Simple Entertaining Doesn't Exist -- Do it in Advance:

Anything that you can do days or weeks before is a good thing. In early December last year, I spent a Saturday afternoon making 3 pans of lasagna and two pans of Enchilladas. I then wrapped them tightly in tin foil and zip lock bags and put them in the freezer. It meant that for 4 of my entertaining evenings at Christmastime, my main dish was already done. It saved me a lot of stress, it tasted like home cooking because it was, and it saved me money because I wasn't running out at the last minute to buy cheese, etc. Here are some things I've found that you can do ahead quite well:

Weeks in advance:
Lasagna, Enchillada Casserole, Holiday Cookies, Pies, Cakes

A days or so in advance:
Homemade mashed potatoes or Marinara sauce, artichoke dip, hummus, vegetables and dip

Several hours in advance:
Devilled eggs (they're not classy, but everyone loves them), Spanakopita, prep and bake meals like roasts, believe it or not, there are some quality crockpot recipes, but make sure you test them first.

Absolutely positively do not do your cooking and cleaning on the same day, or heaven forbid, the day of your party. Unless you've got cyclone housemates, you can clean your house up to a week in advance and it should stay presentable. Just give the bathroom a touch up and tidy on the day of your party.

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