Rehearsal Dinner?

Question

We are planning to cook the food for our dinner total # of people will be 12. Any ideas of a good yet affordable meal to make?

Answer 1

Easy Chicken Marsala
recipe is for 4 - 4 boneless chicken breasts, 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms, 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, 1 tbs Italian seasonings, 1 cup dry Marsala wine (approx. $6.99 a bottle) olive oil , 2 tbs butter.
Pound chicken to slightly flatten and tenderize. Mix together flour, desired amount of garlic powder-salt-pepper, and 1 tbs Italian seasoning. Cover bottom of large skillet with olive oil, add butter and heat until butter is melted. Dredge chicken in flour mixture heat in skillet 3-4 minutes on each side add mushrooms cover and heat until mushrooms are done (about 5 minutes). Pour 1 cup chicken stock and 1 cup Marsala wine over chicken and mushrooms, stir and cover. Heat on low approx. 20 - 30 minutes. For larger servings I would cook up all the chicken then remove it from the skillet and put it in a oiled roaster, then add all of the mushrooms to the skillet until done, then the stock and wine. Once you have a good consistency pour it over the chicken in the roaster and put it in the oven for the remainder of the cooking time. The lower the heat and the longer you bake it the more tender it will be. Serve it with a nice salad some steamed veggies (brocolli-cauliflower) and a good loaf of bread. Super easy on the wallet and in the kitchen. Congrats !!

Answer 2

People are answering with Italian Style dishes. I agree- because pasta can go very far and it's inexpensive. I had a b-day dinner for my MIL for 12 ppl and didn't have a lot of $ to work with. This is what I did and served buffet style:
You can make one or two pasta dishes- like a baked pasta- there is a good 4 cheese baked pasta that I tried off the food network- I will paste that in the source. Then you can do a interesting pasta shape like campagnelle with a spicy red sauce- for a meat dish, a chicken picatta or marsala like someone suggested. Don't forget salads- a tossed green salad or ceasar salad and maybe a caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella, basil and tomatoes- don't have to make a lot of that- appetizers like bruschetta and a cheese platter with cold cuts, olives. Dessert of your choice- maybe stick with the Italian theme. It will look very well planned and should not cost you too much. Defintely less than going to a restaurant for 12 ppl.

Answer 3

I love pasta as much as the next person, but.....here's something a little different:

Purchase a couple of bags of frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken breast tenders. Marinate them overnight in Italian dressing. When you're ready to cook, either barbecue them or put them in the oven/broiler until cooked through. Serve with baked potatoes, caesar salad and a good rosemary potatoe bread. For the baked potatoes, if you want to get fancy, bake them ahead of time and cut in half. Scoop out the center of each leaving about 1/4 inch shell. Mash the potatoes with butter, cream cheese with garlic and chives and a little milk. Place back into the skins and top with cheddar cheese. Reheat at your dinner in the oven until the cheese melts and they're hot inside. The salad you can buy in a bag, or get your greens and a good salad dressing such as Berensteins Caesar.

You can use the same menu and substitute a London Broil steak. Marinate the steak in soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, red wine, rosemary, and oregano. Grill until medium rare. Slice into thin slices and serve. Everybody gets some and it won't break the bank.

Dessert? Brownies, lemon bars, and cookies.

Congratulations and have fun!

Answer 4

Lasagna, salad, garlic bread and maybe a pie and cookies for dessert.

Answer 5

Lasagna, ceasar salad, garlic bread, cheescake

Answer 6

chicken
parmigiana mmmm so good!