Help me plan a menu for a dinner party of 4 people?

Question

I have guests coming on Saturday and I want to impress. Problem is I have about $60 to spend and I get home from work at 5:30 and they will be here at 7:00. I already have a dessert planned and the ingredients for it. I do not want to do the standard lasagna or spaghetti. And one of the guests does not like fish. Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

I'm sure your party is going to be great, if you have a plan and stick to it you won't be stressed and can enjoy your company. Here are a couple ideas I was thinking of since it's winter and they are not expensive and taste great. How about a beef stew or chicken pot pie. You can make it the night before stick it in the oven the night of the party and then you won't have to mess with the food so much. Plus you can offer some nice side items to go with it also prepared the night before. for example a chopped olive mix and creamed cheese spread on crackers, stuffed celery with cheddar cheese, pineapple chunks on skewers that can be broiled at the last minute soak the skewers in water first so they don't burn...salted and spiced pecans, marinated tomato and cucumber salad with red onions. see how these items can be colorful and taste good to go along with the main dish? The more you can prepare the night before will help you enjoy your company and enjoy eating without being a wreck..best wishes for a happy new year 2007!.

Answer 2

READ THIS ONE

Get 4 think pork chops, at least an inch thick. Slice the meaty part 2/3 through to make a pocket. The night before prepare a bread stuffing. Bell makes a good stuffing with dried cranberries, just add chopeed onion, celery and chopped peeled apple. Use chicken broth to make the stuffing.
You can stuff the pork chops the night before, just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Saturday night, remove the plastic and proceed:
In a heavy ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) heat
1 tablespoon butter and the oil over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and in the fat brown the pork chops. Add 1/4 cup water, bake the chops, covered, in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven, turning them once, for 30 minutes, and transfer them to plates. On top of the stove boil the pan juices until they are reduced to about 1/3 cup, strain them through a sieve into a bowl, and spoon them over the chops or potatoes.

Mashed potatoes goes well with this dish. Can be made the night before and heated in the oven or microwave. Dotting the potatoes with butter will give them a crisp potato topping or dot with butter and cover with foil.

For a side veggie roast some asparagus, or green beans by drizzling them with olive oil, seasoning with salt and pepper and putting them in the oven about 10 minutes after you put the chops in.

Total prep time for this meal is about 30 minutes. Total cooking time about 30 minutes. The majority is done the night before.
Total cost: About $15.00 for the pork chops
6.00 for the stuffing and apple
5.00 for the asparagus
That's $21.00 and I think I over estimated a little. Splurge on a store bought dessert and some wine.

Answer 3

Set your table the night before and have each and every serving dish and utensil ready so you don't have to scramble at the last minute.

Do anything you can the night before, cut things up, make a dressing for a (bagged) salad, and marinating meat the night before is a god-send. I make a good marinade for chicken breasts that has tequila and OJ, and a pork loin marinade that's kind of Chinese in style. Then all you have to do is heat a grill pan and cook them. Steam some veggies that night, and whip up a hollandaise sauce, that's just egg yolks, butter and lemon.
For a starch you could do baked potatoes, but they're kind of boring. You could make up a scalloped potato au gratin thing the night before in the insert to a crockpot, pop that in the fridge, and before you go to work, put it in the pot on low.

Just some random thoughts. And garnish everything fancy and guests will think it's really gourmet, even if it isn't!

Answer 4

you could do a baked dish,,, porkchops, chicken, roast,,,, that can be done the night before,,,,, just bake till done and browned, then add a can of cream of mushroom soup,, bake longer, or else refrigerate and add the soup and pop in the oven on the day of the party, when you get home (let it cook on about 325 for an hour, covered with aluminum foil), then add a potato dish and a vegetable,,,, for an appetizer, cheese and crackers is always good, maybe with olives,,,,, and maybe serve a soup or salad,,,, $60 should be plenty,,, for a party for 4, include a nice wine if you drink,,,, i personally would concentrate on making one thing maybe more elaborate or unusual, keep the rest basic,,,, as in having a great dessert, or salad, or appetizers,,,,, or meat,,, an inexpensive easy to serve salad is pear/cheese, just use canned half pears, on lettuce leaf,, pop on a teaspoon of mayo, then sprinkle with cheddar cheese,,,,,, again this can be assembled the day ahead
also check out some of the ideas of the foodnetwork chefs, especially the "semi home made" show,,,, look under tv
http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Answer 5

if this dinner is on the casual side i would do a chicken breast topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms served on rice, (you can find really good prepared rice dishes) use your favorite ,mine is white and wild with herbs)a nice mixed green salad with some bright red tomatoes crusty rolls and wine.
i season the breasts with a prepared garlic and herb seasoning (use your favorite) heat heavy skillet with a little olive oil. when hot add the breasts youre just searing them for now, so watch them closely.maybe 1 1/2 minutes on each side .(at this point you can remove from the pan and refrigerate over night and return them to the pan the next day to finish them.just dont wash your pan, cover and keep the drippings ,)with the breasts back in the pan on med heat add 1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth and white wine(broth by it self is fine) put on the lid and turn down heat, cooking time depends on how large the breasts are.dont overcook. remove breasts when done and continue to cook the sauce scraping up the bits,leaving this to reduce by half.turn off heat set aside and keep warm. your onions and mushrooms which you cut the night before (keep separate) have been sauteing. onions first untill soft not brown then add shrooms season as prefered . serve on individual plates by putting bed of rice ,onion mushroom mix on rice and breast on top of it all.pour reduced sauce over it. add the salad.and youre done.from start to finish takes about 1 hour so if you prepare what you can the night before and set your table ahead i think it will turn out great

Answer 6

A quick quick sample menu
To begin with:
Soup - carrots and coriander
Chicken or lamb curry and add potatoes also.Get your curry ingredients from an Indian shop!
Greens like spinach cooked green
All accompanied by boiled rice Basmati or whole grain. have a green salad too. add some pickles.
Dessert

As I am hungry for lunchtime I will have to leave you but contact me if you so wish [e-mail]. Bon appetit

Answer 7

ever tried the packaged fresh pastas & sauces?
Pick out a pasta like the cheese ravilollis
Get pesto and alfrado sauce
& veggies - zuccuni, asparagus, carrots
Saute veggies & add sauce & simmer
Serve over pasta after cooked with garlic bread & a salad in a bag mix. No prob & fast - most of all delicious!

Answer 8

I love spicy foods and smelly ones, Four people u could arrange Roast Chicken, Rice, Soft Drinks, Smashed capsicums in vinegar mixed with chicken. smash prawn and make a ball and fry them. Vegetable Custard.Boiled eggs slice it and place it beside the food just for decoration. Well I dont know how much wud these costs.

Answer 9

You could put a roast in the Crock Pot with veggies that morning.When you get home make some green bean slice some tomatoes and heat up some rolls.This would be easy and good.

Answer 10

youthful teenages are each and every so often humorous approximately there weight so shop it small. Vol au vents and little quiches, meat balls,cherios, tempura veges hen kiev with season veges or thai hen curry and rice hen Fettuccine