Simplify Hosting

Blog #2 Creating a menu

In this post, I’m going to cover everything regarding the food you are going to serve. In My first blog, I explain how to build a tablescape, and I mention you should start by making a list of everything you will serve so you can arrange the table accordingly. This blog will cover three menus: a simple breakfast board and Family-style Lunch that can be upscaled and be a fancy dinner.

Hosting breakfast can be challenging because mornings are usually very chaotic. That’s why I love to do bords. Baglle boards are a simple and versatile way to host a fun breakfast. I like to start the night before, so my morning runs smoother. I will break down the ingredients and how much to get.

Bagels

• Original (1/2 a bagel per person)
• Everything but the Bagel (1/2 a bagel per person)
• Cinnamon (1/2 a bagel per person)

Savory toppings ( I like to calculate one whole savory Bagel per person)

• Butter
• Creem Chees
• Protein ( I listed my favorites)
  • Smoked salmon 
  • Ham
  • Prosciutto
  • Salami
• Capers
• Red onion (serve it sliced super thin)
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Avocado

be creative and serve your favorite toppings. I like to add new and seasonal toppings every time.

Sweet toppings (I calculate 1/2 a sweet bagel per person)

• Nutella
• Honey
• Favorite Jelly or fruit preserve

Have fun and fill the board with whatever you have in your home. This is supposed to be a stress-free hosting.

Now for the Family-style lunch menu, this is my favorite way to serve food. When I’m hoasting something casual, prepare your favorite comfort food and serve it up in big platers or straight from the sheet pan or pot. My go-to Family-style lunch menu Is a simple caesar salad (I get the pre-packaged bags). Next, I like to serve chicken breast that I season with basically whatever spices I already have at home, place them on a baking sheet in the oven, and serve it just like that. And lastly, this sun-dried tomato mac and chees from Justeen Snacks https://justinesnacks.com/sun-dried-tomato-mac-n-cheese/. My basic rule for a Family-style lunch menu is to have veggies, protein, and carbs; with that basic rule, you can adapt it to fit your needs better if you are trying to upscale this menu, I would start by changing the protein to salmon or stake. Then, I would change the salad to rosed veggies or make a salad from scratch with seasonal veggies.

Choosing a menu may sound intimidating, but you will get the hang of it, find what is easier for you, and have staple foods that you can customize to switch it up. Have fun, and don’t be scared to find inspo on Pinterest or other food bloggers.

Blog#3 Top 5 must-do when hoasting

I have five tips for you to follow for smooth a fun hosting. Number one, plan everything to be done 30 min before so that when guests arrive, you are not running around. Having everything set and ready to go will make you enjoy it much more. Number two Have all your serving plates out and labeled for easy serving. I love to do this because it will help you, and when people ask how I can help you? They know exactly what to do.

Number three is a drink bar. This will help you and your guest feel comfortable serving their drinks, and you don’t have to act like a server.

The number four pay attention to detail. Some details I always like to consider are (food allergies/ selective eaters, sober guests, and like remembering people’s favorite food and trying to incorporate them).I recommend reading my Menu blog for some ideas https://isabelramirezcasillas.blog/2023/01/17/tao-te-ching-by-lao-tzu/

Number Five is cleaning. It’s considered “rude” to start cleaning are still in your house, but I recommend you do the cleaning when guests are still there. Having people to talk to and helping you makes it 100 times better, and you get to wake up to a clean house. ( I like to ease the cleaning before the desert, so people don’t leave). I hope these tips will serve you and make your next hoasting easier.

Blog #1 Tablescape Overview

Tablescaping is defined as ” The act of creatively and intentionally arranging a tabletop so that it conveys a specific theme, mood, or experience.” I created a step-by-step guide full of tips and tricks to ease you into the world of tablescaping or at least provide helpful information for your next hosting.

The first thing I do when planning a tablescape is choosing the mood and theme. I have two categories for mood casual and formal. I categorize an event as formal when I’m hosting for a specific reason, such as birthdays and holidays. Casual mood usually means hosting a monthly friend dinner or a Sunday family gathering. Finding a theme for the event usually comes naturally after defining the mood. Some examples of themes would be Italian, Picnic, or botanical. Don’t stress about it. Your theme can be as simple as a color palette. Below are some examples of tables I have made in the past.

Step two is to choose a Menu. Start by making a list of everything you will serve so you can arrange the table accordingly. For example, What silver where do we need at the table? How many plates? Do you need serving platers? Depending on the food, we can also choose if we want paper or cloth napkins. Suppose the food you serve is very messy; I would skip on a tablecloth. If you selected a county as a theme, try to serve food from that country so everything is harmonized. I will be making another blog with more details about creating a menu. 

Now we are ready for step three and the most creative step setting the table. When selecting the table, I like to think of three layers. The layers will change depending on the event, but the order is this:

1. Table cloth
   1. Table Liner
   2. Table Cloth
2. China
   1. Charger
   2. Dinner Plate
   3. Appetizer/Salad plate
   4. Bowl (if needed)
   5. Desert Plate (I like to set them on the table if there is no bowl)
   6. Cutlery (Refer to your menu to set appropriately) *Make sure you place them correctly.
   7. Glassware ( I usually do Wine glasses and water/drink glasses)
   8. Napkin
3. Center decor
   1. Flowers (Trader joes has the best quality and price)
   2. Candles
   3. Serving plates (I like to label them with a post-it beforehand to make the serving process smother)
   4. Runner (I like getting the paper ones because they are pretty cheap and let me switch it up every time) These are my favorite ones (https://hesterandcook.com/collections/table-runners-tabletop)

It looks like a long, intimidating list, but I promise it’s easy and gets better with time. Remember, you should enjoy the process and not stress about it. I will continue to post more blogs to explain everything in more detail, but this was a simple overview to get you started.

Defenition of tablescape :https://fearlessfresh.com/what-is-tablescaping/