Sweater weather is on its way!  As we tuck indoors during this chilly season, our thoughts on home entertaining turn to cozy fires and comfort food like hearty pastas, oven roasted vegetables and grilled meat.  When it comes to this type of dining, who better to ask than chef Marc Murphy who is known for his rustic Italian and French cuisine and his easy going style.

With cooler days ahead and tougher financial times to come, it’s no surprise that potluck dinners are making a swift comeback. With the chicest social types embracing the concept of hosting a party where their guests get a hand in the entertaining, the potluck dinner has been elevated from its simple bring-your-own-dish status to a creative group dining experience.

Of course, The Lazy Hostess loves the idea of easy home cooking with any army of sous chefs in tow so here are some fresh ideas and tips for hosting the modern day potluck:

Ladies - is your husband already driving you NUTZ talking about his fantasy football league?  Guys - has your wife already started complaining about how much time you’ll be spending with the guys and without her?  Well… Gentlemen - since you love watching football, and ladies - since you love hosting get togethers – how about a magnificent compromise?!  Football season is the perfect time for both! Friends, together, under 1 roof… the guys, the gals...

As any social butterfly will tell you, sometimes the most memorable evenings come out of accepting a last minute invitation. But, attending a spontaneous dinner party or cocktail soiree will leave you little time to wrap a hostess gift, let alone find an appropriate card.

Don’t fret. The Lazy Hostess has a few shortcuts up her sleeve that will not only save time and money but will leave a very pretty impression.

Truly EASYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Entertaining

Take those old plates and break 'em - OPAAA! Why? Because we are making entertaining easy with a fully disposable dinner party. Fantastic paper plates, plastic cups even flatware that you have to see to believe, and believe me, they sure aren’t what they used to be. This table setting has all the style without any of the clean-up.

Out of all of the weekends in the year, 4th of July is hands down the biggest BBQ celebration. Whether you are staying in the city for a backyard bash or chilling at the beach, making a simple meal of grilled meat and fish, summer salads and frosty desserts is always a crowd pleaser.

The Lazy Hostess loves this type of stress-free entertaining and has scoped out some of the best gadgets, tools and products to make your BBQ experience even easier.

Summer entertaining calls for casual dishes that can be whipped up in an instant and that pack a flavorful punch. Bursting with bright colors and fresh ingredients, Mexican food, is the quintessential summer cuisine and always a crowd pleaser.

We asked Chef Julian Medina, one the leading Mexican chefs in the city and owner of Toloache restaurant for his insider tips on making his famous guacamole.

The Big Day Is Coming, Let’s Shower Them With Love

You Are Cordially Invited to a Wedding Shower!

Love, laughter and friendship - that’s how it all started and is revisited again in a romantic palette that hints at the guest of honor’s majestic, upcoming wedding day. Combine soft whites with blues & silver and you’ll have the perfect color scheme to toast everlasting love.

Everyone is talking about scrimping and saving these days, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed here at Stirrings. We’ve sharpened our pencils and have been able to reduce the online price of our all-natural Cocktail Mixers by 10%. And no, we didn’t shrink the bottle or change the great quality of our product to do it!

Now just $9 per bottle, this price reduction brings the cost per cocktail to a mere 82¢, making it by far the most enjoyable way to “economize.”

Cheers to that!

In a bustling city like New York, there is nothing better than finding a little patch of grass to call your own when the summer weather arrives.  If you want to entertain your friends in the great outdoors, here are some easy tips to follow to create the ultimate picnic in the park experience.