TOP CHEF STAR ANTONIA LOFASO
Serve 20 People for Under $20 In Less Than 20 Minutes
Just because the economy's tough doesn't mean people need to skip hosting holiday dinner and parties with friends and family! Top Chef star Antonia Lofaso shows how to impress your guests with a $20 per-course budget for soirees with up to 20 people, all within 20 minutes or less of prep time.
Make your Own Take-Out – Ninety three percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a month. While take-out pizza used to be a budget-friendly option for many families, at about $15 for the average large pie, you could make as many as three pizzas at home --- and it's a family activity that kids love to share! Toppings are inexpensive, and a little goes a long way. America's favorite topping is pepperoni – we eat more than 250,000,000 pounds on pizza each year!
Pasta Makes a Party of Plenty – Pasta is an economical and elegant way to feed lots of friends and family, and adding just a few bold and flavorful ingredients like salami, tomato and basil makes the dish both delicious and festive with holiday colors. Pre-boil and freeze pasta ahead of time to cut down on prep time before the gathering.
Dress Up the Day-to-Day – Nothing says warm and toasty like a Panini sandwich. They're tasty, quick and budget-friendly, and you can cut them into fun holiday shapes using a cookie cutter.
Cut Hors d'oeuvres and Snacks to Size – Avoid expensive store-made party trays, and cut your own fruits and veggies for crudités. Pre-slice your own cheese and meat plates to avoid guests from carving generous servings that often go to waste. Add simple filler snacks like cocktail nuts and party mixes to also keep cost down.
Limit Beverage Options – It's easy to spend a small fortune on soft drinks and juices. Instead, make one holiday-themed beverage like a cranberry punch or a warm apple cider and serve it to all of your guests to reduce your expenses on drinks.
Trust the Test of Time: Many foods that have been passed down through history are still with us because they pack a lot of punch for relatively little cost – a few drops of a good balsamic vinegar will bring more flavor and zest to your salads, and cost less, than a bottled dressing; cured meats like salami and bacon enhance inexpensive basics like pizza, pasta, breads and side-dishes.
About Antonia Lofaso: Antonia Lofaso starred in the most recent season of the popular BRAVO TV show Top Chef. Antonia worked for executive chef Lee Hefter at Spago restaurant for six years and is now Executive Chef at the popular L.A. restaurant Foxtail. A single mother living in Los Angeles with her 7-year-old daughter, Antonia comes from an Italian background and says fresh linguine with white truffle is her favorite thing to cook. She always has aged balsamic and extra virgin olive oil on hand, and root beer floats with her daughter are her favorite indulgence.
