A No-Fuss New Year's Dinner Party

When it comes to the guest list, six is the golden number. Two fewer guests and it turns into a double date (or an awkward rendition thereof), two more and the conversation divides and you miss out on half of it. Email or mail invitations at least a month in advance since calendars fill up faster around the holidays. Ask guests to RSVP within a week. Convey the mood of the party in the invite, but stop short of imposing a dress code.

Good news: For this party, celebrate your everyday dishware. For a sleek tablecloth update, fold and iron the long sides under so the cloth is only as wide as the table and doesn't hang over. Arranged seats set people at ease: Go with name cards when you want certain people to sit next to each other (wink, wink, college friend; nudge, nudge, work friend). Or, for a fun riff on that formality, opt for cards that simply read "boy" and girl," as we did here. For soft lighting, we placed low votives around two traditional tapers and finished the look with faux (yes, faux!) magnolia blossoms.

When guests arrive, pour Cava Avinyo Brut, a crisp, sparkling Spanish wine that's an inexpensive (and less predictable) alternative to Champagne (winehouse.com). For dinner, serve a Cotes du Rhone or Syrah, and a smooth, non-oaky Chardonnay. As a nightcap, pour "his and hers" scotches. Macallan Cask Strength has a bold, toffee-like aroma, and Macallan Fine Oak 15 Years Old, served over ice, is lighter and delicate. (You decide which is his and which is hers.) themacallan.com

Think of the recipes on the following slides as dinner-party building blocks: People-pleasing and delicious, every one will become your signature dish.

The best predinner appetizers stimulate your appetite; they don't stuff you to the gills. Set out bowls of delicious store-bought Marcona almonds, veggie chips, and a platter of carrots, cucumbers, and yellow wax beans. Serve with a whipped feta and pepper dip.

Like we said, these recipes are building blocks. To switch up the recipes without risk, introduce seasonal ingredients. For example, the Cornish game hens can be partnered with roasted root vegetables instead of asparagus.

Herb-Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Garlic-Rosemary Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Pancetta
Roasted Asparagus

A modern dinner party needs a traditional twist. Serve this palate-cleansing salad after the main course.

Green Salad with Radishes and Manchego

Chocolate is always ooh-and-ahh-inducing, but this dense, single-layer cake is especially easy because it's supposed to look imperfect and requires no frosting. The cake may be served with coffee ice cream, if you wish.

Rich Chocolate Cake