1st Dinner Party

1st Dinner Party

• turlak 16 years ago
  I have had family get togethers, but I have yet to pull off a dinner party for friends (just got married a year ago - and my house is finally coming together). I want to do this after Lent is over...so the end of March or the beginning of April, and I want some fantastic, impressive recipes. I will probably be seving around 10 people. What do you think?
  Thank You!
  ~Dawn
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• pleclare 16 years ago said:
  Dawn,check out the beef bourguignon recipe I just posted. It'sgreat for company and you can do it ahead!
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• divaliscious 16 years ago said:
  I agree with pleclare - beef bourguignon is a easy and impressive dish...it can also be done in a slow cooker allowing it to be always warm for your guests - something to think about when planning your party - hey good luck! And let me know how it did go, ok?!?
  
  But let me share some ideas with you, if I may, with some important tasks and tips when hosting your first dinner party as I have had too many to count on! It's one of my more favorite things to do! In fact I am preparing for this weekend party - we have two other couples and have started to switch every weekend a dinner at the other's house, so I better get cracking with new dishes for this weekend, but before I do that, here goes a few tips I follow when hosting a dinner party.
  
  1) do recipes you have tried before - why freak out the day of your party when the cake fell or you didn't have a last minute ingredient you forgot you needed?
  
  2) Create a menu, and detail when you should create and make the dishes paying attention to time and monies needed for such. I also print out my menu for the guests who get a kick at looking at the menu - I do this to also avoid anyone who may have allergies - so many people are extra sensitive these days. Also make at least one or two side veggie dishes...you never know whose a vegetarian these days, either.
  
  3) Do as much of the cooking and preparation several days and the day before as you can since this will allow you to clean and decorate your house and have fun the day of your party. Remember you are to have fun!
  
  4) Why all this? So you can enjoy your dinner party of course! If you are stuck in the kitchen, your guests will have to entertain themselves which can be awkward if there are a few newbies in the group. When introducing people, say things like, "Oh John, let me introduce you to Susan whose in town for the mac convention - don't you love your mac, John? " Then walk away...let them chit chat about macs for awhile - this way the new people will have something to talk about versus just sitting on your couch hoping that the TV was on...
  
  5) Serve finger foods and appetizers that can be served cold and/or at room temperature while reheating your main dish. Have them almost available (in case they are perishable) just before your guests arrive.
  
  6) Create a theme for the party for extra fun! Could be type of food - say all French if doing the beef dish as suggested above or regional. - Decorate with images you can find on the internet and print out on your printer to help theme be decorated through out your house. You do not need a lot of money for this...use your imagination - and heck, get the kids involved.
  
  7) Create a party "punch" of some sort or specialty drink - have them ready in a pitcher as people arrive such as pretty sangria that helps stretch "the wine" when budgets are tight. Have pretty glasses that never get used decorated with little umbrellas or cut up fruit slices on a stir straw for extra impact.
  
  8) Have a non-alcohol version of drink available too so that drivers can feel the fun as well without worrying about getting people home safe.
  
  9) Always buy more ice than you think you will need!
  
  10) Lastly, go with the flow...you may have planned one thing, but something can come up...I have had my peeps show literally one hour late..which would not have been good for the soufflé I had prepared...but I knew better, and had the prepared soufflé waiting to go in the oven when the guests did finally arrive. And btw I did received many oohs and ahs since the souffle has such a wow factor.
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• divaliscious 16 years ago said:
  btw - you just gave me an idea for my next article..so off I go to add even more tips to hosting your first dinner party- if you are curious you can check out http://divaliscious.com
  Leah
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