Dinner Party ideas?!

Debt_Free_Chick

Delia's Coq au Vin

The thing I love about her is this "If you do exactly what she says, it turns out exactly as she says". And this can be made the day before ... !

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/r_0000001168.asp

Glad

following on from galtizz wonderful starters, why not use some of them as side dishes to the main meal,

I stuff peppers with lemon couscous with feta cheese and pinenuts mixed in, cook the empty peppers and lids in oven first then stuff with cooked couscous and pop the lid back on.

For baked potato sidedish, cook potatos scoop out the potato and mash with tub of marscapone cheese and fresh chopped chives, put mix back in potato skins, sprinkle with grated cheese and pop in oven/grill until cheese melted and bubbling

Either of these could be served with a simple meatdish, ie roast gammon

Bogof_Babe

I have a family gathering (8 people) this Sunday, for my mum's 90th birthday. I am doing lamb casserole for the main course, with a veggie lasagne alternative (hubby is veggie and dad is semi-). Frozen mixed veg, mashed potatoes (maybe with garlic and parsley flavouring - still deciding on that) and minted new potatoes to accompany the casserole. Garlic bread and salad (*see below) for the lasagne.

Starters will be bought prawn cocktail, smoked salmon "bits" (cheaper than slices), bought mushroom pate, and a big bowl of *salad, for people to make up their own platters. Lemon wedges and brown bread will be supplied too!

Pudding will be the birthday cake, but I also have two bought apple strudels in the freezer, and will stick a pot of cream in the fridge, just in case required. I doubt anyone would want cheese and biscuits but we always have cheddar and cream crackers in - so they'll have to make do with that!

I've just been doing my shopping list, and the meat will be the only expensive thing, but I have factored it into my budget!

Now all I have to do is get organized! :eek:

Debt_Free_Chick

Frozen mixed veg

How about roasted seasonal veg with herbs e.g. turnip, carrot, onion, potato, swede, broccoli. Toss in oil, season with salt & pepper, mix with a little oil & herbs of choice. Roast in oven at a fairly high temperature

Lillibet_2

Doubt this'll help as there are so many fab ideas already posted but I always skip doing a starter, or just have dpis in teh living room before the actual meal & have a cheese & fruit course at the end instead, it always impresses people for some reason plus it doesn't take any preperation, unlike a starter!!

Debt_Free_Chick

Here's Delia's Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/r_0000001036.asp

It only needs cream, or if you prefer, homemade custard, here
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/r_0000000771.asp

Glad

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

How about roasted seasonal veg with herbs e.g. turnip, carrot, onion, potato, swede, broccoli. Toss in oil, season with salt & pepper, mix with a little oil & herbs of choice. Roast in oven at a fairly high temperature

I use this a lot, another mix I use is red onions, peppers, courgettes tossed in garlic and oil with cherry tomatoes added fro last 10 mins,

using a lowfat spray oil makes it even healthier :j

Bogof_Babe

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

How about roasted seasonal veg with herbs e.g. turnip, carrot, onion, potato, swede, broccoli. Toss in oil, season with salt & pepper, mix with a little oil & herbs of choice. Roast in oven at a fairly high temperature

Hi DFC - sounds lovely but I know my limitations! I will be flapping around like a blue a*sed fly just trying to co-ordinate the simple plan. Also with two casseroles of lamb and one of lasagne I will be a bit pushed for oven space, what with the garlic bread etc. as well.

Sigh... I wish I was organized . It always seems so easy on Ready Steady Cook! :rotfl:

shallowpockets

What about Fajitas? Marinate some chicken with herbs - cinammon, oregano, cayenne pepper and some lime juice and then fry with peppers, onions etc. Always a favourite with family and friends in our house. I must admit I buy the wraps and would recommend the Asda ones.

savingmum

A h/m lentil, carrot and potato soup goes down well and is very cheap as a starter - can also be made the day before

If you want a dish that looks good on the table do a chicken bake with condensed mushroom soup (if you have some dried tarragon this goes well with it) with onions, mushrooms and cooked pasta topped with a crispy topping made from weetabix or crumbled branflakes mixed with some grated cheese serve from the dish on the table - side veg dishes such as carrot, brocolli and sweetcorn make a lovelu colouful platter. We are veggie so I do this dish with quorn pieces.

Desert - Some crumbled up meringue nests with value peaches over - top off with some thick apricot/peach yogurt or peach & apple crumble with value ice cream