Introduction
There’s nothing better than a meal made entirely from scratch to serve to your guests. But often there’s just no time for that.
How many of us have the time to devote hours and sometimes days preparing elaborate meals in order to entertain?
I used to be completely committed to only serving homemade food to my invited guests, but as life got busier, that became increasingly unrealistic and impossible for me to achieve.
Working full time, taking care of animals, and being able to enjoy other activities with my family just didn’t leave me with enough time or energy for demanding menus and multi-step recipes. I still wanted to serve nice meals and make entertaining special, but I needed to lessen the workload.
Tip 1: Accessorize Your Vintage Pyrex and Jadeite Dishes with Cheaper Tablescape Items
One of my favourite life hacks is to combine expensive items with thrifted, or Dollar Store ones to achieve a high-impact Tablescape.
Tip 2: Combine Restaurant Take-Out with Homemade Food
Deciding to leave most of the meal prep to my favorite restaurants instead of working myself into a week-long frenzy, reignited my love for entertaining.
Instead of spending a few days, or even an entire week, (which seriously was the norm for me) searching through recipes and menu planning, cooking, cleaning and shopping in order to prepare for any type of entertaining, I would now rely mostly on take-out to help ease the burden.
That way I could focus on the aspects of entertaining that I really enjoy such as setting a fun Tablescape and selecting a good wine. Not that I don’t love cooking, because I certainly do, but my increased time constraints and work commitments started making me feel overwhelmed at the thought of cooking for a crowd.
If taking shortcuts was a way to still serve decent food and allow for more enjoyable and relaxing entertaining, then that would become my new routine. All-day kitchen efforts would be dedicated to holidays and certain special occasions only.
Our most recent family dinner, as depicted in the above photo, features appetizers and entrees ordered from Bow and Stern, a popular, local seafood restaurant.
We decided on oysters, and the hot seafood platter, which included mussels, clams, pieces of halibut and salmon, a lobster tail, snow crab, and pepper pilaf. Perfect fare for a relaxing and enjoyable evening in the backyard.
To round out the meal, we added a homemade Caesar salad topped with sliced avocado, a baguette served with oil and balsamic vinegar, and baked potatoes with all the trimmings.
Adding the salad, bread, and potatoes was super easy to do. And with all the time saved on not having to prepare a big meal, I was able to shift my focus and creative efforts to the table setting.
Tip 3: Create Long Lasting Memories With Your Guests
A welcoming Tablescape helps create long-lasting memories for everyone.
A festive and stylishly arranged table setting is a great way to evoke a warm sense of welcome for your guests. The opportunity to enjoy a good meal in a visually pleasing environment can even produce feelings of excitement and anticipation.
Jadeite dishes have a long history of being in kitchens across the country. For me, listening to guests reminisce about and share their favorite Jadeite and vintage kitchen memories is really fun.
In most cases, the memories include a sentimental attachment to a beloved family member. In my case, Jadeite connects me to my grandmother, and also to my horse trainer’s mother. My horse trainer’s mom was a lovely, elegant woman who always sat by her kitchen window sipping tea from a Jadeite mug while she watched me ride.
For me, entertaining is the opportunity to connect with loved ones and make meaningful, joyful memories with them.
Tip 4: Experiment With Different Tablescape Themes
One foolproof way to make a truly memorable impression is to serve your food on your vintage Pyrex and Jadeite dishes.
That’s right, it’s time to get them out of your display cabinet and on to the table. I promise you’ll have more fun.
The lovely green hue of the Jadeite dishes combine well with other colours. And there are endless ways to create beautiful and eye-catching tablespaces with it.
From casual barbeques to even the most special occasions, a table set with Jadeite dishes always makes for a powerful presentation and lively conversations.
Tip 5: Add Ambience to Your Jadeite Tablescape
Aside from including your vintage Pyrex and Jadeite dishes with your next event, here are a few other tips to create the right ambiance:
Light Some Candles
Candles are a great way to create a nice mood. Try not to use scented ones on the table, though. You don’t want the scent of candles mixing with the aroma of food.
Dim The Lighting
If you have dimmer switches, adjust them so your lighting isn’t super bright. Really bright lighting isn’t relaxing, so keep the lighting soft if you can. If you don’t have dimmer switches, then turn off any extra lights.
Pick Some Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers as a centerpiece or strategically placed around the house always make any occasion seem more special.
Spritz Some Fresh Scents
Have your home smelling fresh when guests arrive. Personally, I like essential oils diffused throughout the house. Whatever you use, though, keep the scent weak. You don’t want to overpower your guests with strong odors.
Tidy Up Your Space
An environment that’s clean and orderly is far more comfortable and relaxing than one that isn’t.
Accessorize with Linens
Cloth napkins and tablecloths have high impact value. Check Pinterest for fun, easy, and creative ways to fold napkins. If using cloth linens is out of the question, the Dollar Store has plastic and paper options.
Always Serve Your Food on Vintage Pyrex or Jadeite Dishes!
Do you have any entertaining tips you’d like to share? Let us know how you use your vintage Pyrex and Jadeite dishes in the comments below!
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