How to Throw a Stress-Free Dinner Party

Step 1: Prep your salad ahead of time.

I knew I needed that giant salad bowl.

Make sure to throw in anything and everything that needs to be used up.  This includes carrots from the 5 lb bag you bought last week for no reason, the other half of the bell pepper that cost $2 (for one pepper, really?), the tiniest of basil leaves (because that’s all that’s left on your plant), and grilled corn, because you clearly have a corn grilling addiction. 

Step 2: Incessantly take pictures of said salad while you impatiently wait for your happy hour date to show up.

I’m looking at you, Jenn.

Step 3: Slice up anything that needs to be sliced.

Tomatoes and fresh mozzarella?  Check and check.

Step 3: Drink white sangria at The Med’s happy hour. 

Buy pre-made pizza dough from Whole Foods.

Leave it to your boyfriend to finish the pizza.

Give yourself time to pre-bake pizza dough, then thank yourself for cutting tomatoes and mozzarella beforehand because all you have to do now is layer it on.

  Step 4: Remember to put the basil on after you cook the pizza.  This is key!

 

Step 5: Envision yourself accidentally dropping the pizza over the side of the balcony and hold on to the pan extra tight.

Step 6: Clean up while pizza cooks so all that’s left to do is layer some basil.

Holy melty marghertia goodness.

  Step 7: And this is important. 

Don’t even worry about dessert and escort your guests to Smart Cow instead.  They’ll think it’s delicious and you won’t have to clean up afterwards.

One of these is not like the others.

I’m talking about the giant 1 lb. cup.

But I guess you could consider my candy-free spoon-less one to be the odd cup out.

First dinner party in the new apartment: accomplished.

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Do you ever throw dinner parties?

What is/would be your go-to meal if you do/were to throw one?

Any other weekend happenings to report?