What could I serve at my dinner party?

Question

I've invited two co-workers with partners for dinner and am looking for ideas for what to make for dinner. It should be something tasty, but easy so that I have time to spend with the guests.

Answer 1

I made this two nights ago and it was soooo delicious! and it can be frozen or refrigerated until you want to bake it:


White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

(serves 12)

INGREDIENTS:

9 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly.

Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

Answer 2

Hi there, first Happy Birthday To You. I can tell your parents raised you very well. Do you know how I know that? It is because you are mature enough to know that your parents are not rich and you are not putting pressure on them or acting like a spoiled brat. That says a lot about you and what they have taught you. Honey, I also like the pasta idea. It will not cost much, it fills people up, a small amount can go a long way, not hard to make, can be made beforehand and reheated and so many people love pasta. I also agree that a toss salad and garlic bread would top it off. Don't forget the cake. I hope all your birthday wishes come true!! Aunt DeeDee.

Answer 3

Roasted Butternut Squash Cream Soup with a good crusty loaf.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Artichokes.
Tenderloing steak topped with scallops in a sweet vermouth sauce.
Roasted asparagus with goat cheese or crispy green salad.
Pecan and chocolate pie with real whipped cream.

That's the menu I did on Christmas Day and it was elegant, easy and delicious. Had lots of praise.

Answer 4

Make lasagna, crispy green salad, and garlic bread, and a nice bottle of wine or spaghetti....a different change of pace after all of the holiday foods....or chili...and a nice green salad, and crusty bread....nothing better to warm you up!

Answer 5

All of this can be done in advance and served when they arrive. Nuke veggies at last minute so they will be fresh and crisp-tdener, not wilted and soggy.

Meatloaf
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans or Broccoli
Green Salad (toss at table)
Garlic Bread
Make-Your-Own Ice Cream Sundaes for Dessert (have van and choc i/c, and toppings available
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Mama's Cheesy Meatloaf

1 lb. ground chuck
1 egg, beaten
2 tbls. worcestershire sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp. onion salt
3/4 stack Town House Crackers, crushed
2 cups grated cheese (I like sharp)

Mix all ingredients, except cheese. Press meat out onto plastic wrap about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle cheese over meat evenly. Roll up the meatloaf, jelly roll style. Tuck in the ends, and secure with LOTS of toothpicks. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 min.

Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine, and heat thoroughly. About 15 min. or 20 min. before meatloaf is done, pour on some of the sauce, and finish baking. Keep the rest to pour onto the meatloaf slices at the table.
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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Kosher salt
3 pounds boiling potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled
1/2 cup milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, boil 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cut the potatoes into 1½”cubes and add them to the boiling water. Bring the water to a boil again, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

Drain potatoes and mash w/ hand masher or food mill. Stir in the hot milk-and-butter mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 2 tsp salt and the pepper, to taste, and serve hot. Can be kept hot 30-45 min in glass bowl over pot of simmering water. Stir before serving.

--Ina Garten, FoodTV
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Green Beans with Bacon-Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 pounds green beans
2 bacon slices
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 Tbsp. coarsely chopped almonds
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well; set aside.
Cook bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet. Crumble; set aside. Add shallots to bacon fat in skillet; sauté 1 minute. Add almonds; sauté 1 minute. Remove and let cool. Add sugar and vinegar; stir until sugar dissolves. Add crumbled bacon.
Pour vinaigrette over beans, tossing gently to coat.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

CALORIES 75(31% from fat); FAT 2.6g (sat 0.5g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 3.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 54mg; SODIUM 50mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.8g
Cooking Light, November 1996.

--Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

Answer 6

Well, a couple of suggestions, depending on what everyone likes...Chicken Florentine is quick, and this is a wonderful recipe that I use all the time...
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, drained

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. Shake off any excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until the shallots are translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, about 1 minute. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce reduces by half, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute until heated through. Season the spinach, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve.

Or a pasta dish is great and easy - just serve with a salad and some crusty bread or rolls. Most people love alfredo, and you can do it alone, or with chicken or shrimp...

Fettuccine Alfredo
1 pound dried fettucine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Cook the fettucine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute until tender. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, set over medium-high heat along with the reserved cooking liquid. Add the butter-cream mixture and half of the Parmesan and toss to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Or, if everyone likes seafood, do a nice shrimp scampi over linguine...
Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

I hope those help!

Answer 7

First give them soup and then 1/2 an hour later u can provide them with fried rice or jeera rice with dal and salad.
ice cream at end...
so easy u see

Answer 8

turkey or chicken or maybe ham just put it in the oven and its ready

Answer 9

Try this things
1. Cake
2.Pasta
3.Pizza
4.Custard
5.Whipped cream
You can make these things before your friends or guests arrive.
Best Of Luck ! Enjoy it