It has happened to all of us. The day we decide to lie down in our pajamas, watch TV, and eat as many Cheetos as we can in our mouths, it happens. The doorbell rings. NO! It just can’t be! Unexpected and inconsiderate guests are standing right outside the door. Did they hear you munching on Cheetos or laughing out loud at the comedy show you were watching? Is being very quiet and pretending you’re not home an option? Well not anymore as your son let out a loud squeal! You have to open the door now. But how? Both you and your home are a mess. The sink is full of dishes and the living room looks like Barney the Dinosaur blew up! With a little luck, advance planning, and nerves of steel, you can throw an impromptu meeting in no time.

First things first, you have to open the door. Before doing so, go through and pick up any trash in the living room. This is where your guests will be spending most of their time and it should be clean. Throw everything in a laundry basket or stack it in a nearby closet. It doesn’t matter where you put it, just get rid of it. Now open the door. Once your guests have been properly received. Show them to the couch and invite them to sit there while you run to the kitchen and have a little nervous breakdown. It’s a joke! Be sure to turn on the TV or provide your guests with a family photo album. You need to keep them busy while you are in the kitchen.

It is expected to offer your guests an ice cold drink. Why not surprise your guests with a delicious appetizer to accompany them? A quick and easy recipe is hummus and pita chips. Mix 2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, ¼ cup liquid from the can, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste), 2 garlic cloves, 1/ 8 tsp. Cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Twist it and go. Transfer to a pretty serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. To make the pita chips you will need at least 4 pieces of white pita bread. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5 or 190 C. Stack bread and cut in half. Cut each half into 3 triangles and gently pull apart to separate into 2 parts. Place triangles on a large nonstick baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake for 7 minutes until just beginning to brown and flip. Bake for 5 more minutes. They will be crispy and golden. Arrange them in a large bowl and place a large handful of green olives in the center. A great accompaniment to this appetizer would be glasses of iced tea or fresh fruit juice. Attend.

The next and biggest hurdle to face when dealing with unexpected guests is serving dinner. There is no time to thaw meat or slave over a hot stove. You are not Martha Stewart! So I say, order takeout! There are a plethora of delicious restaurants in Kuwait that deliver. The key to serving takeout for dinner is not to serve your guests in paper or Styrofoam containers, but to use your best dishes. Reheat any of the food if necessary and arrange everything on beautiful plates and trays. It’s also a great idea to serve the condiments in small bowls. It’s a big ‘blooper’ to put bottles of ketchup or salad dressing in front of your guests. You are ready to serve!

You are in the final stretch now. The mission is almost complete. You only need a dazzling dessert!! This is where pre-planning comes into play. Unexpected guests are an unfortunate fact of life. Therefore, I recommend always keeping a cake in the freezer. A simple Betty Crocker box cake will do. Mix and bake according to package directions. Cool completely and cut the cake into thirds. Wrap each piece in aluminum foil and freeze.

For a quick and easy dessert, take the cake out of the freezer before serving the appetizer. It takes about 2 hours to thaw. I always keep a 1 liter pack of KDD Long-Life Whipping Cream in my fridge and so should you! In your blender, beat 1 C. of the cream, ½ tsp. vanilla extract and 1 tbsp. of powdered sugar. Chill in the freezer. Cut the cake into large squares. Place a slice of cake on each serving plate (depending on the number of guests you have). Take the whipped cream from the freezer and whip again. Scoop a generous dollop of whipped cream on top of the cake, and place a handful of fresh berries—or even some sliced ​​bananas—on the side. Be sure to offer tea and coffee with your dessert. You are ready to serve!

Bidding farewell to your unexpected guests, as they walk out your door, you can be sure they were delighted with your refined service and entertainment. So much so that they will return and, of course, again unexpected. But next time you will be prepared. And hopefully you’ll look in the mirror to make sure there are no Cheetos hanging from your hair!