Relax, Company's Coming!: 150 Recipes for Stress-Free Entertaining

If you are intimidated by the thought of entertaining, help has arrived. Kathy Gunst's "Relax, Company's Coming!" shows you how to enjoy your guests, with easy-to-follow recipes and a new, stress-free definition of what it means to entertain.

With family and friends on the go, everyday shared meals may be a thing of the past, but in an attempt to make up for lost time, today's get-togethers often become an exercise in trying to achieve perfection. While other books have fed this frenzy with entertaining advice from millionaires, movie stars, and fashion designers, "Relax, Company's Coming!" gets back to the basics, whether you're planning an elegant dinner party or inviting neighbors for an impromptu brunch. Beginning with an entertaining primer, Gunst shows you how a well-stocked pantry can make planning and cooking for guests easier. There are 150 delicious dishes to treat your guests, from nibbles like Orange-Marinated Olives and Red Caviar Dip, a selection of easy-to-prepare recipes for casual entertaining like Rigatoni in Creamy Walnut-Pea Sauce and Grilled Flank Steak with Fresh Corn-Tomato-Basil Saute, more elaborate foods for celebration dining, like Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles with Garlic Butter and Roast Swordfish with Horseradish-Thyme Sauce, and of course, a selection of desserts from fruity (Honeyed Bananas) to deeply chocolatey (Three-Layer Mint Brownies). You'll also find delicious pantry meals, recipes for one-pan dinners, ways to enhance your menu with store-bought treats, ideas for transforming leftovers into meals, recipes for instant desserts, and suggestions for creative table settings using household items you already have on hand. There are menusfor special gatherings, including cocktail parties, a birthday bash, vegetarian meals, and a dessert buffet. There's even a section on potluck parties, with tips to make your own event go smoothly, as well as suggestions for dishes that travel well.

"Relax, Company's Coming!" is your passport to successful, stress-free entertaining.