Day 8. The Menu: 3×5 Card System
This post could be 10 posts within itself. There are so many ways to come up with a menu for a dinner party (again, ideas and recipes explored in my book, The Reluctant Entertainer), but here are a few ideas – food for thought:
– Copy ideas and recipes from someone who is a mentor to you (ask if they will share)
– Take your favorite cookbook and choose your whole menu from that one cookbook (to streamline)
– Buy Take-Out
– Make your “tried and true” recipes that you already have mastered
By chance did you read about my easy system using 3×5 recipes cards in my RE book? It saved me years ago when I started to entertain. You may want to try it …
I feared serving the same dish twice to my guests, so I came up with a simple system using 3×5 index cards. I write my guest’s name at the top of a card and record the date of the event and what I served. At a quick glance I can see what I’ve already served to whom. It also gives me ideas for new guests – reminders of full menus I’ve served successfully before, what dishes went well together, etc. – RE
Stick with your plan and don’t deviate.
Stress happens when you start getting wishy-washy and start second-guessing yourself.
Self-guessing usually comes with trying to impress.
How do you plan a stress-free dinner party menu? Do you have a pep-talk with yourself when you start second-guessing your entire plan, or do you have an organized system?
If you’ve missed my previous posts of the 31-Day to Stress-Free Entertaining, it’s not too late to join in:
Day 1. Why Entertain: The People
Day 2. Perfectionism: Learn More About Yourself
Day 3. Mistakes Happen: Think up Plan B
Day 4. Inviting: Is it Really an Art?
Day 5. Actual Invite: How Do You Do It?
Day 6. Help: They Won’t RSVP!
Day 7. The Dinner: Theme or No Theme?
Rhoda from Southern Hospitality is giving away 2 copies of RE today! Head over to visit Rhoda to enter. Thank you, Rhoda!
Coming soon will be a Hip Hostess apron GIVEAWAY and also a signed copy of The RE! Come back tomorrow for The Menu: What’s in Season and don’t forget to join my fabulous blogging friends for the rest of the 31-Day Series:
Chatting at the Sky, Nesting Place, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, My First Kitchen, Life With My 3 Boybarians, Remodeling This Life, The Inspired Room
Pingback: 31 Days to Stress-Free Entertaining! — Reluctant Entertainer
Great idea! I need to make a ‘tried and true’ box.
I am not at all organized–I wish I were! But I like your 3×5 card idea.
This week I needed to serve a nice dinner to some out-of-town guests. . . but I also needed to be away from the house all afternoon. With a little planning, I was able to pull it off just fine! And you’re right–it’s much better to stick to the plan and not deviate to try to impress. Good advice!
I don’t necessarily have an organized system, I just plan as they happen and because we don’t always have people over I haven’t had to worry about repeating myself too often. I love this idea though because you can also add to it the element of how much you made for how many and if it was enough, etc…
What a cool idea. It never occurred to me to remember who I served what to…
I love that index card filing system idea… so far it’s been in my head. But… with entertaining much more frequently (thanks to you ;)!) I’m probably guilty of repeating my menus…
You’re such an inspiration, Sandy.
What a great idea! I keep my recipes in binders, so…I am going to add a few sheets of paper to the front section of my “dinners binder” and keep track of it!! Happy Friday, Sandy!
I love the index card idea! I’m always reaching way back in my memory, trying not to serve the same thing twice. This will fix the problem!
Most of the time my friends request my homemade pizza. LOL! They would love to get it every time they come over. I’m the one that tries to throw different things in there.
I think the index card system is a super idea though. The less your mind has to remember the better!
HUGS