Scenes From A Soiree

In the section, I will share my favorite party planning tips and any great recipes I come across to make your life easier as the hostes of the hour. This June found my family celebrating dad twice. My Hubby had his 44th birthday on June 9 followed by Father's Day on June 18.

My husband, Greg, loves Brazilian steakhouses. There are none to be found in St. Louis, so I recreated the experience at home with brisket, ribs, and kabobs on the menu. A red gingham table cloth and plates to match took a regular kitchen barbecue to the next level.

For Father's Day we left the house to celebrate. Movies and go carting were his choice of fun. We jazzed up gift opening with the cutest grocery store balloons. I had the boys wrap the gifts and set the table so they felt part of the festivities. Nothing says summer like fruit pies made from seasonal produce. Cherry pie and vanilla ice cream complemented the color scheme perfectly.

It doesn't take a lot to take your next event to Soiree levels. What you'll need:

• Gordon Ramsey brisket recipe

• Everyday Foods ribs and Greek salad recipe

• Katy Perry cherry pie recipe courtesy of Tasty

• Gingham tablecloth in red or blue

• Red or blue dinner plates

• Sparkling candles

Great tips:

• Have your butcher remove the membrane from your ribs so they can fall off the bone.

• Buy your kabobs already prepared from the store.

Learn from my mistakes:

• Marinate your meat overnight to infuse the flavor.

• Do not put candles into a hot pie.

• Call friends and family members celebrating Father's Day the night before so your sweetie gets all the attention.