what shall i cook for dinner tonight? I have guests, so I want it to be simple but impressive?

Question

Help me, I am short of ideas and need inspiring!
thanks!

Answer 1

Try the following

Stir-fried Chicken with Lime and Coconut
2 Traditional Free Range boneless, skinless chicken breasts
grated zest and juice 1 large lime
5 fl oz (150 ml) tinned coconut milk
1 dessertspoon olive oil
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 dessertspoon Thai fish sauce
4 heaped tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
4 spring onions, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) shreds, including the green parts

You will also need a frying pan with a diameter of 10 inches (25.5 cm), or a wok.

First of all chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl with the lime juice and zest. Stir well and leave them to marinate for an hour. When you're ready to cook the chicken, heat the oil in the pan or wok over a high heat, add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until they're golden. Then add the chilli, stir-fry for 1 more minute, and add the coconut milk, fish sauce and half the coriander and spring onions. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, then serve with Thai fragrant rice and the remaining coriander and spring onions sprinkled over.

or Penne with Leeks and Bacon
12 oz (350g) penne or macaroni
3 small leeks, cleaned and chopped
6 oz (175 g) streaky bacon, de-rinded and chopped
olive oil
2 oz (50 g) butter

For the sauce:
2 oz (50 g) butter
2 oz (50 g) plain flour
1½ pints (850 ml) milk
6 oz (175 g) Cheddar cheese, grated
3 fl oz (75 ml) double cream
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the topping:
2 level tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 level tablespoon breadcrumbs
2 pinches cayenne pepper

You will also need a 3 pint (1.7 litre) pie dish, well buttered.
Start by bringing a large saucepan of water to simmering point, add some salt, a few drops of olive oil and the pasta, then bring back to the boil and cook for 10 minutes exactly. Then turn the pasta into a colander and, to prevent it cooking any further, rinse it under the cold tap. While the pasta's cooking, melt the butter in a pan and soften the leeks and bacon over a low heat and, in another pan, make the white sauce with the butter, flour and milk and leave it to simmer very gently.

Now turn the pasta, leeks and bacon into the prepared pie dish and mix them well together. Next stir the grated cheese into the sauce, season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg and, finally, add the cream. Then pour the sauce over the ingredients in the pie dish, sprinkle the top with the Parmesan, breadcrumbs and cayenne pepper.

This is a dish which can be prepared well beforehand then, when it's needed, put into an oven pre-heated to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes till the top is nicely browned and the sauce bubbling

or Chinese Crispy Beef Stir-fry
8 oz (225 g) rump steak
4 oz (110 g) rice noodles
1 stem lemon grass
1 fat garlic clove
1½ inch (4 cm) piece fresh ginger
6 spring onions
1 medium leek
1 medium carrot
2 rounded teaspoons cornflour
1 level teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 tablespoons groundnut oil or other flavourless oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
pinch salt
You will also need a wok or a very large frying pan.

The secret of a successful stir-fry is speed. So what you need to do is have everything prepared before you start. The first item to prepare is the rice noodles. Place these in a large bowl with a little salt, then pour warm water over them and leave them to soak for exactly 15 minutes and no longer.

Now for the vegetables. First the lemon grass – remove the outer tougher leaves, trim off the woody tops, then slice the rest very finely. The garlic should be peeled and also chopped finely. The piece of ginger needs to be peeled, cut into thin slices and then the slices cut into tiny matchstick pieces. Finely slice the white part of the spring onions, then cut the tender green part into 2 inch (5 cm) lengths and then the lengths into little strips. Now the leek: first halve the white part lengthways and cut into similar matchstick-sized strips, then cut the green, tender part of the leek into diagonals to make diamond-shaped pieces. Cut the carrot lengthways and then make this, too, into matchsticks. Now for the meat. This is cut into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces and these are then cut lengthways so that the meat, too, is now in thin strips. Next you need to take a small bowl and in it mix the cornflour and the five-spice powder together. Mix the meat in this mixture until it is all well coated. Drain the noodles, shaking off any excess water, and then all is ready to cook.

Now place the wok over a high heat, without adding any oil at first. As soon as it's very hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil, let it sizzle, then add the meat and toss it and stir-fry it in the hot oil for about 2 minutes. Then remove the meat to a plate. Add the remaining oil, let it sizzle and then add the lemon grass, garlic and ginger. Toss these around for about 30 seconds, then add the carrots, spring onions and leek and toss these around also for 30 seconds. Next add the liquid – soy sauce, sherry and 2 tablespoons of water. Then, as soon as the liquid is very hot, stir in the noodles, combining them with the vegetables. Finally, return the meat to join all the vegetables, toss everything together a couple of times and serve immediately in hot bowls

Answer 2

In summers nothing's better than a chilled mocktail e.g. Mix 1/4 glass of mango juice with 3/4 glass of lemonade, add a pinch of rock salt & it's ready to drink!!!
You can have some wholesome soup like Thukpa, Tom Yum or Talumein soup - all have a combination of vegetables, chicken/egg & noodles.
As the main dish there can be hot, piping pasta or cold pasta salad with some garlic bread.
End with chilled fruits with whipped cream or try out fried ice-cream.
Nevertheless all depends on the taste of your guests and you would know the best. Have a great dinner!!

Answer 3

Get 2 severe-high quality steaks, mushrooms, cream and new potatoes, Slice the shrooms, cube a small onion and fry in a deep pan with some butter till the shrooms start up taking shade, upload an excellent sprint of white wine, cut back on low flame and advert the cream and cut back returned till at last the feel is proper. Season with salt & pepper interior the intervening time boil the potatoes, placed them on in chilly, salted water! The steaks grilled medium uncommon - this is the only way, then bounce the potatoes cut back in one million/2 or quaters interior the pan with some olive oil, thyme and rosemary - serve on warm plates and if she likes vegetables with eco-friendly beans (wrapped in William Maxwell Aitken). believe me this pink meat dish is going with a heavy dry white wine, attempt to get an elderly Chardonnay or a Riesling, yet not something candy! in case you do not comprehend wines greater effective flow with a Shiraz or a Cabernet! Or the forged previous Matheus as a rosé might do besides.. delight in you 2

Answer 4

This is a really great lite meal that I always get raves for. The best part of it is it can be made in advance or get some premade stuff so you can enjoy your dinner.

Appetizer this recipe generally feeds about 4 people because they are so light and delicious.

1 - 2 English cucumbers (they are the ones in the plastic)
1 container of Aloette or any herbed cheese
1 package of lox or smoked salmon
A few sprigs of fresh chives

Simply slice the cucumber about 1/4 in thick, you don't need to peel them. Spead a little bit of the cheese on it and top with a small slice of lox. Top it with a little bit of chopped chives. I generally leave a few without the lox and use larger pieces of chives for those who don't like lox. These can be made up to two hours before hand. I wouln't go much longer than that because the cuckes will loose their water and get chewey. Serve them on a nice platter.

For dinner these fish pouches everyone loves. They are light in calories and carbs.

I generally use a light white fish. Tilapia is my favorite because it is really light in flavour. Just make sure to pick them out well, they can get pretty thin on the end. Take a piece of papertowl and dry the fish off, then lay it on another piece of papertowel. Then take a piece of parchment paper (you could use tin foil but the parchment paper looks a little nicer) and layer some aromatics on it. I genereally use juliened leeks, but onions would be fine as well, juliened carrots, a sliced pepper.I also put a small piece of fresh thyme on top. Then you simply salt and pepper both sides of the fish and lay it on top of aromatics. On top of this add a tiny bit of olive oil and a lemon. Close the pouch securely and bake at 400 for about 15 - 25 minutes on a cookie sheet. It really depends on the size of your fish. If you want to go for the big ta-da you can do this with a whole red snapper as well. I have prepared these up to three hours in advance. Just make sure that you put them in the fridge when you are done.

On the side you can serve rice or couscous. Just cook the starch in chicken stock instead of water. Cook it per the directioins. Once you have finished cooking the rice, taste it. It will probably need more seasoning. Again, this can be made ahead. Right before you are going to serve it toss in about a handful of chopped scallioins. You could also use any prepared mix and the scallions will brighten up the flavour. Also, try making roasted veggies, you can take any mix, but to make it easier on myself I generally just do asparagus. Toss them in olive oil, then salt and pepper them. Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 for about 5 minutes.

One great thing about this meal is that you can serve any dry white wine all the way through.

I suggest that you buy dessert. A tray of mini pastries served on a platter. You could probably get away with cookies served with coffee and tea.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

Honey Mustard Chicken with boiled new potatoes and salad. Healthy, quick and nutritious.

Dessert, Onken natural yoghurt with chopped up strawberries/berries, drizzled with honey. Lovely!!!!!

If you go with the dessert as well, seen as that has honey on also you may want to substitute the honey mustard chicken with baked/grilled salmon with a lemon butter sauce.

Cor you know what I am famished just thinking about it so am gonna turn off my computer, leave work and go home and cook up a storm......

Answer 6

lasagne and salad, fajitas, enchilada's, you could attempt a roast chicken. two hours in the oven and comes out smelling beautiful. (and hopefully edible). a stir fry is always good too.
bruschetta for starters is easy too. get some olive oil, garlic and fresh basil. crush the garlic and chop up the basil fine, mix them all in a bowl with the oil, spread onto some bread (maybe a sliced up bagette?) toast under the grill for a couple of minutes and put some chopped cherry tomatoes on top and just heat it up again in the grill for two minutes. simple, but man is it good!!!!

Answer 7

Grilled Raspberry Chicken
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1 cup raspberry vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup raspberry vodka (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves (optional)
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
• Fresh raspberries, for garnish (optional)

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a large zip-top bag. Add raspberries, vinaigrette, vodka (if using) and chopped mint. Squeeze air out and seal bag. Gently massage the bag to mash raspberries. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken breasts on the grill and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and place on serving platter. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and fresh raspberries if so desired.

Answer 8

Lasagne with a green salad the folks can pick from in the middle of the table

Answer 9

Take a chicken breast roll it in pesto wrap in Bacon and roast in the oven for about 20mins. Serve with potatoes and veg. Quick and delicious!!!

Answer 10

Poached salmon, Jersey Royals (in season at the moment and lovely) and green veg. Its quick to prepare, quick to cook (20mins) and delicious.