I love the idea of having a handful of my friends over for a delicious dinner party, but in reality, hosting a party like that is beyond my budget. Because of this, I've become quite fond of potlucks.
Potlucks are a great budget friendly way to have friends over for dinner, eat tasty food, and not stress out about how much money you just spent on a multi-course meal. My potlucks tend to be a bit unorganized; I tell my friends to just bring something with them, and as a result, we end up with too many main courses or too many appetizers. But there is always a lot to eat and drink, and people are always in good spirits.
If you're looking for a more organized potluck, check out LuckyPotluck.com. You can send out email invitations and ask your friends to sign up for specific dishes. If you want to learn more about the ins and outs of potlucks, take a look at Life123.com. There, you'll find some great tips for both hosting and attending potlucks.
Happy Eating!
Image thanks to Roland.