I don't want to spend the night passing around hors d'oeuvres or replenishing the buffet. What can I serve that's low-maintenance and good for setting down in one spot?

Bowls of spiced nuts and olives and oversize platters of antipasto or store-bought Middle Eastern specialties, like hummus with strips of pita and stuffed grape leaves, require almost no preparation and can be left out even in hot weather. Fruit and cheese platters will stay chilled if you serve them on a marble serving piece that's been placed in the freezer overnight.

And don't forget the ultimate way to lighten your cooking load: takeout. Debbie Barnes, a former caterer and the director of sales at Party Rental Ltd. in Teterboro, New Jersey, served Chinese takeout at her last big party. There were some raised eyebrows when the deliveryman arrived as guests were having cocktails, but "people loved it," she says. "I just set out the white boxes on big platters with chopsticks for people to serve themselves. And I was surprised at how inexpensive it was." Mexican and Thai are two other crowd-pleasing take-out options.