5 Tips For The Perfect Dinner Party

This post brought to you by NABISCO Cookies and Crackers. The content and opinions expressed below are that of The Suburban Mom.

The season of hosting guests is upon us. Don’t let a simple dinner party send you into a panic. You can pull off a beautiful table setting, delicious food and a great evening with a few easy tips. Don’t forget, you decided to host guests to enjoy their company. So don’t get too wrapped up in the details — enjoy the moments.

Whether you are hosting a dinner party for a few friends or a giant soirée, these dinner party tips will help you pull off the event with ease.

5 Tips For The Perfect Dinner Party

Curb Appeal – A pretty table setting goes a long way toward setting the mood for your event, but it doesn’t have to be very complicated or expensive. I love bringing fresh nature to the table along with some candlelight to set a refreshing mood. Apples, pinecones and pumpkins are an inexpensive way to decorate your fall table with seasonal colors. Scent can also help set the mood, so I like to diffuse fall scents like cinnamon, orange, nutmeg and ginger.  

Ready To Nosh – Set the table with seasonal appetizers so that you are ready to greet guests with food the moment they arrive. Well-fed guests are always a sign of a good dinner party. In keeping with the fall theme, I paired the Apple and Sweet Potato Mash Topper from the NABISCO Party Planner with roasted pumpkin seeds and Triscuts and pimento cheese (recipe coming soon!). Set on the table ready for noshing. 

Apple and Sweet Potato Mash Topper

Ingredients

• 24 Triscut Crackers
• 1/2 cup cooled mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 apple, cut into 24 slices
• 24 glazed pecan halves

Directions

Spread crackers with potatoes. (Tip, I scooped the mashed sweet potatoes into a plastic bag, trimmed off the edge and squirted the potatoes onto the crackers for a cleaner look.)

Top with apple slices.

Garnish with pecans. 

Family Favorites – Just because you are having guests over doesn’t mean you have to serve overly complicated foods. Guests appreciate being treated to family’s favorite dishes and comfort foods. Unless you are a gourmet chef, save fancy foods for the restaurants and serve guests real foods that everyone enjoys.

Break Out The Fine China – Fine china has a way of collecting dust on the shelf. Many of use (myself included) feel compelled to save the good stuff for a very special occasion. Stop it. Even if you are just having dinner with your girl friends, use that fine china and enjoy it. It doesn’t do you any good hiding in your cabinets. 

Break The Rules – This is your event, so feel free to break a few “rules.” You don’t have to make everything from scratch — I cheated with store-bought candied pecans for my Apple and Sweet Potato Mash Topper. And you don’t have to use fancy napkins. In fact I always use paper napkins, I don’t even own cloth napkins. 

I hope these tips show you how easy it can be to put together a dinner to remember with friends or family. For more dinner party recipes visit the NABISCO Party Planner.