{SQT} weeknight entertaining success

Jerry and I have employed many different strategies when it comes to entertaining over the years, depending on what season of life we were in.

I love to entertain. Lately, more often than not, our weekends fill up with church events or my speaking engagements which leaves us little time to reconnect with those we hold dear. After a little brainstorming, we found that hosting a simple dinner once, sometimes twice, during the week has allowed us to continue to spend time with people we care about while still managing our busy schedules.

It’s so important to us to invest in those relationships. We had begun to see many of the relationships begin to  fade with everyone so busy with work and family life. I formulated, over time,  a pretty easy strategy to solve the problem.

A simple home cooked meal shared with wonderful company and you are back at home in bed by 10pm, yes please!

One – keep it simple silly. There is no need to create a five course gourmet meal on a Tuesday night that is not only going to stress you out but those you love. Who needs the hassle? Your friends are coming to spend time with YOU, not to judge your meatloaf.

[ctt template=”8″ link=”d7mrb” via=”yes” nofollow=”yes”]THE FOOD IS NOT IMPORTANT…THE COMPANY IS![/ctt]

Choose a a menu you are familiar with and you know your own family loves. Something you have made many times before. Say Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes or Chicken Fajitas. If you are not someone who cooks or has severe stress when it comes to cooking, order takeout. Just do what works for you.

Two – celebrate a little and make dessert. Again, simple. Brownies and ice cream, fresh chocolate chip cookies, muffins, whatevs. By making dessert on a Tuesday night, your guests knows something special is happening. They feel the love through your little extra efforts. How nice to feel so cared for on a Tuesday!!

Three – stop worrying about what your house looks like. Y’all, do you know how many people I know that refuse to entertain because they are hung on what there house looks like and the fact that they still have their college room dorm furniture in the living room?? Too many!!

Stop it! Right this minute. Stop allowing the fear of judgement to keep you from loving on people. These are your friends you are having in your home. These people are your tribe. Do you think for one moment that any of my friends give a flying rip over the fact that I don’t have carpeting down over the original 1969 tile floor? Or over the fact that in one spot the tile has come up and you can see the concrete foundation of my home??

Uuuummmmm no. No they do not. If they did, they would not be my friends. I pick up, throw the unfolded laundry on my sons bed and close his door. I wipe down the bathrooms and make sure I have vacuumed the area rug. And that’s it. There are times you could write a love letter in my dust but my friends don’t seem to mind. They still come over and we have a great time every time.

Easy Beef Enchiladas from Betty Crocker

Four – Use paper plates if you have too. Now I have enough plates for eight but have had many weeknight dinners for more than that, especially if our friends have a large family. SO paper plates it is if necessary. No shame here. Again think about the goal of the evening. Reconnection, celebration and friendship. I will spend the extra ten dollars and buy the pretty paper plates if I use them. Something colorful and fun, but that’s me. White works too.

Five – Set an end time and stick to it. Most of our weeknight dinner parties start at 6 p.m. and our guests are out the door between 9:30-10 p.m. We have discussed it ahead of time and so there is no awkwardness during the evening. Yes, they have gone later when we are having such a good time that we forget to keep track of the time, but we do start with a plan. This is an essential key to weeknight entertaining. Respecting the fact that people have to work in the morning.

Corn and Green Chile Rice from Betty Crocker

Six – BECAUSE people have to work in the morning, I rarely serve alcohol during our weeknight dinner parties. I have found over the decades that it just works better that way. It also keeps the costs down and allows a little more room in the budget. Maybe you could use that extra $$ to purchase some grocery store flowers for the table or maybe a fancy dessert from a local bakery. Trust me when I say, this guideline is a good one for weeknight dinner party success.

Seven – Just be YOU! We need to embrace who we are as people, as couples, as families. We need to feel free to open our doors and allow love to flow in and out of our homes. Stop worrying that you can’t do this. You can. I promise you. Comparison is the thief of JOY y’all and we need all the joy we can get. So clear off that dining room table, get yourself some Popeyes Fried Chicken, put out your best paper plates and plastic forks and open your doors to love. Take a chance and stretch yourself. You never know. Weeknight entertaining or any night entertaining for that matter, may just become your new favorite thing.

Spicy Mexican Chocolate Brownie Cake

Go forth and entertain!

Do you have any entertaining secrets you’s like to share? Questions you’d love answered? Just comment below y’all. Linking up with Kelly for {SQT}…