Plan Ahead
Up to 2 Weeks Before
- Make Apple-Cranberry Chutney for Fall Cheese Platter.
- Make and freeze your choice of bread bowls, if used, for serving soup. See "Soup Service" in Party Guide for help.
The Day Before
- Make Slow Cooker Potato and Double-Corn Chowder and Squash and Bean Soup; cover and refrigerate.
- Make squash bowls; cool, cover and refrigerate. Or prepare bread bowls using store-bought loaves; return to bag and close tightly.
- Make Orange-Sesame Dressing for Tossed Greens with Sesame and Oranges; cover and refrigerate.
- Cut cheese for Fall Cheese Platter; store covered in refrigerator.
- Assemble Herbed French Bread up to the point of baking; wrap in foil and refrigerate.
- Bake and refrigerate Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars (if served).
- Bake your choice centerpiece cake (if served).
An Hour or Two Before Dinner is Served
- Bake Warm Caramel Apple Cake (if served).
30 Minutes Before Guests Arrive
- Prepare Peachy Spiced Cider.
- Assemble the cheese platter.
As Guests Arrive
- Serve cups of Peachy Spiced Cider.
About 30 Minutes Before Serving Meal
- Unwrap squash bowls and place on cookie sheet. Cover loosely with foil and reheat in 300° oven until hot.
- Reheat soups over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.
- Prepare step 1 of Tossed Greens with Sesame and Oranges.
- Heat the bread.
Just Before Serving
Party Guide
Soup Service
- Serve the Squash and Bean Soup in squash bowls, following the "How To" recipe tip.
- Serve the Slow Cooker Potato and Double-Corn Chowder in bread bowls. To make, cut off tops of small, round bread loaves, and scoop out the bread from the loaves, leaving a 1-inch-thick wall (use the scooped-out bread for bread crumbs another time). Ladle soup into loaves just before serving; replace tops.
Buffet Best
- Have guests serve themselves buffet-style. Have TV trays or other trays available for guests to place their dishes and silverware on. They can then easily balance their meals on their laps while watching the big screen or sitting by the fire.
- Make it easy for guests to grab silverware and a napkin by wrapping each place setting in a napkin with a piece of raffia or twine, like a package.
Centerpieces that "Center" Around Your Theme
- Arrange apples and bandanas in a wicker basket for an apple-picking party.
- Arrange fall garden produce and colorful leaves for a yard clean-up party.
Favors & Crafts
- Have fun crafting front-door wreaths together. Look for ideas in magazines or online. Assign shoppers to gather what’s needed. Or use our Cinnamon-Apple Wreath as inspiration for your project.