- ISBN13: 9780979956409
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
You don’t have to be professional chef or nervous wreck to host great casual at-home entertaining. You will have all of your questions answered, from what to serve to what to do. Even if you have never entertained in your life, you can have a terrific time putting together a superb celebration. Included are 13 delicious complete menus with easy-to-follow recipes, full color photographs, ideas for music, activities and drinks. Checklists ease readers step-by-step thr… More >>
Easy Entertaining for Beginners: You Can Throw a Fabulous Party, from Holiday Fiesta to a Romantic Evening for Two
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Thanks to Patricia Mendez and her new book, Easy Entertaining for Beginners, for my 4th of July gathering which caused my guests to “ahhhh!” and me to enjoy a relaxing day. The meal combined traditional favorites – grilled hamburgers, potato salad, fruit salad and cobbler for dessert. However, with very tiny tweaks (just a few additional food items from the local grocery!), the meal turned memorable. For example, the hamburger bar featured my friends’ favorite toppings – bacon, mushrooms and avocado. The potato salad had a bit of dill, rice vinegar and dijon added. Thankfully, the book also included a few suggestions for easy décorations and suggestions for guest activities throughout the afternoon. Best of all, not only was the event easy to pull together, there was almost no clean-up and absolutely no leftovers.
Next, I have my eye on the book’s Thanksgiving menu – and, yes, I may even try my hand at the made from scratch gravy…it does look doable! And, then, there’s the Christmas social, plus another 10 other themed events……
Rating: 5 / 5
This book is one you need to add to your gift list immediately! Patricia has created an easy to follow guide for anyone that likes to entertain easily and effortlessly. It is all there for you, young and old will definitely appreciate this well written book. Her pictures of the food and descriptions and the “How To” are just what we all need in these fast pace days that we are all experiencing. I am a professional caterer and this book is right in my library for me and my staff to use. Rating: 5 / 5
Patricia Mendez has created a wonderful primer for the novice entertainer in her book, “Easy Entertaining for Beginners.” Mendez offers 13 tasty party menu ideas complete with beverage and music selections.
Chapter titles include “My First Cocktail Party,” “Romantic Dinner for Two,” “Dinner for the In-Laws,” “Girlfriends’ Tea,” Mother’s Day Brunch,” “Family Fiesta,” “Fourth of July Bash,” “Two Themed Children’s Birthday Parties,” “Dinner Party with Close Friends,” “Guys’ Night Out,” “My First Thanksgiving,” and “Christmas Season Social.”
My favorite menu items include Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts on Mini-Croissants (from the Girlfriends’ Tea menu), Carne Asada (from the Family Fiesta menu) and Cheddar Hash Brown Gratin (from the Christmas Season Social menu).
Mendez’s dessert and beverage offerings are fantastic and include Kahlua Fudge Brownie Pie, Cointreau Chocolate Truffles and Strawberries, Hurricanes, Cosmopolitans, Guava Mimosas, Pomegranate Sparkling Punch, and more.
Mendez also offers practical advice and etiquette tips for each celebration. She puts the reader at ease and makes them believe they’ll be able to execute a fun party. And for people like me who lack organization skills, she has even included a checklist for each party that includes a timeline of when to do what — I love that!
“Easy Entertaining for Beginners” has won the following awards: 2009 Silver Recipient Mom’s Choice Award, 2008 National Best Books Finalist, First Place cooking category: 2008 Reader Views Literary Awards, and 2009 Indie Excellence Finalist.
I highly recommend this book for the novice, and not so novice, entertainer. Rating: 5 / 5
DONT LET THE TITLE FOOL YOU!
This is a jewel of a book and its not just for beginners, as the title implies! The step-by-step processes outlined at the end of each chapter are invaluable! I am a seasoned cook that makes everything basically by “eye.” I have had many of dinner parties, cook outs, holiday gathering meals etc and would have LOVED to have this type of instruction to go by! The instructions start days BEFORE and continue in increments until AFTER the party or dinner!
How many parties would I have enjoyed MORE if I would have been more prepared? ALL OF THEM!
There are 12 great chapters and 166 pages of great information! The suggestions start for a romantic dinner for two and builds up to a full blown celebration. There are classic recipes like mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie given in the book along side of some NEW recipes such as kahlua chocolate pie and Cosmopolatins . Each chapter is complete with instructions, recipes, suggestions, beverage recommendations as well as a “time line.” There is even a CRAFT including in the little girls tea! How very appropriate and creative Ms. Mendez is!
Patricia Mendez has successfully filled a missing link in my cook book collection. Her outlook and odeas are fresh and unique. After thumbing through the book and marking several recipes it inspired me to plan a fall cookout!
This book has a “Moms Choice Award for Excellence” on the front cover. I am not sure what the criteria is for that award but I am sure Ms. Mendez didn’t only meet them but surpassed them! This book is truly outstanding and an inspiration for all cooks, both young and old, novice and expert!
In the middle of the book is where you find the photographs that she has taken of some of the food in the recipes of the book. The photographs are great and present the food well. The lighting and the presentation are top rate. If I had any complaints about the book at all, it would be that I would prefer for the pictures to be with the recipes rather than in the center of the book.
The end of the book is a delight: closing thoughts, kitchen basics, conversion chart, substitutes and an index that makes everything easy to find. These rereference pages (in my humble opinion) should be readily available in all recipe books, rather than a chosen few. They are not only helpful but handy when included in the book I think Ms. Mendez
thought of everything but the preverbial kitchen sink when she wrote this book!
So like I said , don’t let the title hold you back from purchasing this book! It would be a great gift or addition to your cookbook collections! Happy Entertaining Ya’ll! Rating: 5 / 5
Easy Entertaining for Beginners: You can throw a fabulous party, from a holiday fiesta to a romantic evening for two by Patricia Mendez
Are you a busy mom, hard working career women, young adult just moving into your own home? Are you an experienced cook, hostess and entertainer or do you hate to cook and have no idea how to throw a party? This book can help you and anyone who wants to throw a quick, easy, but fabulous party.
Containing 13 complete menus this is much more that just a cookbook. Each chapter includes the information for one event some of which include: My First Cocktail Party, Romantic Dinner for Two, Girlfriend’s Tea, Guy’s Night Out, My First Thanksgiving and more.
Each chapter begins with a summary description of the event with ideas for things to do and decorating ideas. Next the menu it listed and followed by the recipes. A step by step checklist tells you what to do and when. At the end of each section is “optional shortcuts, party etiquette, mistakes to avoid and tips to ensure success. Many also include drink ideas and suggestions for music and full color photos.
I found this to be a wonderful and useful book. The menus are simple to prepare and don’t use alot of special ingredients but they are all elegant and impressive. As a person who doesn’t really enjoy cooking and has four children I always want to host wonderful events but am always so stressed I end not having any fun. The check lists in this book lead me through it all step by step. I feel confident I can actually do this.
This is a well written and organized book with lots of helpful hints and thoughts. It’s like learning to cook and entertain from your mom or best friend. For my Anniversary coming up I plan to use the Romantic Dinner for Two menu.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to entertain but lacks confidence and this would be a great gift for a new bride or a young person just setting up their own home.
Rating: 4 / 5