Holiday Party Tips from the Pros at Hyatt Regency Dallas

It’s time to party! And whether you’re throwing a party yourself, co-hosting one, or attending one this holiday season, you’ll want to read these tips from the pros. The Hyatt Regency Dallas gave me some fun and easy ideas to share on how to have a professional quality event without breaking the bank!

I have been a huge fan of the Hyatt Regency in Dallas since I was a little girl. Yep, it’s the hotel that is inside the iconic ball lit up with huge lights that everyone pictures when they think of the Dallas skyline. They’ve hosted thousands of parties, weddings, and special moments over the years, so they have celebrations down to a science. Though the hotel has a rich history in Dallas, it’s fresh and modern inside, which I love. The vibe there is warm and friendly, and many of the special event staff has worked there for well over a decade!

They were kind enough to invite me to one of their beautiful parties and share some of their best party tips, along with recipes for their incredibly decadent S’more Brownies and Peppermint Bark below…

Tip #1: Small plates make a big impact. People want to sample the goods, so don’t have HUGE portions. Listen, virtually everyone is striving to eat better, eat less, or follow a certain diet. Small plates enable people to snack on a little bit of everything you have to offer without feeling guity or weighed down. Plus, who wants to carry around a huge plate all night? Keep it small and simple.

Tip #2: Offer food choices for everyone. Have a vegetarian/vegan dish or two on hand. Offer a gluten-free dessert or crackers. Maybe even offer a dairy-free hot cocoa made with Almond or Oat milk instead. Sure, you can’t accommodate every allergy or diet on the planet, but having a few options really goes a long way with guests so everyone can enjoy something. Hyatt had some of the most delicious “crab” cakes that were dairy, soy, nut, and gluten-free that didn’t have one bit of crab in them. People with food allergies could indulge without worrying.

Tip #3: Set up a “photo booth” to let guests capture some memories! You can get large swaths of fabric from a craft store and hang it up on any blank wall or the back of a door. The more festive and sparkly, the better! Have some fun props people can use in their photos, like reindeer ears, a Santa hat, or funny eyeglasses. If you have a lamp or ring light you can put up in front of it to provide “studio” lighting, do it! You can even create a specific hashtag for the party so people can see all the photos from the event. (I would probably use my husband’s last name and go with #HOHOHOfererChristmas.)

Tip #4: Drinks for All. A signature party cocktail and beer/wine usually does the trick. (Let people know they can also bring their favorite!) But one great thing to remember is to have non-alcoholic options for those who choose not to drink alcohol, have been chosen as the designated driver, or perhaps are breastfeeding, like me! Hyatt created a yummy hot coffee and whipped cream concoction that could be mixed with a liquor or drunk as-is. Delicious either way!

Tip #5: Decor can be simple AND festive. Hyatt had the prettiest centerpieces, and they were created with simple mason jars, water, floating candles and cranberries. They tied a red bow around the jar, and it was beautiful! Side note: I invested in a crate of mason jars from Wal-Mart several years ago to keep on hand for party drinks, centerpieces, etc. They have gotten a ton of use.)

Tip #6: Nightcaps Welcomed. Have a station set up for coffee, tea, and hot cocoa with both disposable cups/lids and regular coffee cups. People can take a nightcap to-go, or sit and sip for a while as the night winds down. Regular or decaf coffee is fine (you can consider serving a Christmas blend,) plus green, black, and herbal tea selections are ideal. People love a variety! A hot cocoa bar is also a nice way to end the evening.

Tip #7: DESSERTS. You can’t have a Christmas party without dessert! Hyatt served some of the most mouth-watering S’more Brownies as part of their dessert spread, which also included an assortment of decorated holiday cookies, apple puff-pastries smothered in white chocolate ganache, and peppermint bark.

The brownies and bark were a clear favorite, so they are letting me share their recipes with you for your next get-together:

S`more Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

16 ounces coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate

1.5 cup granulated sugar

0.5 cup packed light brown sugar

6 large eggs

1 table spoon vanilla extract pure

12 ounce All purpose flour

1 ounce unsweetened cocoa powder( alkalized )

1 teaspoon salt

16 ounce Bitter sweet chocolate coins (Callebaut or Felchlin ) or Hershey bars( 10 ,1.5 oz )

6 cups mini marshmallows

Crust :

2 cup graham cracker crumbs ( save little for sprinkle on top at the end ) .

2/3 cup melted butter

Preparation :

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and Bitter sweet chocolate, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly for 8-10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 350°F( this is convection oven temperature ) .
Line a 12×18 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, spread the butter and graham cracker mix on the bottom of the tray and push down with hand .
Bake for 4 minute and set aside.
Once the chocolate and butter are cooled slightly, whisk in the granulated and brown sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition.
Whisk in the vanilla then gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Sprinkle some marsh mellows and the chocolate coins( or place on top of the batter to cover the whole thing. If you use Hershy`s Bars( need to break pieces to make them fit).
Pour the other half of the batter on top of the chocolate bars and smooth to even out the batter.
Bake for 35-36 minutes, or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan.
Remove brownies from the oven and top with mini marshmallows.
Return to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 3 minutes until the marshmallow melt and brown . Sprinkle with some graham crumbs on top .
Remove from oven and allow the brownies to cool completely and cut and use .Also you can garnish each brownie with some candied green cherry and raspberries on a bamboostick.

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients

Dark chocolate 18 ounce

White chocolate 18 ounce

Crushed peppermint candy cane 9 ounce ( about 1 cup )

Prep Time : 1 hour , 40 minutes ( Yield : 30 portions )

Line a 12 x 18 inches baking pan with wax paper or aluminum foil.

Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water or microwave oven ( do not burn, put 30 seconds at a time in microwave and stirring every time ), stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, just until melted. Pour the melted dark chocolate in the prepared pan, spread with a spatula ( about ¼ inch thick ) and sprinkle about half of the peppermint candy( save the other half for next layer ) . Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes.
Melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Pour the white chocolate over the prepared dark chocolate sheet , then sprinkle the remaining peppermint candy on top.
Refrigerate until the white chocolate hardens, about 30 minutes. Cut or break into pieces to serve.

Special thanks to the Hyatt Regency Dallas and my photographer, Lorann Schindler for an amazing evening learning how to make a party one to remember. If you are visiting Dallas or live here and thinking of a staycation, the Hyatt Regency is the perfect way to experience the city! And if you have a special party that deserves the star treatment, Hyatt can do it up perfectly for you. Check them out here.