I’m sharing my top tips for hosting an amazing dinner party + some of my favorite cooking hacks.
Hello Hello! How’s your morning going? I go to mass with the kids and then hit an F45 class. I hope you have a great day too.
For today’s post, I thought we could talk a little bit about dinner tips and cooking tips. Please note that I am NOT a professional (although in my family we have some professional cooks and others who cook like professionals). I’m just a home cook who enjoys it and also LOVES to feed people. When the pilot and I first got married, a friend told me I needed a sign in the kitchen that said, “Never leave hungry” because that seemed to be my motto. It brings me so much joy to enjoy great meals and good times with the people we love. So we like to have friends and family over whenever we can.
Over time, I’ve learned some good dinner tips and cooking tips, so I wanted to share them with you this morning.
15 Tips for hosting a dinner party
Do what you can in advance
I learned this from my nana, who will make and freeze as many meal ingredients as possible before a family gathering. She used to own a catering company, so she’s quite used to making large quantities of amazing food.
Anything you can make before a party, do it. That means things like dips, desserts, sides, whatever. I usually try to prepare as much as I can, so I don’t cook as people arrive.
I learned this the hard way. We invited friends over the first time we lived in Valdosta and I hadn’t packed a single thing. When our guests arrived, they all ended up sitting at the dinner table as I ran around the kitchen, stressed and sweating from the hot stove and burners. Learn from my mistake my friends.
Never try a new recipe on the night of a dinner party
It can be tempting to want to try a cool new recipe you see on social media or on a website, but always give it a try before serving it to another group of people. I had a handful of Pinterest fails that I thought would be good ideas and I’m so glad I took the time to try them out beforehand. Serve options that are easy to cook and that you know are successful.
Set the menu strategically
Check with your guest list to see if there are any dietary restrictions. Plan the menu in advance, depending on the occasion and the theme of the dinner, as well as how many guests you will have present. For example, a smaller dinner party would go well with platter options, while larger parties are better for family platters or a buffet.
Put post-its on serving plates and set everything out the night before
I clean the kitchen the night before or the morning of the gathering and get out all the nice sets of plates, silverware and serving plates. I put a post-it note (“salsa,” “chips,” “guac,” etc.) on each large serving plate so I know where everything goes. Set the table in advance too.
Empty the dishwasher before they all come over
This way it’s easy to add the dishes to the dishwasher as they get dirty and run it at the end of the night.
Serve a signature drink or cocktail
I always like to drink a special kind of drink besides the usual La Croix, waters, beers and a variety of bottles of wine. It can be something like sangria, homemade margaritas, or that kind of cocktail. Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge and also make sure you have plenty of drinks for everyone.
Meat thermometer
Meat thermometers are a GAME CHANGER and help prevent dry, overcooked meat. It’s much easier to pierce the meat and know it’s done cooking.
Try the guacamole on a chip
When you make guacamole, you’ll be serving it with chips, so don’t forget to taste test on chips. Otherwise, you might make the guac too salty.
If you like Mexican food, get a hot tortilla ASAP
You’ll never have cold tortillas with warm glorious Mexican food again. You put the tortillas in the hot ovenput it in the microwave and the heater keeps them warm while you serve.
Set the mood
I like to light a few candles before everyone comes over, turn on the twinkling lights outside and put on some music. I’ll put some music on Spotify on the TV and Bluetooth speaker outside. This way the atmosphere is already set for my guests to relax and have fun!
Write a cooking program
That way you won’t be thinking about it all night and you can enjoy the party. I like to plan a schedule for the day ahead, including which items to prepare at a time and little reminders like “take out the trash,” “freeze the drinks,” and “turn on the music.”
Use the oven!
You bake or part-bake the meal and that way you can put everything you’ve made ahead of time straight into the oven. Once cooked, lower the oven and keep warm before serving.
Don’t make it all yourself
I love this tip and it’s such a simple way to take some of the stress out of doing all the things. There’s no harm in having some store-bought items if you can’t make them yourself or don’t have the time. Find some options you can outsource from a local spot, such as a side dish, dessert, or a charcuterie board.
Always cut a piece of cake
Guests won’t want to cut something, but will eat it if it’s already cut. The same goes for cheeses on a cheese board, so cut a few slices in advance.
If you can read, you can cook
These were words of wisdom from my Nana after emailing her to say I was struggling in the kitchen. When we first got married, I had to learn to cook and there were so many fiascos along the way. (I once made a loaf that turned into sloppy joe, which we called a “sloppy loaf.” Yummy.)
He told me to take my time and if you can read directions you can cook. It gave me the confidence to continue and eventually I fell in love with cooking.
Dinner essentials:
Organize your next dinner party like a boss with these helpful tips!
So tell me, friends: what are some of your top cooking or dining tips?
If you have something to add to the list, please hit the comments section so we can help each other out! (* = those submitted by Instagram! Thanks to those of you who participated) What do you usually cook when you have friends or family over? Are you making the same stuff or changing it up?
xo
Gina
