A few days or up to 2 months ahead: make and freeze the crab quesadilla appetizers.
Up to 2 days ahead or as late as the morning of the party: do the grocery shopping. Don't forget flowers (tulips &/or daffodils) and wine.
4 hours before the party is to start: put wine in fridge to chill
3 hours ahead: set the table; include candles & fresh flowers (tulips!). Set out wine glasses and cocktail napkins. Set up coffee maker if you want to serve coffee with dessert. Line a bread basket with a cloth napkin or clean dish towel to hold the bread for dinner.
2-1/2 hours ahead: set out clothes you plan to wear for the party
2 hours ahead: Make the Strawberry Budini
1-1/2 hours before the party: prepare the Braised Chicken up to the point of adding the peas.
1/2 hr ahead: get dressed! Take a deep breath; relax!
15 minutes ahead: Turn on the oven to 350°F for reheating the quesadillas. Remove quesadillas from freezer and arrange on a baking sheet.
As guests arrive: pop the quesadillas into the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
Party time! Mingle with guests and serve the quesadillas.
10 minutes before you're ready to sit down to dinner: Pop the bread in the oven (still at 350°F) to heat. Bring the chicken back to a simmer and add the peas.
Dinnertime: Have a guest light the candles and fill water glasses while you plate the dinners.
Just before you sit down to dinner: turn on the coffee maker (if applicable)
Dessert time: serve the Budinis and coffee.
This is a super-simple dinner that is perfect for those just starting out with the "whole entertaining thing". Each dish is easy and quick to prepare, and you can do it all ahead if you don't want to be "on stage" when your guests arrive.
Artichokes and peas are classic Spring vegetables, and the dessert is nice and light: just what you'd want for those fresh days of Spring.
Crab Quesadilla appetizers: can be made up to two months in advance and frozen (per instructions in the recipe). Pop them in the oven to reheat as your guests are arriving.
Strawberry-Mascarpone-Budini: Make these in the late afternoon on the day of the party and they will be perfect by dessert time.
Braised Chicken: this dish is so easy that you might want to show off your cooking skills in front of your friends. But if you're not ready for that yet: you can make the whole thing ahead up to the point of adding the peas.
