advice for my dinner party?

Question

i decided to throw together a last minute dinner party. im making chicken stir fry and a white house cherry cake for dessert but im stumped on sidedishes and stuff. help!

Answer 1

Lots of rice of course but I'd do a really nice salad. Asian would be great if the stir fry is asian. Go to www.foodnetwork.com and type in asian salad. Lots of options will come up that will suit you.

Don't forget the appetizer.

Answer 2

egg rolls, crab rangoon, and pot stickers all go great with stir fry! check out your freezer section for these to throw in the oven while cooking your stir fry! ohh, a nice Asian salad would be fabulous also! try this recipe

INGREDIENTS
2 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles, crushed
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

DIRECTIONS
In a medium skillet over low heat brown ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds with melted butter or margarine. Once browned, take off heat and cool.
In a small saucepan bring vegetable oil, sugar, and vinegar to boil for 1 minute. Cool. Add soy sauce.
In a large bowl , combine shredded napa cabbage and chopped green onions. Add the noodle and soy sauce mixture. Toss to coat. Serve.

Answer 3

Cook either low mein or rice and stir fried green beans on the side.....it really depends on what is going in your stir fry. If you are doing a lot of veggies in the stir fry, I would stick to either low mein or steamed white rice on the side. You could also do a cucumber salad....slice cucumbers very thin season with salt and pepper then marinate in olive oil and white wine vinegar.

Answer 4

Well if your making a chicken stir fry you could make a stir fried rice to go with it. White rice, soy sauce, whatever veggies you enjoy, and some scrambles eggs. Easy and feeds a crowd!

Answer 5

With a chicken stirfry, you don't have to have alot of sides. Add some red bell pepper, mushrooms, sprouts, celery, and onion to your stirfry and serve with teriyaki rice as a side. For openers, make up a nice miso broth with tofu (opt.) and scallions or a ginger broth. You can also purchase egg rolls that you bake before serving as appetizers, or shu mai or potstickers. Trader Joes has tons of this stuff that are fairly inexpensive.

Answer 6

Planning an entertaining menu and an evening with guests can be quite intimidating. But with these tips and some planning, you will have a wonderful time at your own party! You'll find basic party tips on this page, and on the next, I'll give you a menu and countdown timetable chart you can use to plan your party

ON YOUR MARK - PLAN THE PARTY

First decide on the date of your party, guest list, and theme. If you choose to entertain around a holiday, many of your decisions will be easier, if you incorporate traditional decorations and food. Invite guests to your party early, preferably two or more weeks ahead of time. This will give them time to RSVP and will give you more time to plan. The comfort of your guests is your primary goal, so think about compatibility, tastes, ages, and the ambiance you want to create.
Make a realistic assessment of your cooking and baking skill levels, and the time you'll be able to commit to the party. There are ways to make things easier - takeout and deli foods are absolutely acceptable, and you can have a cookout, picnic, or a potluck party if you are really busy. A sit down dinner party is more formal than a cookout or a buffet, so think carefully about what type of party makes you the most comfortable.
Get ready to make lists! Lists are absolutely essential for any party, as you can jot things down as you think of them. Once you have the basics well planned and written down, your mind will be free to be creative with the food, fun, and decor.
Make your guest list and invite them. Calling is the easiest way to invite, and you will most likely get an immediate response. Another advantage of calling is you can ask (as I always do) if your guests have any food allergies or preferences. For larger parties, like a surprise birthday party, you can send out invitations.
Plan your menu. Have fun with this, but don't overreach! If you are a beginning cook, choose a main dish that you have made before and enjoy, then build upon it by buying dessert, a premade salad, and some fabulous crusty bakery bread. It's a good idea to never make a recipe for the first time for a party. There's nothing worse than struggling with an unfamiliar recipe when you can hear your guests having fun in the next room! Try to plan a mix of make ahead recipes and those that require last minute baking or preparation. I really prefer having everything done, and ready to just pull out of the fridge and serve, or pop in the oven or on the grill.
Take inventory of your supplies: table and chairs, serving pieces, cutlery, crystal, plates, candlesticks, serving areas, and of course your kitchen. Think about renting or borrowing items you don't have. Make sure the things you own are sparkling clean and in good repair.
Think about how you want to decorate. Decorations for a party can be as simple as candlesticks on the table, or more elaborate streamers, balloons, flower arrangements, tablecloths, and even chair slipcovers. Decorate with the seasons too. Fresh flowers in the summer, a bowl full of polished apples and spruce twigs in the winter, or a vase with colorful leaves and cattails in the fall are simple, inexpensive, and beautiful.

Answer 7

A good country bread with soft butter is always a favorite.

Getting a little more involved, how about dumplings or cheese plate with crackers?