It's true -- you spend hours preparing a meal and guests end up raving about a 10-minute centerpiece, an easy-to-make napkin ring, or a simple herb-infused drink. Make a big impression with a small detail.
With a little cold water, ice, and table salt, you can chill beverages in time for an impromptu backyard barbecue in three easy steps.
Instead of making a marinade with rosemary for grilling, place the herb right on the coals. Almost any meat or vegetable will benefit from this savory smoking.
Don't let an abundance of herbs go to waste. Pluck basil, mint, or thyme and use it to flavor a basic sugar syrup. You can also freeze the infused syrup in ice-cube trays and enjoy it for up to one month.
Instead of serving chips and dip, sate visitors' salty-snack cravings with a bowl of hearty, healthy roasted chickpeas. You can make this treat in less than an hour.
Beef up your condiment offerings for burgers and sandwiches with these four easy blends: peppers, Kalamata olive, sun-dried tomato, or pesto.
To create this illuminating centerpiece, place a glass vase inside another that is slightly larger (secure them with floral adhesive), and then pour tinted water in between them.
Pay tribute to the Stars and Stripes (emphasis on the stripes). Red, white, and blue bands of sand dress up votive candles to make flickering lights that are cheerful and fun.
Bleach is usually off-limits where colored fabric is concerned, but this decorative application gets our full approval. Make a table runner and place mats for your next outdoor meal.
Make a down-home meal more fun with pinwheel napkins made from bandannas (they're inexpensive and easy to find).
Your guests will love seeing their names in lights. These votives are wrapped in paper, inscribed on opposite sides. This way, others can read the names from across the table -- helpful if people are meeting for the first time.
Bundle place mat, napkin, and utensils in one convenient roll.
Create your own distinctive collection of napkin rings by using cookie cutters. Each person gets a different shape, with his or her napkin rolled up and slipped through the middle.
Match the informality of a summer buffet with rustic serving dishes fashioned from clay flowerpots and saucers.
With origami, you can transform your tablecloth into a handy picnic basket. Begin with a 5-foot square of oilcloth, and then follow our illustrated instructions to create your own carryall.
This quick folding trick helps you get a handle on picnic wines, then yields a place to lay your outdoor feast. Start with a square tablecloth that's at least 36 inches, then follow our illustrated instructions.
Breezy afternoons are ideal for lunching outdoors, but they can make a mess of stacked napkins.
Decking your yard with tiki torches is an inexpensive, festive way to bring island style home -- and to light up the night without electricity.
At your next backyard dinner, these tassels made from colorful strands of raffia will keep the wind from blowing your tablecloth into the neighbor's pool.
A few easy folds is all it takes to turn plain paper into cheery cups for servings of fresh fruit salad and more. You could also serve assorted nuts, cookies, popcorn, and other treats in the colorful paper containers.
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