Helen Jane Hearn and AB Chao share last minute entertaining tips from Napa to NOLA. Style your snacks for maximum photographic enjoyment.

1. Snappy Appetizers
Stylish entertaining from
your home to your blog.

2. When will I need Snappy Appetizers?
Friends, Strangers, Mothers-in-law.
Playgroups, church visits.
Meeting at your house to go to the thing you
have tickets for.
Dinner taking longer than you thought.

3. Waste not.

4. Who are we, anyway?
AB Chao recently quit her job as a communications writer to focus
on full-time interior design, styling, and lifestyle blogging. She is a
born and raised Louisiana girl.
Helen Jane is a designer and home entertaining expert who started
Cheesewhizzes, a nationwide cheese club 5 years ago. She's from
Napa Valley.

5. Who are we, anyway?
We have been blogging for a combined 23 years.
We developed some impressive last-minute
appetizers that will make you look good to your
friends.
We also developed some impressive last-minute
styling tips to make these snacks look good on your
blog.

6. Last Minute Menu
Rosemary cashews
Cajun nuts
Pimento cheese dip
White bean dip
Cheese plate
Chocolate plate

7. Your Nuts.

8. Rosemary Cashews (from the Barefoot Contessa)
1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
As soon as you hear they're coming, heat the oven to 375F and shake out 1 1/2
pound of cashews on a cookie sheet. Roast the nuts for about 10 minutes.
While the nuts are roasting, add the melted butter, minced rosemary, cayenne,
brown sugar and salt to a large bowl. Pull the nuts from the oven to dump them into
the bowl.
Toss and toss and they'll be ready for guests immediately.

9. Cajun Spiced Pecans
2 cups pecan halves
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
Melt all ingredients except pecans in a saucepan. Place pecans on a baking
sheet. Pour contents of pan over pecans, stir, and bake at 325 for 15 minutes.

10. Style your nuts for guests
Avoid
Put the nuts in one big bowl where guests will have to touch the nuts of
other guests.
Pro tip
Serve individual portions or put the nuts in easily accessible smaller
bowls. Sprinkle through a cheese platter.

11. Style your nuts for your blog
Avoid
Take a photo too close up.
Use your flash close up.
Pro tip
Natural light wins.
Go overhead.

12. Your Dip.

13. Pimento Dip
Ingredients
2 cups sharp cheddar, grated
4 oz. pimientos
2 tbsp mayo
1 jalapeno, chopped
Directions
Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Serve with crackers or on bread.

14. White Bean Dip
1 15 ounce can white beans (cannellini) that have been drained
1/2 lemon’s worth of lemon juice
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon chopped rosemary
Directions
Add the white beans, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, cayenne and cumin to your
food processor until a good dip-like consistency. Mix the chopped mint and finely
grated lemon peel and decorate your dip with the mix.
Beanie!

15. Style your dip for guests
Avoid
Put in a bowl too deep.
(Less than knuckle deep is best)
Pro tip
Serve individual bowls.
Add some green.

16. Style your dip for your blog
Avoid
Take a photo for a part that looks like poo.
Pro tip
Add herbs to the top for visual interest.

17. Your Cheese.

18. Cheese tray tips for the snappy host
Avoid
Buy cheese the day of.
Pro tip
Maximize keepability.
Find aged cheeses or goudas, that will be ready for you.

19. Your Chocolate.

20. Style your tray for guests
Avoid
Put too much cheese on a tray.
Forget bread and crackers.
Pro tip
Greens and flowers.
Bread in a separate container.

21. Style your tray for your blog
Avoid
Take photo after you’ve eaten the cheese
Leave your knife on the plate
Pro Tip
Accessorize your cheese with fresh fruit and/or herbs.

22. General styling tips for appetizers
Don't overcrowd the platters, it's proven that guests take less
food if it's piled on top of each other. Guests don't want to
touch food from the other guests.
Think individual portions. Spoons. Cups.
Fruit. Edible flowers.
Put a stick through it.

35. Thanks for your time!
This presentation will be available on both our sites:
HJEntertains.com
ABChao.com