Party strawberries

Yesterday I went to a great housewarming party thrown by My Gay Husband and My Gay Husband's Boyfriend. They recently moved into a place in Midtown, right in the middle of everything. They're on the 12th floor with lots of windows, so their views are gorgeous (including directly into the windows of the Intercontinental Hotel—apparently lots of hotel guests don't close their curtains, whoops!). It was one of those fun parties that really bring people together (MGH is like that, too).

There was tons of good food on hand, but everyone was buzzing about one particular snack: cheesecake-stuffed strawberries. Once one person tried them, everyone was trying them, and the hosts had to bring out more platters of them. Obviously when I got home I googled how to make them, and it sounds really easy. I will definitely be making them for the next party we throw.

Photo via Pinterest

You take strawberries, cut off the top, and dig out a little hole in the center. To make the filling, you mix cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla to taste (I think I might try using maple syrup instead) and fill the strawberries with a piping bag (or Ziploc bag with a corner cut off in a pinch). As a final (crucial!) step, you dip the tops in graham cracker crumbs. Et voilà! Impress your friends with your fanciness. I've seen it work.

What are your go-to party snacks? Another favorite of mine is caprese on sticks: thread cocktail tomatoes (in fun heirloom colors if you've got 'em), little balls of fresh mozzarella, and a leaf of basil onto sticks. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper and put them in the fridge to marinate a bit until you're ready to serve them. Delicious in the summer! I also always have a platter of sliced English cucumbers and sliced salami (thanks to a tip from the Barefoot Contessa)—the perfect combo.