Planning A Holiday Dinner Party Menu

An Austin Kitchen is a new blog written by my friend Ben, who just happens to be one of the most amazing cooks I know. So when my husband and I decided to host the first course for our neighborhood progressive dinner, we turned to Ben for help in planning a festive collection of small plates. Here is the menu we decided upon:

Pumpkin + Shrimp Bisque

Muhammara

Prosciutto Rolls

Asian Meatballs + Peanut Sauce

Cheeses

Olives

Pate

Pomegranates

Mulled Cider

It has been a really fun experience working with Ben, and I think this is an inventive way to approach entertaining, especially if you are a less than stellar chef. We started with a conversation via Skype, in which Ben grilled us on our skill level, the number of guests attending the party and asked us to describe the event, its "vibe". We threw menu ideas back and forth and, once the dishes to be served were chosen, Ben tested all the recipes, making adjustments as he felt necessary. He then sent us final recipes along with a shopping list, tips and hints. We were also provided with a couple flip videos in which he demonstrated how to prepare the items, how cool is that? His follow up emails have kept us on track, reminding us to test the recipes and asking if we have had any questions. Amazing...and for non-foodies such as us, what a great way to be able to entertain with style!


Testing the Asian Meatballs in Peanut Sauce.


Hey, where are you going? I'm pretty sure the recipe didn't say "walk away"...leaving me here wondering what to do next!


While my job is to work on the presentation, my husband got the cooking down just right. Oh my goodness, these were so incredibly delicious I ate a dozen. (Or more.) I kid you not.

And for those of you who may want to try this yourself, here is the recipe!

Peanut Sauce:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Thai red curry past
2 tsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup well-stirred canned coconut milk

Meatballs:

1 lb round pork or turkey
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tbsp grated lemongrass
1 large egg
1 cloves garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper
rice flour for dusting
vegetable oil

Directions:

The uncooked, uncoated meatballs can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. The sauce can be made a day ahead. Reheat over very low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.

1. To make the peanut sauce, heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the peanut butter, brown sugar and lemon juice, then gradually stir in the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened. If it becomes too thick, stir in a little water. Keep warm.

2. For the meatballs, combine the ground meat, cilantro, curry paste, lemon juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, egg and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into small balls about the size of a walnut. Dust each meatball with rice flour.

3. Pour vegetable oil, coating the bottom of a large frying pan. Heat over high heat until the oil shimmers. In batches, fry the meatballs for about 3 minutes on one side until browned. Then flip until browned and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve with the warm peanut sauce.

Post Title → Planning A Holiday Dinner Party Menu

Need a Quick Appetizer? Say Cheese!

Last Saturday I went to lovely small dinner party thrown by one of my favorite friends.  What was my contribution to this soiree?  My quick and easy cheese plate. 

Here is how I do it.

Ingredients:

• 3 different types of cheeses; I like to use a soft cheese like a Brie, a hard aged cheese like a Parmesean or Asiago and a good extra-sharp cheddar
• A small baguette sliced in rounds
• Your choice of crackers; I like to use 'Petits Toasts'
• Several bunches of grapes, green and/or red, and strawberries for garnish
• A large platter or flat basket

The How-To:

Line your basket or platter with foil.  This makes clean-up so much easier!  Just wrap left-overs in the foil and leave with your hostess or bring extras home.

Slice your cheeses. ( Curlers are optional.  My hair doesn't get gorgeous on it's own. )

Wash your fruit.  I like to use a strainer then pat dry.

Arrange the cheeses.  Place one cheese in the center of the tray overlapping the slices and the two remaining cheeses, also overlapping the slices, on either side.  Here I have placed the brie in the center flanked by the cheddar and asiago.

Arrange the sliced bread and crackers on either side of the cheeses. 

Add the grapes and strawberries for color and to cover all tinfoil.  Obviously, I missed a spot of tinfoil in the lower right-hand corner of the tray.  Sloppy, sloppy!

And here I am with dear friend and hostess for the evening.

She has the most beautiful little Jewel Box® home and I promise to post photographs soon.

Until next time!

Genevieve

Post Title → Need a Quick Appetizer? Say Cheese!

My Romantic Home

So many of us live in our own little Jewel Box® Homes!  I really wanted to hear from those of you out there who struggle with the everyday challenges of living in a small space and who delight in the cozy atmosphere of your tiny abodes.  So occasionally we here at The Jewel Box® Home would like to feature some "real people" in their "real homes" who are generous enough to lend us their house key to take a peek inside.

Today our guest is Cindy Santiago from the very popular home blog "My Romantic Home".  Cindy  has been featured in many publications such as Romantic Homes and even has done a guest appearance on HGTV!  If you are not a reader of Cindy's blog, I highly recommend it and she even showcases some of her beautiful treasures in her etsy shop!

TJBH:  Tell us a little about your Jewel Box® Home?  What type of home is it?  Are you in a suburb?  Do you have large rooms, but few?  What is the home style?  Is it a new home?  Apartment?  Condo?  Do you have outdoor living space?  Just a brief summary of how you came to live in your current small space. 

Cindy:   My little home is an apartment which is part of a four-plex and it’s located in the Silicon Valley area of California.  It’s very small, just a little over 900 sq. feet.  The complex was built in 1969 and it has the living area downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs.  We have a small private patio area off of the living room.   The little backyard is what made me fall in love with this place.  It’s hard to find an apartment with a private yard around here.  I also love that it was a two-story. 

TJBH:  What are some of your favorite storage secrets in your home?

Cindy:  I actually have quite a bit of storage for such a small place.  There is a huge walk-in closet under the staircase.  It has shelves on one side and that’s where I keep all my old magazines and my cookbooks.  I turned the entry way closet into more storage for my kitchen. I just took out the clothing rod and put in a large shelving unit that I found on craigslist. I also have a large linen closet upstairs and then another walk-in closet outside. I keep our bikes, tools and Christmas decorations out there.  I utilize every hidden space as well, there are things tucked under my beds, under my sofa and under my hutch!

TJBH:  How do you individualize your home in such a small space? 

Cindy:  Most of my home is done in blue and white so the color scheme is consistent throughout.  I think that is really important in a small space. 

TJBH:  What (or who) influences your style of decorating?

Cindy:  Most of my inspiration has come from magazines and now from blogs.  I originally chose the shabby chic style because the look could be achieved on a tight budget. I bought most of my furniture at thrift stores and painted it myself. 

TJBH:  What has been your biggest challenge of small space living? 

Cindy:  Arranging the furniture has been a bit of a challenge.  I like to move things around to get a fresh look but because the space is so small there isn’t much I can change.

TJBH:  What is a spot in your house that makes you very happy?

Cindy:  I love my dining room.  I love collecting dishes and it’s fun to play with different ways of displaying them.

TJBH:  Do you entertain much in your Jewel Box® Home?  Tell us a little about your favorite get togethers and some entertaining secrets.


Cindy:  I would love to entertain more than I do but because my place is so small I don’t.  I do belong to two supper clubs and so I host the dinners at my house once in awhile.  It’s nice when I can open the back door and extend the party out onto the patio. It makes my small space seem larger.

TJBH:  Describe your home in five words.

Cindy:  Small space, lots of décor!

TJBH: What is the best piece of decorating advice you’ve ever received?

Cindy:   Buy what you love and you will find a place for it.

Post Title → My Romantic Home

The Jewel Box™ Home Reader Stories

Suzanne's Little Nursery

At long last I have posted the wonderful small home living stories generously submitted by Jewel Box™ readers over the last number of months. From as far away as Berlin, Germany where Katie lives with her husband in an apartment measuring 480 square feet, to Suzanne in Massachusetts who traded up to 8000 square feet, but still cherishes the tiny home where her children were born, each story is a unique celebration of small home living. For a peek into these much loved smaller homes I invite you to visit The Jewel Box™ Home website under Readers Stories.

And for those of you who live in the Chicago land area, I would love to see you at one or both of the Jewel Box™ classes I will be teaching this summer on the Evanston campus of Oakton Community College. The class descriptions and online registration link follow.

THE JEWEL BOX HOME: INTERIOR
DECORATING ON A BUDGET FEE: $50

In this class you will learn how to create a beautiful and practical living space without going over budget. Find out about quick fixes and
design ideas that don’t cost “an arm and a leg.” Come to class with pictures of the targeted room that could use a new look.
ARC H01-31, ETHS, 1 Tue., 7/14, 7-8:30 pm CRN 50025

THE JEWEL BOX HOME:
ENTERTAINING WITH STYLE FEE: $50

Learn how to throw a cocktail party with style, and on a budget. Find out about staging and flow, planning the guest list, and the best food
to serve. This class gives you all the party basics to make your next get-together a success.
ARC H01-32, ETHS, 1 Tue., 7/21, 7-8:30 pm CRN 50026

To register online visit https://my.oakton.edu/cp/home/displaylogin.

I have to admit, I find the Oakton registration process a bit confusing, so if you have any questions call 847-982-9888 and press 3.

Until next time!

Warmly,

Genevieve

Post Title → The Jewel Box™ Home Reader Stories

A New Years Celebration!

There is nothing like bringing in the New Year with family and friends. For a simple and delicious New Year's Eve dinner you might like to try all or part of the menu I served at a holiday celebration this past weekend. Recipes follow the party photos.

***

Appetizers
Smoked Salmon with toast points
Crab dip with crackers
Assorted cheeses with sliced ficelle bread
***
Entree and Sides
Beef Tenderloin with Bernaise Sauce
Mashed potatoes with Parsnips
Steamed Broccolli with Hollandaise
***
Salad
Baby Greens with roasted pine nuts and sliced pear
***
Dessert
Brownies, Lemon Bars and Seven Layer Bars
Fresh Fruit
***

Getting ready.

Here come the appetizers!
(Even in a small kitchen, there is room for everyone.)

Appetizers in the living room.

A little cooking help is always appreciated.

The mashed potatoes are ready!

Is it time to eat yet?
(This is a good view of the small passage way from our tiny kitchen to the living room.)

A toast!
(Seat everyone together, even if your dining room is tiny. This makes for good conversation, more fun and a warm comfortable feeling. Here, three generations of family and friends - 12 adults plus 2 young children - are seated at the same table.)

Dinner is served!

Mangia!

Recipes

Bourbon-marinated roast tenderloin

(from the Chicago Tribune 12/18/96)

Cooking time: 35 minutes
Yield: 12 adult servings

1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup each: packed light brown sugar, soy sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon oil (I like to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 small onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon each: minced fresh rosemary, Worcesterchire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 beef tenderloin, 4 to 5 pounds

1. Combine bourbon, sugar, soy sauce, mustard, oil, onion, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf in small bowl; stir to dissolve sugar.
2. Transfer marinade to a large, heavy-duty plastic food bag. Add meat, seal tightly and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight, turning bag over several times. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove meat from marinade and blot dry. Place in shallow roasting pan. Bake until temperature, tested with instant-reading thermometer, reaches 130 degrees for medium rare, about 35 minutes; or longer as desired. Tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips
(My recipe so proportions are approximate)

1 5 pound bag of medium red potatoes
4-5 medium to large size parsnips
1 stick salted butter
2 cups half and half (more if desired)
Salt to taste

1. Peel potatoes and parsnips and cut into large pieces. Place potatoes and parsnips in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until a fork can be inserted easily into potatoes and parsnips.
2. Drain potatoes and parsnips in a colander and let sit for a few minutes. In same large pot used to boil potatoes and parsnips, melt butter then add half and half and stir. Add potatoes and parsnips along with salt to taste (I like about 2 teaspoons).
3. Mash potatoes and parsnips by hand or use a mixer. Add salt as needed to taste. Serve garnished with parsley.

Hollandaise Sauce and Bernaise Sauce

This is as easy as it gets. Buy the Knorr hollandaise and bernaise sauce mixes and follow the directions.

Salad with Baby Greens, Roasted Pine Nuts and Pear
(My recipe so proportions are approximate)

1 bag baby greens
3 Bartlett or Bosc pears
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bottle Robb Ross Red Wine Vinegar and Oil Dressing (available at most grocery stores)
Salt to taste

1. Saute pine nuts in a dry non-stick pan on medium until brown; about 2 minutes. Let nuts cool.
2. Cut pears into thin slices length wise.
3. Place green, pears and pine nuts into a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil add a pinch of salt and mix to coat greens with oil. (I do the mixing with my hands, this seems to work best.)
4. Add 1/4 of the Robb Ross dressing to the salad and mix again to coat the greens. Serve salad on dinner plate or separately.

Everything Else Including Desserts and Appetizers

Call me lazy, but I buy all my desserts and appetizers. It makes things much easier and I'm able to enjoy my guests and the party. Of course, many of you are much more talented and organized than I am so you can probably whip those appetizers and desserts together in a minute. I'd love to have your recipes!

Happy New Year!

Genevieve

Post Title → A New Years Celebration!

Barack Obama and The Jewel Box™ Home

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. - President Elect Barack Obama

We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen.- President Elect Barack Obama

Ever since Barack Obama became President Elect, I have toyed with the idea of sharing my small story about his campaign and the Jewel Box™ Home connection. Today I have decided to throw caution to the winds and for the first - and likely last time - allow politics to make an appearance on the Jewel Box™ site. First, a little background. All my life I have voted a straight Republican ticket. In fact, when I turned 18, I proudly cast my first ballot for Reagan. As a young single woman in Chicago, I volunteered downtown as a Republican Precinct captain. Since Chicago is fiercely Democratic, this was a lot like being a goldfish in a pool of sharks. Regardless, I persevered in my dedication to the Republican party. This was in large part due to my upbringing in a diehard Republican family.

Obama first made an impression on me when he ran for the U.S. Senate and won. After he declared for President, I immediately volunteered to help with the campaign. My father and husband - both hard core Republicans - could not resist teasing me as a traitor to the family's political heritage. So where does the Jewel Box™ Home come into this story? I volunteered to host a get-together at our home in the first round of house parties for Obama. My husband found this especially humorous since Senator Obama would not be coming to our house, but 'speaking' from a town hall meeting in Iowa via the internet. No matter, I was throwing this party and to his credit, my husband helped set up the computer screen hook-ups. True to the Jewel Box™ party staging rules, I served buffet style - sandwiches, sides, wine, beer and soda - in the dining room, while people talked and listened to Obama in the the living room. Because my son was 18 at the time and voting the following year in his first election, several of his friends came over along with life long Democrats and fellow Republicans. It went beautifully and the comfortable, smaller scaled proportions of our home made it easy for people from every political background to mingle. And we were all surprised when several TV stations showed up later to interview us as 'Republicans for Obama'. I made my first - and so far only - TV appearance that night on ABC and WGN in Chicago.

Aside from the house party connection, what does President Elect Obama have to do with the Jewel Box™ Home? The hallmarks of a Jewel Box™ home in a much smaller way parallel the Obama political philosophy. Obama by recognizing the needs of Americans from all walks of life, has brought together liberals and conservatives; black, white, latino and asian Americans into one community with a desire to create a better nation and world, through the collective actions of a united people. I have not met President Elect Obama, nor do I ever expect to have that privilege, but on a much smaller scale, Jewel Box™ follows Obama's unifying vision. The best traits of both large and small houses are embodied in the Jewel Box™ Home satisfying the needs of all households and lifestyles - singles, downsizing Baby Boomers, young couples, families, and single parents. The focus is on livability not size and human needs take priority. The Jewel Box™ lifestyle also teaches us the skills of functioning in a multi-dimensional society. Spaces have to be shared and the ability to respect the needs and desires of others is learned. As I mentioned earlier, most of my family, including my husband, are lifelong Republicans. Still, aside from some good natured teasing, my decision to support Obama was not only tolerated, but respected. This is the direct result of the spirit and atmosphere of a Jewel Box™ home, whose primary purpose is to enrich the lives of its people.

May your home and your life bring light and love to the world.

Until next time,

Genevieve

Post Title → Barack Obama and The Jewel Box™ Home

Parties and the Smaller Home: Fiction vs. Fact

So where have I been these past two weeks? My day job has kept me very busy with a recent promotion. But more important, my younger son graduated from elementary school and my older son from high school. So this past Saturday, we threw a big graduation party.

Those of you who have visited the Jewel Box Home website know that I consider entertaining in a smaller home just as easy as entertaining in a large house. Why? How guests feel about a party and whether they enjoy themselves has nothing to do with the size of the house. There are only two things needed for a great party: Invite people into your home and make them feel welcome. Let's compare some the reasons people shy away from entertaining in a smaller home to the facts of small home entertaining.

Fiction	Fact
It is hard to entertain in a small home.	Great parties happen because guests feel welcome and have fun. The size of the house has nothing to with it. In fact, the more comfortable proportions of the smaller home usually make for better parties.
To make great food, you need a big kitchen.	Big kitchens don’t guarantee great food anymore than the fastest computer with the latest word processing program guarantees a best selling novel. Great food comes out of both large and small kitchens. But in my experience, when guests see a large expensive kitchen, they expect fabulous food, so the hostess is under pressure to deliver. Guests expect much less from smaller kitchens. People are always surprised when wonderful food comes out of a tiny kitchen and the hostess is typically showered with compliments.
To entertain well, you need a kitchen island.	Picture the best parties you have ever attended. Is there a kitchen island in any of those memories? I’ll bet not. Unless the purpose of the party is to unveil your new kitchen island, you don’t need one to throw a party.

Until next time,

Genevieve

Post Title → Parties and the Smaller Home: Fiction vs. Fact

Introducing the Wine Guy!

"I know I don't have his looks. I know I don't have his money. I know I don't have his connections, his knowledge of fine wines. "
- Wayne Campbell in Wayne's World (1992)

Wine knowledge is not a skill set I possess. Oh sure, I know a white from a red, but that's because I can see the difference in color. This puts me at a disadvantage when I'm having a party. Many of my guests are true wine connoisseurs and I want to serve something they can enjoy. So what do I do? Turn to my good friend the Wine Guy! Mrs. Wine Guy is also a good friend of mine. We both are legendary for our shocking lack of ability to recognize fine wines. Many of our weeknight dinners have been unknowingly enhanced by a treasured wine our husbands were storing for a special occasion. Indeed, Mrs. Wine Guy once made a pot roast with a $150 bottle of cabernet from a case of wine bought at auction by Mr. Wine Guy. Her thinking, "there were multiple bottles of the same cabernet in the wine cellar so I thought it was OK to use."

With all the upcoming graduation parties - my older son is graduating from high school and my younger son from 8th grade - Memorial Day get-togethers and Father's Day celebrations, I asked the Wine Guy to recommend a few reasonably priced wines for those of us who are wine-challenged. Here are his selections.

Whites

• Toasted Head Chardonnay - Available for $9-$12 at most major grocery store chains. This wine is described by the Wine Guy as toasty. I don't care much for Chardonnay, but I have tried this wine and really enjoyed it.
  
• Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay - Available for $9-$14 , also at most major grocery chains. According to the Wine Guy, this used to be a more expensive wine, but the price was lowered without affecting the quality. He says there is some effervescence to this wine, so don't be surprised by a slight fizzy quality.
  

Reds

• Montes Alpha Cabernet - Available for $10 - $15 at Costco and large grocery chains. To quote the Wine Guy, "this is a fruit forward, dark berry, large wine. In a blind taste test it was put in the same category as wines priced at $35 a bottle".
  
• Barnard-Griffin Merlot - Available for $10 - $15. (I forgot to ask where to buy this wine but my guess is most grocery stores and any liquor store will carry it.) The Wine Guy calls this wine "easy to drink and mellow."

Champagne

Now for my favorite wine, champagne! I absolutely adore champagne! If I could drink only one type of wine or alcoholic beverage for the rest of my life it would be champagne. I do happen to know that true champagne comes from the Champagne region in France. Everything else is sparkling wine. Beyond this tidbit of knowledge I am clueless. So what does the Wine Guy say about champagne? When it comes to champagne you have to splurge. He recommends:

• Schramsberg Sparkling Wine - A California wine that ranges in price from $20 - $40. Wine Guy tells me that Schramsberg is the sparkling wine Richard Nixon took to Beijing on his historic visit to see Chairman Mao. Nixon gave Mao Schramsberg sparkling wine as a gift in exchange for the pandas which Mao gifted to the United States.
• Domaine Chandon Sparkling Wine - For a more reasonably priced champagne, the Wine Guy suggests Domaine Chandon sparkling wine from California. He describes this as a tolerable sparkling wine that is greatly improved by the addition of flavored liquors such as, raspberry Chambord. He adds that its perfect for my Genny cocktail. (To find the recipe visit http://www.thejewelboxhome.com/site/pages/hostess.html)
  

I urge everyone to seek out and use your own local wine guy. And if you have any recommendations we want to hear them.

Until next time,

Genevieve

Post Title → Introducing the Wine Guy!

New Jewel Box Home Features Coming In Spring!

'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place that's right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
- Simple Gifts, 19th Century Shaker Hymn by Elder Joseph Brackett

Thank you for your very nice notes asking where I have been. You are so thoughtful to write. The Jewel Box website and blog are my passion, but as often happens, life gets in the way. As some of you know, I have a full time job which has kept me unusually busy over the last few months. Also, my older son is applying to college and the sheer volume of paperwork has been staggering. Filling out the Financial Aid Form (FAFSA) should be listed as a method of torture by the CIA.

As for the website, I am planning to add more photos, create a seasonal newsletter, and have a feature where visitors can share their own stories about small home living. Everything should be up and running by early April, but don't be surprised if it slips to later in the month. Another 'cheese plate' crisis could halt my forward progress. Just the other day I was asked to run over to church and re-plate the cheese and deli tray, which had arrived on, God forbid, a plastic platter with saran-wrapped cheddar. Not to worry, after the substitution of a handled rattan tray and the addition of a few grapes and gourmet crackers, it was fit to grace the pages of Martha Stewart Living.

In the meantime, here are a few quick tips for springtime entertaining.

1. Sofa Magic. Let children, pets and family sit or lay down only on one side of your sofa cushion or cushions. Don’t worry if drinks, food or dirty paws leave stains. When you have a party, just flip the cushion over to the ‘good’ side and your sofa will look like new.
2. The Salad is in the Bag. When entertaining, assemble all your greens and salad fixings in a bowl. Mix the salad dressing, then combine the greens and dressing into a clean white kitchen garbage bag. Twist the top of the bag closed then shake the bag gently a few times. Pour all the salad contents from the bag into your serving bowl and wipe away any spills. The greens will be perfectly coated with dressing and ready to serve.
3. Flowers and Fruit - The Perfect Pairing. Add fruit to your flower arrangements. Apples, lemons, limes and oranges are not only perfect for anchoring flowers in a vase or bowl, but also look beautiful.
   

Until next time,
Genevieve

Post Title → New Jewel Box Home Features Coming In Spring!

Where Would You Sit?

You are at a party. There is nowhere to sit, except in the middle of the couch between two other people. Would you sit or stand?

At a Jewel Box party, you would not have to make this choice because your host would bring an extra chair, so that you could comfortably sit down. Why? When was the last time you saw three people sitting next to each other on a couch? Did the person in the middle look comfortable? Your Jewel Box party hosts understand this and would never expect you or a guest to sit in the middle of a couch. In fact, in keeping with the basic principles of Jewel Box decorating, the room would likely not have a couch, but instead a comfortable love seat and two occasional chairs. This way furniture is scaled in proportion to the smaller more intimate room dimensions.

Until next time!
Genevieve

Post Title → Where Would You Sit?

How to Throw a Dinner Party and Keep Your Sanity

Oh, the fun of arriving at a house and feeling the spark that tells you that you are going to have a good time.
-Mark Hampton

Let's talk about dinner parties. The Food Network makes it look so easy! Paula Deen, Rachel Ray and Michael Chiarello effortlessly pull together a several course meal that is beautifully plated and ready to go before guests even arrive! This, my friends, is not possible in the real world. I do love my Food Network shows, but they are not reality TV. When it comes to entertaining, the dinner party is the hardest event to pull off. Almost once a month I throw a dinner party, either family dinners, dinners for friends, or dinners with work colleagues. Every single time, about one hour before people arrive, I ask myself, "What was I thinking?!!" Then, as the minutes tick away, I realize yet again, that I am not and never will be Martha Stewart. There will not be lemon slices in the water, nor individual place cards at each setting and perfectly pressed linen napkins. In fact, on at least two occasions there was not even time to take a shower, but guests didn't seem to notice. I find that candle light and lots of good wine hide a multitude of sins. And yes, the enormous effort involved in throwing a dinner party, is worth it. Just make sure to give yourself a few days to recover after it is all over.

Let's look at the basics of a good dinner party:

The Purpose of a Dinner Party. Dinner parties are all about great conversation and good food. Celebrating a special occasion or accomplishment only adds to the fun.

The Guest List. Guests are the ‘Rock Stars’ at a dinner party. To create a memorable event, bring the right players to the table.

· How many to invite? Decide how many people can sit comfortably at your dinner table. I can seat eight with plenty of leg room, or a very cozy ten.

· Who to invite? The success of any dinner party hinges on the invitation list. The food can be spectacular, but if guests feel like they can’t, or won’t talk to each other, the party might as well be a wake. The key is to invite a mix of people who will naturally talk and laugh when brought together. How do you do this? Make sure connections between your guests already exist or will easily arise. Guests who don’t expect to see each other again, will not make an effort to mingle.

Food and Drink. A dinner party menu should not be complicated. Good simple food made with quality ingredients is always the best choice. Choose an entrée that always tastes delicious, and build the meal around it. If you don’t cook, find something you love from at a caterer. I like to build my dinner party menu around a marinated rosemary beef tenderloin. Let’s look at a sample menu.

Course	Food	Drink
Appetizers	Assorted cheeses, a crusty baguette and smoked salmon	Cocktails – Gin & Tonics, Martinis, Scotch & Water, Wine
First Course	Baby salad greens, red, orange and yellow peppers with balsamic vinagarette	White Wine – Chardonnay
Entrée	Marinated rosemary beef tenderloin, twice-baked potatoes and grilled asparagus	Red Wine – Cabernet Sauvignon
Desert	Grapes, strawberries, lemon bars and fudgy brownies	Espresso coffee and After Dinner Drinks – Port, Sambucca, Limoncello, Cognac

Entertainment/Activities. Conversation and food are the entertainment/activities at a dinner party. To keep conversation lively, I like to bring up a few topics of interest for all guests. Its good to have a mix of subjects, some humorous and some involving current issues. It’s also nice to focus the conversation with a toast during the entrée. This can be a toast to the guests or a celebratory toast recognizing the accomplishment of one individual.

Staging and Flow. When throwing a dinner party, plan on using three rooms: the living room, dining room and the kitchen. The beauty of a dinner party in a Jewel Box Home is that all these rooms are close together, so guests never feel neglected and you are able to be part of the action.

Good luck with your next dinner party and let me know how it goes!

Genevieve

Post Title → How to Throw a Dinner Party and Keep Your Sanity