Have you thrown a dinner party lately? You might think you're too busy or don't know how to cook or maybe you're embarrassed of your house. Whatever your reasons, I say now is the time to take the plunge! With the temperatures dropping, there is no better time to invite some friends over.

This is the first in a series of Dinner Party Inspiration that will hopefully convince you to host a party of your own.
I have several groups of friends that like to {dinner} party. One group takes turns hosting, the host makes the main dish and everyone else brings appetizers, sides and dessert. There may or may not be a theme involved, but there is always lots of great food and wine. Back when I belonged to an online wine club, I used to host wine parties where I would supply the wine and everyone would bring food. Or you could cook up a storm and just invite people over to help you eat it all. If you want the ultimate in ease, follow these five rules. But no matter what style you choose, as long as you have friends and food, it's sure to be a great time. 
My friend Sarah loves having friends over and hosts Supper Club every other month. It's always the same weekend so people can plan ahead and she selects a theme for each party.

I'm starting off my series with Sarah's last party theme because it was super easy and so much fun.
                        Retro Dinner Party




If you need some recipes ideas, here are some to get you started:

Punch
Rumaki
Scratch or classic soup based tuna noodle casserole
Cheese Ball
Creamed peas and onions
Jello Salad

A great cookbook with lots of recipes is Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook - my Mom has this one and there are some gems in there.

Hope this post inspired you to host your own dinner party! If retro isn't your thing, stay tuned for other fun ideas like Campfire Dinner Party and Soup Party.