I love entertaining and making my guests feel comfortable & welcome. Adding special touches, even in a small way is a great opportunity to show appreciation for your guests and make them feel special. I had a girls weekend planned and wanted to do a fun and more intimate dinner where we could relax and catch up. But I also didn’t want to be in the kitchen worrying about it all why they were visiting. This simple party lets you do things ahead of time you can fully enjoy your guests.

For the theme of this party I went with a summer italian style dinner. I wanted to serve something light and easy.

Here is the menu

Mini charcuterie boards with fruit, cheese & meats
Gazpacho soup
Mixed greens salad
Crusty bread tied with fresh rosemary & served with EVOO and balsamic vinegar dip
Lemon mousse for dessert
 

 
To set the table I draped burlap down the center to create a rustic feel and add a little texture to the table. Then I added some eucalyptus greenery to a galvanized trough for a natural element & tucked candles in for ambiance.
 
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I love to layer place settings. This setting has a straw placemat, black charger and then the dinner plate. I added a striped napkin to add a print and a little bit of whimsey. Then I placed the mini wooden board on top of the napkin and placed the bread tied with parchment paper and fresh rosemary at the top of the plate.
 

 

I also love to give my guests a little gift at their place setting. I made these little goody bags and filled them with candy, a homemade lip balm, tissue & handcream. I went with a natural color scheme to go with my rustic table theme.
 

To make the goody bags you’ll need; {all supplies purchased at Michaels Stores}

 
Mini paper bags
Small paper doilies
Jute twine
Round hole punch
Flower embellishment of your choice
A tag or card with your sentiment
Small goodies to put inside {homemade lip balm recipe below}

 

Here’s how I made the bags

 
1-add your goodies first!
2-fold the top of the bag over

3- fold the doilies in half over the top of the bag

4-punch two holes at the top about a half-inch apart through the doilies and the bag
5–thread your jute through the hole, add the tag and tie a bow.
6- add your embellishment to the front of the bag ( these were cute burlap flowers to add more texture to the look.)

 

 

Here is the lip balm recipe

 

 
To prepare the food, I made the gazpacho soup  & salad earlier that day. I also wrapped the bread and kept it covered to stay fresh. I prepared the charcutcherie boards before the guests arrived. I ha all the food ready and just had to assemble them directly on the table.  Then I made the desserts. Super simple and everything was ready to serve when my guest arrived.

Gazpacho soup recipe:

INGREDIENTS

2 large onions
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved
1 onion, peeled, halved
1 bell pepper seeded and quartered
24 oz. tomato juice, divided
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
a few dashes of hot sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
small bag of deveined, cooked shrimp (size of your choice) These can be omitted if you don’t like seafood
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
Parmesan cheese for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1- Blend 1 tomato, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 of the onion, 1/4 of the bell pepper & half cup tomato juice in a blender until smooth
2- transfer to a bowl and add remaining tomato juice & the olive oil, vinegar,salt, pepper and hot sauce
3-cover and chill for 2 or more hours in the refrigerator.
4- dice the remaining veggies and refrigerate separate from the soup
5- stir in the garlic and chopped vegis  and shrimp before serving. SPrinkle with chives and parmesan cheese before serving.
6- you can keep any leftover in the fridge up to 5 days.
 

LEMON CHEESECAKE MOUSSE DESSERT

{This is a very light and fluffy treat perfect for a summer dessert}

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

3/4 cup crushed graham crackers
2 T sugar
3 T salted butter melted

MOUSSE

2 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 T water
1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar divided
12 oz cream cheese softened
1 (10 oz) jar of lemon curd
Whipped cream, lemon wedges, mint and blueberries to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1- in a mixing bowl whisk together the graham crackers and sugar. Pour in the butter and stir until it is all moistened. Divide the mixture into 8 dessert cups and press into an even layer
2-pur the lemon juice and water into a small bowl. sprinkle with the gelatin over the top and let it set for 5 minutes. Then whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
3-add in 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar and add a little yellow food coloring if desired. WHip the mixture until stiff peaks form. In another large mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Mis in the lemon curd and remqining 2/3 cup powder sugar into the cream cheese mixture
4-heat the gelatin mixture to help it dissolve then be sure to let it cool
5-Slowly add the gelatin mixture while mixing the cream cheese mixture and blend it until thoroughly combined. Fold the whipped cream mixture into the cream mixture then add the remaining whipped cream folding it in gently,
6- pipe the mixture into your dessert cups over the crust. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or make the day ahead. Then garnish as you would like.
 
The best thing about entertaining is watching your guest relax and enjoy themselves. Being able to interact with your guests and not slaving away in the kitchen is so much better! SO, anything you can do ahead is the way to go. Hopefully you got some inspiration and ideas for your next dinner party!

Happy Entertaining