I found a great Texas Hold em pool table

Like in the rest of the country, poker is all the rage around Nashville, especially Texas Hold‘em. My husband and I thought it would be fun to host a poker night in our newly-furnished game room. I don’t know much about the poker end of it, so I’m leaving most of the poker supplies to him. Since we want to have 10 people playing, he’s decided to use our new pool table so we can all fit around it comfortably.

I found a great Texas Hold‘em pool table cover online that instantly converts the table into a poker table. It’s made of heavy vinyl and slides over the pool table like a fitted sheet, so it not only sets the poker table up instantly, it also protects the pool table when not in use. Just putting it on gives the whole space an immediate casino feel. With that in place, it’s up to me to plan the food and decorations and my husband will work on finding four couples to join us. I know most of his friends know the game and enjoy playing along with their wives. The rest of us will just have to learn as we go, but it will be fun.

I think finger foods are a good way to go for a poker party, so I’ll start with some buffalo chicken wings in a chipotle dipping sauce. I’ll also provide a cool ranch dip for those who don’t want all that heat. Along with that, I’ll make my over the top chili-cheese dip. It’s a simple recipe but so good. Just a block of Velveeta cheese, a can of chili-hot beans, one pound of ground round and a jar of salsa and you’re done. Put it all together in a slow cooker on low, and by the time the party starts, it will be ready to go. I serve this with blue corn tortilla chips. I’ll also do a veggie tray and a fruit tray for some lighter fare, along with some homemade salsa for those who don’t want the heavy cheese. For dessert, I’ll do two homemade cheesecakes, one with strawberry topping and one with raspberries and some decadent brownies for anyone needing a chocolate fix.

While I’m getting all the food ready, my husband will be making sure he has all his poker supplies. He says a good poker night means high quality poker supplies. Good poker chips and nice cards are a must for a fun night of play. I think to make the room even more special I’ll hang some oversized cards on the walls, add some black and red balloons to the serving table and get some poker-themed plates and napkins from my local party supply store. Finally, we’ll make sure the new wine cabinet is stocked with plenty of beer and soft drinks, since a poker night is a little more informal than a wine tasting party.

I think this is going to be a fun night. I may not know how to play poker yet, but I’m sure I’ll be a pro before the party is over!