Dinner Party ideas?!

ziggy2004

posh
smoked salmon with scottish oatcakes and sour cream
*
Duckbreast with cheri sauce, green beans and potato wedges
*
Individual applepies with HM cinnamon icecream

Budget
Mozzerella/tomato tower
*
Lasagna with garlicbread
*
Individual applepies with HM cinnamon icecream (lol)

Pooky

Poshest:

Starter - HM pate with HM bread/toast or soup

Main - Chicken breast stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, served with garlic roasted new potatoes (do them in a foil bag to seal in the flavour), roasted cherry tomatoes (again done in a bag) and mange tout. A thick creamy cheese sauce to dribble over the chicken is nice too.

Desert - Boozy fruit flan - fresh fruit soaked in brandy or rum, on a flan base.

Cheese board/fresh fruit.


Economy:

Starter: Selection of veg, breadsticks and dips (HM if I have the time)

Main: Huge vat of chilli, served on tortilla chips, topped with cheese, grilled until bubbly and splodge on the sour cream and guacamole.. (normally one huge plate between 4 people)

Desert: rum explosions and custard/cream (a basic sponge mix, but add a big splosh of rum to the mix. Half fill deep individual baking cases with the sponge mix then add a spoon of raspberry jam, top with more sponge mix and cook) The jam ooozes out of the sponge and is very tasty with custard.

loopyloulou_3

can you post the recipe for the salmon fillets?

i have never cooked salmon (and a veggie!!) before and am having a dinner party on sat nite!

thanks a million lou xx

wigginsmum wrote:

Poshish (can't be bothered to check through recipes at this stage):

- Homemade tomato and courgette soup
- Salmon fillets smeared with pesto and wrapped in prosciutto, with mini roasties and asparagus
- Syllabub

Budget:

- Greek salad (tomato, cucumber, olives, feta) or salade tricolore (tomato, mozzarella and avocado)
- Big communal bowl of spaghetti and another big bowl of bolognese sauce, garlic bread
- Homemade apple pie and custard

You might try doing a themed evening for extra fun. I've done medieval and Tudor evenings with authentic recipes; everyone had to dress up, bring a song or poem etc. I've done Lebanese, Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Russian, African ...

wigginsmum

I like the Sainsbury lightly smoked salmon fillets. Smear the top surface (the side with no scales) with some pesto (as much as you like - I usually do about a teaspoon per fillet)). Use prosciutto or Parma ham to wrap around the middle of each fillet - I usually use 2 slices per fillet; it goes lovely and crispy. Plonk on a lightly-oiled tray and cook for 20-30 minutes at 180degC. Also works with skinless chicken breasts but cook for longer.

loopyloulou_3

thank you! i am useless with cooking meat/fish! but will have a go and see what happens! It sounds lovely even tho I am a veggie!!

can i prepare it an hour or so before cooking do you think? I get a bit hot and bothered if i have to entertain and cook at the same time!!

thanks again xxx

wigginsmum

Yes that'd be fine - just put it in the fridge until you're ready, and cover it as the prosciutto may start to dry out and curl.

frugglewump

Posh:
Starter: Bell peppers stuffed with mozarella, tuna, hard-boiled egg and thin slices of carrot
Main: Roast lamb stuffed with pork mince. Roasted with leek, celery, carrot, onion in the dish to make a veg side-dish
Pudding: Toffee strawberries or baked Alaska (depending on how confident i feel)

Cheap:
Main: diced lamb with chopped tomatoes & bulagr wheat (very filling)
Pudding: Sorbet

Oddly the toffee strawberries also works for the cheap menu - but it's funky & looks posh. It's strawberries, sugar, water & glucose.

zombiecazz

Posh:
crab and tarragon prawn cocktail

Juniper and mushroom pork fillet, served with hassleback potatoes and vegetable medley

Orange creme caramel

Budget
Mushroom, gruyere and peto toasts

HM pork, apple and stilton burger served with HM coleslaw and fresh green salad

HM brownies with HM rum and raisin Ice cream

wigginsmum

Zombie - what are hasselback potatoes? And how do you do those toasts?

Fruggle - can I have the recipe for the toffee strawberries please?

Littlemiss-lotsofdebt

We're pretty casual when it comes to having people round, so I can only really post my 'budget informal' menu's - hope this is ok?

Starters:
Cheese & Bacon Potato Skins
Mini Lamb Kebabs, Mixed Salad & Mint Dressing
Hot & Spicy Chicken Wings

Mains:
Chilli, Rice, HM Garlic Bread & Salad.
Lasagne, Garlic Bread & Salad.
Sausages in Red Wine Sauce, Cheesy Mash Castle & Veg.

We're not really into desserts and I tend to just cook loads of food so everyone can help themselves. I also have bread sticks, tortilla chips and peanuts/choc chips in dishes in the lounge so people can pick throughout the night.

Probably not very posh but it suits us, our friends and our budgets, and it always seems to go down well!