When you entertain, what food do you serve?

[candy]

Based on the other thread, it sounds like there are some excellent hostesses on PS.

What are some of your favorite things to serve to guests?

I find entertaining to be quite a challenge because I spend half the time in the kitchen rather than socializing. What are some good recipes that can be prepared in advance? Or menu items that appeal to a wide variety of people?

I ask because we're hosting DH's extended family for dinner this weekend, and it has me stressed! I need help embracing my inner Martha Stewart.

 

[April20]

I like to do an appetizer that's ready when people arrive- either hummus with pita and veggies; chilled asparagus with horseradish sauce or bruschetta... things along those line. I also make sure I've got cocktails, wine, beer, etc ready to go.

I like to do things like lasagna that cook and then can sit for a bit or a pasta dish that you top w/ something (that something being something that is made ahead and can be kept warm). We've also done london broil or pork roasts- both of which need to sit for a bit once done. I also like doing a grilled fish- it cooks quickly and while needs to be done at the last minute, doesn't keep you in the kitchen.

I always serve a salad course first. Then bring out the main dish- either already served on plates and passed out or brought to the table. If I need a side dish, I'll often do roast potatoes- they can sit for a bit and still be great. I do the salad first so that I can stay away from vegetables that get cold quickly and don't keep well and if i've done a salad, I don't feel guilty not having a veggie with the main course.

My MIL is a fabulous entertainer and I've taken a lot of cues from her on how she does things because it always runs so smoothly. She's never in the kitchen for long stretches once people are there. She does things that are just as good even when they're done ahead.

 

[Haven]

I'm with April, I like to prepare as many things ahead of time as possible. My favorite are dishes that can be put together ahead of time and then popped into the oven so they come out fresh and hot, but all they require is a tiny bit of time during the actual event.

I made a five cheese macaroni dish for the kids once, and the adults devoured it so quickly I had to make another dish! I've learned that adults will each comfort foods or go for the homier dishes at big parties, so you really don't have to fancy it up if you aren't inclined to do so. Baked pasta dishes are always the easiest, in my opinion. I like to snoop around foodie websites and find new recipes that intrigue me, and then I always try them out at least once before I serve them to guests.

I always have a lot of finger foods set out when everyone arrives--chips and salsa, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, pretzels, those sorts of things.

We have a little bar in our dining room, so we always set that up with a lot of drink options and glasses, water, tea, coffee, ice, etc. so people can serve their own drinks.

Soups are always good, too. I made the Cook's Illustrated black bean soup recently and everyone went ga ga over it.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

One thing that's always a big hit as an appetizer is "caprese salad on a stick."

I cut cherry tomatoes in half and put it on a toothpick with a piece of fresh mozzarella and a basil leaf. Then I drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Grind a little fresh pepper and voila! (if you put the halved cherry tomato on the bottom, open side down, they stand up on the tray so the they present really nicely and your guests just grab the top part of the toothpick, easy peasy).

Maybe I'm partial b/c caprese salad is one of my favorite things, but it's so great. Especially for summer parties b/c it's nice and cool.

 

[kittybean]

I love doing bruschetta as an appetizer when people first arrive, then prosciutto and melon as a plated appetizer. For a summer dinner, we often grill something (steak, chicken, pork loin) with a vegetable side and some yummy bread. In the winter, I'll make a baked pasta dish. For dessert, I will do anything from cheesecake to brownies and ice cream. At our last couple dinner parties, we have had a selection of Ben & Jerry's ice creams, and they seem to be a big hit.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I have my mother in law's Pozole Verde recipe. It's chicken, it's really healthy, everyone loves it, and it's done ahead of time

 

[monarch64]

Do all of the above suggestions ahead of time and add this one: homemade Edible Arrangement (fruit on skewers). Crowd pleaser, centerpiece, and OH YES it will be demolished by the end of your par-tay. Have extra skewers on hand ready to replace with as the party progresses.

I've made them several times--the simplest fruits to work with, from my experience, are melons (canteloupes, honeydews, watermelons), pineapple, grapes, and strawberries. I'll post a pic of my most recent one, I used star shaped cookie cutters for the pineapple (Golden Sweets, 1 1/2 was plenty, slice horizontally and then use the cutters to make mediums and smalls). The rest is pretty evident. Grab some bamboo skewers from wherever you like to shop and a head of iceberg lettuce. You don't have to use a boring bushel basket like I did, you could use a pretty planter or bowl that is deep enough for a head of lettuce plus, and then disguise anything you don't want seen with parsley, grapes still on the vines, etc. It's fun and people LOVE IT.

 

[monarch64]

One thing that's always a big hit as an appetizer is "caprese salad on a stick."

I cut cherry tomatoes in half and put it on a toothpick with a piece of fresh mozzarella and a basil leaf. Then I drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Grind a little fresh pepper and voila! (if you put the halved cherry tomato on the bottom, open side down, they stand up on the tray so the they present really nicely and your guests just grab the top part of the toothpick, easy peasy).

Maybe I'm partial b/c caprese salad is one of my favorite things, but it's so great. Especially for summer parties b/c it's nice and cool.

I LOVE caprese salad! I never would've thought to do an "on a stick" version but that is so cool, TG. I just made S a fresh (ish--I used processed mozz) Monday night with heirloom tomatoes and two basil plants we got from the local farmer's market on Saturday. (The cilantro we planted couldn't stand the heat and died--I had to replace it with something, I felt so bad!) He LOVED IT. I used a parmesan/garlic/s&p blend of spices whisked with olive oil and drizzled it over the sliced and quartered toms topped with basil and mozz on a large plate, but cherry toms on sticks with the same accompaniments--genius and perfect for parties!!! Thank you!

 

[Haven]

Monnie! That's amazing!!!!

 

[Ninna]

Beautiful Monarch
I agree that making things ahead is key, you should be able to enjoy the party.
I love serving grilled fish, vegetables, paella, kabobs this time of year.
Pastas are so easy and can feed large groups, I serve this Simple Ziti with caesar salad, nice bread, red wine and fruit tart.

1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 lb Hot sausage
2 (26 ounce) jars good marinanra sauce
16oz ricotta cheese
1 large egg
about 1 ts italian seasoning [aprox] I often use fresh basil, oregano & thyme.
6-8 slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350F

In a large skillet, saute the onion until soft, add the minced garlic, after few seconds add beef, sausage, 1/4ts italian seasoning and cook until no longer pink, add 1 1/2 jar of marinara sauce [reserve the rest] Simmer 15 minutes, adjust seasonings if necessary.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.

In a medium bowl, mix Ricotta cheese, 1/2 ts italian seasoning, egg and a pinch of salt, mix until soft and creamy, set aside.
Pour the reserved sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Layer as follows: 1/2 of the cooked ziti, 1/2 meat-sauce mixture, spread all of the creamy ricotta, remaining ziti, the rest of the meat-sauce mixture, top with torn slices of mozzarella or provolone or a mixture of the two, 8 slices may not be much but enough for my family, add as much as you would like.
Lightly spray the cheese topping with non stick and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until cheeses are melted.
Once baked, this pasta can stay in the oven up to two hours covered at 185F.
Adapted from allrecipes.com

 

[artdecogirl]

Hello Candy, We host at least 2 large parties a year with 50+ people and it took a few years to learn the tricks so we did not spend the entire party in the kitchen! I will echo what others have said, do what can be cooked ahead of time and can be kept hot or will not need heating, one thing that has made things much better is just being prepared, I know it sounds so simple but I just did not think all the little things took so much time but they really do, I must be slow Anyhoo ,I used to wait until it was time to eat to for example put the olives in the serving dish, now I have all that done and covered with wrap sitting in the fridge waiting, including the crudites, crackers, meats whatever, anything you have to transfer to a serving dish takes time, have all your serving items out so you are not looking for the tongs for the salad when you could be visiting, I like to put the utensil with the dish so I will have the salad in the fridge with the spoon on top of the cover in with it, are the buns sliced or will you need to do it? Do you have the wine / beverage glasses out and ready to go and is the corkscrew sitting next to them, plate up anything you can so all you have to do is take the saran wrap off and set it out. Are there little kids? we used to have a punch bowel but I found I had to keep replenishing it and moniter for spills, now we put a large tub on the deck with ice and small waters and juice boxes and they can self serve and they are not in and out of the kitchen / fridge, I would do this with the adult beverages too. Also do not be afraid to delegate, if your sil is asking what she can do, let her put out the salads or open the wine.
I like to finish everything and have it all ready, grab a smirnoff (cranberry , nummm) and walk through the house, is there enough tp on the roll and the cute hand towel is out ? Candles lit? Then relax, wait for guests to arrive. Have fun and let us know how it goes. Iove parties!!!!!

 

[soocool]

It depends on the occasion.

A typical summer barbecue: turkey burgers, hamburgers (made from ground sirloin) , I make these from scratch using fresh herbs from my garden, sometimes grilled marinated boneless chicken breasts. Grilled corn (will buy it fresh from a local farmstand). Sauteed yellow squash with vidalia onions. Fresh squeezed lemonade and ice cold beer on tap. Dessert could be Rita's water ice, sour cream peach pie or chocolate pecan pie made from scratch.

Fall or winter get together: homemade turkey chicken, vegetable, or crab soup. Hot roast beef sandwiches (french dip) fresh baked Italian herb bread, roast chicken with baked sweet potato fries, and homemade apple pie for dessert with hot spiced apple cider.

We host a movie night once a month (that's tonight!!) and I make strombolies to order: sausage, pepperoni, or veggie with cheese and sauce. A nice bottle of wine and chocolate mousse or gelato for dessert and espresso.

 

[candy]

Caprese on a stick! Yummy friut on a stick! Brilliant ideas - I may have to borrow those. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

It's about 100 degrees outside, so I'm trying to stick with things that require minimal cooking. This is a late afternoon gathering, so I'll probably focus on appetizers rather than a full meal. Knowing me, I'll cook for an army and will have plenty of leftovers.... Not a bad problem to have!

 

[jaysonsmom]

In the summer we do BBQ's. Usually Korean BBQ ribs, Chicken and Grilled Salmon. For sides we have spinach salad (or other green salad), steamed rice (a must), potato salad, chap chae (my famous glass-noodle dish).

In the winter we do sit down at the table and cook! Cheese Fondues are great for picky eaters because they can pick and choose what they want to dip (meat, veggies, bread).

There's an asian-style fondue (hot pot or shabu shabu) where you throw the meat/veggie of choice into the broth to cook. That is always a crowd pleaser.

We also have a flat top grill where we cook marinated meat and make little spring rolls right at the table with lettuce, rice paper, and whatever you want. Each person gets their own dipping sauce.

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

One thing that's always a big hit as an appetizer is "caprese salad on a stick."
I cut cherry tomatoes in half and put it on a toothpick with a piece of fresh mozzarella and a basil leaf. Then I drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Grind a little fresh pepper and voila! (if you put the halved cherry tomato on the bottom, open side down, they stand up on the tray so the they present really nicely and your guests just grab the top part of the toothpick, easy peasy).
Maybe I'm partial b/c caprese salad is one of my favorite things, but it's so great. Especially for summer parties b/c it's nice and cool.

I LOVE caprese salad! I never would've thought to do an "on a stick" version but that is so cool, TG. I just made S a fresh (ish--I used processed mozz) Monday night with heirloom tomatoes and two basil plants we got from the local farmer's market on Saturday. (The cilantro we planted couldn't stand the heat and died--I had to replace it with something, I felt so bad!) He LOVED IT. I used a parmesan/garlic/s&p blend of spices whisked with olive oil and drizzled it over the sliced and quartered toms topped with basil and mozz on a large plate, but cherry toms on sticks with the same accompaniments--genius and perfect for parties!!! Thank you!

No problem! Enjoy!

(Although I've only made these for summer get-togethers, I was thinking that with the colors of caprese salad (red, green & white) it would be kinda cool for christmas/holiday parties as well).

 

[elrohwen]

Typically we do appetizers and desserts - nothing too fancy and no big dinner parties unless it's Thanksgiving or Christmas or something. I like things I can assemble and then stick in the fridge, then bake in the oven when people show up. Any recipe that requires me to stand over the stove and make a bunch of things individually (I'm thinking things like pancakes or crepes or whatever) is just too much work. Stuff I can throw in the oven is easy and generally doesn't clog up my stove and counters with a million pots and pans. I also always make desserts the day before unless they're something super easy like rice krispies.

For a main course, I would suggest braising something - braised dishes are ridiculously easy, you just sear some meat, then slowly cook in liquid for 2.5-4.5-ish hours (the longer the better). The cooking time is totally up to you, you really can't overcook it, and the meat will be falling off the bone. Beef short ribs, pulled pork, and beouf bourguignon are all good examples of braised dishes. Braising will allow you to get your main course out of the way and cooking merrily along so you can focus on everything else. Braised dishes taste like something you will find in the best restaurant - trust me, people will be shocked that you could make something so delicious at home, and they'll never know you just threw it in a pot and ignored it for 4 hours. Plus, you can keep it simmering on the stove all through dinner so it'll be perfectly hot when you're ready to plate.

A simple roasted chicken also looks beautiful and tastes fantastic but is the easiest thing in the world to make (just throw some lemon, onion, salt, pepper, and thyme into the cavity, season the outside and roast). Plus, a bird always seems like a special event since we're used to having them on holidays. I would recommend one bird for every 3-4 people, so you probably need more than one (they're little).