I went to a few graduation parties this year snd all were catered. One was BBQ, one Wegmans (they do an awesome job!) And one a catwrung company that had staff there to serve and clean up.

Believe it or not, Uncle Julios does a GREAT catering job and they can send someone to set up, refill platters, and clean uo. All hot food.

Make a big lasagna or chicken pot pie (both crowd pleasers). Both can be baked in advanced and warmed up in the oven just before people come. Make a big salad, although don't toss with dressing until the last minute. Roast vegetables or cold steamed vegetables in light dressings can be made in advance. Put out nibbles as appetizers when people first come, such as hommus, cheese and crackers, grapes, olives. Or platters of sliced tomato and mozzarella. Serve a cake with sliced strawberries and ice cream afterwards.

If the menu seems a bit mundane, remember that a nicely set table goes a long way to establishing the mood! As someone who's thrown many dinner parties over the years I've come to realize that most people are just as happy with a well-cooked mundane meal as they are with a "gourmet" complicated meal.

If you want to step it up a notch, you can do a roast beef or lamb in advance. When it comes out of the oven, wrap it securely with foil and kitchen towels to keep it warm and it will stay warm for a hour or two before dinner (I take my Christmas beef out of the oven two hours before we carve it and it's still quite warm and a perfect medium rare). Serve with horseradish sauce, roast potatoes and steamed carrots and a big salad, all which can be prepared in advance and quickly heated up if needed.

Good luck! And congratulations on the graduation!

Op, I'm sort of "vested" in this thread as I wrote a book of suggestions earlier. I would love to hear back on what you decided.

It really depends on what DD likes to eat. If DD is 18 years old and prefers more casual stuff, they'd work well--especially pulled pork or chicken feels like summer to me.

If DD just finished her MD/PhD and wants roasted salmon and asparagus and fingerling potatoes, that's cool.

My "graduation dinner party" for high school and grad school was bagels and spreads and cold cuts because the graduations were in the morning. We went out to dinner after the college one. One brother had pizza and Costco cake after his. Other brother, we ate at Sequoia. For a cousin, we went to a hibachi grill and had a great time watching our grandpa try to catch food in his mouth as the cook flipped it to him.

OP should check with her daughter about what SHE wants.

Anonymous wrote:What does your family (especially DD) like to eat? Some easy make-ahead options:

lasagna or baked ziti (maybe do a vegetarian and a non-veg one) with green salad and a few interesting toppings and dressings people can choose

pulled chicken or pork in a crockpot with coleslaw, buns, and salad or veggie sticks

taco meat pre-cooked and then warmed in a crockpot with rice, tortillas, and lots of toppings you prep in advance. Make a pot of black or pinto beans for vegetarians

To me, none of these say "graduation dinner party."

Anonymous wrote:What does your family (especially DD) like to eat? Some easy make-ahead options:

lasagna or baked ziti (maybe do a vegetarian and a non-veg one) with green salad and a few interesting toppings and dressings people can choose

pulled chicken or pork in a crockpot with coleslaw, buns, and salad or veggie sticks

taco meat pre-cooked and then warmed in a crockpot with rice, tortillas, and lots of toppings you prep in advance. Make a pot of black or pinto beans for vegetarians

OMG....

What happened to the Op?

You can roast several trays of vegetables in the oven - just a little olive oil sprinkled over the tops and a high heat (400F) for 1 hour.

Sweet potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, leeks, onions, anything you like really.

And the broccoli actually tastes amazing when the florets crisp up.

They will all be ready at the same time and can feed lots of people. Its not fussy but its tasty, varied and healthy.

For dessert, I highly recommend this make-ahead cake for a summertime celebration. I have now made it 3 times and it's an instant crowd favorite. And, I have also learned it absolutely tastes better if made a day ahead and the flavors are able to mingle while refrigerated.
I bought 3 cake pans from the dollar store so I could make the triple layer cake 3-layer without breaking the bank on tins. If nervous about making an unknown cake for such a special occasion, you could make a practice cake ahead of time and test it on your co-workers, or other friends as a treat beforehand.

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/delicious-orange-pineapple-cake/

What does your family (especially DD) like to eat? Some easy make-ahead options:

lasagna or baked ziti (maybe do a vegetarian and a non-veg one) with green salad and a few interesting toppings and dressings people can choose

pulled chicken or pork in a crockpot with coleslaw, buns, and salad or veggie sticks

taco meat pre-cooked and then warmed in a crockpot with rice, tortillas, and lots of toppings you prep in advance. Make a pot of black or pinto beans for vegetarians

Pp here, sorry for the typos. I have a few more tips. ; )

Please make sure your powder room is very clean
Purchase flowers (grocery is fine, but put them in a vase)
Please contact your guests ahead of time and ask for any aversions or allergies and if they have any, please be gracious and accommodate.

I used to be that frazzled host and I have learned to calm down quite a bit over the years by making smart decisions and by recognizing that when I come off frazzled it made others uncomfortable. It also can make others uncomfortable if the host is slaving away in the kitchen. 10 minutes always turns into more minutes away from your guests than you initially expect.

I like this menu:
A simple green salad with house made dressing (made the day before) with a warmed baguette and softened butter in a dish
Vegetable medley (you can choose several to roast and when they are done lay them out on a beautiful platter sprinkled with parsley. Options: beets, green beans, asparagus, carrots with green tops
Ina Gartens baked mashed potatoes- if you love goat cheese you will really like this dish. It's better if it's made the day before in my opinion.
Two roast chickens-seasoned the day before. I would put them in the oven an hour before your guests arrive OR you can make
Salmon on a baking sheet with olive oil, cut up lemon slices and dill. It's so quick you assemble it ahead of time and pop it in the oven for 15-20 mins or so right before dinner.

For your starters, I would have out the drinks you know your guests will enjoy. For me it would be white and red wine. A charchutie platter is quick, easy and can be assembled really early. I have a wood platter that I use. I like to have at least two meats. I slice them up (round slices) and put at least two different kinds on the platter at opposite sides. You can choose a fancy cheese or simply buy two different cheeses that are already cubed. Go for different colors. Simply add some crackers, blackberries, and a bunch or red or green grapes and you have a beautiful started with different textures, colors, shapes and sizes. It's very apeskingbto the eye. Have a few small plates set up by the platter.

Tips: create stations away from the kitchen if you don't want your guests to hang there. People tend to congregate where the food and booze are.

Set the table the night before if feasible but place the dishes upside down. I'm a germaphobe and no one wants a dusty plate.


Dessert: this is the one thing you could buy with no judgment. Since its for a graduation I would go with a cake.

Lastly: enjoy yourself! Remember the occasion. Remember that the people in the room love you, and as much as I love to eat good food, the company really makes the difference. So if you are a perfectionist like myself, really try to relax and enjoy the moment.

^^^PP here. Also, make a written menu for yourself - it will help you keep track of food and timing.

This is what I would do:

Make this as your entree:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017161-oven-roasted-chicken-shawarma

Serve it with these green beans:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013769-turkish-style-braised-green-beans?action=click&module=Local%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=1

*Several days ahead: Get shopping done, clean the house. Consider making or buying a dessert - Costco has excellent desserts that feed a big group.

*One day ahead:

Set the table. Put all the serving dishes in an accessible place and label them with post-its about what will go there.
Marinate the meat in a big covered bowl in the fridge.

*Day of:

Chop up feta, olives, parsley, and whatever other garnishes you plan to serve with the chicken, and put them in small containers in the fridge.
Make green beans. They take awhile, but can be served at room temperature so don't worry about the timing too much.
Make a salad if you want another green dish.

*An hour before guests arrive:

Set out any appetizers you are serving but keep it simple, e.g. cheese & crackers with grapes.
Set up rice to cook in a rice cooker.
Put pita bread in baskets on the table.
Put the chicken pieces in the cooking pans.
Set up a beverages area with an ice bucket, glassware, drinks etc. for people to help themselves.
Put the chicken in the oven before guests arrive - don't fuss too much with timing, it doesn't have to be steaming hot when served.

*When guests arrive:

Enjoy a glass of wine
Have cheese and crackers
Visit for a bit
Return to the kitchen and put the rice, chicken, and green beans in serving dishes. Enlist a few family members to ferry them to the dining room.

Done!

Hope this helps.

Please give me advice on how I can be a good, relaxed hostess for a dinner party. I am having 10 extended family members to dinner soon to celebrate DD's graduation. I'd like to have the table set in advance, fresh flowers/nice centerpieces, some apps and sparkling wine to toast her, then disappear in to the kitchen for about 10 minutes max and have dinner on the table with more wine and water.

I think I am a good cook, but always end up feeling like I spent way too much time in the kitchen when I attempt these kinds of things. Then some people inevitably hang out there with me, which I don't really like because I get distracted and everything takes even longer. I'm afraid I come off frazzled and like I'm not having fun, rather than relaxed and social.

Any tips for a workable timetable? Things I can do a day or two in advance? Easy appetizers and side dishes so that I'm not cooking too much? TIA!