Themed dinner
parties are great fun because they can expose you to foods you and your guests
wouldn’t normally eat. Mexican, Italian, Thanksgiving in July or a movie themed
party are fun ways to get creative with it. Hosting a themed party can make
planning a menu easier, because the menu almost plans itself. Get into it with
decorations, costumes and music revolving around your theme.
2. Plan the Menu
Deciding what to create (and how to do it), is the greatest
challenge of any dinner party. Obviously you want to show off your best dish,
but cooking a time consuming chicken galantine won’t do anyone any favors. Main
dishes that are hearty enough to be made ahead of time are ideal, so you can
spend more time entertaining your guests, and less on last minute prep. For
this, Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker recipes like Root
Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches or Lasagna
are perfect. Despite being effortless, they taste like you slaved over a hot
stove all day.
Just because a
side dishes are called “sides”, doesn’t mean they can’t have the wow factor
that your entrée does. When choosing sides, go for something with complimentary
but different flavors than your main. Corn bread compliments a pulled pork
sandwich because it brings sweetness to the salty and savory flavors of the
pork, while roasted green beans will bring a crunch to round out the textures.
Two to three side dishes are typically enough to complete the meal without
overcrowding your table and palate.
Don’t neglect
the h'ordeuvres, but there’s no need to go overboard. Unless you’re throwing a
wine and cheese party, one or two light appetizers will do to avoid premature
food comas. If you’re worried about saving time, it’s okay to go with
store-bought (whether you admit that to your guests or not is up to you). Cheese
platters, ham roll-ups or a buffalo chicken dip are all easy ways to keep your
guests satisfied while waiting for the main show to begin. Plan to have your
sides done and ready in the Roaster when your guests arrive so all you have to do
is plate and serve.
3. …Then Your Guest List
Your guests are
the heart of your dinner party. Similar to your menu options, less can be more.
When planning your numbers, keep in mind how much space you have in your house
as well as, realistically, how many people your recipe will feed. It’s better
to have leftovers for the next few days or to send with guests than it is to
run out of food. Sending invites for a dinner party is typically done about two
weeks ahead of the date to give proper response and planning time. If you’re
doing a theme, this will also give your invitees a chance to get their attire
ready.
Also consider personalities and
relationships when selecting your invite list. Inviting four of your closest,
but shy friends who don’t know each other may lead to awkward conversation
gaps. That’s not to say everyone has to know everyone, but everyone should know
at least one other person (besides you) well enough to make conversation. We’re
not a fan of assigning seats at the table, because if there’s a great
conversation flow during appetizers, there is no need to break it up.
4. Beverages Need
Love Too
Drinks are the
final piece of the menu, but are also the easiest to pull together. For most
groups, a full bar with top shelf liquor isn’t necessary. Simply making a
signature cocktail or two that fit with the menu, a wine option, and one
non-alcoholic choice should be enough to please most. Pitchers of water on the
bar during appetizers, and on the table for dinner are also an accommodation
that can be overlooked easily.
5. Enlist Help
A second set of hands on deck may be the
single most important thing you can do for your sanity when planning a dinner
party. Recruiting a roommate, spouse or friend to be your “right hand man” for
last-minute grocery store runs (there will always be at least one), helping
plate and serve food, and greet guests will go a long way in feeling more put
together. Even if you never need them, it will be comforting knowing you have a
backup.
6. Don’t Sweat the
Small Stuff
Things will happen. Your best friend will
show up with a new gluten-free, vegan diet, your decorative candle will get
knocked over and scorch your table linens, or your cousin will bring a guest
without any prior warning. For better or for worse, these are all a natural
part of the entertaining process. If you laugh it off and move on, we promise
your guests will too and be more focused on your overall awesomeness than any
flubs. The one thing you won’t have to worry about is your food turning out
great—we’ve got that part of it covered.
