Dinner party recipes

[Tenorific2]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 8:44pm

I'm hosting some people on the weekend and I have no idea what main entree to serve (usually do chicken of some kind). Anyone have any faves they like to serve to company?

Peace!!

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 8:47pm

How many?
Formal or informal?
Sit down or buffett?

[Tenorific2]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 8:49pm

5 (that includes me).... informal, sit down, but want it to be dignified, if that makes any sense.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 8:53pm

dignified must mean you use forks, right? LOL

[Tenorific2]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 8:57pm

I find it a nice change from eating with fingers!!

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:00pm

Veggie lasagna

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:01pm

hehe......here's my favorite, EASY recipe.
4 chicken breasts...(or more)

mix one bottle of russian dressing.....(the red stuff, not 1000 island which some easterners call russian) with one jar of apricot preserves with one package of dry lipton onion soup.......mix all together, and pour over chicken.....I then stab the chicken repeatedly (pretending it's a certain ex boss of mine) to get the sauce in the chicken......then put the covered cassarole in the oven for 50 minutes at 375 degrees....and serve over rice

or, throw it all in the crockpot and cook for 8-10 hrs......

it is wonderful

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:02pm

whoops......saw that you are having 5......maybe cook 6 pieces then.....I say breasts as it's the only chicken I'll eat, but you could use any parts of chicken

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:03pm

here's one that is always a hit....

Orange-Olive Chicken Scalloppine
Start with thin cut chicken breast (or pound the breast yourself)coat lightly with flour (be sure to salt and pepper the flour)
Sautee two pieces at a time in a pan (with olive oil and butter of course) -- about 3 minutes perside -- until lightly browned and cooked through
Transfer to a preheated oven (about 200) to keep warm as you work in batches

When done with chicken, now it's time for the sauce -- use the same pan with all the bits of goodness....

add another teaspoon of oilve oil and sautee 1/3 cup slivered almonds or pignoli nut -- sautee about a minute -- do not burn....scoop the nuts out and set to the side

Add anothe tsp of oil and sautee 1/4 cup of chopped shallots until translucent (about 2 minutes)

ADD 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1 TBS of grated orange peel, 1/2 cup orange juice (fresh makes a big difference) and 1/4 cup pitted kalmata olives...bring to boil and after that let reduce for a couple minutes...

Spoon sauce over chicken, top with the nuts and some chopped parsely

I like to serve this with an organic greens salad and couscous -- wild rice is also nice with this as the nuttiness is a nice compliment to the chicken/sauce...

[Princeton78]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:06pm

Chicken Marsalla or Chicken Cacciatore usually are crowd pleasers.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:07pm

wow KMF, that does look good....but way too much work for me.......I'd have to have Cook fix that ;oP

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:10pm

What time should I be there? I will bring the wine.

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:13pm

Elph -- it's only about 20 minutes in the kitchen....

also, a great (and party easy) side dish is always roasted winter root vegetables -- simple -- cut your various veggies to the same size (carrots, parsnips, squash, whole garlic cloves etc) -- coat in olive oil and salt and pepper -- more salt than you would think) -- place on a cookie sheet in single layer -- put in a 400 degree oven....after about 25 minutes turn them and raost for another 20 - 25 mnutes...

[Elphaba]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:14pm

KMF, I can handle that (I think)......I'll have to try it.

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:20pm

it's get big WOW factor from guests -- the mix of sweet from orange, olives and nut are a fast transport to the Medeterrainian!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:26pm

Go the the Food Network's website. I've had great success with their recipes.

Try Tyler Florence's recipe for Beef Bourgenion (sp?). It requires a full bottle of red wine and 1/4 cup of cognac, but it is out of theis world!!!!! Serve it on a bed of mashed potatoes the way he suggests. In my house we were fighting over who gets the left-overs!

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:31pm

I would like to have Tyler Florence on a bed of mashed potatoes.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:42pm

Yenta, you can't have Tyler. He's mine.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:44pm

Does it have to be chicken breast or are you up for boneless chicken? I would suggest a butter chicken curry with basmatic rice. Marvelous.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:44pm

No Dollypop.he is mine. The the way to Tyler's heart is through his...you know he is not Jewish!

[Tenorific2]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:53pm

Oooh... butter chicken curry. Details!! It sounds amazing!!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 9:56pm

Let me haul out a recipe. It'll likely involve either yogurt or sour cream and a bit of slow cooking.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:01pm

This isn't the one I follow (I usually use spices and powder from Malaysia and it gets really complicated), but I found a few appetizing-looking ones.

http://www.thokalath.com/cuisine/recipe.php#butter2chicken (the second butter chicken recipe) - this link also includes other Indian chicken recipes

This one has several butter chicken recipes too:
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/544/0.shtml

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:02pm

K – I would have bet that you were a chef!

There are four chicken recipes on page 142 of the Jan Feb 2005 Cooking light. I did the Chicken with sun dried tomato sauce tonight. It was very easy and very tasty.

You might find them on-line?

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 3/7/05 at 10:10pm

just a home cook brdlwyr....it's something that keeps me grounded and is my "wind down" activity -- I simply love the entire proces -- chopping & prep and staning over the stove with a good bottle of wine.....make the heart and home warm!

Updated On: 3/7/05 at 10:10 PM