky messes! Feeling good? Thought you might! Now it’s time to put it all back! We suggest you put some thought into this before just putting stuff back on the shelf. You can organize like items such as canned fruits and vegetables, soups, sauces, oils and marinades and baking items. It really makes putting groceries away much easier. Look for wasted space and maybe add an extra shelf so you can more easily stack smaller items. Or add tiered shelving so you can easily see labels when going to grab a veggie or can of soup for lunch. We also love the idea of adding baskets or bins to add items for quick meal planning. For example in one basket put all of your pasta and pasta sauce so you have quick access for spaghetti night or taco seasoning, taco shells and canned beans in another for Taco Tuesday! You can also make copies of your families’ favorite recipes and store in the bin – you never know your teenager just might surprise you with dinner one night! Be careful not to overload your shelves, canned food is heavy and you can easily break a shelf if you don’t space it out. Maybe put canned tomatoes on one shelf, and soup on another.

What tips do you have for an organized pantry? What did we forget?

We’re all guilty…you’re at the grocery and you have Pizza Stromboli on the menu this week. You know it calls for dried oregano, but you can’t remember if you have any at home, or if you do; is there enough? So you would rather be safe than sorry, and buy more; only to get home and find you have two bottles already in the spice drawer. We’ve all been there. Because there was that one time during dinner prep when you didn’t have what you needed to make a recipe and swore that you’d never be without again! And now you can barely shut the overflowing spice drawer, let alone find what you need! Check out our tips for a cleaner, fresher and organized spice drawer to ensure you have fresh spices on hand when you need them!

You have a drawer full of spices, when do you toss the old and replace with new? Well, spices and herbs are best the first 3-4 months after they have been opened and retain their flavor for about a year. They don’t go bad necessarily, but lose their potency to give you the best result in your recipes. Whole seeds last longer, say a year or two. Give them a quick smell, your nose will clue you in when you are uncertain, the aroma will weaken over time, so if you can barely smell basil in the jar – toss it. Some things like poppy seeds and sesame seeds will go rancid, so it is best to replace them more often (better yet, store them in your fridge door). And when you buy new, mark a purchase date on them so you don’t have to play the guessing game next time!

Organizing your spices; start by first taking a quick inventory of what’s in there. If you have dates on your jars and bottles and they are within the shelf life, put them aside and throw away anything else you are unsure of, and give yourself a pat for being a spice goddess. Yeah, it stinks throwing out a bottle when you only used a teaspoon three years ago for that one dish, but it’s time, let it go. This is your time to purge and be free to toss away! Put your spices into groups, think about what you reach for most often, the ones you less often, and those you have no clue the last time you used or what on earth it is. Toss all the old ones, purge those you don’t recognize, combine any open jars if they are near the same age and get ready to organize. Spices should be kept away from heat, light and air, store them in a drawer or in a cabinet. If have space for a multi-tier shelf or lazy susan, get one, it makes it much easier to grab quickly while you are cooking. If you use a drawer they make nifty spice storage just for drawers, so you can have the labels looking right at you when you open the drawer, although they aren’t as space-saving as some others. There are many ways to organize, you can store them alphabetically, group by cuisine or by how often you use them. It is really up to what works best for you! An organized kitchen is one step closer to a more flavorful dinner!

I read an article the other day about a couple who decided to start a new tradition of having Spaghetti and Meatballs every Friday night and invite friends or family to join them.  They sent out a Facebook message to their friends inviting them to the first dinner and had an overwhelming response!  So much that they have to rotate their guests each week!  How cool is that?  They have since done this every Friday (only missing a couple) and did it from their parent's home when home for the holidays. It reminded me of my own weekly tradition having Sunday dinner at our house.

My favorite day to cook is on Sunday. I will spend 5-6 hours getting a meal ready, from the main course to a yummy dessert. I don't mind it on a day where I'm relaxed, not stressing over getting dinner ready after a full day at work, just a nice day to try a new recipe or two. Over the past few years as my boys have gotten older, our dinner table regularly has a couple extra guests on Sunday. Around 2 o'clock, they start getting text messages from their friends asking "What's your mom making for Sunday dinner?"  It is a fun time to catch up with everyone on their week or who's doing what the coming week. I love that these kids want to have dinner with us, it is a great way to get to know your children's friends (or the girlfriend). I have often thought I should start asking them to help me with dinner prep, with busy families today, it is hard to know if these young people are learning essential cooking skills (Wow, did I just sound old right there? I might as well have said "whippersnappers").

On some Sundays I make new recipes, on others, I stick to tried and true, but I really enjoy having the time to make one of my "I'm going to make this" recipes...I have a huge binder full of those - and don't even get me started on my Pinterest boards! I could cook 3 meals every Sunday for a year and not make a dent! But that is a whole other story! Last Sunday we decided on pasta for dinner. We made the Perfect Marinara Sauce recipe and it was truly perfect! I was fortunate to have it once before at the photo shoot where we took all of the beautiful new photography for our website, it was delicious. So fresh and simple to make! I had been planning on making for a few months now, but this past Sunday was the day!  All six of us were glad it was!

We know for many of you preparing the family meal is more than putting food on the table: it's a craft that is rooted in tradition, family and love. Do you have a meal tradition? What is your favorite day to cook?

An Extra Sweet Valentine's Dinner

Sure, you can make reservations and eat from a prixe fixe menu, but if you want to win your sweetheart over; make them a meal they won't forget - at home!  There is nothing like a home cooked meal to show your love.  And just in case you haven't made reservations...you've come to the right place!

Tuttorosso has put together two menus for you to choose from, or mix and match, or make your own menu from our many recipes!  We love these menus for their formal structure of Antipasto (appetizer/starter course), Primo (first course) and a Secondo (second course); which makes for a long leisurely meal where you can spend quality time with your loved one!  So many of us are busy and finding time to sit and enjoy a meal together seems more of a luxury these days.  To make the most of a romantic evening, cook together and take time to really chat and enjoy a real date night!

Pop open some Prosecco, decant a bottle of red, put on some romantic music, and cook up an extra sweet Valentine's Day dinner!

Menu One: From the Heart

Wrapped Brie with Tomato Chutney
Spaghetti Carbonara
Pork Chops with Tomato Relish

Menu Two:  Perfectly Matched

Antipasto Salad
Perfect Marinara
Braised Beef with Red Wine and Tomatoes

Tell us, will you be going out or staying in this year for you Valentine's celebration?

Click here for all of the recipes >

Thanksgiving is just a few days away, you may be an old hat at this, but for some it may very well be your first time to host!  Leave all the stress behind, we have resources that will give you the confidence of Martha Stewart!  Like our guide to Thanksgiving by the Numbers - an easy-to-read infographic on how to calculate how much food you will need for your Thanksgiving feast.  There's even a printable version!

We have pulled together our favorite recipes from appetizers to keep a hungry crowd at bay or side dishes with a twist, sure to become new family favorites!  Check them out here: Our Holiday Recipe Round Up.

Looking to be a bit more organized this year, do a little prep ahead?  In our T-Day Timeline, our timeline will do just that!  Ideas such as cooking in advance or pulling out serving pieces ahead of the big day; keeping you stress-free and allow you to enjoy your family and friends!  Read it here.

And for even more tips on party planning our Host a Successful Soiree will put you in party mode in no time!  Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to get all our tips, tricks and resources for the upcoming holiday season!

Well, I find myself in a small predicament this year; we were all set to take off for a trip to the UP but at the last minute we cancelled the trip - no snow! Not enough for a 9+ hour drive anyway...so now I am going to be home to ring in the new year and hadn't thought anything about dinner or snacks for the night!  I did a little browsing and found a few things that just might work.  Garlic Tomato Bruschetta, ready in no time with few ingredients and so delicious!  However, Fontina Macaroni and Cheese might be just the thing for a cold night, creamy and warm gooey cheese...or a nice steamy bowl of soup, Sausage Tortellini Soup would feed a small group if we invite over some friends.  But I think this year is calling for a quiet evening at home with a movie, glass of wine and homemade pizza made with our Gourmet Pizza Sauce will be on this year's menu!  I love making homemade pizza!  It is much quicker than delivery on a busy night, and I get to add all of my favorites on one half and the hubby gets to pile his favs on his half!  This recipe makes enough for a couple of pizzas and if you want tips on making pizza at home, check out Pizza Dough Pro, step-by-step instructions and tips on how to make the perfect pizza!  Happy New Year!

How are you ringing in the new year this year?

Planning on doing any entertaining during the holidays?  While we are Celebrating the Sauce, we are hoping that you are too!  I am one of those people who change up how I decorate my dining table, almost every year at the holidays.  It may be because I change my paint color too often (don't ask my husband, you'll get him going for sure...) or because I find some really great holiday piece at the end of the season (or beginning, or during) that changes how I decorate.  Or maybe it is because I am a collector (that's what I am calling it and I am sticking to it) of Fiesta®-ware; and with so many colors and each year there is a new hot holiday color theme that I adore; so I change it up!  Like this year, I am loving the teal, turquoise, peacock blue colors with the limey greens, gold and white  - whatever you call it, I love it! So, I grab my plates and set them out, and decorate around them.  This year my table is sort of a winter wonderland with white trees, gold chargers, green candlesticks and ornaments in those peacock blue and limey green colors.

We thought it would be fun to round up some decorating ideas from around Pinterest to help you with some easy decorating.  Some even reuse/recycle cans!  I know, right?!  I wish I was as creative and clever as so many of you are, but thank goodness you are, because I am here to copy  your creative genius!!  Thanks for sharing!  If you want to show off your holiday table decorating, please post your pictures to our Facebook page or on Instagram and tag with #SundaySauce or #TuttorossoRecipes so we can find you!

Here are ten of our favorite ideas:

1. A Tin Can Snowman from practicallyfunctional.com
2. Rosemary Wreath Place Cards from spoonforkbacon.com
   
3. Candy Cane Place Card holders from sewmanyways.blogspot.com (used this idea last year to mark my dishes on a holiday buffet)
4. Here's a beautiful display of Turquoise & Evergreen decorating that we love from frostedevents.com
5. Love the use of vintage ornaments to make a "wreath" from 52mantels.com
6. Sewmanyways.com has another winner with this Santa Can for a floral arrangement, so cute!
7. I can't wait to make iced branches using this tutorial from hypheninteriors.com
8. Simple, yet elegant using just ornaments from paperblog.com
9. We love these ideas from findinghomefarms.com, last minute ideas for your table setting
10. Not sure how to properly set your table?  Check out this guide from myrecipes.com you will look like a real pro!

This year, the holidays are coming upon us quick!! I don’t know about your calendar, but mine is filling up fast! I’m not sure when I am supposed to shop, let alone have a holiday dinner party for my family…with such a short time between now and Christmas, I have to get everything planned and on my calendar – or it just won’t get done! I might even have to invite myself to my own tree decorating! I’m a list maker and when it comes to planning a party at any level (from a casual buffet to a more formal sit down dinner) I use lists from the menu to decorations. I even plan for oven time! I have found it makes things much less stressful, I am less likely to forget something and I can see what items I can make ahead (which I love to do). I also like to set things out the night before for a buffet; like the serving platters, plates and silverware, etc. If it is a sit down dinner, I set the table the night before to make sure I have the glasses cleaned and silverware polished (who’s kidding, I don’t use silver, but I do polish the dishwasher spots). I try to limit the amount of work on the day of my party. Here is my personal list for planning a dinner party, feel free to use it and make it your own!

Two weeks before

• Plan the menu - whether it is a casual gathering or formal affair, decide what you are making. Think about dishes you can make ahead and freeze or that will keep in the fridge for a few days. If you need to order anything special, you should have plenty of time to place an order with a butcher or grocery.
• Clean any crystal, dishes, or silverware (if using anything that fancy). Or purchase fun and festive holiday plates and napkins that can be tossed when you’re done.

One week before

• Give your house or apartment a good cleaning. You can spot clean the day of, but do the heavy cleaning now.
• Make your shopping list and check your pantry for items that might need replaced (the less often used items).
• Work out your cooking schedule. I like to work backwards from the time I plan to eat. Get out all of your recipes and set a timetable for each dish that needs cooked. Think about items that can cook together. And don’t forget warming time for things that you made ahead or need a quick warming like bread or rolls.
• Make any of your recipes that can be made ahead and frozen. Many appetizers, soups, side dishes and desserts freeze well.

Three days before

• Shop for food and beverages.
• Prep all veggies ahead (wash before you put them away, cut or dice as needed for recipes).

One day before

• Set your table for a formal dinner or set out serving platters and dishes for a buffet.
• Another quick cleanup of your house or apartment.
• Do any other prep or cooking you can before the day of the party.

One hour to go

• Empty your dishwasher, cleaning as you go helps eliminate the pile up of dishes and leaves you less likely doing frantic clean up before guests arrive.
• Get dressed and freshen up.
• Check your menu and cooking list to make sure you have everything warming or finishing in the oven. If you forgot something – don’t sweat it! Move on with everything else.

30 minutes left

• Uncork the wine
• Turn on your music
• Toss your salad
• Warm the bread • Light candles
• Get a sip of wine and prepare for the early guests…there is always one, if they do show up early, put them to work! Most people like to help, and are glad to do so if asked.
• Relax and enjoy your friends and family

Read “Host a Successful Soiree” for more party planning tips and advice. What are your favorite tips or tricks for hosting a dinner party

Click for printable checklist.

Can we talk about kitchen gadgets?  I was visiting with my sister-in-law this past weekend and we stopped in a kitchen store, she needed to buy a microplane zester/grater.  How has she been living on her own for over 20 years without this tool??  I use mine for all kinds of things, zesting of course, grating hard cheeses, grating fresh nutmeg, mince garlic, just to name a few.  Then I got to thinking “I believe I have a problem, or an obsession”…with kitchen gadgets.  I have things that spin your salad, whisks and spatulas in all sizes, a tong-like thingy to take a Belgium waffle of the waffle iron (yes, I have a Belgium waffle iron too).  I have drawers of utensils and gadgets, cabinets with more gadgets, and even more in my pantry (which I had to have re-done a couple of years ago to add more shelving to hoard house my obsession collection).  There are people who love shopping for shoes, jewelry or clothes; but my happy place is in a kitchen store or the home section of a department store.  And to make it worse, there are these parties where I can buy even more gadgets!  Whoever thought of that idea – genius!!  Not in the mood for a party?  No problem...shop online!  There isn’t any hope for me.  My sisters had a small intervention with me the last time I had a family dinner.  I was being very particular about what platters or serving ware to use, and had to make sure they had the right utensil for the job at hand.  They started off laughing and rolling their eyes until it was clear this was no joking matter; I am very serious about my plates, platters and bowls!  My husband is my enabler.  He is the first one to veer  towards a kitchen store in a mall or department store, I don’t have to ask or drag him there, he is more than willing to take a quick walk-through.  I bought him a really nice grill a couple of years ago for Christmas.  Now he has to have all of the gadgets that are available for it, jalapeno popper holder, pizza stone, thermometer, burger press, etc.  Did I mention he is an excellent cook?  I am very blessed and thankful to have a husband who is comfortable in the kitchen; it makes a long work day not so bad when you walk in the house to dinner in the oven!

I was recently introduced to two new kitchen gadgets, this scissor-like thing that chops salad like a pro and an herb mill; I don’t know how these have escaped me, but they will be soon welcomed to my home and their helpful gadget neighbors!

Do any of you use those corn handle-thingies for corn on the cob?  I grew up with these and in college I had dinner with my boyfriends’ family.  I looked at his mother like she was crazy when she served fresh corn at dinner.  Did she expect me to hold the corn with my bare hands?  Yes, they did, and they thought I was even crazier when I asked for the butter brush, you know that thing that brushes the butter on the corn.  They were clearly heathens of some sort!!  Oh well, the corn was delicious, the boyfriend became my husband and his mother my now mother-in-law who serves wonderful grilled corn grown by my father-in-law!

Use your microwave bacon cooker and chop fresh basil in your herb mill to make our Bacon and Tomato Quesadillas.

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?

Here in Indiana we are very close to enjoying our snowiest winter ever!  I say “enjoy” with not much of a smile, because I am not sure how many are really enjoying Winter 2014.  I guess you could say people are fed up with the snow – there is even a petition for stopping the snow, StoptheSnow.org with over 1,500 signatures in only 1 day!

Of course there is nothing that can be done about the snow or cold or gloom, except grin and bear it! In the colder weather, many of us are drawn to food that is comforting and warm, and it has been cold for weeks!  Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of warm, steamy, creamy soup?  It has to be one of my favorite go-to dishes during the winter months.  Chili of course, is a popular pick; tortilla soup seems to be a close second with so many recipes to choose from, but what about the one soup that seems to take most people right back to their childhood kitchen – Tomato soup!  I love a good tomato soup, and since we are a tomato company, we have lots of tomato soup recipes to choose from!  And does anything go better with tomato soup than a gooey grilled cheese?  Yeah, yeah, saltines crackers are fine, but isn’t tomato soup and grilled cheese the perfect pairing...like peanut butter and jelly or mint and chocolate?  The classic of course is buttered white bread with American cheese, which is delicious, but with so many cheeses and bakery style breads easily available at groceries today, why not try something a little different?  Just changing your bread can open so many tasty opportunities – Texas toast, rye or a hearty multigrain.  Then there’s the cheese, have you tried Colby, Swiss or my favorite – Gruyere cheese?  Now here’s one that may blow your mind – try more than one cheese – on the same sandwich!  I know you must think I live in Crazy Town, but trust me when I tell you - it will change your world (the sandwich world anyway)! I like my tomato soup rich, creamy, hearty and with just a bit of texture.

Our Tomato Soup in Puff Pastry recipe is perfect.  Anyone else like to dunk their grilled cheese in your soup?  I do, and I recently thought why not get the grilled cheese right in my soup?  Grilled cheese croutons!  Brilliant if you ask me.  Just cut your sandwich into bite size squares, you get a perfect bite of grilled cheese and soup on your spoon, and you save the laborious task of dunking (my sandwiches can be pretty hefty)!

Come see our arsenal of Chili, Soups & Stews recipes, try one out, let us know what you think and share your favorite grilled cheese combo and tips!  Can’t wait to hear from you!

I heard a crazy stat the other day - about 40 days on average are spent planning for the big game party, what?!  That seems like a lot to me, I might put forth that much effort for an important dinner party or a holiday dinner, but for football?  I don’t think so.  Another interesting fact - this coming Sunday is the second biggest food consumption day – second to Thanksgiving!  I haven't hosted a party for the big game in a couple of years.  I think most of us who host during the holidays, sit this one out; for me it's Thanksgiving and two dinners at Christmas; by February I'm kinda over hosting.  For others, the idea of planning a menu, cooking the food and making it all look great, is a little intimidating.  I think game parties should be fun, and relaxed.   Well, this year I have a strategy that might even convince me to host this year; even though my team isn’t playing (we'll be rooting for our other favorite quarterback who moved west).  My plan?  A DIT party -Do It Themselves, my own spin on DIY.    Why spend hours in the kitchen prepping food, missing out on all of the fun and most importantly – the commercials!  Here are some ideas to keep you out of the kitchen and let you relax and enjoy the fun with your guests!

Chili Fixins' Bar

Start with your favorite chili recipe such as our Hearty Chili and let them top
it with fixins’ of their choosing.  This is great when you have some who like it super-hot, or for those who like a little milder chili, like me.  Set out hot sauce, jalapeños, cheese, corn chips, sour cream; what else goes good with chili?  Each person can spice up their bowl to their own taste, brilliant!

Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar
I love this idea!  We were at a restaurant recently for brunch and they had a Bloody Mary bar setup, it was fantastic!  I got to make mine just how I like it, Red Gold Fresh Squeezed Tomato Juice, a little horseradish, Worcestershire, and lots of green olives and just a splash of lime - YUM!  You can provide a basic recipe for your cocktail challenged guests, then they can add their favorite things - pickled asparagus, horseradish, celery seed, dill pickle spears, fresh ground pepper, celery stalks, the list is endless!  Offer small skewers for smaller items like olives, cheese cubes, bacon (trust me on this one), whatever you don't want to end up at the bottom of the glass.  Speaking of glasses, don't worry about glasses that need washed, use plastic, it's really OK!  You can always put them in your recycle bin, and I promise your guests won't care because they will be most impressed with their handmade cocktails!

Probably my favorite idea - the Snackadium!!!
I don't know how I have not heard of this before, but I was recently made aware of this game party trend, snackadiums!  These stadium shaped snack displays can be super creative, taking days of prep and planning, to simpler, smaller ones.  Do a quick internet search and you will get tons of ideas, but here's the gist, you build a stadium out of snacks.  You can use disposable aluminum pans to keep dips separate and stack chips, subs, or soda cans, around the outside for the walls.  Our Chunky Guacamole would make the perfect green turf for the field, our World’s Best Queso for one end zone and Red Gold Salsa for the other.  Use some meat snack sticks to assemble goal posts, surround with chips, subs, veggie sticks, and you have a Snackadium!  We loved this idea so much - we built our own Red Gold Queso Bowl Snackadium!

What are you doing for your game party this year?   Post pictures of your Red Gold game party food on our Facebook page or Tweet us using #RGparty