Always throwing a party,
Always looking to simplify.

Thanks!

Whenever I have entertained, I always try to do as much prep before. I often make sure most of the food is ready before guests arrive, then I can just have in a warm oven.

Well, since it's birthday week...

The only parties I've given in the last few years have been birthday bashes for small children. What works for me: cook something that can land upside down on your couch (slices of Spanish tortilla are a fave here); be sure to serve some form of actual food before serving the cake (sugar is like drinking for tots--the results are dramatic on an empty stomach); lots of coffee for the grownups (we do lunchtime parties).

ALL FOOD SHOULD BE MADE AHEAD.

two words: trader joe's

At the very least, make the starter and dessert in advance (if it's that kind of party, i.e. not a buffet)

Prep as much as you can so you can spend as much time with your guests as possible.

Never run out wine, coffee and tea.

Buy/make some nice chocolates to go with the coffee.

I love entertaining, and while I'll periodically go all out (make ahead! Make ahead!) for our more frequent and casual gatherings, we started hosting weekend brunches.
Fruit salad (lots o berries, no bananas)
Purchased and sliced sandwiches (bahn mi and deli subs can be cheaply had in our neighborhood)
Homemade pop tarts, made up to 1 month ahead and frozen.
Make-your-own waffle bar, with tons of topping options and batter
Beer, Wine, Bloody Marys, juice, Tea and Coffee
Easy as pie, a few hours to prep and no one ever leaves before dark.

I like the

hmm. ok that comment above clearly didn't post right. Trying again.

I like the idea of explicitly giving yourself and others permission to be yourself.

I think we can't say this too loudly or too often.

Relax!!! Most important rule. If you are stressed out and micromanaging everything, your guests will pick up on that. Um, speaking from experience here. :-)
I've learned to pick simple dishes that highlight good ingredients, and to not try to make every dish from scratch. I'll buy dessert if I need to focus on the main dish, for example.

Its like my favorite Ina Garten quote, "You’re friends aren’t going to have any more fun if you spent all day making the dessert."

Very true! Last party I had? Take n Bake pizza. Don't regret it at all, as much as I love cooking for people once it exceeds a certain number or I am too busy, i'd rather enjoy myself than put more on my plate than I can handle. Nobody really cares in the end they probably aren't there for your food, they are there for you!

Besides making food in advance, consider all the odds and ends that might cause problems and solve them in advance, too:

- Make a music mix well in advance and test it while you're doing vigorous activities like exercising, cooking, or cleaning. You'll pick up on the songs that are a little too slow or low-key and can nix them before the party.

- Break out the Christmas lights and rig up some soft, festive lighting.

- If you'll be outside, get citronella candles, prep the grill, see if you can borrow a heat lamp (as needed of course).

-If your friends like to play games, leave some board games or video games out in plain sight so they can help themselves.

- Stock the bathroom with extra TP, matches, and a plunger

I think my best tip (and reminder to myself) is to have the kitchen clean at the start of the party. Last year I got behind before our Christmas party, and the kitchen has literally never been messier. I was totally embarrassed to have anyone put their dishes in the sink, and it put a huge damper on my enjoyment of the party.

I'm having 30 people for dinner next week, and I'm totally relaxed. I'm making a rather large buffet meal. Everything will be served at room temperature with nothing left to the last minute. I've made everything before and know exactly what to expect. It usually takes me about 2 days, sometimes 3 to get everything cooked. Make lots of lists, when to start cooking, which things can be made early etc. Then for party day start by making a list of arrival time and work backwards including everything you have to do like garnishing plates, setting the table, putting the bar together etc. I'm renting the plates and wine glasses (because I don't own enough), but that really helps with the clean-up as well. I'm actually quite looking forward to it.

I have a large group of friends that try to get together at someones place at least once a month. We rotate the location. Here is what I have learned: get as much prepared in advance as possible, recruiting help from a close friend or family member if necessary. Serve easy food that most people will like- a favorite for us is cheese fondue and a simple salad, followed by an ice cream sundae. But most importantly, relax and have fun! If you're having a good time, your guests will as well.

Advance prep means more than just setting the table and doing the food ahead of time. If it's a sit-down, I like to decide who's sitting where ahead of time so there's no awkward moment where no one knows where to sit (ditto for parties I host at restaurants). I check plates, silverware and crystal for water spots and wipe them. Think through every stage of the party and make sure all the utensils or implements you need are handy - the bottle opener, the bread basket, the matches, etc. It's embarrassing to have to race around the kitchen opening and closing drawers because you can't remember where something is.

I like lists, provided they are short and clear. For the family birthday party I hosted yesterday, my list read: Me - rice, fish, beverages, fruit salad; Sister-in-law - asparagus, carrots, cake, pie, chicken tenders. Without the list, I might have forgotten to plug in the rice cooker, or that I had to make room two of my SIL's vegetable dishes on the sideboard.

Also, something I'm still working on: Try not to apologize for things. Most people won't notice or won't care that you slightly burned the casserole or forgot to put fresh towels in the bathroom. The ones who do care probably won't be placated by your apology, and it puts the guest in the position of having to assure you that everything is perfect.

We LOVE throwing dinner parties - well we did until we had a baby - now we throw Brunch parties. I agree with everything above - but need to add...

-light the room with candles and dim lighting
-always have flowers (I like single buds in bud -vases all the same type - no skill required)
-Always have appetizers (my husband disagrees with this one)
-Always have enough wine for the whole dinner (don't assume anyone will bring any)

before you start cooking, make sure your kitchen is clean; invest in fresh flowers; keep inexpensive, but pretty serving trays on hand; take your guests up on their offers to bring something, more wine and brownies never hurt a party; and only invite people who will still love you if something goes horribly wrong.

So many smart ideas here! Advance planning is definitely the most important step, in my opinion.

I throw A LOT of dinner parties, and here are my best tips in a nutshell: http://www.adinnerparty.net/2010/09/how-to-throw-dinner-party-and-live-to.html

1 The best ingredients you can get hold of (so spend some time shopping/foraging/sourcing)
2 Lots of alcohol - nothing worse than running out
3 Get guests to help out - they'll enjoy it more

My husband and I have found last-minute dinner parties to be the best--or at least no invites far ahead. We have a group of half a dozen people we like to have to dinner, best day for them is Saturday night or Sunday early, so when we feel like cooking the email goes out a few days ahead and we see who's available. Last time a friend brought an onion tart as an appetizer and then we did a big antipasto platter with steak and foccacia. Dessert was an easy fruit crumble. Guests brought drinks and one brought 6 eggs from their own coop. Relaxed and easy when you do parties often.

1) Always start with champagne. It immediately signals party. Special night. Makes people feel like they are at an Event, which is what you want. Gruet is great and in the $15 range.
2) Dont rely on others to bring the wine. They will be late.
3) start and end with a bang --a visually gorgeous, delicious appetizer (fried artichokes?), and an impressive chocolate dessert (chocolte waffles with homemade salted caramel ice cream... wffles made table side...). The between part is important, but if you get those two things right, that's all anyone will remember and talk about anyway.

4) If you're talking BIG party, here are some thoughts:http://howtorunyourlife.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-throw-party-for-50-year-olds.html

5) "Just" a dinner -- here:
http://howtorunyourlife.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-have-fancy-dinner-party-without.html

6) Here's how to throw a party for women, no boyz allowed: http://howtorunyourlife.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-weather-valentines-day-with.html

7) And here's how to clean up after
http://howtorunyourlife.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-clean-up-after-blow-out.html

I totally agree with the advices above, especially that "make ahead" part. I prepare salads in advance, and assemble them at the last minute.

I usually have one part of the meal that require my being in the kitchen and doing some cooking at the last minute. I used to be stressed out about that part, and serve dinner far to rapidly. People had no time to enjoy the food and themselves. I'm much more relaxed now; I go up and take 10 minutes in the kitchen to cook my dish, and I'm ok with it. It's a diner, not a race.

I tend to make plain dishes and potluck for over 6 guests, and prepare individual plates under that number. The more, the merrier, the simpler the food. For intimate diner (4 guests or less), I tend to go experimental and serve much more elaborate courses.

I just threw a Monday party last night and cleaned and cooked on the weekend. Almost everything was ready and in the fridge the night before. The only thing I left until the day of was making open-faced sandwiches (just one tray) and roasting asparagus and ramps. The rest was pretty much set. A couple friends volunteered to come early and help, so I had them plate things and set the buffet table. Once we got the fire started on the porch and the ice in the ice bucket people started arriving and the party got swinging.

My pieces of advice:
- cook in advance! You will not regret it
- choose simple finger foods. One of the most popular things was carrots sticks I had marinated overnight in plain lemon juice. Delicious!
- Skip anything fried: it does NOT taste good sitting out
- have a variety available. I did fix-your own sandwiches on homemade buns in addition to open-faced ones and fresh and roasted veggies and fresh fruit and rhubarb clafoutis for dessert. Friends brought bread with butter and olive oil dipping sauce and other desserts and beer.
- use a mix of disposable and real dishware. This will save you big time on dishes. I used biodegradable dinner and appetizer-sized plates and some disposable cups for soda, but people drinking booze used real glasses and there was real silverware.
- store-bought is just fine. We all love to cook and I love baking bread, but sometimes it's just simpler (and even better-tasting) to pick up a good loaf from the bakery. I hate deli veggie and meat and cheese trays because they are so much more expensive than making them yourself. But bread and meat are okay to buy pre-made.

This is a great topic.