Lots of time to party

No bartenders. No fussy little passed hors d’oeuvres. No panicked hostess. Could we possibly be talking about a holiday party?

Yes, you can whip up an elegant, memorable, delicious soiree all by yourself, put everything out before the first guest walks in the door, then spend the entire party having fun.

The key is to throw out conventional wisdom about holiday hosting do’s and don’ts, and take a modern, streamlined approach to gracious entertaining instead. Here, adapted from my book “Real Life Entertaining: Easy Recipes and Unconventional Wisdom” (Morrow Cookbooks), is a five-step plan for low-stress, high-style holiday parties:

• Forget about a full bar. Instead, make one great cocktail that feels just right for the season, and have some bottled water on hand for designated drivers. Spiced pear Bellinis are an easy favorite, combining the aromatic flavors of cinnamon and cardamom with the classic combination of pear and sparkling wine.

• Don’t hire help. There’s nothing more impressive than a party that feels personal. Skip the bartender, and let your friends help themselves to drinks instead. (Or ask a bachelor friend to do the pouring. He’ll thank you for it later.) Have your significant other hang up the coats as guests walk in. Skip the live music and load up your CD changer with loungey holiday tunes.

• Keep the menu simple. Instead of a wide assortment of complicated hors d’oeuvres, stick with one theme and do a series of variations. Serve miniature steamed potatoes with everything from guacamole to caviar. Make a variety of different sushi hand rolls. (It’s easier than you think.) Or assemble some elegant open-faced sandwiches like pear, blue cheese and walnut; truffled egg salad, and English cucumber (recipes follow).

• Leave the food in one place. Instead of sending waiters out with food-laden trays, arrange hors d’oeuvres elegantly right on your dining room table. No need for doilies, cornucopias or multitiered displays here. Just pull the chairs away, make sure the table is immaculately clean, then set down the hors d’oeuvres in a simple, geometric pattern that mimics the shape of the table. Allow each hors d’oeuvre at least 3 inches of space all around.

• Be a model to your guests. If you’re having a good time, they will too. Have a couple of bellinis, say hello to everybody and feel free to dance if the mood strikes. Swinging from the chandelier: optional.

The following recipes also are from “Real Life Entertaining: Easy Recipes and Unconventional Wisdom.”

Spiced pear Bellinis

This variation on the cocktail made famous at Harry’s Bar in Venice is a cinch to make. The pear mixture can be prepared up to a week ahead. In fact, it needs to be made in advance so that it has time to chill.

5 cinnamon sticks

2 33.8-ounce bottles pear nectar (about 9½ cups)

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/3 cup sugar

Story Continues →