What are your go to meals if you are having guests over for dinner? my IL's are coming over for dinner one day this week and I'm wondering what to make. I usually make either a roasted chicken or lasagna, because it feeds a lot more than just DH and I. Recipes are awesome 
You might also enjoy...
-
Lasagna, tortellini/pasta, or fajitas usually. But let's be real, I generally just suggest we go out to dinner or order a pizza
-
@Mae: take-out is so much easier! lol I would love to do take-out...but we are all trying to 'eat better' and my take-out usually includes pizza and wings or Mexican lol
-
Soup/good bread/nice salad
Steaks/fish, veggies and salad
Big pasta dish and salad (notice a trend, haha)
Pork chops and risotto
Homemade Chinese food (make a couple of different dishes, usually a chicken, a beef and veggie) with rice
-
@Mae: yes! Especially if the in laws pay...
I do a pork pie with pork chops, potatoes and leeks baked in a pie crust. No recipe though...it's my own dish!
DH made this for a friend yesterday: http://deadspin.com/how-to-cook-a-pot-roast-a-guide-for-people-who-want-to-5970682
Chili is good. My favorite vegetarian one is: http://thefareexchange.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/1-texas-two-bean-soup/
And we make pizzas a lot. Sometimes just a basic pepperoni. Or chicken/artichoke/red peppers. But the one we get the best reviews on is one where we roast beets, slice them thin, cover a whole wheat pizza dough crust (flavor is better with whole wheat trust me!) with goat and feta cheese and olive oil mixed with basil and minced garlic, top with beets, and drizzle with a bit of honey. Sounds weird but people go crazy for it!
-
@yoursilverlining: A nice big salad makes any meal feel like a company meal in my opinion!! Make a dressing and people think you are Martha Stewart!
I like this thread. Good reminder I need to perfect a few company dishes!
-
My first suggestion is ALWAYS to go out for dinner
I hate cooking, and I have very little confidence in my skills. I've also been a vegetarian for most of my adult life, so my ability to cook any sort of meat dish is very limited!I generally stick to some sort of pasta... lasagna, Alfredo, something like that, with a huge salad and garlic bread.
Summer gatherings are so much easier! BBQs are really our thing. Throw on some chicken, burgers, put together a couple of salads and voila.
-
If it's my parents or the ILs, I know what kind of foods they like, so I'll do a chilli con carne, stir fry, curry...anything I fancy really because I knw they'll eat it
Anyone else I tend to play it really safe and do lasagne or cheese stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon with veggies and potatoes. Something like that.
-
Lasagna, crab cakes, roasted chicken, chicken parm.
-
I make my homemade spaghetti sauce (gravy if you're Italian
) because it tastes fancier than what it is. I cook it in the crock pot all day, and put it over pretty pasta, like farfalle.
-
@yoursilverlining: Hmm..i like the idea of Asian/Chinese food! that could work!
@grizz: I need to make more sauce. I used the last of my freezer stash on lasagna last week. I love it in the crock pot too! so easy! mine just always seem a tad too watery..are yours?
-
It depends on who we are having over since we have friends who don't eat meat or have friends who have food allergies
I like making a big pot of butternut squash and kale risotto.
-
roast chicken, pulled pork, baked ziti, last time i made this pork loin, just with a much larger piece and i added garlic to the crust, it was AWESOME! i served it with baked potatoes, apple sauce and salad.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/herb-and-garlic-roast-pork-loin-with-honey-mustard-sauce-recipe/index.html -
@MrsH: Mmmm, butternut squash and kale risotto sounds amazing. Do you work from a recipe?
-
@jedeve: agree about the salad - use nice greens and top it with things like fresh/dried fruit, avocados, goat cheese, etc. and people feel like it's "fancy"; it not much extra work at all for the cook though!!
Love your beet pizza description too!
-
@PermaStudent: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Butternut-Squash-Risotto-105725 it is similar to this but I don't roast the squash I just cube it and sautée with the onion.
-
We usually serve a pork tenderloin - its my husband's go-to, and he always cooks when we have company. I'm in charge of desserts.
-
Baked fish, roasted veggies, and rice. All easy to keep warm and low on the mess. A nice green salad is usually a staple also because it's easy to make ahead. Skinnytaste has a Dijon salmon recipe and a roasted broccoli with garlic I usually use. Both can be prepped ahead of time, then just pop in the oven closer to when you need to eat. Then, I do her cilantro like rice, rice with peas, or my own spin on either of those depending on what I have around the house.
-
It depends on which country I'm in.
In the USA my go to meal is a ravioli soup because I always have the ingredients on hand and practically everyone likes it.
But in Albania if I served soup as a main dish that would be disrespectful and people would be horrified, so I usually make a four or five course meal including puff pastry boxes stuffed with grilled vegetables. It's a bit exhausting.
-
We grill a lot when we have company. but, we're in SC, where grilling is a year 'round thing.
-
@MrsH: Bookmarked, thank you!
-
Grill in the summer...mahi mahi and grilled veggies. In the winter, normally roast beef in the crockpot. That's if I am cooking. SO would plan something a little more extravagant!
-
@sarbear: If you're leaning toward the Take-Out option, but want a somewhat healthier option, think about Greek maybe? Nice souvlaki skewers, greek salad and pita isn't THAT bad.
My go to's for company are roast beef dinner, lasagne/garlic toast/caesar salad, chicken a la orange (with rice and veggies),taco night... honestly depends how much I'm looking to impress people... haha.
-
We just had friends over (we see them every week). I made salmon and Brussels sprouts in the oven, couscous on he stovetop. Couldn't be easier and pretty foolproof!
I hate cooking, and I have very little confidence in my skills. I've also been a vegetarian for most of my adult life, so my ability to cook any sort of meat dish is very limited!Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite1
23 comments