PITTSBURGH -- Jason Capps is the owner of Bella Sera by Greco's and Greco's Gourmet Catering located in Canonsburg. With 20 years of experience in the catering industry, this chef knows how to throw a holiday party.

Jason and executive chef Drew Hebson teamed up to offer a holiday cooking class at the fabulous Morganza Road facility.

In addition to some great recipes, the chefs shared ten tips to hosting a great holiday party at your home.

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TIP 1: Think outside the box! Make your invitation interesting and consider some key details in your verbiage. Why not use an odd start time and add some humor too…“The party starts at 8:18 PM - and if you prefer to be fashionably late - the drawing for the new BMW is at 8:48 PM sharp – must be present to win”. At least they will remember some detail about it and probably get a laugh. Maybe you can acknowledge the guest later in the evening who showed up the closest to your specified start time.

TIP 2: Dress me, please! Consider including your recommended attire so the guests dress the part and are clear on what to wear, thus in comparable attire with one another. If you’ve ever shown up at a party under or overdressed, you know it can embarrassing. Have fun with it by making something up…“No Ties for the Guys” or “Overdressing for this Occasion Welcome” or “Holiday Casual”. There are many ways to express how you prefer your atmosphere to be and dress attire has an impact.

TIP 3: You’ve got mail! Why not do something unique with the delivery of the invitation? Send a colorful, handwritten scrolled invite in a small mailing tube. Include a red glow-stick or something fun and instruct them to bring it along “for access”. How about including a great photo with a caption from the previous year’s party? What about having your teenager hand deliver them if it’s a neighborhood party? Instruct your kids to run around one evening, tape it to their door, ring the doorbell and run. Break tradition, but do ask for an RSVP.

TIP 4: You only have one chance to make a first impression! Be a thoughtful host by greeting your guests with something to drink the minute they arrive. Breaking the ice for anyone entering unfamiliar territory goes a long way, and handing them something “to do” will help their comfort level. As soon as you’ve taken their coats, hand them a pre-made cocktail or sparkling beverage. Be sure to have a non-alcoholic variation or second selection on hand too. Having this beverage readily available at arm’s reach makes a statement that silently says “I have thought of everything for your comfort this evening, and you should feel welcome in our home.” Be creative, but don’t stretch too far with this drink (or make it too strong). Think of items the masses will like, considering various ages, lifestyles, etc…It can be a reflection of you, your home, the menu, party theme, a particular color, etc…Hint: Wide open-mouthed vessels like martini glasses don’t work as well because there is usually hugging and handshaking at this early part of the night, which means spillage. Come up with a fun name for it too and don’t forget the straws for the ladies if it’s something in a bottle!

TIP 5: Timing is everything! If you are preparing the food yourself, you can think practically AND still put on a good show. Chisel away at food prep on the days leading up to the party and make sure to integrate things into the menu that allow for this. For example, making a zesty marinara sauce and/or veal meatballs 2-3 days in advance is perfectly acceptable. Soups, vinaigrettes and sauces can often be done way ahead of time so you are left with only fresh ingredient prep on party day. Creating a menu consisting entirely of delicate, perishable or made-to-order items will land you in the kitchen instead of where you belong – at the front door greeting your guests. After all, the most comfortable guests are those that believe you “whipped this party up in no time” versus “I’ve been toiling in the kitchen for a week to pull this off.”

TIP 6: Never let ‘em see you sweat! And always have a back-up plan in place. It’s good to have your best friend (or your spouse’s) agree to be an errand-runner in case there’s a crisis or depletion of supplies. With preplanning, you can casually pull your friend aside and ask them to “go ahead and grab more vodka”, unbeknownst to your guests, versus getting your spouse to do this on a moment’s notice, Your runner may hold off on having that extra cocktail until he/she knows everything is fine and there will be no need for more ice, beer, etc…Hint: Make sure their car is not going to be blocked in by other guests! The obvious alternative is to overbuy and plan to return unused items.

TIP 7: Tell ‘em to come empty handed! It’s your party, you are totally in control and prepared, right? Right. You have everything you need, so tell your guests to bring themselves and their guest – and don’t worry about anything else, except having a good time…Haven’t we all sweated that detail of preparing a dessert or stopping at the liquor store when you are running late? Why put your guests through this? Hint: Make sure to indicate this on the invite too, so there’s less conversation about it. If they persist and won’t take no for an answer, tell them to bring something you really foresee being used that evening. Make sure it will compliment your theme.

TIP 8: Spread it out! If you want your guests to move about your home instead of huddling in one space, locate menu items on various pieces of furniture. Only include the kitchen island or peninsula if you want activity there. Don’t make it like a scavenger hunt, though, otherwise some discreet locations may get overlooked. Once everyone has started to nibble, rotate items around to keep them interested. If there are guests that plant themselves in one spot for the duration, at least they will have seen some of the foods you prepared.

TIP 9: Vary your vessels! Soup can be consumed in things other than soup bowls/cups. Use espresso cups and saucers, coffee mugs, etc…instead. Cream soups, purees and bisques can be served moderately hot into stemware. Short plates are a fun way to present food too. These are small plates (5” or smaller) with prepared appetizer or few-bite items. Asian wonton spoons are inexpensive and can accommodate a variety of sweet and savory items for a party. Tall shot glasses (also good for smooth soups) are affordable as well.

TIP 10: Garnishing is good! Utilize fresh herbs, zest of orange, lemon and lime for a higher quality presentation and better flavors. This is a last minute action that can/should happen closer to guests arrival on party night. Hint: Invest in a good zester and garde mange tools. There is a multitude of uses for these simple and affordable tools. Melonballers, channel-cutting tools, etc…make short work of otherwise tedious tasks.

TIP 11: Desserts are king! Bonus Tip: Why not do something fun and interactive for dessert instead of cookies? Consider a cheesecake bar – presented with a variety of toppings. Think creatively here too…Crush chocolate chip cookies, oreos, candy canes, Ande’s Candies, crushed fresh mascerated raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, etc…to make a colorful and interesting choice of toppings. This same exact toppings bar can be used with ice cream and low-fat frozen yogurt.

FEATURED SPECIALTY DRINK RECIPE:

Pumkin Chai Latte

2 ½ oz of Voyant Chai Liqueur

1 oz of Hiram Walker Pumpkin Spice Liqueur

½ oz of ½ and ½

Shake contents with ice and pour.

FEATURED DINNER RECIPE:

Mango Stuffed Pork Loin with Maytag Blue and Port Wine Reduction

Ingredients:

4 lb. Pork Loin

½ C Heavy Cream

1 egg white

½ tsp. Ground Allspice

½ C Dried Mango ( small dice)

½ C White Wine

2 T Kosher Salt

2 tsp. fresh ground Black Pepper

Method:

Clean fat and silver skin from Pork Loin. Remove 1 lb. from Pork Loin. Slice 3 lbs. Pork Loin to unroll as per Chef demo. Bring White Wine to simmer. Pour over mango in a bowl and cover. Pound the 3lb. Pork Loin to ¼ inch and reserve. Place remaining ingredients in food processor and puree. Fold in Mango and puree. Spread pureed mixture onto pounded Pork Loin. Tie as per Chef Demo. Season and brown Pork Loin in a pre-heated skillet. Place in roasting pan and place in preheated oven at 350⁰ until it reaches internal temperature of 150⁰. Remove from oven and allow to rest 15-20 minutes before slicing. Serves 6-8

For more information about Bella Sera by Greco's and Greco's Gourmet Catering click here.