Hosting a dinner party is a relatively new concept to me but with completion of our remodeled kitchen I've been having more and more dinner parties. Truth be told, it's a bit of an art finding the right food for the guests.  First, you want to find food that everyone will enjoy - yourself included.  Next, you want the food to be interesting and unique while not breaking the bank.  And then there is the effort factor - you don't want to spend a week preparing the food nor do you want to be busy slaving in the kitchen while your guests are mingling about looking for you.  Since we completed our kitchen we've had 10 or so sit down dinner parties for between 8 to 16 people each.  Not an enormous number of parties nor guests but enough that I've learned a thing or two; which leads me to present my list of top 10 dinner party tips:

1. Choose dishes that do not require active last minute effort.  I've found that once guests enter the door I'm hopeless in the kitchen because I want to spend time with my guests.  As a result, I try my best to pick dishes that can be made earlier in the day and are either baking in the oven or staying warm in the oven when guests arrive.  If the dish requires extensive last minute sautéing, mixing or chopping I won't use it.  Those types of dishes are OK if you are having just a couple of friends (say 2 or 4) but for more people your hands will be full enough without needing to be in the kitchen cooking.

2.  Appetizers vary depending on the type of party.  It may be surprising, but I find appetizers are actually one of the harder parts of a party.  The issues involved include the tastes of your guests, the behavior of your guests, and the layout of the rooms where you are having the party.  Appetizers I've tried range from vegetables, to cheese, to pates, to crostini's.  In some cases people won't like cheese and in other cases vegetables will simply be too plain.  Guest behavior becomes an issue if everyone tends to just sit down somewhere and talk rather than mingle about.  In the former case the appetizers won't get touched because they won't walk to them.  And in all cases the layout of the rooms and where you place the appetizers is really important.  If it is difficult to get to the appetizers or crowding happens you'll have problems.  I've had the best success with ready to eat items like crostinis where guests can just pick them up and go, rather than say cheese plates where people 'assemble' what they want.  I've also found walking around with a small platter has helped at least get people to taste enough that they then seek out the remaining appetizers...

3. To plate or not to plate?  Plated meals look great but they have several draw backs.  First, you have to plate everything which takes time and makes you stay in the kitchen longer.  But more important is that platting forces people to eat specific things.  My friends don't all eat the same so I don't like to force them to do so at my parties.  Instead I line everything up on my island and let people choose what they want and how much of it they want.

4.  Give people options on what to eat.  When you have a large enough group (say greater than 10 people) offer multiple choices.  Rather than make a double batch of anything I'll make two mains, two sides, and so forth.  That way people have a choice of what to eat and I can offer both carnivore and vegetarian options.

5.  Have plenty of wine available including both red and white.  You'll always find someone who will only drink white or only drink red so make sure you have both.  You also want to be sure to have enough specifically chosen for the party because you don't want to run out and be forced to use that special (and expensive) wine you bought.  I like to have multiple bottles of wine open before the guests arrive.  That way I don't have to fuss with opening the wine when everyone first arrives.

6.  After dinner beverages: Coffee, Decaf, and Tea.  For the larger parties I've had, I always find someone who wants decaf, someone who wants tea and the regular coffee requests with dessert.  Having a plan before hand really helps.  You may not want to offer all three but at least know what you are going to offer will make your life easier when the time comes. I also set-up the coffee machine before dinner so all I need to do is turn it on when the time comes.

7.  Have a pitcher (or two) of water out on the table.  While many people will drink wine water is always welcomed.

8.  The food may not always be perfect.  Something cooked to long?  Something else doesn't taste great or quite right?  You are most likely the only one who notices the food imperfections. No matter what you do don't mention it to your guests.  If they didn't notice it then they will and they probably don't care.  People may enjoy eating your food but more likely than not they are at the party to see you and your friends, not to obsess about your food.

9. Remember that accidents happen and be prepared.  Someone will likely spill something on the tablecloth, perhaps chip a plate or break a glass.  Most stains can be removed by soaking them overnight in cold soapy water.  But not always.  If a stain on your Great Aunt's table cloth or broken dinnerware will bother you then don't use those items.  

10.  Enjoy yourself.  The important part is to have fun.  Hopefully while preparing and especially once the guests arrive - that is why you're having the party right?

Some other great resources for help on giving dinner parties can be found at :  Mr Manner's  and SFist.