I hosted a small dinner last week (only 4 people total haha), and I thought it’d be fun to share my tips and the final result. To me, the two most important parts of a dinner party are the meal and the small touches that elevate the dining experience, for example, adding a pretty table cloth to the table, a bouquet of flowers as the center-piece, or using your nicest dishware (if your dishware is ugly, ask your grandma to borrow hers.). Goodwill is a great place to look for pretty dishes. Even if they don’t all match, mismatched dishes can be really cute.

Hosting can be intimidating. And expensive. But if you’re like me and you enjoy hosting but also don’t want to spend a lot of money, I got you honey *accidental rhyme*. I am hosting a very small dinner tomorrow  

I love eating alfresco (don’t google it, it means outdoors.) But I didn’t have an outdoor table. So I went on facebook marketplace and searched for patio tables. I found one being sold near me for $15 dollars! It had some imperfections but for the price it is great and I knew I’d be putting a tablecloth on it. I got a lovely tablecloth from the Pioneer Woman line at walmart. I had to get a tablecloth because I’m not a criminal and won’t be making my guests sit at a naked table like animals. So the $16 cloth was worth it to me and will be used for future occasions. The last thing I got at Walmart was a table mat for the center of the table that I put a pitcher of flowers on. I had some flowers in a pitcher already on my dining room table so I just moved them outside.

Table Clothe: 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Pioneer-Woman-Daisy-Woven-Fabric-Tablecloth-Blue-60-W-x-102-L/1196724261

Place Mat:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-Gardens-Jute-Flower-Placemat-15-D/2414380974?athbdg=L1102&from=/search

For chairs, I used some basic outdoor ones my mom was getting rid of. I cleaned them up and they are in decent condition so they are perfectly adequate. To avoid spending a lot, you have to decide what are the priorities for your budget and then do your best with everything else. I could easily get lost in the sauce and spend hundreds of dollars on a new matching outdoor dining set but today is not that day. 

For dishware, I used some pretty white plates with fruits on the edges and salad bowls that used to be my grandma’s and my mom gave them to me. I already had wine glasses that were perfectly fine so I resisted the urge to buy new trendier ones. I have learned that the biggest keys to saving money are using resources I already have when possible and self-discipline. 

For dinner I wanted to do something cost effective, easy, and of course delish. So I landed on meatballs & spaghetti. Everyone loves pasta so if you don’t know what to make, it’s a no-brainer. It’s filling and inexpensive. I won’t be homemaking the sauce because I’m not an italian grandma but my goal is for dinner to taste like I am. I am also going to make a salad to go with it. I could get carried away and do tons of courses but then we would be over-budget, ok, Susan?

I did all my grocery shopping at Aldi. I save so much money by doing this. I would have paid around 30% more if I would have gone somewhere like Kroger. Aldi has come a long way over the years in their selections of healthy/healthier options. I will put the (rough) prices for the groceries below.

• 2lbs. ground beef: $12
• Spaghetti: $5
• Sauce: $8
• Parmesan $5
• Salad mix: $5
• Tomatoes & cucumbers for salad: $5
• Dressing: *homemade from oil, vinegar, dijon, and seasonings in my pantry*
• Wine: $12 for 2 bottles (it’s a really good wine for the price)
• Total: $52

• Optional addition #1: Charcuterie.
• $4 olives
• $5 sliced cheese tray
• $6 sliced meat tray
• Total: $15

Optional addition #2: Berries & cream for dessert.

• Various berries: $5 
• Heavy cream: $5
• Cream cheese: $3
• Total: $13

Another essential for a dinner gathering is MUSIC. I cannot stress enough how much better having some music in the background makes any occasion. I always notice if there is no music playing in a restaurant. It just isn’t the same. Music helps people relax and let their guard down. 

I made a playlist that matched the vibe I wanted for the evening. I didn’t play super poppy songs since that is more fitting for a summer BBQ pool party and I didn’t play slower jazzy music since that is more romantic feeling. I went with more chill lofi beats. Nothing too slow and definitely nothing sad. 

Dinner:

I kept the charcuterie simple with some cured meats, cheeses, and olives. Aldi had some pre-sliced packages of both so I went the convenience route and got those. 

When our guests arrived I mixed the salad with cucumbers, tomatoes (seeded), thinly sliced parmesan, and my homemade dressing.

Dressing recipe:

• ½ cup of your preferred oil (I did about 50/50 avocado and olive oil)
• 3 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
• ¼ tsp. Garlic powder
• ½ tsp. Italian seasoning (basil and oregano)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• A few cracks of black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp. Honey
• 2-3 tsp. Dijon mustard

Whisk well and always whisk again right before pouring it on the salad because the seasonings settle at the bottom.

For four people I made two boxes of spaghetti, 2lbs of beef for meatballs, and 2 cans of pasta sauce. 

For the meatballs I added some salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parsley, onion powder, two cloves of garlic, and one egg. Sorry but I didn’t measure. I only used a few sprinkles of those seasonings because the pasta sauce is full of flavor that transfers to the meatballs. Once I rolled the meatballs, I put them in the pot raw with both jars of pasta sauce and let that simmer covered on low for 2 ½ hours. I recently learned that trick from an elderly lady in an IG reel and she seemed to know what she was talking about so I trusted her and tried it and the meatballs were delicious. In hindsight, I could have cooked the meatballs and sauce for 2 hours and it would have been sufficient. 

I cooked the pasta right when our guests got there and we chatted while that cooked. Then we had our salads, charcuterie and some wine before having the main course. I do wish I had timed the pasta cooking better because after it sat cooked in the pot, it did cool off too much and was slightly over cooked, so there went the italian grandma thing haha. 

I grated plenty of fresh parmesan for topping the spaghetti and meatballs. Tip: if you can, always use fresh parmesan. It is so superior to the powder stuff.

I chose these two wines to go with dinner and everyone really enjoyed them.
It’s always a good idea to add a bow to something. It makes it 100x cuter.

And finally for dessert I went with berries & cream. Something light and easy is nice after a hefty meal like spaghetti and meatballs. 

After I washed the berries in baking soda and water, I let them dry on the counter all afternoon so they would be room temperature when we ate them. Tip: Berries are much more flavorful at room temperature vs. when they’re chilled.

Cream recipe:

• 1 ½ cups of heavy cream
• 1 package of softened cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 1/3 – ½ cup of sugar (depending on your preference for sweetness. I used coconut sugar)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract.
• Instructions:

Blend heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until it is the stiffness of whipped cream. Add in softened cream cheese and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

*Adding some graham cracker crumbs on top would be a great addition*

After dinner we played a game called “Shut the Box” which was fun and very easy to learn if you’re like me and struggles catching on to most games. Then we had a nice bonfire and talked for some hours while we sipped wine. I put the fire wood in a basket and I think it looked adorable.

It was a perfect summer evening full of yummy food & good company. It can be easy to get stressed and feel so much pressure when hosting but the truth is that the people who care about you will appreciate the effort you make to make them comfortable and welcome. People will remember how you made them feel more than they remember that the spaghetti was overcooked. *what a relief haha*

Until next time, friends.