Is everyone else throwing the lavish cocktail parties I see in magazines?  Most of our family entertaining is on the run:

• breakfast brought for co-workers
• birthdays in the park
• dinners for a new mom

Martha Stewarts of the Net, just overlook our humble beginnings.  Fledgling entertainers, let's take baby steps together!

This week I delivered lunch to some VIPs.  Box lunches are a great
way to extend hospitality without having to mop the kitchen floor!

I like to use the clamshell containers from the grocery store salad bar. Clear plastic shows off your artful arrangement, and you don't have to provide a separate plate.

Choose foods best served chilled or at room temperature.

MAIN COMPARTMENT:

This can be anything from a salad to sandwich.  Since I had
vegetarians, I placed an avocado half on crisp romaine and filled it
with a spicy corn and black bean relish.

SMALL SIDE COMPARTMENT #1:

If you served a salad, how about a freshly baked roll or
triangle-shaped cheese sandwich?  If your main compartment features a
casual wrap, use a coffee filter to hold a handful of fancy chips.

Other good sides:  cute little Babybel cheeses or Laughing Cow
wedges with wheat crackers, marinated cucumber and tomato slices, pasta
salad.

SMALL SIDE COMPARTMENT #2:

Every box lunch needs a guilty dessert!  Slice brownies into long
bars, or include a miniature assortment of sweet bites:  chocolate
truffle, lemon square, pecan tart.  Add color with a handful of grapes
or a couple of perfect red strawberries.

DRINKS:

Bottled fruit teas or fancy French lemonades make your whole lunch
feel gourmet!  This country girl will always remember the tiny Perrier
bottles packed for our picnic to Tanglewood.

Don't forget the napkins and utensils! Tie them across the top with a pretty ribbon, or tuck raffia-bound bundles into the carrier bag or basket.

Remember, entertaining isn't limited to our dining room tables!
Do you have someone to spoil with fancy box lunch instead?  Tell me
about it in the comments, or head over to Blissfully Domestic to chat.

Meredith, a pro at at things lovely and frugal, blogs at Like Merchant Ships

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 at 10:00 am and is filed under Entertaining.

Is everyone else throwing the lavish cocktail parties I see in magazines?  Most of our family entertaining is on the run: 

• breakfast brought for co-workers
• birthdays in the park
• dinners for a new mom

Martha Stewarts of the Net, just overlook our humble beginnings.  Fledgling entertainers, let's take baby steps together!

This week I delivered lunch to some VIPs.  Box lunches are a great way to extend hospitality without having to mop the kitchen floor!

I like to use the clamshell containers from the grocery store salad bar. Clear plastic shows off your artful arrangement, and you don't have to provide a separate plate.

Choose foods best served chilled or at room temperature.

MAIN COMPARTMENT:

This can be anything from a salad to sandwich.  Since I had vegetarians, I placed an avocado half on crisp romaine and filled it with a spicy corn and black bean relish.

SMALL SIDE COMPARTMENT #1:

If you served a salad, how about a freshly baked roll or triangle-shaped cheese sandwich?  If your main compartment features a casual wrap, use a coffee filter to hold a handful of fancy chips. 

Other good sides:  cute little Babybel cheeses or Laughing Cow wedges with wheat crackers, marinated cucumber and tomato slices, pasta salad.

SMALL SIDE COMPARTMENT #2:

Every box lunch needs a guilty dessert!  Slice brownies into long bars, or include a miniature assortment of sweet bites:  chocolate truffle, lemon square, pecan tart.  Add color with a handful of grapes or a couple of perfect red strawberries.

DRINKS:

Bottled fruit teas or fancy French lemonades make your whole lunch feel gourmet!  This country girl will always remember the tiny Perrier bottles packed for our picnic to Tanglewood.

Don't forget the napkins and utensils!  Tie them across the top with a pretty ribbon, or tuck raffia-bound bundles into the carrier bag or basket.

Remember, entertaining isn't limited to our dining room tables!  Do you have someone to spoil with fancy box lunch instead?  Tell me about it in the comments, or head over to Blissfully Domestic to chat. 

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 26th, 2008 at 6:00 am and is filed under Entertaining.