Something is in the air! The past week has been chock full of parties — some planned, some impromptu. With all the recent celebrations I've learned that parties can be as easy to throw as they are to attend. Not every party has to be an "invitation and get dressed up" kind of event. Here's some tips to help you throw an easy party on a weeknight.
- Easy food: Keep it simple. Pasta, pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches are easy to prepare en masse and usually crowd pleasers. Ask your guests to help out by bringing some of the ingredients and beverages.
- Easy fun: Make preparation part of the party, whether it's putting together sandwiches from an assortment of toppings, decorating pizzas or whizzing up some fresh pesto. The camaraderie of cooking helps strangers become friends.
- Easy decor: If you can pick up a bunch of flowers, great, but this is more about casually catching up. Keep the guest list small so you can forego the dining room in favor of gathering around the coffee table in the living room. What makes it special are the guests. Invite a few newcomers to mingle with your old favorites.
Image: Flickr member JekInTheBox from the Apartment Therapy LA Group Pool
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Comments (6)
This is a great post! Any recommendations if you wanted to do a party carb free? A good friend of mine is coming to town and can't do a lot of gluten or other carbs.
Becca
Becca...call specialty pizza shops. There's one in my town who makes a gluten free pizza.
Hi Becca. I myself am allergic to gluten and dairy and have lots of friends who are vegan so I have few things I usually stick with:
- Pre-made hummus and lots of veggies. Buy pitas for those who want bread. If your friend wants a gluten free option Food Should Food Should Taste Good and Mary's Gone Crackers are great brands and found at Whole Foods.
- Nice olives.
- Deviled Eggs. Fast and easy. Add curry or wasabi powder for something different
- 7 layer dip. I make two versions: one with cheese and sour cream, one with soy cheese and tofu sour cream. If your friend wants to avoid chips, cut up some bell peppers for her. Though I'd ask if she's avoiding beans as well.
- Mango salsa with plaintain chips, though it would be lovely on pre cooked shrimp
- Never tried this, but instead of lasagna, try a moussaka (uses potatoes instead of pasta)
Another gluten-free and delicious option would be veggie lettuce cups. Using butter leaf lettuce and stuffing them with julienne carrots, veggies, spices, herbs, sauce, and whatever else you like, you'll have a fun meal for guests to assemble themselves, and it is light enough for summer nights. The impromptu parties always turn out the best. That's our style: no expectations, just visiting and enjoying food and one another's company.
This sounds fantastic I HAVE TO throw a weeknight party!
We love spontaneous parties after work and we have a rule of thumb for weeknights... one food, one beverage... done!!! Friends make the party!!!