Hosting a potluck party is a great way to get together and eat with some friends, your community, or coworkers. Because everyone is bringing in their own food, most of the culinary work is done for you; however, your appliances will help make the party even more effortless from start to finish. In this post, we’ll show you how to make your potluck party go extra smooth and be super fun.

#1 Provide the basics.

Even though your guests will provide most of the food for the party, it is up to you, the host, to provide the basics such as appetizers and munchies. A vegetable platter is a great starter for the party (and throughout) because it is so basic, yet crowd-pleasing. Pick some favorites, like cucumber, tomatoes and broccoli—then add something interesting, like zucchini or mushrooms. Buy pre-sliced celery and whole baby carrots, then do prep work in your Black & Decker PowerPro® Wide-Mouth food processor for the veggies that require slicing. Then, simply arrange vegetables on a large plate with a bowl of store-bought dip in the middle.

#2 Make fun drinks.

Another aspect of a potluck party that is up for you to provide are drinks, whether they be alcoholic or not. If your potluck has a theme, try centering drinks around it too. For example, if your theme is comfort foods, and guests will be bringing in classic American down-home recipes, provide drinks that evoke such characteristics, like the classic blended piña colada or margarita. A blender with a powerful motor that can shred ice into snow, like ones from Black & Decker, will make blended drink preparation easy. And for dessert, your guests will remember their childhood with simple and delicious adult chocolate and vanilla milkshakes.

#3 Help keep food warm.

Regardless of potluck theme, you’re bound to have dishes requiring re-heating, or even cooking. Guests will try their best to keep food warm, or fully prepared, but sometimes life takes over—and this is understandable. Be a gracious host by providing a way to cook and reheat foods. Most Black & Decker countertop toaster ovens are large enough to fit casseroles and take the load off of your conventional oven. Using your toaster oven also ensures you extra space once the oven and stovetop has run out of room.

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Hosting your kid’s birthday party doesn’t have to be a big inconvenience, and there’s no need for take-out pizza either. Your appliances can help you easily prepare for and make a fun, kid-pleasing event. Just follow these simple tips for throwing a stress-free kid’s birthday party.

#1 Entertain with customizable food.

Keep kids extra entertained with food. Sure, take-out food and pizza are easy, but customizable individual mini pizzas are even better. First, just make a batch of speedy processor dough with your PowerPro® Wide-Mouth Food Processor. Then when you’re done, use the same appliance for a quick shred on some cheese and veggies for toppings. Use jarred marinara for the sauce. Kids will love that they get to make their very own pizzas, and your Digital Convection Toaster Oven will bake them up in no time.

#2 Keep drinks fun and kid-pleasing.

Even though kids love soda, serve something with more substance and nutrition like a smoothie or milkshake. Sneak in some fresh fruit in their meal with a wild berry yogurt cooler, or whip up a healthy banana rama milkshake for desert. All can be made hassle-free in your Crush Master® 10-Speed blender—its multi-level stainless steel blades can handle the frozen fruit and ice cream. You can also customize their drinks by pre-cutting some fresh fruit and providing a choice between milk and sorbet. All you have to do is put their selection in the blending jar and blend.

#3 Don’t forget party favors.

Give the kids something to take home with some quick and easy-to-prepare party favors. Cook up a batch of brownies in your convection toaster oven and slice into small squares when cooled. You can also prepare mini-muffins or store-bought cookie dough in the same appliance. Keep things small and bite-sized so you can put one of each inside a clear plastic bag. To top it off, tie each bag with a ribbon or twist-tie. You can also make the treats with the kids, that way they take home their own creations.

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