With all that goes into entertaining — guest lists, shopping, cooking — it can be stressful.

Finding time and energy to have guests for dinner can dampen the spirits of even the happiest host. Diane Morgan, entertaining expert and award winning cookbook author, can help make entertaining easier with her simple solutions.

Morgan believes that the three most important ingredients for a successful party are family, friends and great food — and she has determined the right proportions of each to create a winning recipe for less entertaining stress. By following her time-saving methods, hosts will be able to spend more time with loved ones and less time in the kitchen.

• Throw a Party You’ll Enjoy: Throw a party that fits your lifestyle, budget, energy level and time frame. Start by asking a few questions: Do you like to entertain formally or informally, with lots of guests or just a few? Do you have the kitchen space and living space to seat your guests or would a buffet be more manageable?
• Fill Your Pantry First: A smart host keeps a well-stocked pantry that makes it easy to assemble party nibbles for unexpected guests. Good items to have on hand include plump and mild black ripe olives, a perennial party favorite.

They’re delicious for snacking or stirred into dips, popped into appetizers or added to salads.

While you’re at it, put your favorite dry ranch dressing mix to work, too. Kids of all ages will be kept happy while they wait for the meal to be served if you provide a nutritious snack of vegetables with ranch dip.

Get a Jump Start: Whether you’re serving buffet-style or hosting a sit-down dinner, set your table earlier in the week.

For a buffet, arrange the bowls and platters and label them with the appropriate recipe names so you know what will go where.

And feel free to mix and match — there’s nothing wrong with placing an heirloom silver platter of cookies next to a white china cake plate purchased on sale.

Photo courtesy of Family Features
Tangy Shrimp Appetizer Skewers and Potato and Green Onion Latkes With Ranch Sour Cream

Tangy Shrimp Appetizer Skewers
Makes 4 dozen appetizers, 24 servings (2 skewers each)
Prep time: 25 minutes
1 1/2 pounds cooked medium shrimp with tails intact
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1 (7-ounce) jar Manzanilla Stuffed Olives, drained, or 1 (6-ounce) can Large Black Ripe Pitted Olives, drained
1 c. light Caesar salad dressing
8 ounces (brick) smoked mozzarella cheese
48 small basil leaves (or 24 large basil leaves, halved)
48 4-inch-long cocktail picks

In large bowl, combine shrimp, tomatoes, olives and dressing, tossing well. (At this point, mixture may be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours). Cut cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Skewer 1 olive, 1 shrimp, 1 cube cheese, 1 basil leaf and 1 tomato on each cocktail skewer. Arrange on serving platter. (May be covered and refrigerated up to 2 hours before serving.)

Potato and Green Onion Latkes With Ranch Sour Cream
Recipe created by cookbook author Diane Morgan
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
3 pounds Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled and rinsed under cold water
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions (including green tops)
1 1-ounce packet Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix, divided
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c. sour cream
Peanut or grape seed oil, for frying

Fill large bowl with cold water and have a colander ready. Using box grater or food processor fitted with coarse grating disk, coarsely grate potatoes. Place in cold water 1 minute then drain potatoes in colander. Rinse potatoes under cold water once or twice until water runs clear. This removes starch and keeps potatoes from turning a reddish color.

Use your hands or back of broad spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and then roll grated potatoes in clean dish towel or several layers of paper towels to completely blot them dry. Dry bowl and transfer potatoes to bowl.

Mix green onions with potatoes. In small bowl, combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoning mix with flour, baking powder and pepper. Mix flour mixture into potatoes. (Use immediately or cover and set aside at room temperature up to 1 hour.) Just before frying add beaten egg and mix to combine. Combine remaining seasoning mix with sour cream and stir until smooth and completely combined. Set aside up to 1 hour or refrigerate until ready to serve as a topping for latkes.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Have large wire rack set ready in rimmed baking sheet. Pour enough oil into 1 or 2 large, heavy frying pans, preferably cast iron, to cover bottom of pan by 1/4 inch.

Heat oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Scoop about 1/4 c. potato mixture and gently place in pan. Use spatula to lightly flatten and form pancake. Form as many pancakes in pan as will comfortably fit without crowding. Fry on one side until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and brown other side, about 3 minutes longer. Adjust heat and add more oil as needed to fry additional batches. Transfer latkes to wire rack and keep warm in oven while frying additional batches. Serve immediately or continue to keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve with Ranch Sour Cream.

Prosciutto Wrapped Olives
Makes 2 dozen appetizers (about 24 servings)
Prep time: 25 minutes
1 ounce (whole piece) Parmesan-Reggiano or aged Parmesan cheese
1 (6-ounce) can Black Ripe Pitted Olives, drained
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
Small frilled wooden picks or colorful cocktail picks
Red lettuce leaves

Cut cheese into small (1/4-inch) pieces; stuff one piece into each olive.

Cut prosciutto into 3 x 1/2-inch strips. Fold each strip lengthwise once to form 3 x 1/4-inch strips. Wrap a strip around each olive; secure with a pick and place on lettuce lined serving plate. Cover and chill up to 24 hours before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Photo courtesy of Family Features
Harvest Butternut Squash Soup With Ranch Croutons

Harvest Butternut Squash Soup With Ranch Croutons
Recipe created by cookbook author Diane Morgan
Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Soup
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound total), cut in half lengthwise and cored
4 c. canned low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 c. heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbsp. sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Ranch Croutons
1 baguette, ends trimmed, remainder cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 1-ounce packet Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Soup

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, toss squash cubes with olive oil and arrange on large rimmed baking sheet. Place apples, cut side down on baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Place roasted squash cubes in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Use spoon to scrape out flesh of apples, and add to work bowl. Discard apple skins. Purée squash and apples until smooth. Add 1 c. stock and continue processing until smooth. Put mixture in 3 1/2- to 4-quart saucepan; add remaining 3 c. stock, cream, nutmeg and sugar. Bring to boil, and then reduce to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ranch Croutons

Place bread cubes in large mixing bowl. Toss with seasoning mix until thoroughly coated. Drizzle olive oil over and toss bread cubes until thoroughly coated. Spread in even layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake until toasty brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Set aside until ready to serve.When ready to serve, ladle soup into warmed soup tureen or individual soup bowls, garnish with croutons and serve immediately.