Monica_in_Switzerland Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 You know, things that you've cooked before so you know you won't mess up, things that look nice but can be mostly complete ahead of time... I feel like I have a set of maybe 5 pre-planned menus for guests but I'd love to have a few more. Here are my go-to guest menus: Slow cooked BBQ baby back ribs (mostly cooked in crock pot, then seared and sauced and browned in oven last-minute) + 2 cold salads, prepared ahead (usually one green and one starch based) Hearty beef and veggie stew or boeuf bourgignon with mashed potatoes Homemade tacos with all the homemade fixings with homemade black beans Salmon cakes with french fries and green salad and lemon aioli sauce Sweet and sour chicken with rice and sauteed green veggies Pasta with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and pesto. Some kind of grilled bread+topping (garlic, tapenade, roast bell pepper...) and sometimes a starter soup, but I usually avoid multi-course meals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 every time I have guests over I make a roast or some description, with roasted sweet potato, potato, pumpkin,and steamed veggies( cauliflower, or broccoli, carrots, peas). the dining room is in the kitchen (same room) so having a roast allows me to have the room sort of tidy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Boneless chicken with lemon juice, salt and pepper, feta cheese. I bake it for half an hour then add a confetti of red bell pepper to top and bake about 10 more minutes; I usually serve it with a spinach and strawberry salad with lemon vinaigrette to tie it together. Roasted asparagus and baked sweet potatoes also work well with this. For big crowds I cheat and buy frozen stuffed shells from BJs. Put in a baking dish with jarred sauce, served with salad and good bread. The bonus is that I can have everything cleaned up before guests arrived. Ham with a vegetable casserole (I have a great recipe), mashed potatoes and asparagus Really casual gatherings I might serve pulled pork with homemade coleslaw, potato salad and garden salad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabella Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I usually do a roast meat of some type, with roasted vegetables and steamed greens. We only have guests once a month or so, so i don't need a great variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonesinIndiana Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 We do pork carnitas. They are kind of like pork tacos. I use a cheaper cut of pork, like a Boston butt roast, put it in the crockpot all day with fresh oregano, garlic, and lime juice. Did I say garlic? Lots of garlic. :). Use soft taco shells, fresh cilantro, lime wedges to squeeze over the pork, tomato, onion, sour cream, salsa, really any topping you use for tacos. Another option with the pork prepared the same way is Cuban pork over rice and black beans. Yum-O! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Cheese enchiladas from the homesicktexan blog. I double the chili gravy and make as many enchiladas as I need - usually about 30. Prep takes a little time but can be done ahead of time and they are sooooo good. And cheap. Spanish rice and black beans for the side. Cheesecake sopapilla cake or Texas sheet cake for dessert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Homemade pizza with or without cheese in the crust Seriously, it's the only thing we serve. I have many other things I can cook well some are even fancy but the reality is that anytime we have friends over, they request pizza. We are known for pizza and it's the expected meal. I get tired of making it but since I want to please my guests I make pizza. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Lasagna--for very large gatherings I make two, one with meat & one with veg; green beans; salad; make-ahead garlic bread Grilled chicken and shrimp, twice baked potatoes (easy to make ahead) or rice, glazed carrots Chicken noodle soup, homemade rolls, honey-lime fruit salad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Roasted chicken and corn chowder, crusty bread, salad Chili with corn bread and broccoli slaw Minestrone soup with bread Teriyaki chicken over rice with steamed broccoli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 We mix it up. Some perennial faves are stuffed french toast glazed salmon with veggies and rice curried chicken salad make your own pizzas chicken mushroom marsala with pasta and garlic roasted broccoli Some sort of roast meat with garlic mash and veggies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I make plov. I have three or four different versions so I can serve something different even if our guests have one type of plov often. It's easy, it can have lots of vegetables, it's inexpensive but can look impressive, and it just needs to simmer/steam for the last 45 minutes so there's plenty of time to make side dishes and clean up. And it's my ultimate comfort food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Grilled salmon, fettuccine Alfredo, salad, and bread. Chili, cornmeal waffles, toppings Pork tenderloin, green beans almondine, roasted veggies, bread I get requests for hummus, crab dip, and various pies so I work those in when possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I feel like our best meals come from the grill. Grilled tri-tip steaks, grilled flank steak, grilled chicken. Fresh fruit or fruit salad, green salad. Grilled bread. Homemade ice cream for dessert. Suits picky eaters (like my dd) who need their ingredients separate (ie no casseroles). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toawh Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Whatever I make, no matter how many times I've made it before and had it come out perfect, will be messed up if guests are coming over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I just did this, so I know it's tortilla soup (or some other Mexican soup), tacos, beans and rice. There's lots of easy to prep garnish that makes the table look fun. This time I did a green rice which is impressive when you turn it out of the ring mold. Yum! For dessert, a big fun fruit platter. Sometimes it's fun to do horchata or a Mexican coffee... My family is vegan so I feel like the fried tacos make the meal tastier for meat eaters. I almost never entertain anymore. It's fun but exhausting. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Whatever I make, no matter how many times I've made it before and had it come out perfect, will be messed up if guests are coming over. My mom used to host huge Thanksgiving meals for our extended family- about 35 people. One year, she bought a huge turkey- like 20lbs or something, so it was going to need to cook all day. She had recently gotten a new oven, and it had an electronic control- you had to set the temp, then press start. About 5 hours into a 6ish hour cooking time, she realized she had never pressed the start button on the oven. Luckily, my grandma had a leftover ham tucked away, and with all the side dishes, no one even really noticed the missing turkey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsJewelsRae Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Lasagna Manicotti Homemade pizza Stuffed shells (My step mom is Italian!) I serve the above with bread sticks and Cesar salad. Roast a chicken with veggies, mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus. Crusted chicken breasts with either rice or potatoes and green bean casserole or some other vegetable. Chicken parmigiana with fettuccine Alfredo and roasted asparagus/Cesar salad. Homemade meatballs with sauce and either rice or mashed potatoes and veggies. Dessert is usually homemade cake, cupcakes, or pie. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.