March 11, 2006 | Episode 10
Simple, stunning snacks will impress your guests
Real Simple Television Productions Inc.
PBS.ORG EXTRA
More Tips for Stress-Free Entertaining
No-fail tricks to ensure you enjoy your party, too
“The more organized you are, the more you do ahead of time, the less
likely you are to be caught up in the stress-causing minutiae of
entertaining,” says Kathy Gunst, author of Relax, Company’s
Coming!: 150 Recipes for Stress-Free Entertaining. Here are her
suggestions for saving time — and sanity.
• Set the table the night before.
“Not being able to find the serving
spoon can completely flip me out,” admits Gunst. “The little things are
what trip you up and cause you to ruin something.”
• Figure
out what utensils and serving platters you’re going to use for which
dishes. “Organizational planning like this is simple,” says
Gunst, “but
it makes the final act of serving the food stress-free.”
• Prechop onions or herbs,
along with other things that will keep in the refrigerator.
• When planning your menu, consider
where the dishes need to be cooked.
Does everything have to go into the oven at once? They probably won’t
fit. And if you only have four burners on your stove, make sure you
don’t have five things on your menu that need to be sautéed at
the last
minute.
• Don’t be overly ambitious.
“Doing a few dishes really well is so much
better than multiple dishes done not so well,” says Gunst.
• When you’re entertaining,
especially during holidays, don’t try
unfamiliar recipes. It may be stressful to work with a recipe
you’ve
never done before, and you don’t even know if you’re going to like the
dish. It’s better to rely on things you know you enjoy and that you’ve
successfully prepared before.
• If someone asks, “Can I bring
something?” Gunst says she never
hesitates to say yes. “If you know your friends are busy,” she
adds,
“just ask them for a loaf of bread or a bottle of wine.”
• Consider your amount of free time,
your skill level, and the effort
you’re willing to put into the preparation. For example, if
you’re not
up to the task of cooking your own chicken, pick up a premade
rotisserie one and pair it with two homemade salads instead. It’ll
still be delicious, and you’ll be more relaxed.
More Solutions and Recipes from this episode
