Ina Garten’s 14 Best Hosting Tips of All Time

10. Master mess-free muffins. 

Before you host, your life may feel like a never-ending to-do list. The last thing you want is to repeat a step you previously completed. Avoid any redos in the kitchen by planning ahead with these mess-free muffins. The secret to success is simple: Grease every inch of your muffin pan — including the top. This hack avoids broken or damaged muffins and makes transferring them from pan to plate easy.

11. Decorate desserts effortlessly. 

Ina shared her hacks for mess-free muffins, but what about mess-free cakes? Consider it handled — or at least, with this trick, you’ll have it covered. Before decorating cakes on your cake stand, Ina recommends placing parchment or wax paper on the stand and cutting it into small triangles. As you work around the cake, you’ll see the tiny triangles sticking out; seamlessly pull them out when finished. You’ll have a mess-free cake stand that rivals one from the pros. (This video shows how to do this step-by-step around the 18-minute mark.) 

12. Indulge in boozy beverages (and treats!).

Love alcohol and dessert? Ina is no exception. That’s why, this holiday season, mix the two to create one delicious dessert. Ina’s three-ingredient boozy limoncello desserts earn an automatic green check in our book; they’re easy to make and delicious. Part lemon-flavored alcohol, part ice cream, topped off with garnish and voilà! It’s the elevated ice cream float that’s too decadent to miss. 

13. Perfectly plate portions. 

Ina provides another simple hack that will have you whipping up restaurant-style cakes (or muffins) in seconds. Before plating your slice of cake, spread just a couple of spoonfuls of fruit jam in a circle on a small plate (using the back of the spoon), then lay the slice of cake on its side and garnish with a few fresh berries. It’s the tiny details that will make a world of difference. 

14. Serve in style. 

Sure, Ina will assemble her table to her liking, but when grabbing food, she leaves that up to her guests. She lets them grab as much or as little as they need, and the way she does so is by planning ahead with the proper serving platters, particularly this one. This Le Creuset oval platter is dense enough to block moisture absorption to prevent cracking, crazing, and ripping, and the nearly nonstick glazed interior easily releases food for a quick cleanup. Plus, it looks so stylish when laid on a table, ready to dive deep into!