Fancy easy meals to make ahead of time?

Question

I need to make dinner for a group of my friends that i can just make ahead of time so that i can just either pop it into the oven or what not so that i would be able to get ready. Anyone have any advise to give me?

Answer 1

Planning Your Attack!! Works out great & innovative!!

Cooking ahead generally means cooking in quantity and a little planning will cut down your time at the store and in the kitchen. Thinking about what you want to make for the week and what you want to feed the freezer will keep your shopping to the minimum—picking up fresh salad, herbs, or bread is much easier than having to run out for forgotten ingredients midway through a recipe!
Cooking ahead can also save you money since you can buy in bulk and take advantage of store specials. Just remember to include freezer- or fridge-friendly packaging on your shopping list if you don’t have glass or plastic containers at home. A double wrapping of heavy-duty aluminum foil and or plastic wrap can work in a pinch, depending on how long you want to store something.
If you know you’re going to reheat food, whether it’s going in the fridge or the freezer, leave it slightly underdone so that it doesn’t get overcooked later. Make sure to correct the seasonings after reheating and add a squirt of lemon juice or fresh herbs to wake up the flavors.

Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy
Meatloaf:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (or pork and beef combo)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 large eggs, beaten
Gravy:
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Toast the bread crumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Add the olive oil, onions, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cook until onions are tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Add the onions to the bread crumbs along with the meat, cheese, and Worcestershire sauce. Toss and mix gently. Add the eggs and stir to coat the meat completely.
Transfer to a foil-lined sheet pan and gently press into desired shape. Bake until an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees F in the center of the loaf, about 45 minutes.
Tent the meatloaf with foil and let rest for 15 minutes while you make the gravy (or you can make the gravy while the meatloaf is baking).
Gravy: Cook the onions, garlic, and oregano in the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and bay leaf. Stir until paste turns brick red and garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in Parmesan cheese, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Discard the bay leaf and transfer the sauce to a gravy boat. Slice the meatloaf and serve with the gravy.

Answer 2

Lasagna is always a great meal that actually tastes better when reheated. Make it a day ahead of time and bake as normal. Then refrigerate, and 75 minutes before dinner, pop it back into the oven for an hour, take it out and let it set for 15 minutes, cut and serve with crusty bread and butter and a salad on the side. Can't miss!

Answer 3

Chicken Stuffing Casserole
8 Chicken breasts
Mix 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and 1/2 Cup of milk
Put a slice of swiss cheese each peice of chicken then pour the cream of chicken mixture over it. Then top it with Chicken flavored stove top stuffing. Pour 1 Cup opf melted butter or margarine over the whole thing and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. SO GOOD!!!

Answer 4

All of the recipes on this site are suitable for a dinner party, and most can be prepared in advance:

http://www.gourmet-food-revolution.com/dinner-party-recipes.html

Answer 5

This is a great site for party planning

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/quantity/

Answer 6

make lasagna , salad, garlic bread

Answer 7

lasagna