You just got a call from your friend who asked, "Hey what are you doing tonight?" You reply with "nothing". And then she suggests you all get together to "do something". Before you know it, you have 20 people coming over to your house in 10 hours for dinner and fun. What do you do...panic? No! You pull out your emergency party plan and put it into action.

My favorite way to entertain is outdoors. It is casual and relaxing. It is a great way to entertain, especially in a pinch. I have a standard BBQ grilling meal that I like to have when I entertain a larger group.This meal, including shopping, can be pulled off in about 3 1/2 to 4 hours and is great for anytime of the year that you can be outdoors...even if it is a little nippy.

For entertainment, you can set up Bocce ball for everyone to play on the lawn while you grill. Another fun lawn game is croquet. And if you have a large enough yard, maybe a spunky game of volleyball. For the less active, set up card tables with dominoes, cards, and scrabble. Or if games are not your cup if tea, you can just sit around in lawn chairs and chit chat. If there is a chill in the air, having an outdoor fire pit is a great way to warm up once the sun goes down. Making a wood fire will allow you to end the evening with everyone gathered round talking, laughing, and making dessert...S'mores! Who can resist this old fashioned favorite?

• BBQ Tri Tip soaked in Beer
• Corn tortillas brushed with olive oil and heated (use like bread)
  
• Corn on the Cob
  
• Green Salad
• Fresh fruit salad
• Chili beans

Appetizer- Tortilla Chips, fresh salsa, guacamole

Dessert- S'mores and/or Ice cream sundaes

Drinks- Ice Tea, Sodas, or your favorite adult beverages and coffee with dessert

Tri Tip Roasts (or you can make this with whole Chicken's cut in half)-

Take three tri tips and place each one in a large zip bag

Pour one beer- any kind- in each bag

Let stand for at least 1 hour in the fridge

Baste with "Garlic beer butter" sauce while grilling:

• 2 cubes melted butter
• 4 T Italian herbs - Fresh Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage chopped fine and blended (or dry is OK)
• 1/4 cup beer
• 2 T garlic powder (not salt)
• 2 T sea salt

Guacamole-

• Mash 6 to 8 avocados
• 1 T sea salt
• 1 T lime juice
• 2 T chopped cilantro
• 1 small tomato finely chopped
• 1/4 finely chopped sweet onion
• Dashes of Tabasco to your taste
  

Mix all ingredients, cover and refrigerate til serving time

Fresh Fruit salad- prepare, cover and chill til serving

• 4 - 6 cups strawberries sliced
• 1 fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and cubed
• 4 kiwis peeled and sliced
• 2 bananas chopped
• 2 oranges peeled and cubed
• 2 cups purple seedless grapes

Green Salad- toss all ingredients and mix with a light vinaigrette dressing at serving time (my favorite is Girard's original)

• 2 mixed green "bag-o-salad"
  
• 2 boxes of pearl tomatoes or other small cherry size tomato
  
• 2 green onions- chopped
  
• 3 broccoli flowers cut into small bite size pieces
  
• 1 large cucumber thinly sliced
• 20 or so Kalamata olives (pitted) sliced in halves
  
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (optional)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  

Chili beans - 3 large cans (or 6 small) of your favorite brand- just pour and heat

Corn Tortillas- brush very lightly with olive oil, stack and wrap in foil. Place on the grill or in a crock pot to keep warm.

Corn on the cob- you can get the frozen 1/2 ears or fresh and break in half (1 for each person). Place in a large stock pot about 20 minutes prior to serving time to boil on the stove top.

S'mores- you take 2 graham crackers, one marshmallow cooked over the fire, and a square of Hershey's chocolate and make a "sandwich". The hot marshmallow will melt the chocolate. Very messy and delicious!

if you don't want to have a fire pit and s'mores...you can have a sundae bar for dessert. Offer 3 kinds of ice cream 3 sauces for toppings, nuts, whip cream, and maraschino cherries. Finish the night off with everyone gathering round the TV for a good movie and sundaes. Throw lots of pillows and blankets around so everyone can find a place to plop down.

Use sturdy paper products to serve on. Never use the flimsy paper plates or styrofoam. Neither are good for this kind of meal. It will be best to use flatware, but if you don't have enough, use sturdy plastic ware (recycled if possible).

Don't worry about cleaning the house too much. Just make the guest bathroom nice and shiny with plenty of toilet paper and air freshner.

To make quick work of a messy house- take a laundry basket or box and go through the area that your guests will see and pick up all your clutter. Put everything in the basket and place in a closet or bedroom to sort later.

Sweep or vacuum but don't go crazy. With that many people, no one will see your floors!

Place sodas or bottled drinks in a large tub filled with ice and pour in water to make them chill faster. Place on the patio with a small towel next to the tub so guests can wipe off their beverage.

Have 2 large trash cans lined with black bags and mark "trash" and "recycle". Place in an obvious place for your guests.

What is your favorite easy entertaining tip?