| Hosting a dinner party for friends? Or | | | | before your dinner party, you can be |
| have you been selected (or singled out, | | | | sure that things will be a lot easier |
| ahh!) to host Thanksgiving or Christmas | | | | when the guests arrive. Some great |
| dinner this year? How exciting. And what | | | | dinner party recipes that you can make |
| a pain in the rear. While having the | | | | up ahead of time are: 1. Cold vegetable |
| people you love in your home and feeding | | | | salads and pasta salads 2. Soups and |
| them a ton of food is rewarding and can | | | | stews (add any rice or pasta at the last |
| be a lot of fun, chances are you're a | | | | minute) 3. Veggies and dips 4. Cold |
| little stressed about it. Unless, of | | | | appetizers 5. Reheat-able sauces 6. |
| course, you're Martha Stewart. When | | | | Breads, biscuits, etc. 7. Sliced cheese |
| you're overwhelmed planning a dinner | | | | and fruit trays 8. More stuff I can't |
| party, sometimes choosing a few good | | | | think of now Last, you'll want to think |
| buffet recipes and setting up a simple | | | | about how easy a particular dish is to |
| buffet seems like the easiest thing. And | | | | eat. Especially if you're going to have |
| though it's true that, in many ways, a | | | | some guests on their feet or perched on |
| buffet is simpler to do than a sit-down | | | | chairs, you'll want foods that they can |
| dinner (where you have to prepare each | | | | eat without too much cutting or hacking. |
| guest his or her own plate), hosting a | | | | Unless you want them to eat a whole |
| buffet style dinner is no walk in the | | | | steak in their hands like some kind of |
| park. After all (and especially if your | | | | carnivorous squirrel (which would be |
| family is as piggy as mine), you'll | | | | entertaining but unhygienic), skip |
| still have to cook a whole big pile of | | | | preparing a large piece of meat. Buffet |
| food, won't you? Choosing Buffet | | | | Table Setting Tips: Got your buffet |
| Recipes: When choosing recipes for a | | | | recipes figured out? Now it's time to |
| buffet dinner, the first thing you'll | | | | get the table ready. While it seems like |
| want to think about is ease of | | | | setting up a buffet table should be as |
| preparation. When having a lot of people | | | | simple as tossing things together, there |
| over for Thanksgiving or Christmas | | | | are a few things you can do to make you |
| dinner (or any other holiday | | | | buffet table both look nicer and be |
| celebration), there is always a lot of | | | | easier to use. One is to vary the height |
| food involved. Can you easily prepare a | | | | of different dishes. This makes the |
| particular dish for a large number of | | | | table look more appealing visually and |
| people? Do you have room in your oven or | | | | makes it easier for guests to access a |
| on your stove to cook all of your dishes | | | | particular dish. Another important |
| at once? Another thing to think about | | | | buffet table setting tip is to... avoid |
| when choosing buffet recipes is how much | | | | being boring! Most people have been to |
| time each dish will take to prepare. | | | | about 1000 buffets in their lifetime, |
| When you host a dinner party, there are | | | | and most of them are ordinary and all |
| about 100 things on your to-do list the | | | | the same. But with some creative |
| day of the party or holiday... and about | | | | decorating ideas and a little flair for |
| 100 other things that you never even | | | | the unusual, you can create a beautiful |
| thought of. The best way to cut down on | | | | and unforgettable buffet table. Good |
| your work load a bit? Pick recipes that | | | | luck! |
| you can make ahead of time. If 80% of | | | | Dinner Party Planning and Buffet |
| the cooking is done in the morning | | | | Recipes. |