Winter is the perfect time for a weekend night in. Having all your friends over for some drinks and snacks is the perfect way to escape the rain. All of these recipes are for a group of 4-6 but are easy to modify whether you’re just having a few friends over a whole crowd. 

The mini ham and cheese croissants are my go-to whenever I  have people over.  At the end of the night, the plate is empty. Sangria is always a good option for a beverage when having a lot of people over.  You won’t have to spend half your night mixing up cocktails for all your guests; just dump everything together and leave it in the fridge for your guests to enjoy. Last, but obviously not least, the sweet and salty snack plate is perfect for getting rid of all those bags of chips, pretzels, or popcorn you have sitting around in your pantry. ust coat them in chocolate and I promise your guests will love it. Hosting can be stressful, but these recipes will be quick and delicious additions to the perfect night in. 

Mini Ham and Cheese Croissants 

Ingredients- 

1 tube of Crescent Rolls

Half a pound of sliced ham

Half a pound of cheddar cheese slices

Optional Garlic Butter:

4 Tablespoons of butter

1 garlic clove 

Instructions-

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Unroll the tube of crescent rolls and separate the triangles on the perforated lines. Cut each triangle in half, long ways. 

Lay a slice of ham, followed by a slice of cheese on each triangle (fitting them to the shape of the dough)

Roll each triangle from the thicker end to the thinner end, forming a croissant shape. Place each croissant on the lined baking sheet and place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Optional: While the croissants are in the oven, chop up your garlic, and melt the butter. Add the chopped garlic to the pan of melted butter and let cook over low heat until fragrant. 

Once the croissants are out of the oven, top with optional garlic butter and enjoy!

Chocolate-Dipped Snack Plate

½ cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup of plain potato chips (I like kettle-cooked)

½ cup pretzels 

1 cup popcorn 

Add the chocolate chips to a bowl and microwave until melted, using 30-second intervals. Once the chocolate is all melted, add in the butter. 

Lay your salty snacks on a baking sheet covered in parchment or wax paper. 

For the chocolate, you can either dip or drizzle it over the different snacks. 

Let cool in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes. 

Drink Recipe: Citrus Sangria

1 bottle of red wine

3 navel oranges

3 blood oranges

1 grapefruit

1 lemon

2 fuji apples

½ cup of sugar

½ cup of rum (can be swapped for brandy or whiskey)

Juice all your lemons and grapefruit. , Combine the citrus juices, wine, rum, and sugar in a large pitcher, and be sure to stir well. 

Slice the apples and oranges. Add to the pitcher and let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is best)

While hosting can be stressful, these recipes are guaranteed to please a crowd without adding too much to your plate. These recipes should encourage you to invite some friends and wow them with your hosting skills!