- Select a country you'd like to visit and dine there without having to leave your home. Cook food from that country, decorate the house to resemble a place you'd find in that country and even have conversations about the country throughout the evening.
The best way to find easy-to-make ethnic recipes is to visit The Food Network's website and type in the ethnic origin in the search. Each recipe includes information on how long it will take to complete the recipe and the difficulty level. Some recipes are rated by viewers or users for popularity.
Purchase ingredients at both the regular grocer and at the local ethnic supermarket. Many areas have a variety of ethnic grocers located in both suburban and urban areas.
Decorate the dining room using items from the country. For example, if you go with a Chinese theme, provide chopsticks and bring in the black and red colors you would find at a Chinese restaurant. Check Oriental Trading or a local party store for paper lanterns, Asian inspired paper plates, and even Chinese restaurant menus.
Request that the entire family wear the attire found from that country. Research the country to find out what you could integrate into everyone's wardrobe without having to purchase authentic clothing. Check the local Salvation Army, Goodwill or second hand store for authentic items or pieces that can transformed into a costume.
Don't forget about the ambiance and play music from that country, too. iTunes typically has music from many countries, so download a few songs to play during dinner. - Take the family on a picnic that is ant-free when it's cold or rainy outside. Throw a party picnic in the family room complete with a large, red-checked blanket and picnic basket. Make all the traditional picnic food including deviled eggs, macaroni salad, fresh fruit and vegetables, and fried chicken. You could even include a fresh fruit pie to make the party a little more festive.
Decorate with fake flowers in pots around the room, hang a large sun from the ceiling and throw some little plastic ants on the blanket. Add a special touch and set the "table" using china plates and real silverware. - Take the family out to a fancy dinner party at home. You don't have to foot a hefty bill to create elegant dining ambiance.
Check out professional chef, Ina Garten's cookbook, "Barefoot in Paris" for recipe ideas or go to the Food Network website for ideas on how to make chicken, fish or steak with a special elegant touch. The site has thousands of recipes, along with reviews, so you can find a dish that everyone will enjoy.
Gather ingredients from the local grocery store, but to add that special, fancy touch, head to a gourmet or organic supermarket for some of the ingredients. These stores typically carry unusual and hard to find items that may be needed in a recipe.
Set the table with a linen table cloth, cloth napkins, fine China and the good silverware, along with candles in crystal or silver candle holders. Adorn the table with fresh flowers and individual salt and pepper shakers for each setting. You could even add a personal touch and make place cards for each setting too.
Ask everyone to wear their fancy clothing and "reserve" the table. Ask two friends to help with the dinner. One friend can act as the maitre d' and the other friend would act as the waiter. Ask your friends to dress the part and wear a suit for the maitre d' and black pants with a white button-down shirt for the waiter. Put on some classical music so that it plays lightly in the background and light the candles.
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