Meals for Parties & Group Gatherings

10 Tips for Stress Free Cooking
Cooking and eating should be pleasurable experiences, not opportunities to stress and overwhelm yourself with the details of preparation. Look to these helpful tips to make a difference in planning and preparing a delicious meal with the least amount of stress possible.

5 Easy Crock Pot Tapas
Tapas are a Spanish appetizer that's easy to make and fun to eat. These five suggestions for tapas made with your crock pot are just some of the delicious possibilities you'll find once you've tried and enjoyed this light fare from Spanish culture.

Birthday Party Foods
Birthday parties need to be fun and relaxing for all concerned. The foods you serve don’t have to be fancy or time consuming to make. There are many types of foods that are enjoyable, easy to put together and fun to eat.

Call On Your Inner Chef to Create a Five Star Picnic
Turning ordinary picnics into five-star events is easier than you might think. Taking tips from restaurants that combine ingredients in unusual ways makes it easy to conjure up some new, exciting flavors that will delight your guests. This article contains simple suggestions for elevating the level and enjoyment of your next five-star picnic, something you'll take pleasure in creating and presenting for a memorable day with fancy foods that doesn't require a tuxedo or a fine gown.

Caribbean Inspired Gourmet On A Budget
How about a getaway vacation to a warm, sunny Carribean isle? Well, we don’t have that kind of transformative power, but we can offer the next best thing – a delicious Carribean-inspired gourmet meal. You can then supply all the imagination necessary to turn your dining experience into an island oasis you’re sure to remember.

Celebrate Independence Day with Great Food
Ah, it’s the Fourth of July and the thought of those great parades, the gigantic fireworks displays and all that great food is in the air. Before you fire up that grill why not take a little time to plan a menu for an Independence Day feast everyone will remember?

Church Potluck Meal Ideas
Ahh the annual church potluck is coming up. What a great time to gather in the company of close friends and family. If you're wondering what to make this year for your church potluck dinner, have no fear the following two recipes are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration
Cinco de Mayo is time when many people celebrate. Having the right foods for everyone to enjoy can be the highlight of the party. Here are a few ideas that will keep them coming back for more.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration (Recipes Included)
Here are some great ideas for a Cinco de Mayo get together.

Create New Picnic Main Dishes With Meats and Seafood
Picnic time isn't always the time to rely on old favorites to carry the day's meals. Fried chicken, sandwiches, and predictable side dishes might not draw the kind of excitement you're looking for from your picnic crowd. Try some of these fresh ideas for making the most of meats and seafood at your next picnic.

Crock Pot Fondue For Some Classic Dipping
Crock pots are perfect for making fondue from a number of different elements, most importantly oil, cheese, and chocolate. Read on to discover how useful your appliance can be in helping you cook up some delicious fondue favorites for you and your guests.

Dazzle Them Office Potluck
Ok so the office wants to have another potluck dinner. Why not try something different. This recipe will WOW them and they will never know it took very little time and effort.

Enjoy a Beach-Style Picnic Wherever You Want
If you aren't lucky enough to live close to a beach, you can still enjoy a beach-style picnic wherever you go. With the right clothes, tools, food, music, and accessories, you can bring the beach to your favorite location. This article gives you lots of ideas on how to enjoy the beach atmosphere with friends and family who are in the mood for a little surf, sand, and summer fun.

Father's Day Meal Ideas
What’s the best gift to give to dad on Father’s Day? A meal that is fit for a king. Here are five great recipes that any man is sure to enjoy on his special day.

Favorite Picnic Dishes from Days Gone By
Remember the fabulous foods your parents and grandparents made for picnics you attended as a child? You can recreate those memories and the recipes themselves by introducing your own style and flavors to classic fare from the 1940's, '50s, and '60s. Today's healthier ingredients will modernize the value of the foods you eat, while keeping the flavors as enjoyable as they were years ago.

Festive Fourth of July Tight Budget
These days everyone is on a tight budget. Being on a budget doesn’t mean that you still can’t be festive. Your Fourth of July can sparkle with some of these inexpensive decorating and food ideas.

Fire Up Fresh Ideas with a Grilled Picnic
It's that time of year, when planned picnics bring people and good food together for a special occasion. This year, why not think beyond the hot dogs, hamburgers, and salads you're used to serving, and try something different? A hot grill is a handy accessory to create new and exciting dishes that will spark life into your annual outdoor ceremony, courtesy of some fresh ideas you'll find in this article.

Food Fit for Your King on Father's Day
What’s the best gift to give to dad on Father’s Day? Meals that is fit for a king. Here are five great recipes that any man is sure to enjoy on his special day.

Fourth at Park
Planning a holiday in the park for the Fourth of July? In almost every small town, the Fourth of July is a big celebration. Most towns celebrate with carnivals in the park, having talent shows and tractor pulls. Having all day celebrations and fireworks at night will make for a full day and evening. Here are a few ideas that may be helpful when packing for your day.

Fourth of July Foods
Ah, it’s the Fourth of July and the thought of those great parades, the gigantic fireworks displays and all that great food is in the air. Before you fire up that grill why not take a little time to plan a menu for an Independence Day feast everyone will remember?

Fourth of July Party, Festive Inexpensive
Decorating for the Fourth does not have to break the bank. Finding some of your decorations at this time of year can be inexpensive.

Fourth of July’s Top Ten Finger Foods
When family and friends come together to celebrate, you will want to enjoy the fun also and not have all your time taken up by the preparation. Here are some finger food ideas that will not put a hole in your pocket book and make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable.

Grilling Tips
Grilling is one of America’s favorite pastimes. It’s not done in just the summer anymore either. People are using their grills year round no matter what the weather may be. To acquire the best meal on your grill, you just need to practice and listen to a little advice now and then. Here are a few ideas that may help you.

Healthy Snacks Too Carry Fourth of July
If your day is planned like most Americans, you may take in a parade, head for the water and then spend the evening watching fireworks. No matter if you are taking your small children, teens or grandchildren, you will want to pack a few snacks to stave off the hunger between meals.

Hit a Home Run With a Baseball Family Picnic
Theme picnics are great ways to add variety, fun, and excitement to your outdoor activities. One popular theme is a baseball or ballpark type picnic. This article includes suggestions for all the trimmings, foods, and accessories you'll need to have a great day in the great outdoors.

Let Your Imagination Soar for Crock Pot Cuisine
Crock pots are so versatile, they can do much more than make stews or bake chicken. Using a few unusual ingredients and a little imagination, you can create exciting new recipes for every meal of the day. Read these suggestions to start you on a journey of exploring new possibilities with your crock pot.

Memorable Desserts for Your Next Summer Picnic
Your summer picnic guests have put faith in you, by asking that you come up with another fabulous dessert for the occasion. Fortunately, you know how to keep things simple with a slew of recipes that can bring people to the table with excitement. These ideas are simple to make, yet provide an extra special touch to your outdoor fun time.

Moonlight Picnics: Enjoying Good Food under the Stars
Not all picnics have to take place during the day. There's a number of advantages to a moonlight picnic, if you're willing to plan ahead and make the night enjoyable for you and your guests. This article includes some great ideas for helping create a relaxing atmosphere under a night sky. Explore the possibilities of an evening of food, fun, and good times after the sun goes down at your next moonlight picnic.

Picking a Freezer for Your Needs
Deciding on a freezer that suits the needs of your family's eating habits? This article should help prioritize your variables, offering advice on how to choose the right style and size for the available space in your home.

Plan a Chuck Wagon Style Cowboy Theme Picnic
On the prairie, cowboys of the Old West used to gather around a campfire for some good food, song, and company after a hard day's work on the range. You can re-create that authentic "chuck wagon" atmosphere with a cowboy theme picnic that will have you relaxing under the stars with rustlers, cowpokes, or just a few close friends camped out in a special place for the occasion. Read on to discover the secrets of the authentic chuck wagon cowboy theme, and enjoy the good times and great food you can rustle up for the occasion.

Potluck Pleasers
It's time for that potluck dinner and you have no idea what to take this time. Try these pleasers. Adults and children both will eatem up.

Quick Healthy Appetizers
You are entertaining quests and need to fix those party appetizers. Here are a couple of recipes that will be quick and healthy. They are sure to WOW your guests and keep you out of the kitchen and enjoying your evening.

St Patrick's Day Meal Ideas
St. Patrick’s Day is a day to celebrate. Irish tradition is upheld in every sense of the word and the food is no exception. Irish love to eat and that of course has been passed on to almost every person in the world. So why not have a great Irish feast at your St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

St. Patrick's Day Mexican Dinner Ideas
This St. Patrick’s Day get creative and mix Ireland and Mexico together. Here are a few ideas for making your Mexican meal with an Irish twist.

Summon the Troops for a Boot Camp Picnic
Warm weather picnics can be relaxing, but they can also be a time for getting up and moving around with the people you're spending time with. Inspire the people you love to take part in a number of games and playtime activities, by planning a boot camp picnic that makes the day that much more special.

The Right Wine Can Make the Meal
Choosing the right wine to go with your meal doesn’t have to be a stressful endeavor. Many of us drink wine with our meals to help enhance the taste of the food. Others use it as a romantic tool and yet others just want a little wine to help them unwind from a long hard day. Matching wine with food can be very simple if you are armed with a few tips.

Throw a Lunch Party
Dinner parties are a great time for friends and family to get together, but give a lunch party a try for a welcome change.