Having a party doesn’t have to be panic inducing. Expert chef Kathy Gunst, author of Relax, Company’s Coming!: 150 Recipes for Stress-Free Entertaining (Simon & Schuster, $25, amazon.com), suggests preparing a quick and easy gourmet buffet with simple, stunning snacks that’ll impress your guests and, better yet, leave you free to enjoy the party. “The beauty of this,” she says, “is that when the doorbell rings and the first guest arrives, you’re there!”

Charcuterie Platter

• Sausages
• 3 cheeses
• Caper berries
• Olives
• Gherkin pickles

Recipes

• Beef Cocktail Sandwiches With Parsley Butter
  Hands-on time: 15 minutes
  Total time: 15 minutes
• Smoked Salmon Toasts With Creme Fraiche Sauce
  Hands-on time: 25 minutes
  Total time: 25 minutes
• Steamed Green Beans With Lemon and Sesame Seeds
  Hands-on time: 10 minutes
  Total time: 15 minutes
• Beet Napoleons
  Hands-on time: 25 minutes
  Total time: 1 hour, 35 minutes (including cooling time)
• Chive Puree
  Hands-on time: 5 minutes
  Total time: 5 minutes