Category: Complete Dinner Party Plans

September is such a funny little month, isn’t it?

We’re starting to think about sweaters, apples and everything cozy, but meanwhile the tomatoes are still gorgeous, the corn is still sweet, and the peaches are practically begging us not to move on quite yet.

So before we rush headfirst into pumpkin season, I think September deserves a dinner party of its own. And that’s exactly what inspired my newest Complete Dinner Party Plan: Fall’s First Table.

This one is about that wonderful little space between seasons—when the evenings are getting cooler, but there’s still enough summer left to enjoy.

And after everything I’ve been talking about lately—casual dinners, simpler entertaining, taking shortcuts and actually being a guest at your own party—this plan may be one of my favorites yet.

A Dinner That Feels Special… Without Being Complicated

I wanted this gathering to feel warm, relaxed and just a little nostalgic.

The kind of evening that starts while there’s still daylight and somehow ends with candles glowing, another glass of wine being poured and nobody particularly interested in leaving.

And the food reflects that.

We’re hanging onto some of September’s best flavors—peaches, tomatoes, sweet corn and fresh herbs—while adding just enough warmth and comfort to remind us that fall is right around the corner.

I’m not going to give you the whole menu here. But I WILL tell you that we’re starting with a Peach & Basil Gin Smash and ending with warm Peach Blossom Crumble.

That should give you an idea of where we’re headed.

And Remember: You’re Not Supposed to Do ALL THE THINGS

This is really important to me with my newer plans. I’ve simplified them because I don’t want you opening one and immediately thinking:

Well, this looks wonderful…but when exactly am I supposed to do all of this?!

Nope.

You get to decide what your dinner looks like. That’s why you’ll find Easy, Easier & Easiest shortcuts throughout the recipes. There’s even a slow-cooker option for the entrée.

And if someone asks, “What can I bring?” Let them!

Hosting doesn’t mean doing absolutely everything yourself. Your guests aren’t coming over to be impressed by you. They’re coming over to spend time with you.

I’ve Already Thought About the Rest

This is the part I want you to stop worrying about.

✅ I’ve thought about when to prep the food.
✅ I’ve thought about how to set the table.
✅ I’ve thought about the flowers, music and lighting.
✅ I’ve thought about how to serve everything.
✅ I’ve even given you a conversation starter, a place-setting guide and an idea for a little something your guests can take home.

There’s a complete hosting timeline that walks you through what to do ahead of time, the day before and the day of your gathering.

In other words… I’ve done the planning so you can do the hosting.

And yes, my 45-minute HARD STOP is in there too. When that time comes, put down the dish towel, get yourself ready, light the candles and turn on the music.

Dinner can be five minutes late. There can be dishes in the sink. When everyone sits down, YOU sit down too.

Don’t Rush Into Fall Just Yet

There will be plenty of time for apples and pumpkins. But right now? There are still tomatoes worth slicing. Corn worth eating. Peaches worth turning into dessert. And evenings worth spending around the table. So let’s give summer one last proper send-off.

Paid Subscriber?

✨ Your Fall’s First Table Complete Dinner Party Plan is ready on Substack. Open it, pick your shortcuts, choose a date and SEND THE INVITATIONS. Don’t just save this one—use it. I want to see this dinner on your table!

Not a Paid Subscriber Yet?

If you’ve been reading along thinking, I really do want to have people over more often…I just don’t want all the work that comes with figuring it out, this is exactly what my Complete Dinner Party Plans are designed to solve. Head over to my Substack and subcribe for just $7 each month!

I give you the menu, recipes, shortcuts, timeline and experience. You choose the people.

✨ Get Fall’s First Table, put a date on the calendar and let me take “What am I going to serve?” off your plate.

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

✨ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for weekly recipes, entertaining inspiration, behind-the-scenes hosting tips, and simple ideas to help you gather more often.

Save me a bite!
Colleen 🥂

I had a bit of a lightbulb moment recently. All year, I’ve been talking about the value of gathering and encouraging you to keep entertaining simple.

Invite the people. Use what you have. Take the shortcut. Stop worrying about perfection. Be a guest at your own party. I truly believed that creating my Complete Dinner Party Plans was helping you do exactly that.

And then I realized something. I wasn’t taking my own advice. We’ve all been there, right?

Somewhere Along the Way, I Made It Too Much

I started these plans because I wanted to take away that “I’d love to have people over, but where do I even begin?” feeling.

So I gave you everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. More recipes. More ideas. More choices. More details. Because more must mean more helpful, right?

Except… it wasn’t.

At some point I looked at one of my own plans and realized that even I was overwhelmed by the thought of doing ALL of it. Well, that’s a problem.

If I’m telling you that entertaining doesn’t have to be complicated, my dinner party plans shouldn’t make it complicated!

So I went back to the reason I started Slice, Dice & Dish in the first place. I want to make it easier for you to gather people around your table. Not give you another giant to-do list.

So, I Changed Them.

And I am SO excited about it!

Starting with my newest plan, Summer Abundance, and going forward, my Complete Dinner Party Plans are going to be simpler, more flexible and much more doable.

The calendar may say September, but the farmers markets and backyard gardens are still overflowing with ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, colorful peppers, juicy peaches, and fragrant melons. The days are still warm, the grill is still calling, and the evenings seem to beg us to stay outside just a little longer. There’s something special about these last weeks of summer and this menu celebrates that.

You’re still getting everything you need to create a really special evening. I’m just taking away some of the things you don’t need.

Each plan will give you:

• A complete, thoughtfully planned menu so you’re not trying to figure out what goes with what.
• A printable menu card you can put right on the table for your guests.
• All of the recipes, with my Easy, Easier & Easiest options so YOU decide how much you want to make and where you’d rather take a shortcut.
• A hosting timeline that tells you what you can do ahead so you’re not frantically chopping something when the doorbell rings.
• Ideas for creating the mood and experience—the table, flowers, lighting, music and those little touches that make people want to linger.
• A conversation starter because the best part of dinner isn’t always what’s on the plate.
• Kitchen and serving-piece suggestions—with a very important reminder to USE WHAT YOU HAVE.
• A place-setting guide so you don’t have to Google which side the fork goes on five minutes before everyone arrives.
• A simple take-home treat if you’d like to send your guests home with a little something.
• And, whenever it makes sense, make-ahead options, shortcuts and a slow-cooker option for the entrée.

Most importantly? You are NOT supposed to do everything.

The new plans actually tell you to read through the ideas and choose what works for you. That’s the whole point.

And There’s One Rule I’m Keeping

If you’ve been reading my newsletters, you probably already know this one. Everything comes to a full stop 45 minutes before your guests arrive.

In Summer Abundance, it’s right there in the timeline. Put down the dish towel. Go get dressed. Pour yourself something. Turn on the music. Light the candles. And if something didn’t get done? It probably didn’t need to get done.

Because when that doorbell rings, I want you opening the door excited to see your friends—not thinking about the three things still sitting on your kitchen counter.

This Is What I Want Slice, Dice & Dish to Be

I don’t want to teach you how to throw the most impressive dinner party. I want to help you actually have one. I want you to look at a plan and think, I can do this. I want you to feel comfortable buying the dessert instead of making it. I want you to let someone bring the appetizer when they ask, “What can I bring?” I want you to use the dishes you already own, set a table that feels welcoming instead of perfect, and serve food that lets you sit down and eat with everyone else.

And more than anything, I want you to invite the people. Because the goal was never a perfect dinner party. The goal is gathering.

Now I Want You to Actually USE These Plans

Don’t buy a Complete Dinner Party Plan and save it for “someday.” Pick one. Pick a date. Invite the people.

My brand-new Summer Abundance Complete Dinner Party Plan was created with this new philosophy in mind—a relaxed late-summer gathering filled with seasonal food, easy shortcuts and plenty that can be prepared ahead, so you can actually enjoy the evening you’ve created.

And if you’ve been thinking, I’d love to entertain more, but it just feels like too much work…

This is exactly why I created these.

✨ Shop my Complete Dinner Party Plans, choose the gathering that sounds like you, and put a date on the calendar. I’ll take care of the planning. You take care of bringing the people together.

Don’t wait for the perfect house, the perfect menu or the perfect time. Your table is ready now.

✨ Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for weekly recipes, entertaining inspiration, behind-the-scenes hosting tips, and simple ideas to help you gather more often.

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful moments keep them there.

Cheers!
Colleen 🥂

When most people hear the words game night, they picture pizza boxes, paper plates, and a quick round of cards before everyone heads home. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with that, I think game night can be so much more.

This week I’m excited to share my newest Complete Dinner Party Plan—Passing Go & Passing Plates.

It’s built around something I believe deeply: The best gatherings aren’t about the game. They’re about the people gathered around it.

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Why I Love Small Gatherings

Somewhere along the way, entertaining started feeling like it had to be an event.

✅ A dozen guests.
✅ An elaborate menu.
✅ A perfectly decorated house.

But I’ve found that some of the richest conversations happen when there are just four, six, or eight people around the table. Everyone gets a chance to talk. No one feels left out. The evening unfolds naturally instead of feeling rushed.

That’s exactly how I designed this dinner party.

The Monopoly board sits at the center of the table—not because winning is the goal, but because it gives everyone something to laugh about together. The recipes, cocktails, décor ideas, conversation starter, and timeline are all there to support what really matters: spending time with people you enjoy.

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Hosting Doesn’t Mean Doing Everything

One of my favorite parts of this Complete Dinner Party Plan is that I actually encourage you NOT to make every recipe.

Instead, I want you to think of it like ordering from your favorite restaurant… Choose what sounds delicious. Skip what doesn’t. Take shortcuts. Mix in a family favorite.

Every recipe includes Easy, Easier, and Easiest options because hosting should fit your life—not the other way around. The guide also includes a flexible prep timeline so you can spread the work out over several days and actually enjoy your guests when they arrive.

Because when the doorbell rings I want you sitting at the table, not still standing in the kitchen.

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This Week’s Hosting Challenge

✅ Invite just four people.
✅ Pull out your favorite board game.
✅ Set the table.
✅ Pour a great cocktail.
✅ And let the evening unfold.

You don’t need a birthday. You don’t need a holiday. You don’t even need a perfect house.

You simply need a reason to say: “Come on over.”

Because great food brings people to the table. Meaningful conversation is what keeps them there.

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🎉 This Week’s Featured Complete Dinner Party Plan

If you’ve been wanting to host more but feel overwhelmed by planning the menu, timing, table setting, and all the little details, that’s exactly why I created my Complete Dinner Party Plans.

Passing Go & Passing Plates includes:

✔️ A complete themed menu
✔️ Two signature cocktails and a dessert cocktail
✔️ Step-by-step recipes with Easy, Easier & Easiest shortcuts
✔️ A preparation timeline
✔️ Table-setting inspiration
✔️ Conversation starters
✔️ Printable menu and take-home favor ideas

Everything is designed so you can spend less time planning and more time connecting with the people around your table.

Ready to host your next gathering?
Grab your copy of Passing Go & Passing Plates and let me do the planning so you can enjoy the party.

Until we gather again,
Colleen

There’s something about this time of year that makes me want to throw open the windows, set the table, and invite people over.

The days are longer. The farmers markets are filling up. The tomatoes are getting sweeter. And suddenly dinner outdoors sounds like the best idea anyone has had all week.

That’s exactly what inspired my newest Dinner Party eCookbook:

Sunshine & Supper.

This menu was created for those beautiful evenings when you want to gather friends around the table without spending the entire day in the kitchen.

Because if you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know my goal is always the same:

I want you to feel like a guest at your own party.

✅ Not exhausted.
✅ Not stressed.
✅ Not frantically chopping vegetables while everyone else is enjoying a cocktail.

A guest.

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🍅 Summer Flavors That Do the Heavy Lifting

One of the secrets to easy entertaining is letting seasonal ingredients do the work for you.

When produce is at its peak, recipes don’t need much fussing.

This menu celebrates some of my favorite warm-weather flavors:

• Fresh herbs
• Bright citrus
• Garden vegetables
• Juicy tomatoes
• Light, vibrant sides
• And meals that feel special without being complicated

One of my favorite recipes in the guide is the Lemon Herb Summer Couscous, a fresh, colorful side dish packed with cucumber, tomatoes, feta, herbs, and lemon. It pairs beautifully with the main course and can be served chilled or at room temperature, making it ideal for entertaining.

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🥂 Entertaining Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

What I hear all the time is:

“I’d love to have people over, but I never know what to make.”

Or:

“I don’t have time to figure out the menu.”

Or my personal favorite:

“I want to host, but it feels overwhelming.”

That’s exactly why these eCookbooks exist.

✅ I’ve already done the planning.
✅ The menu is curated.
✅ The recipes work together.
✅ The timeline is mapped out.
✅ The shortcuts are included.

All you have to do is decide who to invite.

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✨ Pick What Sounds Good

Do I expect you to make every recipe in the book?

Absolutely not.

Just like ordering from your favorite restaurant, choose the dishes that excite you.

✅ Use the recipes as written.
✅ Take the shortcuts.
✅ Mix and match.
✅ Make it your own.
✅ The goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is creating an evening where people gather, connect, laugh, and linger around the table.

Because great food brings people to the table.

Meaningful conversation is what keeps them there.

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❤️ Ready for a Summer Gathering?

If you’ve been thinking about hosting friends, family, neighbors, or even that couple you’ve been saying “we should get together sometime” to for the last six months…

Consider this your sign.

✅ The table doesn’t have to be perfect.
✅ The house doesn’t have to be spotless.
✅ The menu doesn’t have to be complicated.
✅ You simply need a reason to gather.

And sunshine and supper seem like a pretty good reason to me.

✨ Shop the Sunshine & Supper Dinner Party eCookbook and let me help you take the stress out of hosting.
✨ Subscribe so you don’t miss more real-world entertaining tips and weekly recipes.
✨ Forward this email to a friend who’s always saying, “We should have people over more often.”
✨ Follow along for easy menus, decor ideas, and ways to make every gathering feel special, joyful, and authentic.

Here’s to sunshine, simple meals, and making memories around the table this season.

Cheers,
Colleen 🥂

Some evenings invite a different kind of gathering.

The kind filled with flickering candlelight, layered conversations, beautiful cocktails… and just a hint of mystery.

That’s exactly the inspiration behind this Knives Out & Napkins Folded Dinner Party—an evening designed for suspense, laughter, and a table full of secrets.

Inspired by the sharp wit, dramatic twists, and unforgettable characters of Knives Out, this dinner party guide creates the perfect atmosphere for a night where nothing is quite as it seems.

And honestly?
That’s part of the fun.

Even better, this theme works beautifully alongside any murder mystery movie, making it easy to customize the evening around your favorite suspense-filled classic.

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🕯️ The Mood: Cozy Meets Captivating

The menu leans into elevated comfort with just the right amount of decadence.

Think:

• Rich, layered flavors
• Thoughtfully crafted cocktails
• Candlelit tables
• And dishes that feel like they belong in an old estate filled with stories

It’s the kind of dinner party where guests linger a little longer, piecing together clues between bites and laughing over theories long after dessert is served.

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🍽️ What’s Included Inside

Inside this guide, you’ll find a fully curated menu featuring:

• Two cocktails
• Two appetizers
• A fresh salad
• An entrée with a side
• Dessert
• A dessert cocktail
• And a playful edible favor to send guests home with

Do I expect you to make everything from scratch?

Absolutely not.

Like any good mystery, you get to choose your own path.

Pick what excites you.
What fits your schedule.
And what feels realistic for the season of life you’re in right now.

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✨ Entertaining Should Feel Fun—Not Stressful

Recipes are meant to inspire, not intimidate.

Swap ingredients.
Adjust flavors.
Take shortcuts when needed.

Every recipe includes options ranging from:

• Exactly as written
• Easy
• Easier
• And easiest

So you can confidently match the menu to your comfort level and available time.

Because the goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is creating an experience your guests will remember.

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🖤 Bringing the Theme to Life

You’ll also find:

• Menu planning tips
• Styling inspiration
• A flexible hosting timeline
• Recommended kitchen tools and serving pieces
• Suggested table settings
• And all the details that help the evening feel immersive without becoming overwhelming

(And yes—you can even print the menu on page 3 for your guests, which adds the perfect slightly theatrical touch.)

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🥂 A Night Worth Lingering Over

Before you begin, take a few moments to read through the guide and decide which elements you’d like to include.

Remember:
You do not have to do it all.

Choose the details that sound fun to you, build your shopping list, dim the lights, light the candles, and prepare for an evening of delicious suspense.

Because sometimes the best gatherings are the ones where everyone leaves talking about the night long after the mystery is solved.

And as always, if you have questions or would like personalized guidance, I’m just a message away.

Here’s to mysterious menus, candlelit conversations, and dinner parties full of delicious suspense!

Cheers,
Colleen 🥂

Download your Knives Out & Napkins Folded Dinner Party eCookbook HERE

Winter evenings practically beg for a crackling fire, a classic film, and a meal meant to be savored.

That’s exactly the inspiration behind the Cinema al Roma Movie Night Dinner Party — an evening designed to be enjoyed alongside the timeless film Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

With its charm, romance, and wanderlust-filled scenes of Rome, it’s the perfect movie to set the mood for a cozy night in with friends.

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🇮🇹 An Italian-Inspired Evening

The menu echoes the effortless elegance and simple pleasures woven throughout the film.

Think:

• Comforting Italian-inspired dishes
• Beautiful, balanced cocktails
• A table that invites lingering conversation
• A dessert worth slowing down for

Just like a leisurely evening strolling Roman streets.

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🍝 What’s Inside the Guide

Inside, you’ll find a thoughtfully curated menu featuring:

• Two cocktails
• Two appetizers
• A fresh salad
• An entrée with a side
• Dessert
• A dessert cocktail
• And a fun edible gift to send home with your guests

Do I expect you to make everything from start to finish?

Absolutely not.

Just like ordering from your favorite restaurant, you get to choose what excites you, what fits your schedule, and what feels doable.

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✨ Designed to Inspire — Not Intimidate

Recipes are meant to spark creativity, not overwhelm you.

Adjust flavors.
Swap ingredients.
Take a few well-earned shortcuts.

Every recipe includes easy, easier, and easiest options so you can match your comfort level and available time.

Because the goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is an evening that feels special.

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🕯️ Beyond the Menu

You’ll also find:

• Styling inspiration
• A flexible hosting timeline
• Recommended kitchen tools and serving pieces
• Suggested Roman-inspired table settings
• A printable menu you can display for guests

Before you begin, take a few minutes to read through the guide and decide what feels right for you.

You don’t have to do it all.

Once you’ve made your selections, create your shopping list, cue the film, and get ready to host a warm, memorable night inspired by classic cinema.

Here’s to flickering candles, pasta on the table, and a little Roman romance in the middle of winter.

As always, if you have questions or want personalized guidance, I’m just a message away.
Download your Dinner Party Menus here: MENUS

Cheers,
Colleen 🥂