Happy Hour From Home

If you have ever worked at a stressful job, you can identify with the feeling of that after shift happy hour experience. Stopping into a nearby bar. Sipping on some ice cold beers, flavorful cocktails, or some aromatic wine, paired with some delicious snacks to get you to dinner. Recreating this experience for yourself or for your guests is actually really simple to do at home. There is no need to have a super upscale, fancy setting when it comes to happy hour. Preparing the perfect happy hour at home is all about balancing sweet and savory snacks that pair well with your preferred beverages.

Flatbreads are an incredibly easy to make snack that is perfect for happy hour. You can purchase some bread from your local grocery store to cut down on the prep time. Something like ciabatta, or naan will work well, but it’s really up to you and your personal preferences. For toppings, you likely have some things in the refrigerator that would work already, like pesto and parmesan cheese for example. Caramelized onions are also delicious on top of flatbread, and can be made with items likely already sitting in the pantry. Once you’ve decided on your toppings, you will literally just need to top the bread and bake it in the oven until warm and slightly crispy. Flatbreads can be served at any temperature, but when it’s warm and melty, that is the best time to enjoy.

Another popular happy hour snack that is extremely easy to put together is a charcuterie plate. You have probably nibbled on charcuterie plate at a restaurant in the past, but they are extremely simple to put together at home on your own. When planning out your platter, consider a theme, for example Italian ingredients, Greek ingredients or even an inventive Southwest style mix. Some staples to include are cured meats like salami and sausage, paired with a selection of cheese that compliment the meat. Of course you will want to add some crusty bread or crackers to along. Personally, a bit of olive oil and vinegar with some spices is also nice touch. In addition, I like to include some tangy foods like miniature dill pickles, marinated olives and other pickled peppers.

Some chopped veggies and dip are also another popular snack to serve for your at home happy hour. Just like with the charcuterie platter, you can really just use leftover veggies from the refrigerator. No veggies on hand, things like carrots, celery, bell peppers and cauliflower work well. You can set all your food out on some cutting boards, and use tiny bowls for the smaller items. Be sure to put out some basics to make eating easier, like napkins and toothpicks to grab the smaller snacks. Also, set out extra glasses so your guests won’t have to wander into your kitchen when they need something.

Now that you have the snacks planned out, grab some wine and beer, and let the happy hour, or hours… begin.