The Top 10 Easiest Party Recipes

Cooking up a themed party for a birthday or Halloween? No matter what the age, themed parties are the latest rage. Plan a sensational party in less time with these easy party favorites.

Bake a princess cake for a girl's party. Have the guests do the work for this girl's birthday party favorite. Whip up a sweet and simple bread batter and put aside to rise until the guests arrive. Have the girls roll the dough into long cylinders and shape into the princess object of their choice. Easy favorites include princess braids and crowns. Be sure to have plenty of decorative items such as colorful sprinkles, chocolate chips and icing. Place the princess cakes in the oven and let them bake while the party goes into full swing. Present the cakes as take home treats at the end of the party.

Dare to walk on glass! For a spooky Halloween party, this stunt requires little preparation and can be put together easily from store-bought ingredients. Spread potato chips on the ground and top with fake blood. For an easy-to-make edible version, mix chocolate syrup with water and red food coloring. Flour can be added to thicken the paste. Let the kids walk on the chips while blindfolded. The blood on the feet is a great suspense-maker for the others waiting for their turn.

Sorbet. Serve your guests a treat that is full of freshness and flavor just perfect for the hot summer months. Both young and old love the rich taste of the fruit puree, sweet water and chocolate that make up this fantastic treat. For an older crowd, serve sorbet mixed with your favorite sweet alcoholic drink. Although traditionally served with alcohol, almost any sorbet recipe can be easily converted into a children's dessert by leaving out the alcohol. Sorbet is a healthy alternative to ice cream as it is lower in fat and made from fresh fruits. Add this great dessert to your own recipes cookbook collection!

Cheesecake. Love cake recipes? For those that love home-made cakes, but have no time to bake, a no-bake cheesecake is a filling dessert and is quick and easy to prepare. No-bake cheesecakes typically have a crumb-lined bottom crust and a fruit topping that can be easily put together from fresh or canned fruits. Certain cheesecakes are suitable for low carb diets, and can be a great treat to serve those that are watching their carb intake. The most popular cheesecake flavors include chocolate, cherry, blueberry, Key Lime and strawberry.

Wild chocolate. Spoil your guests with the potent taste of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is the least processed of all chocolates, and therefore contains the most nutrients. The dessert allows for ample creativity when used to decorate cakes, pies and fresh fruit platters. Dark chocolate slabs used to line a glass dish and topped with scoops of ice cream can add a 5 star look to a common dessert item. Use fresh mint leaves and strawberry slices as garnish.

Salsa. This Mexican kitchen must-have comes in a variety of flavors and makes an excellent garnish for grilled chicken, a topping for quesadillas or mixed with your meat of choice in a crockpot. Mexican salsa is commonly made from onions, tomatoes, chilies, cilantro, salt and lemon juice. If you are preparing the mix in a food processor, it is recommended to chop the onions by hand to preserve texture and flavor.

Photo Frame Cake. No need to be a sculptor to make a memorable party centerpiece. All you need is a great photo! Opt for an oval photo to top an oval-shaped cake. Use a photograph that is laminated to assure that the ink does not run off onto the cake and that the image does not become soggy. Place the photo at the center of the cake and use the space between the photo and the cake edge as decorating ground. Include bright colors and plenty of icing for an eye-catching design.

Pumpkin Carving. A great Halloween party activity is to have the kids design their own pumpkin faces and see their creations turned into Halloween centerpieces. Have the children come up with their own pumpkin face designs and draw the design on an actual pumpkin. This is a nice opportunity to teach the importance of not discarding food that can still be used, and to teach an appreciation for the great bounty that we are blessed with. Use the pulp removed from the pumpkin to bake a delicious pumpkin pie!

Southwestern Extravaganza. For any social gathering and especially for Southern-themed parties, spicy flavors are a must. Present traditional dishes from the Native American, Mexican and Spanish colonial cuisines that have combined to form Southwestern cooking as we know it today. Commonly referred to as Tex-Mex, many Southwestern cuisine favorites can be easily adapted to a vegetarian lifestyle, and many do not require much preparation time. Present an avocado-based guacamole dip along with your usual party items and have the guests dip away.

For a quick treat and a sweet alternative to salty dips, serve a platter of fresh strawberries alongside a creamy dip. Flavored yogurt is a healthy variation that complements the sweet and sour taste of fresh strawberries. For a Fourth of July theme, arrange strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows to make the American flag.