Health

Entertaining on a Budget: The Shopping List

By Regina Charboneau

Everything you need to prepare for your holiday cocktail party.

Liquor Store

• 3 bottles California or Spanish Chamangoise (under $8 a bottle)
    • Angostura Bitters

Groceries

*Based on the short-cut recipes. If you use the homemade recipes for my biscuits, cranberry-mango chutney, and crème brulee custard, you'll need to adapt this list)

Produce:
    • 4 bananas
    • 8 to 10 Roma tomatoes
    • fresh basil
    • 1 pomegranate
    • 1 16 ounce jar of pure pomegranate juice

Deli:
    • 8 thick slices of bacon
    • 2 pounds sliced smoked turkey

Condiments:
    • whole -berry cranberry sauce
    • mayonnaise
    • Major Grey's-style mango chutney

Dairy:
    • 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
    • 2 cans pre-made biscuit dough

Baking Goods:
    • sugar cubes
    • 5-ounce package of instant vanilla pudding
    • shelled walnuts
    • whole almonds
    • 20-ounce bag of yogurt-covered raisins
    • 6-ounce bag dried cranberries

Frozen Goods
    • 1 can frozen white grape juice
    • 2 containers of pre-whipped cream

Bakery:
    • 1 loaf soft sandwich bread, sliced
    • 2 packages of walnut brownies

Miscellaneous:
    • assorted crackers
    • microwave popcorn
    • 8 ounce jar caramel topping
    • 2 liters ginger ale
    • cocktail napkins and other odds and ends

Regina Charboneau is the owner of Twin Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Natchez, Mississippi. She is the author of Regina's Table at Twin Oaks.