Try these theme-inspired easy entertaining ideas for any occasion.

Southern-Style Entertaining

• Serve small tea sandwiches of egg salad, cucumber or ham and cheese.
• Add minced garlic, hot sauce or Dijon mustard to your barbecue sauce and serve with steak, chicken or burgers.
• Serve up iced tea with a slice of lemon, lime or orange on the rim of the glass.

Asian-Inspired Entertaining

• Use Asian-style dipping sauces for finger-food meats.
• Marinate chicken in a sesame salad dressing and serve over white rice.
• Offer chopsticks and fortune cookies with your meal.

Tuscan-Touched Entertaining

• Serve a Tuscan-style salad made of mixed greens, plum tomatoes, artichoke hearts and fresh basil topped with balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
• Add some sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil to mayonnaise and serve as a dip for veggies.

Mexican Fiesta Entertaining

• Substitute ranch dressing for sour cream on your tacos.
• Roll your sandwiches up in a tortilla instead of serving them on bread.
• Decorate with bright colors and crank up the Mariachi music.

Published 06/03/09