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To our moms, Andrea & Gigi, whom we love and who taught us these 10 essential entertaining tips...
10. Easy Apps Make hors d'oeuvres quick and impressive. Crowd pleasers include hot artichoke dip that can be made ahead of time and popped in the oven. Serve with sliced pita bread and throw in some hummus while you're at it. Add a tray of fresh olives and pick up some crab and vegetarian sushi rolls at a local market or restaurant.
9. Soup's Up Serve a light soup as a first course. A decadent squash bisque or creamy broccoli puree are an elegant and classy start to dinner.
8. Grilled Goodies Just about everything -- from pork tenderloin to asparagus, corn to salmon filets -- tastes better when it's cooked on a grill, and gas models make it so easy (no charcoal, no mess!).
7. Pane e Olio A hearty loaf of bread is a must, no matter what you're serving. And our moms love to serve it al italiano: Place a few small bowls of olive oil around the table garnished with fresh ground pepper, salt, and Parmesan cheese. Dip away!
6. Frozen Finale There's no reason to go crazy making a complicated mousse or flan for dessert. We have yet to meet a person who doesn't love ice cream. Choose sophisticated flavors like coffee, rum raisin, or fruit sorbets. Use a large melon baller to create small scoops. Serve in a martini or wine glass and garnish with a few fresh berries or a cookie.
5. Go Garnish Get your parsley ready. This bitter leafy green is an easy way to spruce up the look of any dish from appetizers to your main course. Why serve anything "naked" when a little sprig of color can do such wonders?
4. Center Of Attention Create your own centerpiece to add kick to the table. Pick a bunch of gardenias and simply let them float on top of an elegant glass bowl of water. Or start with a large glass plate, fill it with white votives, and scatter some decorative rocks or decorative marbles around for fill.
3. Hot Tips Always have a pot of freshly brewed coffee to offer your guests after the meal, along with an array of teas (Earl Grey, Chamomile, Peppermint, etc.) for those who don't do java. Set up a "bar" with goodies such as sugar, honey, lemon, cream, milk, and vanilla soy milk.
2. Water Works Punch up your water by pouring it into a tall glass pitcher filled with fresh sliced lemons and oranges. Pretty and tasty too.
1. All in the Family Rather than plating each course, let your guests have fun digging right in by serving everything family style. Place in oversized dishes in the center of the table. Bon appetit!
For more good ideas, check out these pancake recipes for your brunch.
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