Entertaining at home has never been more popular - or easier! Entertaining expert Alison Deyette offers these entertaining tips that will help you plan your next house party without breaking a sweat.

Movies are a great way to create a theme for the evening. Host a potluck dinner with a similar "flavor" as the movie and hold a screening - host a Moroccan feast for "Casablanca"...or an Italian spread for "Godfather."

  • Plan a dinner where everyone can help out in the kitchen. TIVO your favorite cooking shows and replay them when your guests arrive to give everyone quick and easy cooking tips.

  • Set the mood of the party with background music. If you planned a mellow gathering, put on a down tempo CD...if you want to get the party started...play club music or 80’s hits.

  • Themes are big this year and provide a framework to quickly plan a get-together at your home or apartment with friends. Pick an easy theme such as Vegas and play an appropriately themed DVD that features casino scenery such as “Ocean’s 11” or “Diamonds are Forever.”

  • Creating a coffeehouse lounge at home is one of the hottest ideas in home entertaining today. You can easily transform your house or apartment into a coffeehouse lounge complete with coffeehouse style coffees. Simply throw on some chill tunes, light a few candles, add some cozy pillows to your furniture and mix up some of your favorite coffeehouse drinks! Be sure your kitchen is stocked with the following key items necessary for making delicious coffee style drinks:

    • NESTLÉ® Chocolate Candies
    • Cold regular or soy milk
    • NESCAFÉ® TASTER'S CHOICE® Instant Coffee
    • COFFEE-MATE® Creamers
    • Cinnamon sprinkles
    • Chocolate powder
    • Sugar or sugar substitutes
    • Whip cream
    • Stirrers
    • Fun and decorative mugs and glasses
    • Lay out your mugs, create a buffet and let your friends create their own coffee.

Recipes for Easy Entertaining
Delicious desserts are always a welcome addition to any celebration. Check out these great recipes, they're perfect for home entertaining and are sure to be the life of the party.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pound Cake
Cappuccino Cheesecake
Mocha Dream Cake