FROM DECOR TO DESSERT, A DO IT YOURSELF HOLIDAY PARTY.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

It would be nice if holiday entertaining were as easy as it looks on all those cable television home and food programs.

It can be, says Jeanne Benedict, the host of the Do It Yourself Network's ``Weekend Entertaining'' television show, who thrives on planning themed parties.

So we put her to the test. We asked the Valley Village mother of two to design an accessible, festive holiday brunch buffet. She pulled it off with ease and panache.

Both the food and decor reflect Benedict's entertaining philosophy.

``Do what you do best - and let yourself off the hook for the rest. These days there are great convenience products on the market, so you don't have to make everything from scratch.''

With brunch one of the most relaxing meals, Benedict designed the menu so most of the food could be prepared a day in advance of serving. That way you don't have to rise at the crack of dawn to start cooking, and you'll have time to hang out with your friends.

Benedict's simple, stylish table decor blends homemade white trees and store-bought red trees. The white ones were fashioned from Styrofoam cones (18- and 24-inch size range from $5 to $10) and white boas ($9) picked up at Michaels craft stores. The boas are swirled and pinned to the Styrofoam. The red trees, made from bright red ornaments, are available at Target for $15 each. Lots of red candles complete the table.

The decorations are nonperishable, notes Benedict. You can keep them up for all your holiday entertaining festivities. They're apropos for a wine and cheese gathering, a holiday dinner party, a dessert party and more.

Add a floral accent or two - fresh red or white roses in a parfait or slim glass vase - and some fresh greens on the table, if desired.

For a stylish buffet, Benedict suggests Lobster Egg Salad in Holiday Egg Shell Cups; Individual Artichoke and Red Pepper Quiche Cakes; Potato, Prosciutto and Gruyere Gratin; Fresh Fruit With Champagne Citrus Sauce; and homemade or store-bought cappuccino muffins. Offer Peppermint White Hot Chocolate for sipping - and present with a festive marshmallow topiary tree (remove and float a marshmallow or two in the peppermint hot chocolate or plain hot cocoa).

Buy the fruit already chopped or in balls in the produce section and use frozen lobster tail (thawed and broiled a few minutes) in the salad. Although the marshmallow tree requires a chunk of time, it's not difficult to create and can be completed two days ahead of serving, if kept wrapped in plastic wrap.

In her half-hour DIY show, filmed in real people's homes in Los Angeles and Knoxville, Tenn., you'll see Benedict putting themed parties together on location with the help of the homeowner/host. You also get to see the finished party scene complete with guests.

``We hold the party host's hand for the whole experience - and they have everything they need,'' says Benedict, adding that party themes have ranged from tango, Thai, cafe ole, spa, yoga and a mystery evening to a cozy night in Moscow.

The show matches the people (who e-mail or write in) with a particular theme.

``Most parties take 11 to 22 hours to put together, not including shopping. Cooking is almost always five hours.''

The party's skill level is rated from one to five (five is a very advanced party), with most parties rating a three, including the brunch we feature here.

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com

INDIVIDUAL ARTICHOKE AND RED PEPPER QUICHE CAKES

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash white pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped canned (well-drained) artichoke hearts

1/2 cup finely chopped jarred roasted sweet red peppers

1 1/2 cups shredded Jack cheese

8 slices white bread

3 tablespoons butter

1 large bunch Italian parsley

8 baby red tomatoes

Line 8 muffin pan cups with foil baking cups. Spray cups with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt and white pepper. In a small bowl, combine artichokes and peppers. Fill each prepared foil cup with about 1/4 cup egg mixture, 1 tablespoon artichoke and red pepper mixture and a heaping tablespoon Jack cheese.

Fill a large baking pan halfway with warm water. Set muffin pan inside pan with water and place in oven. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven 1 hour or until knife inserted off-center in egg cake comes out clean. Carefully remove pans from oven (water will be hot). Cool 10 minutes and serve immediately. (Or cool completely, cover egg cakes in muffin pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Reheat egg cakes in muffin pan in a preheated 350-degree oven about 10 minutes or until just warm when ready to serve.)

To serve, cut out rounds from bread using a 3-inch diameter cookie cutter; toast rounds. Butter toasted rounds and arrange parsley leaves around perimeter as a wreath. Gently remove foil from each egg cake and place upside down in the center of the wreath parsley round. Garnish top with parsley leaves and sliced tomatoes. Makes 8 quiche cakes.

POTATO, PROSCIUTTO AND GRUYERE GRATIN

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 cup finely chopped leeks

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 pound prosciutto, diced

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup sour cream

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add leeks to potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until potatoes are tender, about 3 to 5 minutes more. If necessary, add another tablespoon of oil to prevent potatoes from sticking to skillet. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cut a wax paper round to fit bottom of an 8-inch round baking pan. Butter bottom and sides of baking pan. Place wax paper in pan and butter wax paper.

Scatter garlic over bottom of prepared pan. Place 1/2 of potato leek mixture in an even layer over bottom of pan. Scatter 1/2 of prosciutto over potatoes. Scatter 1/2 of cheese over top. Repeat layers with remaining potato leek mixture, prosciutto and cheese. Whisk together creams, egg, salt and white pepper until well blended. Pour evenly over top of ingredients in pan.

Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven 40 to 45 minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes to allow gratin to set. Cut into wedges and serve warm, garnished with fresh herbs, if desired. Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

LOBSTER EGG SALAD IN HOLIDAY EGG SHELL CUPS

4 extra large eggs

1 cup finely chopped, cooked lobster tail meat

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon minced chives plus chive stems

1/4 teaspoon salt

20 Holiday Egg Shell Cups (recipe below)

Sour Cream and red salmon roe for garnish

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook eggs 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. When cool to touch, peel eggs and finely chop. Add eggs and lobster to a mixing bowl. Stir in mayonnaise, minced chives and salt until blended. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, fill each Holiday Egg Shell Cup with about 1 1/2 tablespoons lobster egg salad. Top each with a small dab of sour cream, red caviar and chive stems. Set each filled eggshell cup upright on a napkin ring to display and serve with sorbet spoons. Makes about 2 cups filling; 20 egg cups (or about 10 servings of two each).

HOLIDAY EGG SHELL CUPS: Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Using a sharp pointed knife, poke a hole in the top of each of 20 extra large eggs at the narrow rounded end. Empty out the raw egg inside and discard. Using scissors, cut away at the opening until about 1/4 of eggshell top is gone and the top edge is relatively smooth and even all around.

Using tongs, dip egg in boiling water to sterilize inside. Empty out water from inside egg and gently wipe outside dry with a paper towel. Using green or red food coloring pens, (available at many craft stores), draw a holiday image on the side of egg.

PEPPERMINT WHITE HOT CHOCOLATE

6 cups whole milk

4 cups heavy whipping cream

9 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped (such as Lindt)

3/4 cup peppermint schnapps 

Whipped cream

1/2 cup crushed candy canes OR hard peppermint candies

12 red-and-white candy canes

Bring milk and whipping cream to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add white chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in schnapps. Ladle hot chocolate into individual mugs. Top with whipped cream and crushed candy and garnish with a candy cane. Makes 12 servings.

NOTE: Hot chocolate can be served from a chafing dish or slow cooker on a buffet table, if desired.

FESTIVE MARSHMALLOW DRINK GARNISH TOPIARY

6 ounces white melting chocolates OR candy melts

6 ounces dark melting chocolates OR candy melts

86 regular-size marshmallows

12 red-and-white candy canes, coarsely crushed

Assorted holiday sprinkles

A 12-inch tall (3-inch diameter at base) Styrofoam cone

86 toothpicks

Melt chocolates separately (according to manufacturer's directions) and transfer into bowls. Dip top of each marshmallow in either white or dark chocolate and sprinkle with (or dip top in) either crushed candy canes or holiday sprinkles. Place marshmallows, chocolate sides up, on a wax paper-lined jelly roll pan until set.

Start at bottom of Styrofoam cone to build topiary. Insert a toothpick into cone and stick a marshmallow on the toothpick. (For ease, use a plastic wine cork to push the toothpick into the cone instead of your fingertip.) Continue making marshmallow rows around tree placing marshmallows very close to each other until your reach the top. Serve on a platter surrounded by small candy canes. Pick off and float a marshmallow or two in a mug of Peppermint White Hot Chocolate or in a mug or cup of hot cocoa.

FRESH FRUIT WITH CHAMPAGNE CITRUS SAUCE

1 cup Champagne

3/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier OR orange liqueur

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 orange, peeled and cut into sections

1 cup cubed melon

1 cup chopped apples

1 cup fresh seasonal berries

Heat Champagne, orange juice, Grand Marnier and orange peel in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by 1/2, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Cool sauce to room temperature.

Place fruit in a large bowl and pour sauce over fruit. Toss lightly to coat. Chill and serve cool. Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

NOTE: Use a combination of fresh fruits as desired.

Keep it simple when hosting

Here are a few tips for holiday entertaining from Jeanne Benedict, author of `Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties,'' and two other cookbooks.

--Be as inventive as possible with what you have on hand. For instance, use napkin rings as pedestal stands for egg cups filled with salad.

--Know what your stress threshold is - and don't cross over it. Don't go overboard during the holiday season. Investigate and know where to take shortcuts to yield the wow factor. Often the simplest ideas have the biggest wow factor.

--Taking a shortcut doesn't mean you're sacrificing the taste of the party.

--Make a list of things you want to do for the party and then prioritize it.

--Start with the basics. Keep cream-colored candles, cream dinner plates and cream dinner cloths in your entertaining arsenal. You can do a million different themes with these good basics.

--Candles are great for enhancing a party atmosphere. You can do endless things with cream- or red-colored 3x6-inch pillar candles. Hang jewelry, beads, pearls or charms on them, tie a ribbon and bow around them or attach peel 'n' stick double-sided adhesive to the candles and then roll in glass beads, mini shells, sequins, glitter, lentils, yellow peas, green peas, etc.

--Think about how you felt at the end of the party. If you were yelling at your husband, were really stressed and didn't have a good time, chances are you were trying to do too much.

--Have a good time at your party. As the hostess, make having a good time be as much a priority as the food and the decor.

- N.H.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Jeanne Benedict presents, clockwise from right, Peppermint White Hot Chocolate, Marshmallow Topiary, Fresh Fruit With Champagne Citrus Sauce, Individual Quiche Cakes and Lobster Egg Salad in Egg Cups.

(2 -- color) no caption (Jeanne Benedict and holiday table decorations)

(3 -- cover -- color) 'Tis the brunch season

DIY Network's Jeanne Benedict makes it easy and festive

David Sprague/Staff photographer

Box:

Keep it simple when hosting (see text)