Sometimes after a long, stressful day all you want to do is kick back and relax at home. Around here, that usually means it’s time to bring out the red wine. One day, I had (what I thought was) the greatest idea ever- an at home Happy Hour! I grabbed some simple snacks at the store, including a Rotola, stuffed olives, and roasted red peppers, and -voila- we had a picture perfect appetizer spread. You can also make your own appetizers with things as simple as cheese & crackers, assorted deli meats (we usually do a quarter pound of the deli sale items, such as special salamis, prosciutto, etc.) or even with a homemade spinach and artichoke dip with fresh bread. Don’t like wine? You can also mix this up with cocktails or beer. Just look up what pairs well with your drink of choice. Even if you don’t drink at all, you can whip up a delicious lemonade (we recently rated some delicious recipes) or a punch with some fresh fruit inside to be a little more festive than usual. You can even do this when you have guests over before heading out for the evening. This is a relatively quick, cheap, and easy way to unwind and treat your family and friends. One of the most important elements of an at home Happy Hour is the music, so remember to turn on some tunes to help set the mood (my favorite free music player is Pandora). I personally usually tune it to the Jimmy Buffet or Eric Clapton stations.

Try this tonight in your home! You will be amazed at how relaxing it truly is!

Enjoy!