Kasey and Karena: It's Wednesday, it must be party time (+recipes)

Steak, broccolini and mushroom sauce. Photo / Michael Craig

Planning ahead makes midweek dinner parties a piece of cake.

If you ask either of us about our favourite way to unwind or spend our spare time, we would both say cooking. It's always different cooking for work and cooking at home. We love making fast weeknight meals for ourselves when we are home.

We also love cooking big, hearty dinners for our whanau when we are back in Maketu. But one of our favourite things to do is host impromptu dinner parties for our friends.

Midweek dinner parties are regular in our houses, but when you tell people you are having six guests over for dinner on a Wednesday they look at you like you're mad.

Dinner parties can be as stressful as you want them to be. One of the biggest mistakes people make is choosing dishes that are too complicated. Keeping it simple and as easy as possible means you and your guests will have an awesome night.

This week we are sharing our go-to dinner party dishes. Our spicy prawn and rocket salad is great because it is light but packed full of flavour.

A fresh salad is always a great way to start a meal because it is quick to make and doesn't leave you feeling too full before the next course. We particularly like this one as the prawns have a nice kick to them but the lemon segments and rocket balance this dish out well.

This eye fillet dish was part of our dinner party repertoire before we entered MasterChef. It looks great on the plate and the mash and sauce can be made before the guests arrive and reheated when you are ready to serve.

We also like to sear the meat ahead of time then just cook it in the oven when it's time for the mains. Make sure to use a very large pan when cooking the mushrooms so the water evaporates and they brown nicely.

This brownie recipe is great as well because you can whip up the batter very quickly and have it already made before your guests arrive. Alternatively, put it in the oven when you are making the entree and it will be ready and rested by the time you're ready to serve dessert.

Karena's tips for a great dinner party

Set the table: It seems like an obvious thing to do but a well-set table will be the perfect display for all of the hard work you have put into the food.

Don't apologise: Even if everything hasn't gone perfectly in the kitchen, don't tell your guests. Serve each dish with a smile and even if something hasn't gone right, 90 per cent of the time they won't even notice.

Kasey's tips for a great dinner party

Music: Having some well-chosen sounds in the background is a great way to set a relaxed mood for the night.

Prepare: If you have time, prep things ahead of schedule. It makes the night so much easier.

Try out the delicious recipes from Kasey and Karena Bird on bite.co.nz below:

• Spicy prawn salad
• Eye fillet with mushroom sauce and truffle mashed potatoes
• Walnut brownies