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If you love to entertain without all of the hustle and bustle that goes along with the holiday season, professional home economist and author Mairlyn Smith is sharing her tips for hosting.

“I don’t always have the time to prepare a sit down three course dinner,” Smith said.

“My solution is to serve an antipasto style platter as the main course.” Tweet This

It’s really all about the assembly.

“It’s all about making it easy and elegant without the fuss of hours of preparation,” she continued. “The platter can either be a large chopping board or a large wooden platter.”

The main elements can include:

cheese

cold meats

smoked fish

pickles

raw vegetables

nuts, if no one has a nut allergy

grainy mustard and jam to pair with meats and cheese crackers or flat breads dried fruit

Voila, dinner is ready for a fun, casual evening in with friends and family.

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“Pair with either red, white or sparkling wine,” Smith said. “Dessert can be a high-end ice cream with homemade or store bought gourmet cookies.”

Happy entertaining everyone!