— Plan To Have Fun—lit can be easyto throw a great holiday party.It just takesa little planning. (NAPSA)—It can be easy to throw a holiday party that you have time to enjoy, too. That’s good news, because even people with a gift for entertaining sometimes avoid throwing holiday gettogethers, wrongfully assuming they’re too much work. The key is to make two lists and check them twice. Here are sometips: To-Do List * Two Weeks Ahead—Shop for your party supplies. Make any freezable hors d’oeuvres or desserts. * One Week Ahead—Shop for all but the most perishable ingredients you'll need. * Two Days Ahead—Buyfresh produce. * One Day Before—Freshen the powder room with candles, festive soaps and hand towels. * An Hour Before—Set out any food that is to be served at room temperature. Open wine that needs to breathe. If you are serving food that needs to be heated, removeit from the refrigerator. ShoppingList * Party Supplies—Be sure to have decorations, cocktail napkins, disposable baking and serving trays, trash bags and foil wraps for leftovers. * Food—Take advantage of preprepared foods to save time in the kitchen. Use prewashed,cut lettuce, peeled and cut carrot sticks, bottled dips, and artisan rolls from the baker. For an easy appetizer (such as the one pictured above), cut up Hillshire Farm summer sausage and arrange on a tray with precut cheese cubes, crackers and fruit. Also, prepare a number of favorite holiday recipes that can be made ahead of time and reheated before the party starts. That way you can have an impressive, varied menu without being rushed the day of the get-together. Delicious dishes, whether you make them yourself or rely on convenience foods, are what really make a holiday party festive. Try this favorite recipe: Lit’l Smokies in BBQ Sauce 1 pkg. (16 oz.) Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies (any variety) 1 bottle (12 oz.) BBQ sauce 1. Pour sauce in baking dish or crock-pot and add Lit’l Smokies. 2. Bake in 350F oven for 30 minutes or heat in crock-pot for 2 hours. 3. Serve hot. For more party recipes, visit www.hillshirefarm.com.
