Desperation Entertaining! (Hardcover) by Mills, Beverly

Socially inclined but time deprived? Want to see friends for dinner, but can't do more than order takeout or meet in a restaurant? Well, help is here.

Filled with 200 marvelous recipes and dozens of brilliant problem solvers, this is a complete game plan for having guests over (children included) without having to spend more than 20 minutes on a dish, or 20 minutes per cook-ahead phase. There are tips on saving time (buy peeled garlic, doctor supermarket potato salad with fresh chopped onions and paprika); sanity (tie the bottle opener to the cooler); and money (sangria costs less than wine).

But of course the genius of the book is in the recipes: Cajun Catfish Gumbo; Cabernet Pasta Sauce with Italian Sausage; Greek Stifado with Artichokes; and more. Plus plenty of homemade desserts that won't break the host, including Rocky Road Brownie Sundaes, Berkshires Blueberry Crisp, and Sunset Key Lime Pies.