The more you keep stress out of the picture, the more relaxed and easygoing your event will be. Keep these tips in mind.

• Stay in your comfort zone: Prepare items within your skill level and budget. Consider coming up with a list of "house specialties" -- those tried-and-true favorites you can always count on to please guests. If you wish to experiment, complement your house specialties with dishes you've wanted to try.
• Keep it simple: Serve the number of people you can accommodate easily. Balance make-ahead recipes with those that require a few last-minute finishing details, and round out your menu with convenience items, if you wish.
• Invest a little time: Work out a schedule so you know in what order to prepare the food. Make sure your oven, refrigerator, and freezer will hold everything as needed, and that oven temperatures for oven-going foods don't conflict.
• Invite guests in advance: Give them plenty of time to make arrangements. Allow 10 days for informal events, two weeks or more for formal events. For formal events, send written invitations; for informal events, call or invite guests personally. Be clear about the details -- whether it's a barbecue, cocktail buffet, sit-down dinner, etc., and what time the party begins -- so your guests will know what to wear and what to expect.
• Serve dinner promptly: Follow the customs of your region. Allow about one hour for before-dinner appetizers and beverages, but not much more -- you don't want your guests famished by the time they sit down to dinner.
• Something flop? It happens to the best of cooks -- the soup scorches, the soufflé falls. Make light of it and move on. If you don't let it ruin your evening, neither will your guests. Remember, entertaining isn't about perfection. Most people are happy to simply be part of the fun.