Casserole Ca-razy!

Yo yo Ma.

I've recently decided to have dinner parties at my place. My place is tiny so I can have up to five people including me.
And what's the perfect dinner party dish? A casserole of course!

And thanks to my dear friend Audrey who got me "Casserole Crazy" by Emily Farris a couple of Christmases ago, and to my lovely aunt for the Le Creuset, I am able to make casseroles all-the-time.

My first foray into Casseroletown was a doozy. I made THE GREENPOINT for my friends Anna, Greg, Marc and Didier. It was a mess of Polish deliciousness!!!!

Here's the recipe, with some modifications:
- (1) lb rotelle pasta
- TWO large heat and serve kielbasa *original recipe calls for one, but that was not enuf meat!
- (1) large white onion, finely chopped
- (2) packets of sauerkraut
- (4) TBSP of olive oil
- (10) small potatoes *original recipe calls for (2) portobello mushrooms, but one of my guests isn't a mushroom fan, so I decided to add more carbs!
- (2) cups of cream of celery soup *again, recipe called for cream of mushroom soup, see above
- (1) cup grated Parmesan cheese (I put the WHOLE container in)
- Salt n Pepper
- (16) oz frozen sweet peas

Preheat oven to 350F. Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water. Cook to just under al dente, drain, and set aside.
Cut the kielbasa into 1/4" slices. In a large saucepan (or wok) over high heat, saute the kielbasa slices, onion, and sauerkraut in the olive oil. When the kielbasa is browned *add the mushrooms and sautee for 3-5 minutes.
(At this time, I was also boiling the potatoes in super salty water).
In a LARGE pot over low heat, mix the kielbasa mixture and the soup. When well mixed, add the pasta. When the pasta is well coated with the soup, add 3/4 cup of the Parmesan while continuing to stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the frozen peas (they should be frozen) and stir.
Take the boiled potatoes out and cool down with cold water. Slice the potatoes and place at the bottom of a greased casserole dish.
Transfer mixture from large pot to the casserole dish on top of the potatoes. Sprinke the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake, uncovered, 40 - 45 minutes or until slightly browned on top.

Let sit for a bit, then gorge!

And for dessert I made an amazing Triple Berry Pie! Reminiscent of Carey's berry pie, but I don't make my own crust ;-)

Party Essentials

Everyone should have the following if you plan on entertaining more than one person in your home, and especially if you plan on entertaining the right way.


Wine Glasses
Everyone should own a set of 4. They are not that expensive, so you have no excuse. Granted, it's chic to use small drinking glasses or stemless wine glasses, but I prefer the traditional. Cheap ones can be found at Ikea. When in doubt, go with red wine glasses as they can be used for white as well. (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50133069)

A Serving Platter
It's better to have one of these than putting your snacks and hors d'ouevres on a regular ole plate. Platters are decorative, larger and shows you are an expert host/hostess. I like the ones available at Elsewares.com. (http://www.elsewares.com/commerce/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=tray&x=0&y=0)

Candles
These can be tapered (as seen on traditional dining room tables) or they can be pillar candles if your setting is a coffee table. Either way, they add to ambient lighting and the scented ones add an extra "spice" to the party. Joe Malone has some great ones, although you can definitely find cheaper at Bath & Body Works. (http://www.jomalone.com/templates/landing/candles.tmpl)

Wine and Snacks.
I always try to have two spare bottles of wine in my apartment for impromptu dinner parties or spontaneous guests. I also think everyone should have a set of snacks, like nuts or oriental snack mix (http://www.nutsonline.com/snacksmixes/oriental-mix.html).

Seating
It's important that your guests are comfortable. So have a set of folding chairs (if your apt is small you can easily store these), or a set of throw pillows so people can sit on the floor and not hurt their bum. Try Target (http://www.target.com/gp/search/ref=sr_ln_2/178-9805031-4724842?ie=UTF8&rh=k%3Apillow%2Cn%3A1038616&field-keywords=pillow)

XOXO

Tiny Living/Tiny Entertaining by Jessica

Welcome to My Tiny Home!

Can you do a jumping jack in your apartment without hitting anything? Well, lucky you: Your place must be HUGE. For the rest of us, entertaining in our tiny spaces can be a daunting prospect, but it *can* be done successfully. Here are some things to consider.


REALITY CHECK
How many people can you comfortably entertain in your space? Don't overshoot, or you'll end up making either yourself or your guests miserable. You can start by counting your seating options. For a dinner party, make sure there is a reasonable perch for each guest. For a more casual gathering, you can count on a handful of people standing at any given time. Can't bring yourself to cut the list down? Have a back-up plan, such as a nearby bar, where you can all escape on foot once you reach maximum capacity.


SPACE SAVERS

• Designate space! How are your friends supposed to know not to set a drink on your new scanner when it lives on your coffee table?
• Move all clutter out of sight to create the illusion of space. Clear off surfaces and store things in closets, if you have a closet. Or the trunk of a friend's car. Or the roof.
• Decorate with light, not objects. Small lamps, sconces or candles will go further than a vase of flowers and can be placed strategically in empty spaces, illuminating empty space and making your home feel more expansive. Choose small decorative light sources to create a cozy atmosphere.
• Clean up as you go, a few dishes at a time. Just put them in the sink or hide in a box under the sink for later. (What, disposable dishes? No way, planet-killer!)


FURNITURE

• For serving meals, round tables can offer more flexibility than a square or rectangle, particularly if your guests are of varied size. No wasting an entire side of a table on one tiny person!
• Avoid chairs with arms. They take up valuable real estate and are unnecessary.
• For extra seating, convert a bench or plant stand into a chair by padding it with a decorative pillow. Exercise balls are a last resort only and are reserved for the host. Kidding. Sort of.
• Use a butcher block or dresser top for extra serving space. You can easily convert any tall furniture item into a bar on the spur of the moment. Clear it off and cover with a piece of fabric for decoration.


SETTING THE TABLE FOR A DINNER PARTY
Having eight guests around a table meant to seat five? It can be done. Don't fight the space; work with it.

• Forgo traditional settings. Use small plates. Two small plates per person will leave more room for glasses.
• Keep your portion size small enough to fit on the plates and serve seconds and thirds. Eating slowly and spacing it out is better for conversation, anyway. You may clear the small plates after each course, if you wish.
• Create your own look by unifying your table setting with a theme, which can be as simple as a color, or a shape.
• Avoid space-hogs like giant tippy wine glasses and use quirky small ones instead. Isn't sipping out of a thimble charming?
• Use decorative cocktail napkins. They're smaller and will look nice on the table.
• Don't serve everything at once; do it in stages to avoid clutter.
• Serve from the kitchen; don't have serving plates on the table. If you must have serving dishes on the table, select small ones and refill from the kitchen frequently.


MISCELLANY

• Don't forget music - it helps people relax and staves off claustrophobia.
• Lots of booze guarantees nothing, but do it anyway.


SHOPPING SUGGESTIONS

• Ikea for small furniture items, cute cocktail napkins and glasses you don't mind breaking
• Fishes Eddy for quirky and inexpensive glassware and random adorable tiny items you didn't know existed
• Outdoor markets/antiquey junk shops for pretty individual serving utensils
• Tiny Living for "solutions for small spaces" - http://www.tinyliving.com/store/


(Thanks Jessica!!!)

*Peace*And*Loaf*2009*

My bff has an annual meatloaf party where she serves a perfect loaf! It's a super secret recipe, but from what I understand it's a culmination of a lot of hard work.

This year, there were some rival loafs! But the spirit and essence of a great party were all there: great decor, an AMAZING spread of food, a wide surplus of booze, and a great playlist.

Lo and Al, I salute you!!Here were the names of all the loafs:

• Neatloaf (A delish soy loaf by Jaime)

• PeaceLoaf (By the hosts)

• MeatJoef (by Danielle and Joe--I think that's the right name?)

Dinner Parties, Tapas Style

Most people FREAK out at the prospect of dinner parties. But my friend Jessica has them at least twice a week!

And they are awesome, but they don't involve a crazy amount of work or that much stress.

What she basically does is invite a couple of friends over, pick a general theme or dish to center the night around, and ask someone to bring a bottle of wine.

It turns out wonderful. A couple of weeks ago the theme was Guacamole and Beans & Rice. The guests brought margarita mixers and booze. DEE-LUSH-OUS!

You too can have a "dinner party!"

Some great basics:
- Cheese
- Olives
- Cornichons
- Proscuitto
- Wine
- Nuts

And for the warmer dish, anything baked such as:
- Baked Brie (can add sunflower seeds on top and some garlic, and serve with crackers)
- Bean dip with some cheese
- Squash or Eggplant, baked with some yummy spices and Olive oil inside
- A Flatbread Pizza (homemade or from Trader Joe's!)

Take it from me, these are fun for the host and guests alike!