Some great tips for planning a dinner party. And a recipe too!

 
 
Today we have the lovely Melissa guest posting on the blog about one of my favourite things to do.

 

Dinner party planning

It’s time to plan your next dinner party, which is a scary proposition for some. You want your party to be just right so you and your guests have a wonderful time. The formula for the perfect dinner party isn’t an exact science, but there are some basic steps you can follow to ensure you have a good chance of everything going well:

- Pick a theme

Themes make things easier on everyone. When you pick a theme it’s easy to pick out decorations, food, and everything else you could think of. At the very least the theme will give you a starting point and make sure that your party flows well and isn’t disjointed. For example, you might want to have an exotic party with themes from the Middle East (check the end of this post for a wonderful recipe for a hummus appetizer).

- Work in advance

If there were a universal downfall of dinner parties it would definitely have to be poor preparation. There are so many aspects of a dinner party that it’s hard to remember to do everything, which means you’re going to be overwhelmed on the night of your gathering. The best way to avoid this pitfall is to make a list and stick to it. I like to imagine my entire dinner party from start to finish and take notes about the preparation I will need for each part. It usually starts with cleaning (your guests deserve a spotless environment to enjoy) and ends with cooking. Of course, things like decorating and the like will take up some time as well. If you make your list and stick to it you won’t need to worry.

- Invite early

There’s nothing worse than planning the perfect party and having two people show up because you didn’t give enough notice. Make your plans early and remember to invite people in a timely manner. You can also use some aspects of your plan to entice people to come. We’d all like to think that our friends and family would come to our party no matter what, but the fact of the matter is that people are busy. If you give them a reason they will come!


Use the following perfect hummus recipe at your next themed party.
You’ll need:
- A food processor
- 2 cups drained canned garbanzo beans (save the liquid)
- 1/3 cup tahini (ground sesame paste that can be found at a specialized grocer)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Pitas, pita chips or crackers for serving
Put all of the ingredients in the food processor and blend until you get a smooth, creamy texture. You can add liquid from the garbanzo beans if the mixture gets too dry. Enjoy!


If you go with a themed dinner party, plan in advance, and take steps to ensure your guests show up, then your next dinner party will be the best yet.


Author’s bio: Melissa is a mother and party planner. When she’s planning a party she likes to stick with relevant themes, like using Mario party supplies for children’s parties.