Before you bake and decorate a cake, make sure you have the right cake decorating ingredients and supplies readily available. Take your time and follow easy decorating steps when you frost your cake. If you’re in a time crunch, use some quick decorating ideas for your cake. Before you present your cake, go through a pre-showtime checklist so your cake looks great.

You've committed to having a large group of friends and family over for a meal — but now what? The hardest part about cooking for a crowd is figuring out how much to cook. The quantity you make depends on how many people you're serving, of course, and whether appetizers are pre-meal goodies or the main attraction.

This very rich and very creamy dessert is perfect for a crowd event. Cheesecake itself symbolizes holiday fun, but this recipe is great year-round. Because they're bite size, they're easy to serve — a big plus! Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake Bites Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes Chill time: 1 to 24 hours Yield: 24 servings 1-1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies 1/4 cup butter, melted 2/3 cup, 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 24 chocolate kisses 4 8-ounce packages (32 ounces) cream cheese, softened 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup chunky peanut butter 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 2 teaspoons shortening 1.

Scalloped potatoes are standard side-dish fare, and we don't reinvent the wheel here, because the traditional dish is very tasty. However, this recipe yields enough for a crowd. (In case you're wondering, scalloped means to bake in a casserole with milk or a sauce and often topped with breadcrumbs.) Scalloped Potatoes for a Crowd Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Yield: 24 servings 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup flour 6 cups milk 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 3 2-ounce jars (6 ounces) diced pimentos, drained 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded provolone cheese 6 green onions, chopped 2-1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon pepper 12 medium baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1 cup breadcrumbs 1.

Do you want to socialize with friends and family while spending as little money as possible? Your guests will appreciate the quality time together as well as the frugality of these events. Here are a few ideas that are proven winners: Covered-dish dinners: Hosts provide the main course, and guests bring side dishes and desserts.

Nothing is worse than cooking Thanksgiving dinner and running out of food. It is important to err on the side of excess while sticking to your budget. There is no exact formula for cooking for a crowd, so you have to consider your crowd. Do they really enjoy eating? Will many children be present? Are most people in your crowd weight conscious?

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd can be expensive, so it’s important that you start out with a firm look at your budget. If you’re the one making Thanksgiving dinner, ask yourself the following questions: How much can you spend? You may be thinking goose or duck, when your budget calls for turkey. What are the ages of the guests you’ll be cooking for?

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is a big endeavor, but you can take a lot of the stress out of the holiday by preparing some foods in advance. Take some time to go over your menu and determine which dishes you can make ahead of time. Read on to see suggestions for tasks you can perform before the big day arrives. ©Thomas John / Unsplash.

Even the cook should get to enjoy a stress-free Thanksgiving. So, if you're hosting this year's holiday festivities, follow these tips to help take the stress out of getting ready to cook a Thanksgiving meal: ©Lordn / Adobe Stock Make a plan: Poor planning is probably the greatest stressor when you're trying to execute a large meal, particularly Thanksgiving dinner.