Sports News Southwest

(NAPSI) - After a ball game, during family movie night or simply while enjoying a gathering with neighbors, having a great time doesn't mean having to put forth a great deal of effort or spend a lot of money. It helps if you keep things simple--and bite sized.

Whether you invite people over or if friends just show up at your door, the key to being a relaxed host is to plan ahead. Have a menu in mind and stock up on foods and disposable dinnerware when they go on sale so you can feed a crowd at a moment's notice. Here are some ideas to try:

Appetizers: Start with easy-to-eat nibbles to kick off the festivities.

• Dips are simple to prepare and appeal to a crowd. Try homemade toasted pita chips drizzled with olive oil and herbs as dippers along with the traditional chips and seasonal veggies.

• Skewer grape tomatoes, cucumber wedges, chunks of lettuce and slices of bell pepper. Serve with salad dressings on the side.

• Set up a bruschetta bar. Pile a platter with sliced, toasted garlic bread. Place bowls of various toppings nearby for guests to make their own: chopped tomatoes, basil and olive oil; flavored hummus with feta; sun-dried tomatoes and black olives; marinated artichokes and tapenade.

Main courses: Small servings of entrées allow your guests to sample a variety of options.

• Sliders are a fun twist to their larger cousins. Try minibuns filled with BBQ pork or beef or chicken salad that can be homemade or purchased. Serve with coleslaw, chopped green olives, caramelized onions and more.

• Minimeatballs are a big treat. Buy or make them in advance and freeze them until needed. Then serve them on buns or with toothpicks alongside a variety of sauces: barbecue, salsa, honey mustard, horseradish cream, curry, chutney and marmalade.

Dessert: Give guests creamy frozen treats without messy scoops, bowls and spoons. Instead, try poppable, munchable, bite-sized Dibs--frozen vanilla bites covered in a crunchy milk chocolaty shell. These are available in Vanilla and Nestlé Crunch flavors in a convenient 140-bites value pack that keeps them fresh and ready to share with a houseful of guests.

Learn More

For more information, visit www.dibs.com.

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