What's your favorite dinner party menu?

[Anonymous]

Oh my, I'm now on the hook to host two couples for a dinner party this weekend - closer to DH than me - and I am at a lost for what to serve for dinner. Would love folks' suggestions of what to do from soup to nuts (can't help but use that phrase here!).

Looking forward to suggestions - TIA!

[Anonymous]

Baked ziti, garlic bread, salad. Italian pastries for dessert.

[Anonymous]

Depends. Cuisine preference? Adventurous eaters or mid-west meat and potatoes kind of guests? Food allergies? Vegetarian or non-veg? Your cooking abilities? Budget? How posh are the people? How many courses do you want to serve?

[Anonymous]

Or grill. Shish kebab, with some marinated meats on one skewer, peppers and onions on another, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

Then a platter with it all mixed together and people pass the platter.

Rice is good with this, and some cut up pineapple maybe.

Dessert: Pie. Delicious, store bought pie.

[Anonymous]

Have him grill steak from organic butcher
Salad
Roasted asparagus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends. Cuisine preference? Adventurous eaters or mid-west meat and potatoes kind of guests? Food allergies? Vegetarian or non-veg? Your cooking abilities? Budget? How posh are the people? How many courses do you want to serve?

Slept poorly last night so thanks for the prompts here.

No allergies or strong food aversions. No vegetarians. All "good eaters" and one is quite accomplished in the kitchen. Serving 8 and no budget constraints. I am fairly adept in the kitchen though tend to stick to chicken, fish, and pasta dishes as DH doesn't really like pork or red meat.

Thinking serving soup in small cups along with the apps in our kitchen while I am finishing the dinner, then an entrée, veg, salad, and dessert. Perhaps rice or couscous depending on the entrée.

Supposed to be a little chilly on Saturday so keeping that in mind.

Thanks again for the prompts and looking forward to your suggestions!

[Anonymous]

ITALIAN

Starters -
- Stuffed mushrooms, Rosemary focaccia with olive tapenade
- Zuppa Toscana or gnocchi dumpling soup

Entrée -
- Chicken or shrimp scampi with angle hair pasta
- Grilled veggis (with or without sausage)
- Veal cutlets or Eggplamt cutlet

Dessert -
- Tiramisu
- Berries with fresh cream


THAI

- Corn fritters
- Chicken Satay with peanut sauce
- Papaya salad
- Tom Yum soup

- Panang curry with shrimp
- Massaman curry with potatos and peanuts

- Mango sticky rice


INDIAN

- Spinach chaat
- Paneer kebabs
- Galauti kebab

- Butter chicken
- Daal Banjara
- Okra fry
- Gobi- Aloo
- Fried Pomfrety
- Boondi Raita
- Fresh chappati and jeera rice

- Rice pudding with cardamom
- Gulab Jamun.


Want more??

[Anonymous]

12:35 - great suggestions. I've made most of what is on the list - love, love, love Massaman curry!

TY!

Open to others too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baked ziti, garlic bread, salad. Italian pastries for dessert.

Omg how overweight are you? Actual Italians would consider this menu of bread/pasta/pastries illegal.

[Anonymous]

Wow you guys are some really lousy chefs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow you guys are some really lousy chefs

What are you thinking?

[Anonymous]

I really like Chicken Marbella from the Silver Palate cookbook for a dinner party. Toss all the ingredients in to marinate, bake in oven, serve with couscous or even polenta. Green beans or asparagus on the plate. Seems retro fancy-ish and most people seem to like it. A soup as starter is perfect. I like not a lot of last minute fussing in the kitchen after the guests arrive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baked ziti, garlic bread, salad. Italian pastries for dessert.

Omg how overweight are you? Actual Italians would consider this menu of bread/pasta/pastries illegal.

I AM an actual Italian.

[Anonymous]

Where is the poster who vehemently hates baked ziti? I find her hilarious.

Also the chili poster!

Greek is always a good option too, some grilled or smoked meats and veggies, orzo, spanakopita, pita, dips, cucumber salad. All super easy, too (assuming you buy the premade spanakopita).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Depends. Cuisine preference? Adventurous eaters or mid-west meat and potatoes kind of guests? Food allergies? Vegetarian or non-veg? Your cooking abilities? Budget? How posh are the people? How many courses do you want to serve?

Slept poorly last night so thanks for the prompts here.

No allergies or strong food aversions. No vegetarians. All "good eaters" and one is quite accomplished in the kitchen. Serving 8 and no budget constraints. I am fairly adept in the kitchen though tend to stick to chicken, fish, and pasta dishes as DH doesn't really like pork or red meat.

Thinking serving soup in small cups along with the apps in our kitchen while I am finishing the dinner, then an entrée, veg, salad, and dessert. Perhaps rice or couscous depending on the entrée.

Supposed to be a little chilly on Saturday so keeping that in mind.

Thanks again for the prompts and looking forward to your suggestions!

I would do more appetizers because they are hanging around in the kitchen area and they will be serving themselves. Have a cu Great idea to do soup in cups etc.

ITALIAN

Starters -
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Fried fish fingers or calamari with dip
- Focaccia with olive tapenade
- Minestrone soup
- Tomatoes, basil, mozarella, pesto in bite size stacks
- Meatballs in spaghetti sauce with a sprinkle of cheese. They can serve themselves in small cups
- Charcuterie board if you want to serve cheese, meats


Entrée -
- Shrimp scampi with angle hair pasta in light sauce
- Grilled veggis
- Chicken cutlets in rosemary sauce
- Simple salad
-(You can add back red meat if your guests like it)

Dessert -
- Tiramisu or Italian pastries
- Berries with fresh cream