How to Make Happy Hour at Home

Hours d'oeuvres for dinner--hooray! Happy Hour doesn't have to happen in a bar while wrestling with coworkers for the last meatball. Bring the tradition home and extend it through the dinner hour. The key is to stock the pantry with ingredients for an evening of games and little bites of deliciousness--and keep it simple enough to throw together on a weeknight. Let the happy times begin.

Things You'll Need

• Menu ingredients
• Drinks ingredients
• Games
• Music

Instructions

1. Happy hour is more about camaraderie than scoring cheap booze and free snacks, so invite the crew: coworkers, neighbors--or just cocoon with your family--to make happy times for an hour (or more). This is a super low maintenance gig where a few iconic snacks and pub games will bring the experience full circle.

2. The strategy is to feature games that aren't too heady. You want guests to joke and visit while playing around. Think pub style: video and unweaponized versions are great alternatives to original darts; ask a friend to bring their tabletop version of billiards or ask someone to cue up the Wii edition and throw in some trivia and Nerf basketball to round out the curriculum.

3. You could totally get away with pizza, chips, dips and bowls of nuts--but it doesn't take much more effort to up the spread to snacks that are healthy enough to pass for dinner--just remember not to make too much of a fuss or you'll shy away from making it a tradition.

4. Feature a "bar" of anything and guests will belly up to make a creation. Everyone loves to customize their nibbles--and besides, it's interactive and makes it easier for you to whip together a snack. Pick something that you can easily pull off, then complete the buffet with simpler snacks.

   Some ideas:

   • Bruschetta Bar: toasted breads brushed with olive oil (olive, baguette, French country), roasted garlic, chopped tomato and basil, white bean puree, fancy tuna, lemon artichoke spread, olive tapenade, roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella

   • Mini Burger Bar: chicken, turkey, beef and falafel patties served on dinner rolls with a gazillion topping options including: blue, brie, cheddar and goat cheeses, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado, pickles, aioli and basic condiments.

   • Quesadilla Bar: assorted tortillas including spinach, tomato, multigrain and corn, spicy jack, Colby, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, diced chicken and shrimp, chopped tomato, black olives, bell peppers, mild green chilies and mushrooms. Melt all of the ingredients together sandwich-style in the oven, on the stove or on a panini grill.

5. Let it be beer tasting all the way! And keep wine and something clear (gin or vodka) with soda and tonic on hand to cover your bases.

Tips & Warnings

• For step-by-step instructions for each menu item, Google the key words of the recipes you'd like to feature. Keep the ingredients stashed in your pantry, freezer and fridge (depending on the shelf life) until you're in the mood for a happy hour!