Entertain with Ease

The thought of inviting a few friends over can paralyze even the most accomplished woman.

Everyone loves getting together with friends, but almost no one entertains at home anymore. Too bad, because it can be a really economical way to have a great time. Plus there are no waiters hovering nearby to hear your dish!

Here are some tips for the liquid portion of your soiree:

Tip #1

Wine and sparkling water are safe drink options for any event, but a little same-old, same-old.

Instead, for a fun alternative, create your own "house" cocktail (click here for 10 great ones!). Mix a batch, set it out in a pretty pitcher along with glasses, and have guests serve themselves. I usually just shout out, "Try my house cocktail," and find that everyone opts for it, instead of wine.

Tip #2

Tea is hot, it's the new wine.....so serve it cold, as an alternative to alcohol. Serve 2 or 3 different kinds of iced tea with an assortment of sweeteners like maple syrup and honey.

Iced tea is a great time to try making your own sugar syrup. Just boil 2 parts sugar to 1 part water until all the sugar is dissolved. You can even flavor your sugar syrup with herbs like lavender

Tip #3

For a really "Wow" effect, serve a bottle of vodka frozen in a block of ice.

It's simple to do. Just put the vodka bottle into an empty container large enough to hold it. Two-litter plastic soda or water bottles with their tops cut off are perfect. Fill with water and freeze overnight or until solid. Then just run under hot water until the ice block slips out.

You can even make adorable individual mini-ice blocks around those little airline-sized bottles. Just put the bottle in an 8-ounce paper or plastic drinking cup, fill with water, and once frozen, just snip the cup off the ice block.