Cheap easy options for formal dinner gathering?!
Cheap easy options for formal dinner gathering?
Looking for idea's and recipes holding a formal dinner with friends 10+ people. But i dont want to go broke or spend all night cooking.
Answers:
Steaks with sauteed mushrooms, twice-baked potatoes topped with cheese, & a peas/carrot combination or asparagus with mayo or whatever. Boston cream pie?
(Oh, I forgot you said cheap! Maybe alter any of these menu plans if necessary. For example, some other beef dish for the steaks, etc. Look for your partie's menu needs on sale ahead of time. Don't buy anything not on sale!)
(Also, there are many time-saving food products that would save you work that could be just as delicious as you could make home-made. Maybe some things homemade & some bought or a combination. Delicious frozen desserts in the freezer section.)
(You could also buy relatively cheap entire ready-made delicious meals from the Albertson's deli. I think that they also offer already cooked components all by themselves. For example, whole roasted turkeys with a whole meal to go with it. You could also modify or add to these meals if you want to.) Maybe Safeway offers similar meals also.)
A time & stress saver is to write a list of things to do in preparation for your dinner like cleaning, make ahead foods, shining the silver, calls & invitations etc. etc. & start as far ahead as seems reasonable.
Another idea is to set up a gorgeously decorated appetizer area with nuts, veggies,chips, & dip area. Maybe fill them up on less expensive items so they won't want an awful lot of the more budget-
busting foods.
Fried chicken, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, & chicken gravy, & a tossed salad with choice of dressings, & maybe pickled cucumber slices. Also, a cheesecake or fancy cream pie.
Roast beef, mashed potatoes, roast beef gravy, & a carrot/pea mix. Homemade icecream & homemade cookies.
Roast turkey, turkey gravy, mashed stove-top turkey stuffing, cream of baby carrots or other creamed veggie, maybe pickled beets, some "different cranberrie side dish" & homemade rolls or bakery croisants. A nice cake or cookies & coffee.
Set up a seperate area for desserts How about a make-your-own sundae area that you've set up? Also, you might set up a buffet coffee area next to the dessert area. Don't forget the coffee creamer flavorings.
Actually a good way not to work yourself to death so as to enjoy your own dinner party is to lay it all out ahead of time (as seems realistic time-wise) very, very beautifully displayed "buffet style" &--- Have a good time!! :D
Formal dinner gathering and have to be cheap... that's hard, the drinks you are going to serve your guests would cost you quite much, try to ask for cheap options from your local wine shop.
I would suggest the following (French 5 courses dinner)
1) French Onion Soup
2) baked escargots
3) Salad Nicoise
4) Roasted Duck breast slices serve with blueberry sauce on a bed of risotto (cook the risotto with milk)
5) Homemade French apple tart serve with ice-cream or crepes suzette
Coffee or tea
steak potatoes salad beans sweet tea green beans rolls chicken mac chese
chicken is a good option cheap and quick to prepare.try chicken chassuer . with roast potato's broccoli and carrots.
Pork tenderloin, it's MUCH cheaper than beef and easy to slow cook which gives you plenty of time to mingle with your guests. I'd make sure to have some canapes ready so your guest will be able to nibble while having their cocktails. Serve a soup course; broth based soups are both inexpensive and filling. And check your store's circular...buy what is in season and low priced.
Because you said formal I am going to assume that this is a plated dinner. And what is more formal than french food. Here is a pretty complete menu, but you don't have to make them all.
For appetizers canapes are a good idea, however they are time consuming and can get expensive.
You can also take button mushrooms stuffed with about a 1/2 tsp. of blue cheese. One key thing is to lightly salt and pepper the mushrooms before you stuff them. Bake them for about 10 - 12 minutes on 350. They are really good and can be served hot or room temperature. You can prepare these a few hours ahead of time if you have a dry blue cheese. Mushrooms absorb a lot of liquid so use as little as possible when washing them and you should be fine.
Another easy appetizer is English cucumber sliced on the bias. Spead it with alouette (or any herbed cheese spread) and top it with a small piece of smoked salmon.
Make a salad dressing with some herbs de provence in it. You can make your basic vinegarette with a little shallot, dijon mustard and about 2 tablespoons of the herbs. This can be made ahead of time. Serve it on "fancy" greens. You could sprinkle some camembert on top of each serving as well.
Also try a potato leek soup. There are a ton of recipes on the internet. Pick one that fits your taste. Traditional french potato leek soup does not have heavy cream it it, but it is yummy with heavy cream as well. It can be made ahead of time. If you use a recipe with heavy cream in it do not add it until you are reheating the soup.
If you want to get really fancy have a sorbet intermezzo! If not go right on to dinner.
Either make coc au vin or beef and burgandy. The beauty of both of these receipes is that they can be made earlier and reheated. They are essentially fancy stew, and we all know stew is better the next day. This is the recipe I use for beef burgandy and it is really good! http://allrecipes.com/recipe/beef-burgun...
Serve it with buttered egg noodles and a cruchy french bread. I have an issue if there is nothing green on my plate. You do not have to there are plenty of veggies and this is a very filling dish but you can roast some asparagus.
French desserts are a killer to make. Just go to a good bakery and buy one!
If you are going to pair wine with these foods I would highly suugest speaking to someone at your local store. Generally you can get a 10 - 15% discount for cases and they will be able to help you pair them with your dishes. And remember that you can definitely get a very good bottle of wine for under $15!