Enjoy Your Own Party

It Can Be Done! Here's How.

Plan to have a little fun when you're planning your next party. Here are a few tips on how to spend more time in conversation with your guests and less time in the kitchen with your guacamole.

• Keep it simple. You don't have to overdo to impress your guests. Choose a theme and a menu that only requires a few simple elements to stand out. For instance, for an Italian-style sit-down dinner, you really only need a great-tasting pasta dish, bread on the side, maybe a salad and a little red wine. Click here for great pasta recipes from Smithfield. Try the Smoked Sausage Sauté or the Rigatoni with Olives and Bacon.
  
  
  
• Look for make-ahead recipes that can be prepared several hours (or even days) in advance and thawed and heated just in time for your guests to arrive, such as Jambalaya or Overnight Bacon Casserole. And remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with self-serve. Try a buffet dinner with warming stations or appetizers in chilled bowls of ice.
  
  
• Cocktail party? Instead of mixing drinks all night, make it a wine-tasting event paired with one or two simple hors d'oeuvres, like Paula Deen's Pecan Stuffed Dates and Bacon Crisps.
  
  
• For a fresh twist, try a "Create Your Own Martini" theme. Print the recipes for several types of exotic and tasty martinis (think green apple or chocolate) in large type on cards and post them on tables next to the necessary ingredients. Keep the recipes as simple as possible- just a few ingredients such as vodka and a flavored liqueur. Your guests will have a blast experimenting with different flavors and mixing drinks for each other. Colorful swizzle sticks, some olives and a little Sinatra on the stereo make for one swanky evening! And, the best part is you can take the time to fix your own martini and join in the fun!