Do you love entertaining or hosting family/friends for a weekend?  Do you have some favorite recipes that you automatically think of when you invite guests over?  Or do you spend time searching for those perfect meal ideas to serve and wonder how you will ever get your house ready for company?  We love to entertain, cook and host for our friends & family.  With a busy schedule, it can be overwhelming.  However, with a little planning it can go very smoothly so that everyone has a great time, especially you.  It can be even more fun when they come for the weekend and you can cook several meals and enjoy each other’s company.  Do you find yourself planning days ahead, writing out what you want to make and a shopping list to go with it?  I am definitely a planner. When I know we are going to host company for 1 meal or an entire weekend of meals, it helps to have it planned out ahead of time.   It helps to keep me organized, to have a more enjoyable visit and to get meals onto the table.   It also helps to limit how many times I have to run to the supermarket to pickup ingredients.   It is also helpful to ask your guests ahead of time if they have any special food requirements or anything they would like you to pickup.  This will help you as well as make your guests feel more comfortable.  I like to know that what I am planning to cook, everyone will enjoy.

We had some family in town for the weekend and I wanted to make sure that everyone was comfortable, relaxed and had a fun time enjoying each other’s company.   I like for everyone to feel at home when they visit.

Last, but not least, I also want to make sure I have meals, snacks and drinks that everyone will enjoy.

Some simple things I like to do ahead of time are:

• Prep a room for my guests:  This is one of the first things I do.  I like to make sure I have a room ready for them and that they have the necessary accommodations.  You can put out some fresh towels and even some magazines for something to read or glance over during their visit.
• Meal Planning:  Once I know I have a room setup for them I can spend time on meal planning.  This can include making a shopping list and going food shopping.  This also includes determining what I can make ahead of time.    You will also want to figure out how much food to make/serve based on the # of adults and # of children staying with you.
• Formal or Casual:  You’ll want to decide if you want to host formal or casual meals while your guests are staying with you.  Maybe you will have a combination of both.  Think of your audience; will there be young children or all adults?  That can help determine what you plan.
• Things to Do:  It is just as important to think about what you will be doing to occupy your time together.  Do you have events to attend or will you be hanging out at the house all weekend? It is always fun to have some activities planned.  Even if you do not have any events to go to, it is fun to have a game night with some drinks and snacks.  If there are kids you can set them up with a movie night & popcorn.

I love to host company and spend time with our family & friends.  This means I get to spend more time in my kitchen too.  I love to cook for others and I like to make some nice meals while they are visiting.  There is nothing better than hearing your guests say how much they love your cooking and how much they enjoyed eating your meals.

Chicken Marsala

One dish that I absolutely adore is Chicken Marsala; I have made it so many times over the years.  I knew this would make it onto my list of meals for our weekend with guests.  It is a simple yet elegant dish.  It is easy to make and even tastier to eat.  I love the sauteed mushrooms in this dish.  They add a nice rustic & earthy flavor to the chicken along with the Marsala Wine.   Marsala Wine comes in 2 varieties; dry and sweet.  For this dish, you want to choose a nice dry Marsala Wine since this is a savory dish.  I like to buy my Marsala Wine at my local Liquor store vs. the local supermarket.  When in a pinch, the supermarket Marsala Wine will do.  But the Liquor store sells bigger bottles and tend to have a better selection.

Another great thing about Chicken Marsala is that you can serve it for a formal or casual dinner.  You can plate the meal and serve your guests if you opt for a more formal setting.  If you choose a more casual dinner, you can place on a platter and let everyone help themselves.  I opted for a more casual dinner this time.  It was more relaxing and it allowed everyone to help themselves to as much food as they like.  Plus, everyone loved it, adults as well as the kids.  Even my nephew that is 15 months old!! The chicken was so tender it made it so easy for him to eat too!

When I am making this for a crowd, I will prep the chicken by having it all browned and on a tray, ready for the oven.  I keep it covered and refrigerated until I am ready to finish it off in the oven.  I have done this prep work the morning of as well as the day before.  That way I know I only need about 20 minutes to complete and serve dinner once everyone arrives.  Your guests will be amazed you put this out on the table; they will wonder how you served such a nice dinner and in so little time!

If prepping ahead, remove the chicken from fridge about 15-20 minutes before placing into the oven so it isn’t too cold.  Since you cut and pounded the chicken out it should be OK if it is still cold.  But, typically when you let the meat come to room temperature, it helps it to cook more evenly.

More to come in Part 2:  featuring the remainder of the weekend along with recipes and ideas on creating a fun menu for your weekend guests!

Click here for the Chicken Marsala Recipe:  Chicken Marsala