Want to throw a party without losing your cool? Food Network stars and cookbook authors Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith, aka The Hearty Boys, dished tips on this and more with Managing Editor Kathleen Childers:

CP: What’s the underlying philosophy that you adhere to when it comes to your approach to entertaining?
HB: Our food philosophy is accessibility. We try to demystify entertaining so it’s not scary. We tried to make it successful through catering and now we do it on TV too. 

CP: What’s the key, you-must-do-this-to-succeed idea to your approach? 
HB: Planning, planning, planning. Plan ahead of time—do the menu, so you can do a timeline of things you can get done days before the party. Plan your strategy--where you’ll put the bar, buffet, decorations. Don’t leave anything to the last minute so that you can have a good time at your own party.
Hiring staff to help at a party is the best investment you can make, to ensure you have a good time at your own event. Generally, it costs about $100 to hire a waiter for the night.

CP: What events or experiences inspired your approach?
HB: Our approach is natural for us because it’s who we are. We don’t strive to go to events that are all black tie and white gloves. We’re most comfortable focusing on the celebration. One of our favorite parties was a new year’s sleepover. Everyone was in their pajamas and we just relaxed. We just want a party experience to be comfortable. You should not stress about food. Choose interesting recipes but accessible ones.

CP: What would you say to inspire home cooks who want to entertain but can’t quite get it together to make it happen? 
HB: Have some go-to items in your fridge for spontaneous entertaining. We have cheeses and some good spreads, good sausages. They have a real long shelf life, and you can keep them over the holidays for drop in guests. You can put together a charcuterie board or antipasto and then add the liquor. It doesn’t always have to be heavy. And always have caper berries, cornichons, roasted peppers.

CP: What’s your favorite type of party to throw?
HB: Dinner parties, because we get to cook different courses for people. They’re intimate, and you get to have really good conversations.

CP: What’s your fall-back dinner on incredibly busy days, when you haven’t had time to plan for the meal and shop?
HB: We often bring stuff back from work. We eat incredibly well after our son goes to sleep! Dan’s favorite comfort food is roasted chick and stovetop stuffing. Steve’s is Caesar salad.

CP: What’s your most-requested dish among family and friends?
HB: Sesame Chicken Satay: It’s updated chicken satay, cooked in rice wine. We put it on all of our menus.

CP: What are the herbs or spices you can’t live without?
HB: Salt. Cumin—it’s smoky and adds another layer of flavor to any dish. Nutmeg, because it’s very versatile in sweet and savory dishes. Dried mustard--the real English kind (Colman’s).

CP: What’s your new favorite ingredient?
HB: Different kinds of waters—rose, orange blossom. These are used a lot in middle eastern cooking. They’re floral but delicate; they can be found on the Web and in specialty markets.

CP: Favorite gadgets? 
HB: A bench scraper; you can chop something and pick it up all at once. It makes life much easier. And a wood spoon, for its weight and the way it feels in a pan.

CP: We’re excerpting your recipe for Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onion Dip in the current issue. Are there other ways to use the dip?
HB: Put leftovers on turkey sandwich; mix it in with ground beef and make meatloaf of it; put it on fettuccine or other pasta.

Get more tips from Steve and Dan on Food Network’s “Party Line with the Hearty Boys” and in their latest cookbook: Talk with Your Mouth Full (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007, $27.50).