Dinner for 7 people. What main and dessert shall I make?!
Dinner for 7 people. What main and dessert shall I make?
Preferably something easy to make, but still homemade. Also one of my guests is pregnant, so no alcohol etc.
Answers:
You could do something really easy like chilli con carne with jacket potatoes - just stick the spuds in the oven and forget about them until they're done and make the chilli in one big pot - everyone can help themselves to as much or as little as they want! Nice and hot and filling in cold weather. For desert - Mmm not big on desert - but you could have ice cream which is nice and light after the filling chilli - or serve some apple pie with it. Also have some cheese and biscuits handy in case there is anyone who doesn't have a sweet tooth.
Martha has tons of ideas;)
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipes...
Something quick and easy - it's got to be pasta - any of the different varieties. How about spag bol or lasagna or just pasta with a sauce and nice salad? Fruit salad for desert?
Just b/c she's pregnant doesn't mean you can't cook with wine. I did.... just a dash for flavor.
For a group of 7, I would go to the butcher and ask for a couple pounds of lamb cleaned and cubed.
I would marinate with fresh rosemary, salt, fresh garlic, a dash of white wine, a dash of lemon, and a coated with dijon mustard. Let it marinade for a couple hours.
Then pan fry... You can also do this with shanks.
Personally I think if you are going to slave over a stove and make dessert, I would do the mushroom rice from rice a roni. It's really good.
I would serve also sliced potatos.. make in oven by slicing thin, olive oil, kosher salt, fresh garlic, and ground rosemary... toss it and bank 400 degrees until you see it's cooked. (it all depends on how thick the cut is..)
Dessert... I totally suggest going to kraftfoods.com and checking out there desserts.... I think a good chocolate cheesecake would be nice. You want something that you could do ahead of time and keep in the fridge so it's not taking up too much of your time when your guests are there...
Easy recipes?
Just grill some juicy loins,beef or lamb
Bake a side dish of potato gratin, add bacon if u like
end it wid apple crumble wid ice cream ( everyone luvs ice cream )
Easiest apple crumble recipe :
Slice apple into 2.remove seeds then slice it into bout 1/2 a cm
layers ur bakin pan or ceramic pan wid a lil butter, layer ur sliced apples.Add cinnamon & sugar ( u can get those ready made ones ) then layer it again wid apples n again wid d powder..after bout 3-4layers, take nother bowl, mix 100gms of pure butter ( melted ) n add flour till they become grainy.Then pour d flour on top of the apples n bake it in oven till d crumble turns into a golden brown color.It's done when u poke a fork in d middle n its soft.
Have fun baking :)
fresh fruit salad very quick and usually pleases all tastes, you
could also do a whipped cream with raspberries on a meringue, very quick and easy, never read queation properlly,i put the dessert first,sorry. a good main course would be a simple roast dinner, or salmon steaks in a lemon butter with steamed mixed peppers and new potatoes
If you are baffled try going to foodtv.com or epicurious.com and doing a recipe search using various meat or pasta. If nothing else it gives you ideas and you might find a recipe you will love.
An easy and delicious recipe I use for dessert sometimes is to make vanilla pudding with a little orange zest or juice in it ...can be made the day ahead then dish it up in pretty goblets with fresh fruit layers and top with coconut cookie crumbs. Easy and yummy
Main Dish you can do a roast in the oven or crockpot.
Sides of mashed potatos or rice w/ greenbeans or corn, and salad.
Or you can do a spagetti & meatballs or baked Ziti
Dessert:
Cheesecake (follow the directions on a box of philly cream cheese)
Bundt cake w/ sugar glaze drizzled on it
Brownies w/ vanilla ice cream
Boil any pasta, drain and mix the pasta with cooked tomatoes sauce made up of peeled tomatoes,sliced onions,sliced carrots and ground beef. Put 0n a big foil the pasta mixed with the sauce and add grated cheese, wrap the foil and give the parcel of pasta the shape of a big bow,put in a hot oven for three quarters of an hour, serve by opening the pasta parcel foil on a big plate on the center of the dinner table, so all the guests can help themselves,(serves with more grated cheese if desired)
Slices chicken breast or thinly sliced veal, cook in butter,add little white wine and some water,salt and pepper, turn over and cook on the other side, place a piece of slice ham and slice cheese over each cooked chicken breast or veal, cover and when the cheese melts,the meat is ready to be served,accompanied by spinach ,(boiled and well drained )served either with hot melted butter, or with lemon juice and virgin olive oil
Finish with a desert made of fresh strawberry, strawberries can be served with lemon juice and topped with sugar or else strawberries serves with vanilla ice/cream
Bon apetite
Lasagne is always great..and make an apple cake or torte.
You could always do it the simple way and serve some sort of pasta, garlic bread, Cesar salad and a pre made pie or cake for dessert.
You could also do stuffed cabbage (very simple to make), mashed potatos or potatoe pancakes, corn, rolls and then jello or pudding for dessert.
You could also do a backed chicken ( lemon or rosemary flavored), scalloped potatoes , green beans, rolls, then a cheesecake for dessert.
italian starter: carpaccio: frozen beef thin slices and left to defrost, place on a large plate each piece spread out, then garnish the beef with a few full leaves of rocket, salt and balsamico viniger and thin slices of dried paramasan cheese also a few sundried tomatoes.
Tre Chic, simple and it blows the guests away...
Main course: rigottani pasta boiled knoxx chicken cubes till soft, take off stove.... drain the water and add olive oil to prevent sticking....then add 5-6 tablespoons of pesto original and cubes of fetta cheese a touch of black ground pepper.
desert: full fat plain strained yogurt in a bowl add a tablespoon of honey in the centre of the yogurt...put a pan on stove add brown sugar until it melts and with a spoon carnish your yogurt with zig zag technique. wait until sugar dries and finsh with fresh Mint leaf then serve
this is one most simple and chic menu i can advise.
good luck
A really good green salad -- with the works.
Stroganoff.
Garlic bread.
Green beans with bacon.
Sorbet with fresh fruits.
I'd look at a nice pork loin. Season with fresh cracked pepper and Lawry's seasoned salt and some nice rosemary. It's full of flavor and wonderful. Since you'll already have the oven on, bake a nice green bean casserole or even a corn casserole would be nice. Both are crowd pleasers and easy to whip together. Boil some small red potatoes scrubbed clean. No need to peal. When they've reached that firm but soft state, drain and add melted butter and parsely and some salt. Quick and easy! For dessert, I'd recommend this cake....Make a boxed white cake as directed in a 9 X 13 pan, preferably clear. Clean a nice big clam shell of strawberries, slice them and add some sugar. Let them chill for several hours so it's good and saucy. Make sure they're ready to go when you're ready to serve dessert. Then it's an easy assembly while the coffee is brewing. Top the cake with the strawberries and the make some nice home made whipped cream and cover cake. Adds a nice touch of spring!
Chicken Casserole
4 to 6 fryer breast quarters
1 ? sticks oleo
1 ? packages saltines, crumbled
3 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 16 oz. Sour cream
1 cup chicken broth (from the boiled chicken)
? teaspoon red pepper
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 ? clove garlic
1 can chicken noodle soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 Tablespoon black pepper
paprika
Boil chicken, cool, chip into pieces. Crumble crackers and mix with melted butter. Press into bottom and sides of 10 inch baking dish. Cut celery, onions and garlic fine and cook until tender. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream & stock in large bowl. Add celery mixture, mix well and pour into cracker crust. Top with paprika and more crumbled crackers. Bake @ 350 degrees until bubbly. Serves 7 to 9. .
New York Cheesecake
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs? cups sugar
? cup butter, melted2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons brown sugar1 tablespoon vanilla
4 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, 3 eggs
softened1 cup sour cream
In small bowl toss together graham crumbs, butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Reserve 2 tablespoons of crumb mixture for garnish. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 ? inches up the sides of 9-inch spring-form pan. Chill in freezer while preparing filling.
In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Add 1 ? cups sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream.
Pour into crust. Bake at 325°F about 1 ? hours or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen sides of pan. Continue cooling on wire rack for 45 minutes more.
Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator. Yields 16 servings.
Strawberry Topping
6 cups fresh strawberries, mashed3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Combine strawberries, sugar and cornstarch in saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir until thickened and clear, 3 to 5 minutes. Blend in lemon juice. Remove from heat and let cool.
Note: This is the same Strawberry recipe that I use in my Strawberry Pie. Just fill 9-inch baked deep-dish pie crust, top with whipped cream and a few reserved berries for garnish. Refrigerate and serve chilled.
tacos! tacos so good in my tummy yummy yummy give me more. I love taco flavored kisses! and for dessert ice cream
Make a cheesecake for dessert - easy, and it will go round lots of people!
Why not cook a lasagne for a main course as this is really tasty, cheap but feeds loads? You can serve it with side salad so that people can keep it as light as they like.
I think a big roast dinner is always great and filling. either a chicken or veal, your own herbs!
along with steamed vegetables or baked vegetables, potato bake or baked potatoes and a rice dish is always nice.
i like adding gourmet stock to my rice, gives it a great taste!
after a big roast, dessert is a struggle to fit in, so go for a fruit platter with ice cream!
If you do something Morroccan. You can cook in advance and heat up on the day with just the cous cous to prepare; which lets face it is quick and easy. Pudding should be light, so how about a fresh fruit salad with ice cream or even a home made mousse.
I love to make easy stuff to have time to enjoy the evening- a nice fat barbeque in summer with creative salads, quiches and dips but for colder days I love "pot-dishes" like curries for mains. You can serve a "bunny chow" we have here in South Africa and which I love to make if I have lots of people around - should be fun: Take a breadloaf - can be 2 days old (square, whole toast loaf), cut it in 3 equal parts, hollow out the two end parts and fill with a scumptious chicken or lamb curry. Some garnish (chillies, coriander etc) on top - The bread-filling goes next to the bunny on the plate for dipping action. Its a super hearty meal that is a bit different and people LOVE it. Desert: Just for espresso: Fill some dates with marcipane, or dip strawberries and grapes in chocolate or liquid sugar let harden, serve on saucer with strong espresso. They will love you. If you need more substance, my favorite MASCAPONE/STRAWBERRY: Mascapone creme (stir with some full fat creme until smooth, creamy and .....yummy!)and strawberries with balsamic vinegar (cut in quarters and drizzle good balsamic over it, add sugar to taste and some chopped mint leaves for zing)- can be made in large quantities and prepared already the day before- easy! Alternative: get some good icecreme and round flat crisp waffels/cookies and make your very own ice sandwich by putting ice creme between two cookies and smoothing the sides. Good for kids too!
pie