Hosting a dinner party for 4 (including my husband and myself) this weekend. Suggestions for what to serve?

Question

I want something simple, affordable, but really delicious. My husband's a meat and potato kind of guy. I'm thinking maybe pasta or something. I'd like to hear other's ideas and opinions. Also- what for dessert?

Answer 1

You could do spagetti and meatballs and put some sausage in your sauce and rolls and serve an antipasta salad and some nice wine and then for dessert have cheese cake and fruit. It depends how expensive you want to go. You can even do a them night like I did Italian night for 8 people but it was kinda allot of work but TONS of fun.
We had beer, wine and soft drinks
appetizers i did shrimp cocktail and eggplant stuffed with mozz. chesse baked in the oven and topped with tomato and basil, oil salt & pepper and a antipasta salad then for the main course but we only had a little of each so it seems like more food then ut was
stuffed shells, meatballs, chicken parm. spagetti mushrooms stuffed with crab meat and rolls
and then for dessert we had fruit, cheese cake cannoils and I made everything from scratch and my friends brought an after dinner drink which we just sipped but we set it on fire first it was a ball they keep asking when I am gonna have it again but it was ALLOT of work for me

Answer 2

Beef Bourguignon
Serves 4 to 6

Don’t slice the shrooms too thin as they will soften before the onions or meat. Also try to buy USDA Choice grade beef; it will be worth a little more $$.

2 lb chuck roast
1½ Tbsp flour
4 large yellow onions
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp dried marjoram
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup beef broth (from a can)
1 cup red burgundy wine (cheap stuff is okay)

Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes, trimming off the fat as you go. Dredge the meat in flour by pressing the chunks firmly into a bowl containing the flour.

Peel and slice the onions into ¼-inch rings. Wash the mush rooms by wiping with a damp cloth; slice 1/4-inch thick.

Add all ingredients to the crockpot, cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Serve over wide egg noodles or rice for a complete quick & easy meal.

Answer 3

Simple, pasta, sauce, salad etc. With the pasta serve separately, meatballs, chicken, shrimp or whatever, that way ppl can have what they want regardless of taste or allergy's and have a couple different sauces available, like veggie, meat, and an Alfredo. This also helps because pasta, like ravioli or gnocchi is easy to eat and ppl wont have to worry about there silverware skills as much...and you can have terrimesu for desert, always a hit

Answer 4

How about a Pot Roast, its simple and delicious.

Pot Roast- I suggest 5#
4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut
1# baby carrots
2 cans of whole green beans
1 envelope of lipton onion soup
1 can of cream of mushrooms
1 soup can of water
Place veggies around the roast and mix soup and water together and pour over roast. Cook for an hour depending on size of roast in 350 degree oven.

Or try this,
Broccoli Stuffed Cornish Hens
10oz pkg frozen broccoli, cooked and drained well
2T. butter 1/4 tsp salt
1c. cooked long grain rice (I use Success Rice)
Dash of pepper
1/2 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese (you may use shredded swiss cheese, or even cheese whiz)
4 cornish hens- rinsed and patted dry with paper towels.

Combine broccoli, rice, cheese, butter, salt and pepper.
Lightly salt cavities. Stuff birds with broccoli mixture.
Rub outside with shortening, and place in baking pan.
Bake at 350 degree for an hour and 15 minutes.

Answer 5

Steak, potato salad and corn on the cob. Ice cream for dessert.

Answer 6

Cornish Hens stuffed with wild rice
tossed salad
hollowed out pineapples filled with ambroshia for dessert
this will look wonderful on the table and it is really economical

Answer 7

Chateaubriand, rubbed with garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, grilled medium rare and sliced thin
Baked potato casserole, made with yukon gold potatoes (cooked in chicken broth)sour cream, chopped green onion, sharp cheddar cheese
Fresh green beans with bacon and onion, steam green beans until tender crisp, saute bacon and diced onion until translucent and cooked. Toss cooked green beans in bacon and onion, add salt and pepper to taste
Spinach salad with mandarin oranges, feta, and French Dressing
Hot Rolls
Rustic Apple pie with caramel sauce: Purchase ready made crust and apple pie filling. Take crust and place in pie pan. Mix filling with candied walnuts, lemon zest, and brown sugar. Place in center of pie crust. Fold crust over the top and brush with egg wash. It will not go over completely. Bake until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and top each serving with vanilla frozen yogurt and warm caramel sauce.

Answer 8

chicken, broccoli shells.....I found the recipe on allrecipes.com and have made it...as well as passed it on to a couple of friends, one of whom made it for her dinner party and it was a huge hit(link to recipe below).......I'd serve it with a caesar salad and garlic bread/bread sticks......and for dessert a trifle(recipe below)

another idea that is fairly simple and fun...and will allow you to enjoy the guests rather than spending all your time in the kitchen......a buffet style meal.....a mix of hot and cold.....meatballs, pigs in a blanket, lasagna, quiche, chili, potato salad, macaroni salad, deli meats platter with variety of breads, veggie tray and dip......cheese and cracker platter etc etc etc....all things that can be prepared in advance and just heated up ......and for dessert......a platter of fruits and chocolate fondue

Answer 9

not to sure about the menu but what ever you make. try to make it ahead because you want to enjoy your guest. you don't want to spent most of the time in the kitchen. maybe you can do it buffet style that way you don't have to keep running back and forth to the kitchen.

Answer 10

Great you know what your guy likes-problem solved.
Now, try to find out what ur guests like and u'll do fine.