Party-Sense

My husband and I are lucky enough to have wonderful friends and family members scattered throughout the country and fortunate enough to have a large home which easily accommodates overnight guests. Early in my marriage I found it particularly daunting to host visitors for the weekend or even longer. I felt that everything needed to be perfect and would lose sleep over planning and preparation tasks.

I have through the course of time that this is not so. “Keep it simple stupid” rings true. Make your guests feel at home by treating them like family. Don’t go overboard serving them seven course meals or preparing desserts with a complexity level only top chefs can master. Easy to prepare meals with bold and tasty flavors fit the bill perfectly.

As a frequent guest I know first hand that there is nothing homier than waking up to a house filled with delicious smells, warm breakfast, and hot coffee. There is no need to wake up hours in advance of your company to achieve this! Breakfast is one of the easiest meals to make ahead. Overnight French toast, quiches, bread puddings, breakfast casseroles, and crock pot oatmeal are all good choices. These items can easily be made in advance and re-heated in the morning.

When I’m preparing a breakfast for overnight guests I typically plan for one hot item which I make in advance and reheat in the oven (quiche is my favorite). I serve it with cut up seasonal fresh fruit, quick bread, coffee, and juice. I always have a variety of quick breads on hand in my freezer as they are such a great way to use up abundant fruit, like bananas or apples, and they are so convenient.

My most recent guests enjoyed Spinach Quiche, cantaloupe slices, and zucchini bread for breakfast. Following is my recipe for “Make Ahead” Spinach Quiche. I have many more! If you need other ideas feel free to email me at christine@party-sense.com.


“Make Ahead” Spinach Quiche

1 unbaked 10” pie shell with fluted crust
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons butter
5 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cup half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
10 oz. package frozen spinach, squeezed dry
1 cup crumbled Italian sausage
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese

Bake pie shell at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Remove crust from oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees. Beat together eggs, half and half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set aside. In large sauté pan sauté shallot in butter for three minutes. Stir in spinach and sausage until heated through. Add egg mixture and stir. Pour into crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until set. Cool completely, cover with aluminum foil, and store in the refrigerator.

To reheat, place covered quiche in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 8

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