Entertaining Tips: Planning

New Rule

Make yourself a timeline for your dinner party. What can you make in advance that won't get soggy, or gross or go bad?



A week or so in advance write out your menu, including drinks. Write your shopping list at the same time. If you need to put something in the oven that will take 40 minutes to bake, you only have one oven, that is something you need to plan for, including the time it takes for your oven to pre-heat.



Planning ahead will save you time and hassle later. Promise!

Entertaining Tips: Vegetarian Options

New Rule

For your next party, don't forget to always include a vegetarian option.  Make it something super yummy that everyone will enjoy, like stuffed mushrooms or a baked brie.  So delicious, you won't even miss the meat!

Links: {mushrooms}{brie}

Entertaining Tips: Help

New Rule

If you need help, don't be afraid to ask for it! Have a friend/boyfriend/girlfriend/sister/brother help you. It's okay. Especially if it's your first party. Some things to consider:

• Make sure music is on, it sets the mood


• Make sure Food is out


• Drinks are out


• If food needs forks, they are out


• Napkins - out for guests


• Take a deep breath!

Entertaining Tips: Service

New Rule

When hosting a dinner party at your house, do everyhing in your power to use glass plates or at least real wine glasses. Those Red Solo Cups... only festive at Frat Parties.



You can always buy cheap wine glasses at those Dollar Stores!

Entertaining Tips: Planning

Rule:

Only YOU know if something is going wrong, your guest never had the outline, so relax!



If you burn something and it doesn't get served, that's okay! If you don't have guests show up, it's totally okay... no one knows!

Entertaining Tips: Food

Rule

Something easy, cheap and delicious your guests will go bonkers over.



Chicken Salad Cups



Buy Frozen Filo cups, and bake according to the package (8-10 minutes, I think) - let cool and fill with your favorite chicken salad, make the chicken the day before, or buy it pre-packaged.



Fill the cups about 10-20 minutes before your first guest is set to arrive.



Then sprinkle with your favorite fresh herb if you have some on hand, if not dried parsley will do just fine.

Entertaining Tips: Food

Rule

Make sure you have enough food. Sounds easy right, but for some reason my Grandmother always over made food, and my other family members never had enough.



So how do you plan accordingly?



First what time is your party, if it's prime meal time you'll need to plan for more food, if it's inbetween meal times, a bit less.



On average plan on 5 pieces of food per person, per hour. For a cocktail party... if you are serving stuffed dates, assume people will either love or hate them, so maybe 3 per person.



Know your audience, is it a dessert reception or a full on dinner party... all of those things will make a difference.



First and foremost, always have food available when your guests arrive... pretzels, veggies, roasted potato's something.

Entertaining Tips: Guests

Rule # Whatever we are on...

Make sure you get to mingle with your guests, and if that means you and your spouse/partner/room-mate need to spilt up. That's okay. Make your guests feel welcome, always start with a compliment, I love your necklace, your tie, your dress, your shoes... small talk is okay. Promise!

Entertaining Tips: Music

Rule #5

Play fun music. Remember this isn't a club, but you don't want soft jazz if you expect your guests to stay awake. Unless it's a soft jazz party.



Remember your crowd, who are you playing for? Is it a Christmas Party? If so, play Christmas music! Is it a dinner party, play something soft, maybe light rock... but don't play club-hard-rock-heavy-metal to a dinner party for your closest business associates.



Have the ipod already set and playing 30 minutes before the party is set to begin... this way you aren't "radio silent" when your guests arrive early.

Entertaining Tips: Planning

Rule #4

Serve a signature drink in a pitcher or an Italian Beverage Jar! This way it's premade, and you won't be playing barmade all night.



At our last dinner party, I used an Italian Beverage Jar filled it with juice and volka, a little soda water, and tossed in a bag or cranberries... and everyone loved it! And I didn't have to mix drinks all night.



We set some bottles of red and white wine beside the jar, a few bottles of water, with cups for our guests, and this way no one had to be bartender. We could all enjoy the party.



Just have fun, it's your party too!

Entertaining Tips: Planning

Rule #3

Don't run out of alcohol! I know that seems like a given, but if you are serving wine, have enough - assume that you'll serve 1 drink per hour, per guest. That means if you are hosting a party for 30 people, and you get 5 glasses of wine out of bottle, you'll need 7 bottles of wine.... (4 bottles of white and 3 bottles of red, or vise versa)



That is even if not everyone is drinking.. plan ahead!



Plus have bottled water and some soda or punch...



And have fun! Enjoy your party! Have the wine open and ready to go, self serve so you aren't playing bartender all night long.

Entertaining Tips: Planning

Rule #2

Create a menu in advance. Have one dish you actually make, and 2 or 3 that are no make, no bake, and no fuss.



For example:

• Make a homemade Roasted Garlic Aoli from Scratch - super easy!


• 1 Fresh Egg Yolk


• 3/4 Cup of Olive Oil


• Squeeze of Lemon Juice (no seeds please)


• 1/8 of a cup of Roasted Garlic (from the jar is fine)


• Whisk the egg yolk in a mixer with a whisk attachment, then slowly add the Olive Oil...slowly.... very slowly.... then squeeze in the lemon and fold in the garlic... done!


• Serve the Roasted Garlic Aoli with some potato wedges that you find in the frozen section of your grocery store - I like these.


• A Cheese Platter with 3 kinds of cheese


• Buy a block of Parmesan cheese and Stab it with a knife


• A block of Blue Cheese and Drizzle it with Honey


• A soft cheese (Brie or Goat Cheese)


• A a bowl of mixed olives

Give yourself 2 hours of prep time before the party and make the Aoli the day before... you'll be golden and look like a genius!

Entertaining Tips: Planning

We are going to start a new series every Wednesday, tips on Entertaining.



I've always been told that when it comes to throwing a cocktail party or a dinner party, that I make it look easy. I think it comes from practice, lots and lots of practice.



So, every Wednesday here on MasterPiece Wedding's blog, we are going to talk about tips for Simple Entertaining.



Whether you are hosting a cocktail party, dinner party, baby shower, whatever it might be, there are rules that will make your life easier.

Rule #1:

Have Fun! If your guests see you stressing out, and not having fun. They won't either.



Next week, and in the weeks to follow we'll offer recipes, a plan of attack for your dinner party, timelines, music suggestions and much, much more!