Love is in the air! And most of us think about only spending Valentine’s dinners with our significant others. Which for me, is what I love.

But how about also hosting a party the “week of” Valentine’s Day for the friends you love?

Read more, below, but first of all I really want to thank LoveFeast Table for being a part of RE today!

I’ve done this several years in a row, and last year we were invited to our friends’, where we got to meet 2 new couples! It was awesome because I didn’t have to be the hostess, but got to be the guest!

Here are some simple tips for hosting a Valentine’s Dinner Party:

-Get together with your spouse and decide who you want to invite, and remember that just because it’s Valentine’s Day, the list doesn’t have to include couples! Think about your single friends as well.

-Make it as easy on yourself. Invite early so everyone can get the “date” on the calendar. Use Evite.com for new friends, because you can attach a map to your house. You include party details, add your guest list, click and send. It’s that easy!

-Is it possible to move your table to a new area? In my case, not really (though for summer outdoor entertaining, yes!) Change it up a bit and make it special!

-I used my wedding dishes (standard white) and of course, Dollar Store goblets, and added in red accents. And I also added the adorable HeartGrams (giveaway today, read more, below). Pretty decorating.

-Think of a simple meal you can either make ahead of time like lasagna or even spaghetti (Lady and the Tramp?), or one that only takes a few minutes like my QUICK Angel Hair Shrimp Scampi recipe found in my book (and so easy!) Buy fresh pasta and bread and you’re set!

-Ask your guests to each bring a bottle of wine or beverage of choice, or a light appetizer. You could even ask for a platter of strawberry-dipped chocolates to pass around while you’re rinsing the dishes and preparing for the next course: dessert!

-Store-bought desserts can be tantalizing if fresh and unique. IE, we have a store in Ashland, Oregon called Market of Choice. They have killer desserts that are perfect for last-minute parties, to just bring home, and serve on your own beautiful glass pedestal or serving platter.

-Conversation will just roll … it always does. Remember this dinner party is not designed for Valentine’s Day (you should be out with your sweetie!), but for the “week of.” Spread love, through encouraging words, and make your guests feel special!

Mix it up, both couples and singles, and just enjoy a great night together, with all the hearts, red and white touches, and a “love is in the air” attitude.

WHAT TO WIN:
One set of LoveFeast’s heart shaped velvet pumpkins (The HeartGram set comes with a 5in. Crimson and a 4in. Rose velvet, plush heart pumpkin. Each package contains apersonalize-able vintage inspired postcard and is tied with a satin ribbon. They are an excellent idea for an anniversary or any time you want to send a bit of love. You can read more about them, HERE.

HOW TO WIN:
Answer this question in a comment on this post.

If you were hosting a Valentine’s Dinner Party for 6 or 7, what would you serve?

EXTRA CHANCES TO WIN (1 extra chance each, please come back and comment and tell me):
Follow Reluctant Entertainer on Facebook
Follow LoveFeast Table on Facebook (Please tell them I sent you over!)
Follow LoveFeast on Twitter
Follow SandyCoughlinRE on Twitter
Tweet this:

Heartgram giveaway @SandyCoughlinRE thanks to @LoveFeast What would you serve for VD dinner party? http://su.pr/ALGUnZ #giveaway

Good luck, Friends!

US only. This post is sponsored by LoveFeast Table today. Contest ends 2/8/12 at midnight. Winner announced on 2/9/12.

There really is a way to bring some wholeness and goodness to one of the most popular snacking occasions of the year – The Big Game- known in our household as Super Bowl Sunday, and that’s by creating a menu with less fat and great tasting recipes and tips!

Last week I shared my veggie platter with Swiss Cheese Onion Dip recipe, served with Pepperidge Farms Baked Naturals® Cracker Chips collection, that includes Simply Multi-Grain and Simply Cheddar varieties.

I believe guests really appreciate a healthy alternative to classic game-day recipes (the typical potato skins, delivered pizza, chicken wings, indulgent dips, etc.).

So today I’m sharing another recipe which would be perfect for a Game Day menu: Stuffed Endive with Walnuts and Honey Appetizers, served with a bowl of Pepperidge Farms Baked Naturals® Cracker Chips. (Recipe below, inspired by my friend, Kristin, I used pecans instead of walnuts.)

Why serve Baked Naturals® Cracker Chips?

Because they are a unique snack that delivers wholesome goodness with a great tasting crunch, yet 50 percent less fat than the leading potato chip, the newest Cracker Chips flavors—Simply Potato and Cheddar & Sour Cream Potato—are an ideal alternative to potato chips (a hard-to-avoid snack… Until now!).

An alternative to potato chips? I’m so jazzed about this new, healthier product!

So what would my menu look like, if hosting a Super Bowl party?

First of all, I find that if everyone contributes, it’s really helpful. Being the hostess, of course I’ll fill in the gaps and make sure we have enough food, but delegation really helps take the pressure off of a reluctant entertainer. And also, we should focus a little on health and portion control (not always easy to do on rare, occasional celebrations).

Game Day Menu Ideas:
Smoked Turkey Mango Chili
Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins (She Wears Many Hats)
Spinach and Edamame Salad (Bev Cooks)
Pasta Salad Skewers (Cooking During Stolen Moments)
Healthy vegetable tray
Swiss Cheese Onion Dip
Classic Hummus
Many bags of Baked Natural Cracker Chips
Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms (Aggie’s Kitchen)
Endive Filled with Blue Cheese, Walnuts, and Honey (recipe below)
Desserts brought by other guests, although I will be making these yummy Lemon Meringue Bites!

Whether entertaining a starting line-up of close friends, or simply keeping your own “home team” satisfied throughout the game, we want to see how you plan to entertain as football season comes to a close!

Will you be delegating part of the menu for Super Bowl? And how will you add a “healthy spin” to your menu?

(I am being compensated by Pepperidge Farm® for my time and materials used in the Pepperidge Farm® Baked Naturals® Cracker Chips post.)

I love experimenting with recipes, adding something “different” to an already-established recipe. Like adding a couple of crisp Granny Smith apples to French Onion Soup. Yum! Back in December I was blessed to get a 13-Cup Food Processor from KitchenAid and I love it!

Slicing onions with this appliance was such a slick process!

Also, we add apples to gratin, potatoes, salads … so why not add to soup?

When I made this recipe for my family, I was thinking ahead to Super Bowl Sunday. This is a recipe where you could make the soup the night before, then heat it up, dish into individual servings, add the croutons, cheese, and bake.

I like the idea of timing it just right – pulling the individual servings from the oven to serve during half time.

French Onion Soup is such a classic recipe. Sort of like the Super Bowl, which has been around for almost 50 years.

I’d say their both classic!

Put napkins on a platter.

Place a dish on each napkin.

And a spoon for each serving.

Enjoy!

I’ll be sharing more healthy Super Bowl ideas tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Have you thought about serving “soup” on Super Bowl day?

If you’re gearing up for a New Year’s Eve party, here’s a little inspiration from a post I wrote last year.

It’s about how to invite and delegate, create and borrow, be organized and think ahead.

It includes easy flow and name tags, conversation and music ideas, and … tah-dah … what to wear!

You can read all about it, here.

Also, one year ago, I knew that my NYE dinner party would be a part of this beautiful new book, Where Women Cook: Celebrate! It was a blast to put it all together (in the month of October). And I’m grateful for my friends who participated.

My hope and dream was that by sharing my annual dinner party, others would be inspired as well.

Laughter, sharing stories, acceptance, and the connection to existing and new friendships form the basis of hospitality. Feelings of inadequacy, unrealistic expectations, fear of failure, and the lack of time all conspire to steal the joy that comes from opening one’s home to others.

“Fear is often a jail cell locking us in so that we don’t form friendships.” Friends bring zest to life. Without friendships, we become lonely, isolated, and smaller than we want and need to be.” – Where Women Cook: Celebrate!

One of the recipes I shared for dessert at this dinner party was Chocolate-dipped Bacon.

Yes. Chocolate. Dipped. Bacon.

If you’re having a party this year, try this on your guests. They will love you.

Ending the year of 2011, and looking back on many hospitable moments with great friends, brings beautiful feelings of joy and nostalgia.

As I’ve said throughout the year, entertaining is all about the people.

Will you be hosting a NYE party this year or participating in one?

The winner to the Sierra Mist giveaway is Ann from Cooking Healthy for Me. Congrats, Ann! And our friend, Tim Tidball, took the pictures above for the book!

Also, I have something very NEW to share! In 2012 I’m partnering with Ziploc Brand. I’m also excited that there will be giveaways and lots of great tools and tricks from Ziploc but the FUN part is that I’ll be working with a celebrity partner! Stay tuned for the official announcement next month!

*I have partnered with Ziploc® and am being compensated for my posts. However, my opinions on the product are my own.

Can you believe how quickly the holidays arrived this year? And now that Christmas is over, we get to look forward to New Year’s Eve and Day!

When it comes to a party, I wonder how many of us worry about it going on too long, what’s the etiquette way of ending a party (when you’re exhausted and ready for your guests to leave), and how do you do it all with class?

I mean, how do you send your guests out the door in a time frame that works for you?

Is it ok to end a party when your guests are having a good time?

A couple of readers asked me these questions:

Sandy, I want to know how you were able to wrap things up and encourage guests to leave graciously. This is sometimes a problem for me, although a good problem, as it means that people are still having a good time!

And …

How did you “wrap things up”? We had a family over for an impromptu casual dinner not too long ago and they stayed until 11:00 (on a school night too)! We even started putting the kids to bed and that didn’t work…

What’s worked for my family and me for many years is simple. Because we’ve all had guests or family members who won’t leave, we don’t want to feel “caught” or “stuck” and let our graciousness fly out the door.

So I’ve come up with these tips to help “wrap up the party” – with grace and style!

-When you’re holding a party, think ahead to the time when you’d like the party to end.

-Be flexible – don’t be married to that time, because you may be having such a good time extending out the party.

-If you have to be done by a certain time – let your guests know ahead of time. Most guests would be sensitive to the host’s needs.

-After the last course is served, and conversation is winding down, stand up and head into the kitchen (you can even start on the dishes).

-If the night is getting later than you had planned – go put your slippers on!

-Feel free to explain that you have to get up early – start moving toward the door.

Obviously, the sign of a great party is when the guests don’t want to leave.

When I think about all of the entertaining we’ve done, I can hardly think of a time when our guests weren’t sensitive to our family’s needs if we needed to wind it down by a certain time.

And my husband’s quick-witted humor always comes out as our friends leave, when he says, “Come back when you can’t stay as long!” (It’s our family joke.)

With New Year’s right around the corner, when we’re “given to hospitality,” enjoying the spirit of the holidays with friends and family, let’s not be so quick to get to the next event, or fall into bed exhausted from cramming too much in to our schedules, that we lose our grace.

Being sensitive, but keeping our style and our grace as we open our homes and extend hospitality to others, is a good thing to keep in mind.

What are your tips for gracious ways of ending a party?

The family fun started when I wanted to try a few new drink recipes.

I asked the fam, “Are you a Frost Bite or a Meet Me at the Mist-letoe?”

While using the key ingredient, Sierra Mist Natural, I told my family to get ready for some yumminess as I whipped up some mocktails. I also explained that this product was made with real sugar, no artificial ingredients, and 100% natural flavoring. Why did I tell them this? Because my family are all health nuts! It’s important for them to know what they are putting into their bodies.

Back to the fun drinks … during the holidays it’s festive to make special mocktails, and this time I followed 2 recipes (below) and set up an area where we could spread out so the family could be a part of it.

Setting up a festive drink station is really easy!

Why not make your kitchen area special by spreading a table cloth on the end of your center island? (Who would have thought?)

I pulled out my silver tablecloth, glass party cups, and displayed the ingredients.

My Dollar Store water goblets were even part of the set-up (frozen blueberries, yum!)

Party napkins and fresh mint.

And what was our favorite drink?

The Frost Bite Mocktail!

Today I’m sharing 2 Sierra Mist Natural Mixology recipes for you to try, perfect for the next two weeks of holiday entertaining. And if you’re interested in more Cocktail or Mocktail recipes from Sierra Mist Natural, I encourage you to “like” their Facebook page and check out pages of recipes.

Love this picture. We had fun!

Do you put effort in making your “drink station” fun and festive? And which Sierra Mist Natural Mocktail recipe would you like to try?

The winners of this fantastic giveaway are: Dayle (The Hip Hostess apron), Shari (Where Women Cook: Celebrate! book), and Lora (SDG Artistry NOEL). Congrats to all!

When I asked my husband what I should make for dessert for our annual Progressive Dinner the other night, he said, “Just keep it simple, Baby!”

Guys have it figured out. They’d rather make or bake something familiar, easy, and low-stress. Which, by the way, did you know that “desserts” spelled backwards says “stressed”? I think men would say, do what’s easiest and you don’t have to slave in the kitchen!

Especially during the holidays, my husband really wants low-key, since we have quite a few commitments.

I posted on my Reluctant Entertainer Facebook page, “What should I make for dessert?” and many gave excellent suggestions. (Thank you!)

But I ultimately resorted to a recipe that I’ve made for years, but one I had never served to this group.

Dark Chocolate Flourless Cake.

There are different ways that you can serve this dessert … one with whipped cream, the other with ice cream. (PS. Here’s the 4 ladies, a tradition to get our picture every year.)

Since our house was the last stop for the Progressive Dinner, I knew our bellies would be full.

I set my table, pulled out the espresso cups just in case (which we ended up not using), and baked my cake. That’s what I love about Progressive Dinners. You are only responsible for one course!

What’s your go-to dessert recipe for the holidays?

Stay tuned for step-by-step instructions on how I decorated the cake that brought back many nostalgic feelings.

(Photo credits for this post: Abigail Ellen Rose Coughlin)

We were long-past due in getting some special friends together, but we finally coordinated our schedules to enjoy a warm summer’s evening with each other in our backyard in Medford, Oregon.

It’s been the mildest, most wonderful summer, although our garden is very late in producing and our tomatoes are very small! But I’ll take small for the many beautiful entertaining moments that we’ve had in our yard this summer.

The memories will resonate in our minds, and our kids’ minds, for a long time, possibly forever.

Have you ever thought about how hospitality can be eternal?

It’s a very deep thought, but I believe it has eternal value. The things that we talk about around the table, how we encourage one another, how we listen, all have huge meaning …

Some of the friends that were present I’ve known for 30 years, and our lovely neighbors joined us. So it was a very good thing to welcome them to our table in the outdoors and to enjoy a night of good food and talk.

On this warm summer evening when our retired friends came for dinner, Jeannie started us off with a mixture of fresh, tantalizing hors d’oeuvres.

And you may remember my neighbor Ellie’s Prawns and Avocado with Mango Salad. Yup, I was worried for a few minutes if we even needed the rest of the dinner, after enjoying this incredible salad. You really need to bookmark this recipe for a great summertime salad.

We enjoyed steak and potatoes, and I cooked our beets from the garden, slicing them over green beans with feta cheese and toasted walnuts. Oh, boy!

And then dessert came. Our friends Roger and Faye know just how much we love chocolate. All of us!

Their cake was so rich and wonderful, I asked Faye if I could share her recipe with you today. I remember commenting on the delicious frosting. And I just realized Faye’s little secret for the frosting is actually very simple.

It’s okay to have cooking secrets because sometimes they are the tastiest.

(the sticker on the back of Faye’s cake pan)

I’ll be making this cake in the future. You bet I will!

When’s the last time you delegated and invited friends older than you over for dinner?

We recently hosted a potluck on a Sunday afternoon and invited several families to come watch a soccer game with our family.

I love potlucks, especially on a summer day, in the middle of the day!

On Sundays guests come refreshed and ready to have fun (we watched the game, ate good food, kids played soccer on the lawn, the guys played ping pong), and they generally seem to have a lighter feel to them.

I also love the feel of “family.”

I’ve been reading more about resting and enjoying Sundays as a day of rest. It’s a day that we can find restoration and re-creation.

We can worship, rest, go on walks, read, play games, and my favorite … eat good food … but not be a slave in the kitchen.

On this particular day everyone pitched in with the menu.

It was easy and low-key.

The night before, I pulled out my slow cooker and prepared Aggie’s Barbecue Pulled Pork recipe.

This succulent pulled pork recipe cooks while you sleep – what could be easier? Having a simple recipe like this, already cooked in the morning, made entertaining at noontime much easier.

The secret to “easy” is planning and preparing, preferably the night before.

We hosted, and they came … and a few extra kids showed up, too.

When’s the last time you entertained on a Sunday afternoon? And what did you serve?

For the first time since we have lived in our home, my husband and I decided to move our outdoor dining table to a different space for entertaining.

It was so easy and created a new experience for us all.

We moved the table out by the garden.

I added a small side table for water and for overflow of platters.

Snipped a few lilies from the closest flower bed.

Used MyDrap large dinner napkins, folding them in half.

I loved the large, clean, crisp look.

We moved the tiki torches closer to the entertaining space.

The table was set and ready for a great night.

I think we need to be reminded that it’s okay to break the rules with summer entertaining, to realize that we sometimes get in a rut with the standard barbecue served casual buffet-style.

It’s great to move things around, to change things up a bit.

To take our modern, casual, informal lifestyles and add a spin of elegance and creativity.

Have you recently done anything different or creative with your summer entertaining?

Thinking ahead to October, I’m going to be participating in Nester’s 31 Days of Change series coming up! I’m so happy she invited me back, and if you want to join with a topic that inspires you, during the month of October, feel free to jump in with your blog! My topic last year was: 31 Days to Stress-Free Entertaining.

My topic this year will be: 31 Days of Keeping the Family Together.

What inspires a happy family and how we can stay connected during busy times with 3 teenagers and the holidays just around the corner. I hope you’ll join me in October as I post for 31 days straight, but better yet, why don’t you start thinking about your topic? There will be different ways to link up. It’s going to be inspirational, I can feel it already Thank you, Nester!

I live in the Pacific Northwest where we’ve had a record-setting spring and summer so far … very mild with plenty of rain.

Mild is perfect for summer entertaining.

We don’t deal with the heat as much as the mid-west and south, but I will say we do, and eventually will have, 100+ days!

A reader recently wrote:
The thing that stresses me out with summer cooking is the heat! I am always worried about food spoiling!

Here’s what I learned to do years ago, on this very hot holiday when we entertained …

How to beat the heat and not let the food spoil:

1. BUFFET STYLE: Clear a bar, sideboard, or dining table INSIDE the house on which to serve your 4th of July feast.
BENEFIT: No bugs and you don’t have to worry about the food spoiling.

2. TABLES: Use Dollar Store tablecloths on tables and mix-match chairs in your back yard, patio, or front porch area.
BENEFIT: Use what you have without stressing over everything having to be perfect.

3. DRINKS: Fill an old cooler with ice and store drinks in a covered area.
BENEFIT: Keeps the company outside and not having to keep running inside for drinks.

4. FOOD: After the company is served, even if food was served inside, cover all and put away.
BENEFIT: No spoilage. For a long event, any leftovers could be gotten out again later.

My friend had a great idea to appoint a friend or child or relative to help you be mindful of the food (and bugs, spoilage, etc). I like that – a food watcher! (I’d be snitching constantly).

And for the warmer climates (than Oregon) I’d say avoid foods that spoil easily and stick with frozen desserts that are perfect for summer!!!

If you happen to make my homemade ice cream (recipe in my book!) make sure and remove the paddle right away, and then you can let the ice cream sit on the ice until it’s time to serve!

Homemade ice cream is so perfect for the 4th of July!

How do you deal with the heat and food being left out too long for holiday celebrations?

Happy July everyone! I want to thank my top 3 referral friends who sent their readers over to RE in June:
Bakerella
The Nester
Kimba

Here are some great 4th of July recipes ideas that many of my friends have posted on their blogs. Amy lists them, HERE.

Thanks for joining me in my “30 Days of Summer Entertaining” series. (Scroll down to the bottom for previous posts in this series)

What I love about summer entertaining is the relaxed attitude and atmosphere. It’s easier to push the time back. Everyone seems more relaxed with a “go-with-the-flow” attitude.

Guests tend to hang around to visit longer. Summer entertaining is really my favorite season, if I had to pick a season

But things can change quickly when a couple or two cancel. Right?

Earlier this week, our party changed when a few people had to cancel.

The party was planned, dishes were delegated, groceries were purchased for my portion of the menu. But as soon as I found out I immediately changed the meal to lighter fare, knowing it would only be 4 of us.

Since we had so much freshly-picked lettuce, spun and washed, we decided to divert from the bigger “dinner party menu” to make a large summer salad for our guests.

(One of 7 garden beds looking up at our house from the bottom of our property … not sure I’ve ever showed this angle before.)

And it was a hit!

Our guests brought appetizers.
We put bread in the oven.
We served a beautiful summer salad
We resorted to *Plan B for dessert (since I originally had delegated this dish).

Sweet Summer Tossed Chicken Salad
Mixture of fresh lettuce
Rotisserie chicken, seasoned and chopped into small pieces
Sweet Vidalia onions
Feta cheese
Cucumbers, thinly sliced
Toasted walnuts (this method is really yummy)

Mix greens, onion, feta cheese, and cucumbers. Toast the walnuts (using this method), and then add in the chopped chicken. Heat on low for 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken/nut mixture and toss the salad with oil and vinegar.

Serve onto plates. Top each plate with slices of avocado and fresh pineapple.

Toss with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.

Top each served salad with: fresh pineapple, sliced avocado.

Do you free to deviate from your menu when guests cancel? Or do you stick with what you had already planned?

(*Plan B for the dessert will be shared on the last day of this series.)

If you’ve missed the last 21 days of this series, you can catch up now:

Day 1: Summer Entertaining is About the People
Day 2: When Perfect Robs You of Something Good
Day 3: Who To Invite to Dinner
Day 4: Planning the Menu for Outdoor Entertaining
Day 5: Setting the Table Using What You Have
Day 6: Using One Classic Water Glass
Day 7: Napkin Options for Summer Entertaining
Day 8: When You Feel Like Canceling the Party
Day 9: Leave Your Technology at the Front Door
Day 10: Candles That Enhance Good Conversation
Day 11: Serving Flavored Herb and Fruit Water
Day 12: Leafy Greens and a Tiny Bit of Agave
Day 13: Keeping Nut and Fruits and Cheeses on Hand for Easy Appetizers
Day 14: Move Your Table to a Different Space
Day 15: Greek Salad on a Stick and Getting the Kids Involved
Day 16: Three Lies of Perfectionism that Ruin Entertaining Moments
Day 17: Be Creative When You Run Out of Linens for Your Dinner Party
Day 18: Gather Around a Fire for Intimate Summer Entertaining
Day 19: Last Minute Father’s Day Invite and Pork Chops with Glazed Apricots
Day 20: Summer Entertaining GIVEAWAY from National Pork Board
Day 21: Create a Simple Appetizer Basket for Last-Minute Guests

Feel free to grab my button and share it with your readers .

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Thanks for joining me in my “30 Days of Summer Entertaining” series. (Scroll down to the bottom for previous posts to this series)

When it comes to summer entertaining, nature always provides the best ambience for making your guests feel alive.

Try something different. Move your table to a different space, for a different feel.

Today I’m sharing a recent dinner party that our family had together.

I love how my sister kept adding tables, until she got enough seating for her guests.

We served ourselves buffet-style up on the deck.

And enjoyed being together down on the lower-lawn area.

My sister lives out in the country, and on this summer night, the extra effort that they put forth to get the entire family to sit together was so worthwhile.

It’s another aspect of summer entertaining that I love. We can be more creative outdoors because it often provides more space around us.

Have you thought about hosting a dinner party on your front or back lawn area?

If you’ve missed the last 13 days of this series, you can catch up now:

Day 1: Summer Entertaining is About the People
Day 2: When Perfect Robs You of Something Good
Day 3: Who To Invite to Dinner
Day 4: Planning the Menu for Outdoor Entertaining
Day 5: Setting the Table Using What You Have
Day 6: Using One Classic Water Glass
Day 7: Napkin Options for Summer Entertaining
Day 8: When You Feel Like Canceling the Party
Day 9: Leave Your Technology at the Front Door
Day 10: Candles That Enhance Good Conversation
Day 11: Serving Flavored Herb and Fruit Water
Day 12: Leafy Greens and a Tiny Bit of Agave
Day 13: Keeping Nut and Fruits and Cheeses on Hand for Easy Appetizers

Feel free to grab my button and share it with your readers .

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Thanks for joining me in my “30 Days of Summer Entertaining” series. Did you know that you can receive RE posts directly to your email? If you are interested in becoming a follower, you can do it very easily on the right side of my website where it says “Find Me,” and then SUBSCRIBE.

What I love about outdoor entertaining is that it can still be classy and elegant.

One way is to bring your water goblets to the outdoors (make sure they are chunky or heavy duty), in either a large container, bowl, or basket.

Line with a clean towel.

I use my Dollar Store goblets all season long, for different kinds of dinner parties. Years ago I had several boxes of summer goblets of different colors, but I got tired of the space they took up so I pared down and gave them away.

Why not just use ONE CLASSIC water glass?

I often think we accumulate way too much STUFF.

I don’t go for the “unbreakable” dinnerware anymore, because it just takes up space. It’s not that far to carry out the dishes to my outdoor entertaining space, and trays also come in handy. I’ve yet to have anything break outside when entertaining. Have you?

What are your thoughts on having too many entertaining supplies, and would “one” glass for all entertaining purposes work for you?

If you’ve missed the last 5 days of my 30 Days to Summer Entertaining, you can catch up now:

Day 1: Summer Entertaining is About the People
Day 2: When Perfect Robs You of Something Good
Day 3: Who To Invite to Dinner
Day 4: Planning the Menu for Outdoor Entertaining
Day 5: Setting the Table Using What You Have

Feel free to grab my button and share it with your readers .

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This week I’m honored to be linked up with some of America’s top entertaining experts to bring you everything you need to kick off a fantastic summer barbequing season.

Party planning, mixology, printables, home entertaining tips and everything you need to face the outdoor entertaining season with relaxed confidence will be shared by some of my friends (see all of their links at the bottom of the post), specifically Coryanne, from Housewife Bliss, who was our inspiration in pulling this together.

This is the month when I really start thinking about summer barbecuing for family and friends. I just love taking advantage of the fresh, homegrown foods that we grow in our garden beds, the strawberries that are plentifully flowering right now, and the farmer’s market is not too far from my house for the produce that we do not grow. It’s only a hop, skip, and a jump away!

Summer entertaining is a Reluctant Entertainer’s dream, because you don’t have to clean your house.

With a summery night, you don’t have to do much to make it magical.

Not much thought has to go into the table setting. Set it simply and use paper napkins. For a larger group, using a mix of chairs around the tables is perfect. Picking a few fresh flowers and adding some herbs from the herb bed makes a very simple centerpiece.

And don’t forget to get the kids involved in helping out with easy chores.

There’s just nothing like the flavor of a barbeque, and the ease of not a lot of kitchen mess. I love how the men always mingle around the BBQ.

It’s really the perfect time of year to get together to celebrate different events, or just being together, in our own backyards, on patios, or even at a front-yard porch party!

Planning a Summer Barbeque Dinner Party

1. Get your outdoor entertaining space cleaned and ready for summer.

2. Set the date and time; invite the guests.

3. Plan the menu, choosing recipes that you can make ahead and that are easy to serve. Delegate aspects of the meal to keep it affordable, getting back with your guests on what you’d like for them to bring.

4. Think ahead to how many tables and chairs you’ll need and the linens you’ll be using.

5. Look in the yard for flowers, herbs, greenery – or head up to the Farmer’s Market – to make a simple tablescape.

6. If you have kids coming, what fun things will they do? Badminton, swimming, lawn games, board games … have something in mind so they won’t be bored.

7. Is your ITunes play list ready, or Internet hooked up, so you can play music from Pandora?

8. Make sure the BBQ has enough coals, tools are cleaned, and tiki torches filled with citronella.

9. The day of, set the table, using plenty of citronella votive candles to ward off the bugs, and make sure the “guest” bathroom is clean.

10. Do your prep work in the kitchen to make the night as simple as can be.

11. No matter what drinks you’ll be serving, always have plenty of water accessible for your guests.

11. Go over your “check-list” and make sure you completed your tasks.

12. Get yourself showered and ready for a fun summer night. Dress lite, as the last thing you want as the hostess is to be overheated.

The goal for summer entertaining is to show up to your own party calm, cool, and collected. Ready to welcome your guests into your home, to show them you care and that you want to get to know them more. Rather than being frazzled and overwhelmed, it pays to plan ahead and to be organized.

As I always say here at RE, nothing has to be perfect. Let the imperfections go and if something unexpected happens, it’s okay.

Go with the flow, put your guests first (and your pride last), and learn to move on.

It will be the best gift to yourself and to the beautiful people in your backyard.

(It’s tradition for me to take a picture of the women when they come to my house for dinner.)

Are you thinking about hosting a summer dinner party? Out of the 12 tips given, are there any you’d like for me to explore further?

Don’t forget to visit the ladies from The Great American BBQ Blog Hop:

The Daily Basics Cynthia’s blog is fabulous daily inspiration for getting back to basics and enjoying life again.
Party Blue Prints Dawn offers great sources for planning the perfect party.
Second City Soiree Jen, The Chicago hostess, offers a wealth of creative ideas for hosting events.
Celebrations at Home Chris is a Virginia Event Planner who offers fabulous advice for celebrations at home.
Intoxicologist Cheri is a nationally recognized mixologist who creates drinks for every occasion.
Housewife Bliss Coryanne has a passion and shares her love for the traditional domestic arts.

It’s hard to capture what really went on this day, but pictures really do say a thousand words, don’t they?

And since strawberry season is just about here (we grow our own), I think you’ll enjoy my post today.

Many of you already know how I feel about “borrowing” for parties …

-Borrow ideas

-Borrow entertaining supplies

-Borrow recipes

… and you can even …

-Borrow a friend’s home!

My daughter’s special day (birthday) last Fall started like this.

Fun and creativity in the great outdoors. (We put the camera to good use.)

And then pizza and swimming and some hoola-hooping.

Even a few moms got in on the hoola-hooping.

Thankful for much, and for friends letting us “borrow their house,” we created some beautiful birthday memories.

We didn’t have a traditional birthday cake because my daughter, Abby, wanted to serve Mini Pavlovas. They are a wonderful treat for a girl’s birthday party, and so easy to make.

What is a Pavlova?
A Pavlova is a meringue cake with a light, delicate, crisp crust and a soft sweet marshmallow center.

They are so ridiculously delicious, they will make your taste buds S I N G !!

You can make small and dainty pavlovas, medium-size, like a cookie, or one very large pavlova.

The very top photo of this post is one I made last summer with strawberries straight from our patch

The meringue really does melt in your mouth, especially when you top it with vanilla cream, and then your choice of fruit or chocolate topping. My daughter is funny. She will pull out my book and whip up her own batch — just because — and eat them plain!

The recipe is a bit on the longer side, but very easy, and it’s on page 78 of my book (if you have a copy of The RE).

Have you ever borrowed a friend’s house for a birthday party?

This post is linked to Add a Pinch’s Mingle Monday! Thanks, Robyn.

If you’re planning a party, visit this site for birthday party supplies.

You just can’t beat brunch for a casual Easter gathering.

It’s perfect for Easter day, to help celebrate a beautiful holiday in a casual, comfortable and relaxed way.

In my kitchen, we have a large center island that works perfectly for serving buffet-style. With this entertaining style, I have my table set ahead of time so there is easy flow.

-Have your table completely set.
-Right before serving buffet-style, gather the plates.
-Stack the plates near the food.
-Let your guests serve themselves.
-Guests will come back to the table and everyone eats together.

But not everyone has this option, so other buffet ideas would be to use your dining table, the top of a piano or sideboard, or to even set up a table in your living room. Your guests can sit around in the living or family room, or even on the stairs!

Go ahead and be creative! Casual can be really fun!

An email came this week from my friend Deanna, sharing her Easter RE weekend…

Deanna said: I’ve been reading your blog for almost as long as you have been writing it. This morning I was thinking about some of the things I have learned/put in to practice.

This weekend we are having an “RE Easter weekend.” When the weekend is over we will have served 26 people (12 on Saturday & 12-14 on Sunday) at our house.

Deanna shared 5 RE tips that she’ll be implementing:
1. Having people over even though our house is only 1018 sq ft.
2. Doing two family dinners back to back. (Both of our families.)
3. I’m cooking the meat & an accompanying dish – everyone else will be bringing sides & desserts. (Delegation!)
4. My favorite: the perfect boiled egg! (I love that tip.)
5. We’ll be playing Pandora as our background music.

I’d love to hear about your Easter weekend ahead, how you’ll be serving your guests, and any RE tips that you’ll be putting in to practice?

Have a glorious weekend, friends!

(Pictures from last Easter. Next year I’ll share about this Easter as we’re not doing brunch, but serving prime rib.)

This week is one of my favorite weeks of Spring. I really love preparing for Easter.

I enjoy planning the Easter menu, thinking about the table, and cutting fresh flowers from the yard because our tulips are always in bloom.

This year I won’t be shopping for “new” tablescape items, because I’ll be using what I have from last year’s Easter table setting. I even have enough beautiful paper napkins left over, so I don’t plan to spend a dime on any added fluff.

Nature has enough fluff of its own, and I believe we need to think more in terms of nature when we set our tables.

Besides, nature is FREE.

10 Steps to Setting a Beautiful Easter Table

1. Count the people who will be attending Easter brunch or dinner.

2. Decide if you plan to serve buffet style, family-style, or if you plan to serve your guests individually.

3. Whether buffet style or serving your guests individually, you can squeeze more guests in around the table.

4. If you plan to serve “family-style,” then your guests will need more elbow-room because of making room on the table for the food.

5. Make sure your table cloths are pressed and ready for use. You may need to push 2 or 3 tables together.

6. Have your kids help you count out and get out the stemware, dishes, and silverware.

7. Make sure you have “springy” napkins for use. And remember, using paper is okay!

8. Have your children help you set the table, if they are old enough.

9. Look at the table and count out how many low-level mini centerpieces you’ll need and gather your vases. If you need to borrow, don’t be afraid to ask family, friends, or even your neighbors for what entertaining pieces you may be missing.

10. Cut fresh greenery and any blooming flowers from your yard and make mini arrangements. If you don’t have flowers, ask a neighbor or a friend if you could snip a flower or two from their property. That is all you need if you have greenery.

RE TIP for easy entertaining: Set your table the night before Easter Sunday, so it’s all ready when you wake up Easter morn. It’s one less thing to have to think about.

Entertaining in a frugal way really helps lessen the stress-level. It restores sanity to what could be very expensive, without sacrificing and taking away from the joy of the season. You can still have style, and focus on the reason for the day – and it really helps to set the table the night before

Will you plan on setting your table the night before Easter this year? And what about asking your family to help?

Girls really need to have fun. And I’m talking about Moms having fun, too!

So a few weeks ago I invited some of my Mom-friends and their daughters over for dinner.

Little did I know how much fun we’d really have. It was hard to say good-bye to such lovely ladies. And I really mean that.

Our time together was priceless.

One of the recipes I made was Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash, since “butternut squash” seems to be the rage right now and everyone seems to be cooking with it. We’ve always grown butternut squash, and it keeps so well in the wintertime in a cool place, so seeing all the recipes in books, blogs, magazines, has been really exciting for me!

We love butternut!

Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 6-8

1 butternut squash, roasted and pureed
(See recipe, How to Roast Butternut Squash)
8 cups chicken stock (or more, depending on consistency that you prefer)
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
3 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 T. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper

After you roast the squash, puree and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a boil, and then turn to low and maintain a gentle simmer.

In a large heavy pan, heat the oil and add the onion until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until each grain is well coated with oil and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and stir until it’s completely absorbed.

Add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring in between. Keep adding the stock as you stir, reserving 1/2 cup stock to add at the end.

After about 20 minutes, when the rice is tender to the bite, but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, stir in the squash puree. Cook and stir together another minute or two.

Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and reserved 1/2 cup stock and the pureed butternut squash.

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve at once.

I did not serve at once and it was a little dryer than I had hoped for. Next time I will add the reserved stock right before I serve, or I might even add a bit more stock!

But can tell we had a wonderful time?

The girls did too (legs dangling over the banister) …

… and different girls shared their talents.

Miz Abby played her violin, too, as she’s preparing to play at Carnegie Hall next year with her Siskiyou Violins group (bad mom = I didn’t get a picture of my own daughter!)

And then to top it off, we had this flourless chocolate cake.

When’s the last time you had a “chick” party where you really enjoyed yourself?

(Here’s a Black Bean Lasagna with Mango and Butternut Sauce recipe to try – easy, too!)

I realize that the term “dinner party” may be old-fashioned to some, but for me, I like old-fashioned. I like to think back to some of the best memories in our home, when we’ve had families over for dinner, or just adults.

When we want to have a dinner party, it’s usually because we want to catch up with people that we feel connected to.

Here’s what I think are the basic concepts surrounding an impromtu- dinner-party, and why I’m so passionate about them.

- Invite people into your home instead of going out to a restaurant (where the food can sometimes be very disappointing).

- You can sit as long as you want and visit and not worry about getting kicked out.

- You can eat good food, and you know exactly where it came from.

- You don’t have to get dressed up.

- If you have time to plan ahead, you can share the cost by delegating a portion of the meal.

Impromptu dinners can sometimes result in the most fun times together. You don’t have time to stress about the details. You learn to go with the flow and to “enjoy the moment.” I’ve had times where my house was a mess, everyone did the dishes together, the kids were all over the place. To me those times reflected the essence of true entertaining.

I know it’s still the first of the year and people are tightening their budgets after Christmas, cutting back on eating out, spending less.

But it’s still important to share day to day life with the people that we care about. (Delegate, Delegate!)

How do you define “dinner party” in your home?