HG Openhouse Blog

I have to admit it…I’m a little intimidated this month here on the HomeGoods Openhouse blog. There are some wonderful posts by my fellow Openhouse bloggers, and guest blogger Susan Serra containing great ideas for preparing for the holiday entertainment marathon.

But, if you’re like me, sometimes the thought of throwing a formal dinner party for friends is overwhelming when you consider how hard it is just to get dinner on the table every night for your own family. Especially when you’re juggling work, kids and never-ending “home management” activities. It’s time to check those excuses at the door!

Even if you are not a seasoned chef (pardon the pun), you can create a fun, warm evening for you and your friends. All you need is food, friends, and ambiance. In other words, if I can do it, so can you! It doesn’t have to be perfect, just sincere. And, a couple shortcuts sure can help!

First, prepare meals that can be frozen and served later. I’m a huge fan of Dream Dinners, where you prepare meals in advance to freeze for later. But you can do the same thing at home. There are many cookbooks for this type of cooking. So now, every time I cook a meal, I make two and freeze one. I’m building up quite an inventory in my freezer without much extra work!

The second tip I learned from my Mom…if you can’t cook well, at least present well (thanks Mom!). Get a mix of unique serving dishes and make your table fabulous! I like a mix and match approach. Check out recent blogs from Cathy and Jen for some great ideas! Put on some Pottery Barn CD’s, and set the table well in advance and enjoy the creative process of presentation!

Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy your own party! Guests pick up on any “perfectionist” vibes, and will relax and have fun if you do. Sometimes “good enough is good enough!” And don’t worry about cleanup – just get the table cleared, food put away, and then leave it for the next day.

Happy entertaining!