Easy Meals For Casual Entertaining
When you need easy meal ideas for entertaining, follow this plan. It’s perfect for casual dinner parties and the recipes are simple to make when you’re hosting overnight guests, relatives, or friends.
When I’m looking for dinner party ideas for casual entertaining, I’m reaching for a casserole dish or the crock pot. The focus isn’t on preparing formal or fancy dinners, it’s about creating a menu with comfort food that’s easy to prepare for the people we know best.
To me that means hosting family, friends, and overnight guests, and this easy meal plan will make your table feel like home. Everything can be made or assembled ahead, and the recipes continue to get rave reviews year after year.
Serve A Welcome Drink
No matter how casual it is, a welcome drink is always necessary. Set up a tray on the kitchen island and let guests make their own mocktail or cocktail. Or have a premade pitcher drink that’s easy to pour.
Prepare a sparkling fruit punch with just 3 ingredients. Make it a mocktail or a cocktail. This sunshine punch can also be made with or without champagne. Make it non-alcoholic to serve all ages.
Classic red sangria is always a welcome party drink, but if you prefer white wine, make a batch of peach sangria.
Light Appetizers
Offer a light snack to nibble on while dinner finishes cooking. Make room temperature appetizers so there’s no need to keep them chilled or hot.
Make pimento cheese spread a day or two ahead, and serve with a variety of chips, crackers and vegetables. Serve next to deviled eggs that taste elevated. Buy boiled and peeled eggs in the refrigerated section, to save time.
Easy Dinner
For easy, casual dinners I stick to slow cooker recipes or make-ahead casseroles. Prepare and assemble my rich and delicious homemade chicken tetrazzini a day ahead and then bake it when guests arrive. It tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for those 24 hours and letting those flavors marry!
Salad
Add bread, salads or roasted veggies to round out the menu and complement the casserole. A green salad can be made ahead, covered, and refrigerated until ready to serve. Just wait to add the dressing until serving time.
My make-ahead kale and apple salad with walnuts is delicious with perfectly balanced flavor.
I read somewhere recently that the relish dish is making a comeback. I say it never left! In fact I love using my vintage oyster plate to hold pickles, olives, nuts and celery. Not only does this add something to nibble on, but it adds visual interest to the table setting.
Dessert
If you’re making a casserole for dinner, use your crock pot for dessert! Make slow cooker brownies and serve with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent finish to the meal.
Other Entree Options
This Mexican pasta casserole never disappoints with its blend of Mexican and Italian ingredients. It’s unique enough to impress your guests, too.
Other classic dishes are baked spaghetti, or this layered pasta bake that’s similar to lasagna but much easier to prepare.
When it comes to using the slow cooker, the best spaghetti meat sauce is one of my go-to meals. Or, use it to make a soup recipe and keep it warm in a crock pot.
Set a Casual Table
Just because you’re hosting a casual dinner doesn’t mean you can’t create an attractive table. Here are three simple tips to follow to create a lovely table without the hassle.
- Start with a single neutral color like tan, and use it in the tablecloth, napkins, and dishes. Pick a second color for interest like I did here with green glasses. It will pop against the neutral base.
- Faux leather placemats look chic and are easy to wipe clean. The round shape outlines the round dinner plates, but creates contrast with the square checks on the tablecloth.
- Fold napkin neatly on top of the plates. These are cotton-poly blend and wash well so you can use them for everyday meals.
Easy Centerpiece
No Flowers? No Problem! I love a floral centerpiece as much as anyone, but sometimes you run out of time, you’re on a budget, or the available flower selection just isn’t going to work with your decor.
Pull out some candle sticks, a tray, and some votive candles to make a last minute centerpiece. Create an unexpected twist by placing wine corks in a few of the candle sticks instead of taper candles.
Provide Endless Conversation
There’s never a dull moment when you put conversation cards at each place setting. Grab our 36 conversation starters free download and print them out on to decorative paper or card stock.
Add a few to each place setting. I love using these vintage floral frogs as holders. And you can spray paint them any color to coordinate with your party table.
If you want to put a little extra effort into this, make these layered diy 3-piece menu & place card sets.
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Casual Dinner Chicken Tetrazzini recipe
Casual dinner party recipe for chicken tetrazzini is delicious comfort food that you can prepare ahead for easy hosting. Use rotisserie chicken for a head start, along with pasta, mushrooms, and a creamy cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces vermicelli or thin spaghetti, cooked al dente
- 4 cups shredded chicken (use a rotisserie chicken)
- 6 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ medium onion, diced
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Topping
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Cook spaghetti, drain, and toss with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to keep it from sticking together. Return to the warm pot (not over heat) or large mixing bowl and mix in mushrooms and chicken and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until tender.
- Whisk in flour until smooth and cook while continuing to whisk for 1 minute; Slowly add milk and broth about ½ cup at a time while cooking and whisking until thickened. This can take 5 to 10 minutes since each time you add more liquid it brings the temperature down a little. The result should be a smooth thickened sauce that clings to a spoon when dipped.
- Add salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and cheese, and continue to cook while whisking for about 1 minute or until the cheese is melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and combine with chicken, pasta and mushrooms. Spoon into a 1 to 1 ½ -quart baking dish sprayed with cooking spray if desired.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Combine topping ingredients together in a small bowl and spread over the top of the casserole and cook for 10 more minutes UNCOVERED.
Notes
MAKE-AHEAD: Prepare dish up until baking. After spooning everything into the casserole dish, let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready, take dish out of the fridge and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Bake as directed, adding 5 more minutes to covered cooking time.
TIP: Break the long pasta in half before adding it to the water to cook; that way it's easier to mix in.
Double the recipe for a crowd.
Substitute the sliced mushrooms with 1 cup frozen peas.
Alternative topping: Use 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (mozzarella, white cheddar, or gruyere) instead of the breadcrumb topping, and cook for 10 minutes uncovered.
Gorgeous, as always!
Thank you , Teesha! xo
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Thanks so much Ophelia!
I <3 everything about this! The mix of natural elements, antiques, and green pops of color is lovely!
I couldn’t agree more, Layla! Thanks for commenting : )