Almost-homemade entertaining

Bundtlets are individual-sized little cakes. Flavors include (pictured) chocolate-chocolate chip and white chocolate raspberry. Dai’s favorite is the lemon.

I’m a cheat. I admit it. There hasn’t been a dinner party or patio brunch where I haven’t enlisted the help of a restaurant, deli or dessert gallery. I love to cook and entertain friends and families, but it never hurts to supplement a home-cooked meal with a few bought goodies. It benefits both me and my guests: less stress for me and more treats for them. Often, I prefer focusing on the main course, like smoking a brisket or grilling fajitas, but leaving desserts to someone else. These days, Houstonians have more options than grocery stores – although the Central Market (3815 Westheimer) cupcakes that a friend served at a recent outdoor party were incredibly moist with a surprisingly balanced butter-cream frosting.

I also wouldn’t hesitate grabbing a dozen or so cupcakes at Smallcakes (1531 Eldridge Pkwy.). And Nothing Bundt Cakes (5115 Buffalo Speedway, Ste. 400) sells Bundtinis. The bite-sized beauties are sold by the dozen for $18.50. A personal favorite is the zingy lemon cake, but there is also chocolate, red velvet and white chocolate raspberry. I like my guests to have choices, so I get three of every flavor. For an upscale soiree, Common Bond Café and Bakery  (1706 Westheimer) lines up beautiful tarts and other desserts like bejeweled soldiers behind glass window. In the past, I created a stunning display by layering 14-plus flavors of macarons from Bite Macarons (5172-B Buffalo Speedway) on three-tiered pedestal service plates. I took the same approach with the Indian desserts from Bombay Sweets (5827 Hillcroft).

Inevitably, there is always a vegetarian or two in the party mix. When this is the case, I turn to the experts, like Green Vegetarian Cuisine (6720 Chimney Rock, Suite Y), which has several party plates that includes falafel, kale, tabouli, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, banana peppers, feta and tatziki.

My guests have nibbled on dips from Leibman’s (14529 Memorial) and beef brisket and pork tamales from Alamo Tamale & Taco (809 Berry Road), followed by grilled beef and chicken from Fajita Pete’s Mexican Grille & Cantina (4050 Bellaire Blvd.). Salads are a cinch after I saw a woman bring her giant salad bowl to Island Grill & Juice Bar (multiple locations) to be filled with crispy lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers and feta cheese. She said it’s a time-saver.