How to Get Your Kitchen Ready for a Party

Party Ideas: The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) presents How to Get Your Kitchen Ready for a Party.

Soiree season is about to make your home's busiest room a lot crazier. A few tweaks and your kitchen will be a stress-free zone.

Spread out. Park a folding table against the wall for more food prep room, and add a "busing" area, like a plastic tub by the sink. It'll keep guests from piling dirty dishes on the counter, says Michael Jennings, coowner of San Francisco's Small Potatoes Catering & Events.

Add ambience. It'll draw you to the kitchen even after an app-making marathon. Put a collage of photos on the fridge. Place a lamp on the table or atop the fridge, says Rebecca Moses, author of A Life of Style: Fashion, Home, Entertaining, to cast a glow on the kitchen, and a weary host.

Breathe, literally. A cookie- or pie-baking blitz can keep the oven cranking all day: “Let air into the kitchen,” says Craig Thompson, owner of Shandaken Bake in Shandaken, New York. Cracking a window or stepping outside will refresh you and head off a too-much-dough crash.

Hold court. Since you know the party will end up in the kitchen anyway, set up barstools in a corner and let folks loiter while you chop crudités or whip cream. Better yet, says Sharon Juergens, a chef and caterer in Royal Oak, Michigan, put friends to work with small tasks between cocktails.

From Everyday with Rachael Ray  

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How to Throw a Last-Minute Party

Party Ideas: The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) presents How to Throw a Last-Minute Party.

Hosting stage fright seems to stem from the lack of one of three things: time, money or space. We say, don't sweat any of them!

NO TIME? New York party planners Ann David and Nicky Reinhard suggest serving Chinese or Thai takeout, arranged on platters. Use bright, lacquered chopsticks and colorful paper takeout boxes (check sites like pearlriver.com and papermart.com). If cooking, focus on the main course and fake the rest, says chef Jennifer Schaertl, author of Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens; think store-bought spinach-artichoke dip served in a bread bowl for a starter.

NO MONEY? Play the numbers, starting with the ones on the clock: Host noon brunch. The ingredients (eggs, fruit and juice) will cost a fraction of what you’d need to cook dinner, notes David. Ditto for a 5 p.m. cocktails-and-hors d’oeuvres fete, where folks don’t expect as much food. At the store, think like a restaurant would: Plan on 4 to 6 ounces of protein and 1/3 cup of vegetables or starch per person. For apps, estimate about two of each per guest, Schaertl says.

NO SPACE? If you have a backyard, then you have more room. Even a puny patio or porch to open the doors onto will make a party feel more spacious. Lure people outside with tubs of ice and drinks, and a small table of appetizers— maybe even one that isn’t on the indoor menu. For dinner parties in cramped quarters, rely on onepot wonders like frittatas, risotto, paella or gumbo. Anything that can be tossed, cooked and served in a single pot or pan frees up space.

From Everyday with Rachael Ray

Similar Posts:    

 

Throw an Open-Air Party  

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Save and share How to Throw a Last-Minute Party

Want to share party ideas with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.

Throw an Open-Air Party

Party Ideas: The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try our tips for the ultimate open-air party, no matter what the forecast.

Work with the Weather
You may not be able to beat Mother Nature, but you can join her if you plan wisely. Make sure there are shady spots to beat the heat, supply sweatshirts if there’s a surprise chill in the air, and have backup party space ready inside if the elements don't cooperate.

Stock Your Space
It's no fun jogging in and out of the house for supplies (and no one wants a sweaty host). Move essentials—plates, glasses, ice, napkins, utensils, and trash and recycling bins—to the prime party area.

Two Words: Room Temperature
Outdoor parties mean drive-by dining: Guests nibble, chat and return to the food the whole time. Selecting food that won't spoil and still tastes (and looks) good after sitting in the sun can mean the difference between a blast and a flop.

Battle the Bugs
Pests are never on the invite list. For maximum bug protection, light a few citronella candles—but keep them away from the food. No one wants to eat a burger that smells like bug repellent.

Bring on the Bevs
Both libations and nonalcoholic options are key for thirsty outdoor guests. To keep the party pumping, make sure you've got more than enough drinks—think three per person over a two-hour party. But no matter what you serve, make sure there's ample agua. Heatstroke is not a good party favor.

Hide the Breakables
Hey, here’s a way to ruin your fun: Spend all night worrying about the safety of your favorite stemware and serving platters. Put away the coveted casserole dishes and carafes and use less expensive pieces instead.

Serve Sunscreen
Not everyone remembers to lather up before an outdoor party. If your event is midday, provide a few bottles of SPF. Leave sunscreen in prime spots outside, as well as in the bathroom.

Create Indoor-Quality Comfort
Outdoor events are casual, but that doesn't mean everyone should be expected to stand. Scatter blankets and pillows from the family room—and even beach towels and lawn chairs—if you don't have enough table seating.

From Everyday with Rachael Ray

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Save and Share Throw an Open-Air Party

Want to share these party ideas with your family and friends? Click the button below to send them an email or save this to your favorite social network.