Having a small dinner party, please help.?

Question

Saturday my parents, brother and his girlfrend and my boyfriends parents and his two siblings are coming over for dinner so there will be 10 total. I live in an apartment with not to much room. But I am setting up a long rec table in the living room and having a buffet style setting on my small dining room table.

I am thinking about what to make. Chicken, potaotes and pastas are my favoirte things to make. A couple people dont eat beef and it needs to be "heart healthy" as well.

Any ideas or tips would be great!

Answer 1

I would marinade 10 chicken b*****s (boneless, skinless) in italian dressing. Grill them. Have a side dish of baked potatoes with all the fixins (bacon bits, sour cream, cheese, broccoli) and another side dish of pasta. I'd go with fettuccini alfredo.

Answer 2

A very simple, but impressive, salad is:  Either a bag of washed spinach or mixed baby greens, tossed with carmelized sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans (stir fry the nuts in sugar until the sugar melts & coats the nuts), sliced red onion, and either drained mandarin oranges, or fresh sliced strawberries or raspberries.  Use either bottled Balsamic Vignarette or Raspberry-Walnut or Raspberry-Pecan vignarette dressing (depending on which fruit you use).  You can do the nuts ahead, and keep in a baggie until time to toss the salad .... Very pretty and Light & fresh for summer.....

Although you mentioned chicken, that's alot of people to be making chicken for (without spending the whole time in the kitchen), and lean pork is just as low-fat and heart-healthy as chicken.  This pork roast can be made ahead, and served either hot or cold - so that frees up the oven to make a potato casserole:)

BONELESS PORK LOIN

2-4 lb. boned, rolled pork roast

1 TB. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

pepper & paprika

1/2 tsp. caraway seed

Rub roast with seasonings.  Roast on rack in shallow pan, uncovered, in 350 oven until thermometer registers 185 (45-50 min per lb).  Slice thinly....serve hot or cold ......  I would at least double this for 13 people (depending on the size of the roasts)

CRUSTY POTATO CASSEROLE

5 large baking potatoes

1/4 c. butter

1 c. milk

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

2 large onions, chopped

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

paprika for color

Peel and shred potatotes.  Add water to cover while shredding (so they don't turn brown).  Drain potatoes; retaining 1 c. water.  Heat water, milk and 2 TB butter to just under boiling and pour over potatoes.  Add onions, eggs, salt & pepper.  Preheat oven to 375.  Thoroughly spray 9x13" pan (or coat with 2 TB butter) and pour potatoes into pan.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake uncovered until set in center and edges are crusty brown (about 50 min).  Cut into squares.  Note:  if you want the cheese, add it to potatos before baking .....Serves 10-12

If you wanted a veggie too, steamed asparagus or broccoli, with just some butter and salt would be nice.....

A nice light dessert would be a jelly roll, filled with whipped cream and sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries ....... or a sorbet (Hagen Daz makes good sorbet)

Answer 3

for 10 people i would do

for pasta i would make 2 trays of baked ziti or 3 trays stuffed shells ( figure 2 shells per person)- they hold up well in a buffet

chicken marsala or francaise - something soaking and cooking in a sauce would be good to

red roasted potatoes and sauteed green beans in olive oil and garlic sound like a great meal

have a nice big salad and rolls!

Answer 4

start with: Lucky 7 Layer Dip

1 (15-ounce) can refried beans

2 tablespoons hot sauce

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

4 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 (16 to 18 ounce) jar green chili or tomatillo salsa

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, a palm full, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can black beans

2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2/3 palm full

1 (16 to 18 ounce) jar chipotle salsa

2 cups sour cream

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 ripe avocados

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

Salt

2 plum tomatoes, diced

Pimiento stuffed jumbo Spanish olives, chopped

Tortilla chips, buy 2 sacks in 2 different colors/varieties

Heat refried beans in small nonstick pan over medium heat and season with hot sauce. Transfer the beans to a small, deep casserole dish. Scrape pan clean with rubber spatula and return to heat.

Add a little extra-virgin olive oil to the pan and raise heat to high. When the oil smokes, add the scallions and sear them, 2 to 3 minutes. Add green salsa to scallions and heat through. Add cilantro, remove salsa from heat, and layer on top of the beans.

Return the same pan to the stove, lower heat to medium and add black beans, heat through and season with cumin, layer on top of the green salsa.

Top the black beans with a layer of chipotle salsa. Mix sour cream the lime zest and juice and spread on top of the chipotle salsa.

Combine the meat of 2 ripe avocados with garlic, lemon juice, jalapeno and salt to form a chunky guacamole. Top the salsa with guacamole. Garnish the dip with the final layer of diced tomatoes and sliced olives.

THEN: make Korean Chicken Wings

( I would use 2 or 3 whole chickens not the wings)

1 to 2 pounds chicken wings (about 12 whole wings) 1st and 2nd joint, no tips

2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for frying

3 tablespoons grated ginger

1/4 cup sherry

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup chili garlic sauce

Chopped scallions, for garnish

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken wings on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 35 minutes.

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons of canola oil and the ginger. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the sherry, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, and soy sauce and chili garlic sauce and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.

In large sauce pot or fryer, heat 3-inches of the canola oil, or enough to prevent wings from touching the bottom of the pan, to 350 degrees F. Add the chicken wings to the oil and cook for about 3 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Remove the chicken wings from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Add the wings to the sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.

Also: Parmesan Taters

5 cups frozen tater tots

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons crushed garlic

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the tater tots and the olive oil in a bowl. Toss to coat, spread on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes.

Remove the tater tots from the oven, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a mixing bowl. To the taters, add the garlic, parsley and cheese. Toss to combine and serve immediately.

ALSO: Black Bean Salad  

2 cans black beans, drained, about 30 ounces

1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup diced green onions

1/4 cup diced pineapple

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

4 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lime

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch ground cumin

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

ALSO:  Spinach and Blue Cheese Salad with Sliced Apples and Spiced Caramelized Pecans

1 apple, chilled

1 small lemon, juiced

8 ounces spinach, washed, thoroughly dried, and stemmed

1 small head (about 3 ounces) radicchio, cut into chiffonade

5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

1/2 cup Spago House Dressing, recipe follows

1 1/2 cups Spiced Caramelized Pecans, recipe follows

Cut the apple into quarters, remove the stem and the seeds, and cut into very thin slices. Sprinkle lemon juice over the slices and set aside.

When ready to serve, in a salad bowl, combine the apple, spinach, radicchio, and blue cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing. Adjust seasoning, to taste.

To serve, divide the salad among 4 plates and sprinkle the pecans around each salad.

Spago House Salad Dressing:

2 large shallots, minced (1 heaping tablespoon)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons zinfandel vinegar

2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the shallots and the mustard. Whisk in the vinegars, and then the olive and vegetable oils. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until needed.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups

Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Adventures in the Kitchen", Random House, 1991

Spiced Caramelized Pecans:

3 cups peanut oil

2 cups pecan halves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

In a deep-fryer or a deep pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. (A deep-frying thermometer can be clipped to the side of the pan so that you can tell when the proper temperature has been reached).

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pecans and boil for 2 minutes. Drain in a large strainer, shaking off all excess water. Sprinkle the salt and cayenne pepper over the nuts and then coat with the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, allowing the sugar to melt into the pecans. Toss the nuts by shaking the strainer, adding a little more sugar each time, until all the sugar is used and all the nuts are coated. Do not use hands or a spoon to toss. The nuts should have a glaze of sugar.

Carefully add the nuts to the heated oil, keeping the oil at 350 degrees F. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking tray to cool.

Yield: 2 cups

ALSO: Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1 pound dry spaghetti

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large eggs

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

OKAY THATS ALOT I KNOW BUT I HOPE IT HELPS

Answer 5

What about lasagna?  

You can make one regular - but substitute ground turkey for the beef, and choose low fat part skim mozzarella and ricotta cheese.  

Or you could try a "pasta bar."

Different types of noodles and sauces.  Get creative.

Maybe farfalle with Alfredo sauce and cut up chicken with steamed vegetables?

Or Corkscrew noodles with pesto?

Answer 6

my strategy is more courses, less complication. Soup, pasta, some kind of entree - eggplant parm or so on, salad, homemade ice cream for dessert w/ cookies. good luck!

Answer 7

Last night, I invited my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and brother-in-law (didn't show up) to eat korean bbq with us.  I bought a smokeless indoor grill and marinated a couple meats: lamb (rosemary, garlic, oil, salt & pepper), chicken (store bought korean bbq sauce) and salmon (store bought korean bbq sauce).  I skewered all of the meat and cooked it on the grill on the dining table.  I also served rice and red leaf lettuce.  When the meat was done, we used the lettuce as a wrapper and added rice and meat.  We ate it as a asian style burrito.  I also served miso soup and cake.

Answer 8

If you want to serve chicken, then you can't go wrong with wings for price and easy prep.  Allow 3 to 4 whole wings per person.  Fold the wings by pushing the tip under the drumstick (only cause they look nicer!) There are a million wing recipes - a favorite I use is to mix  1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1 cup water and pour over wings.  (If you want more sauce just add equal amounts of the 3 ingredients to increase.)  You can also add garlic if you like.  Marinade in fridge overnight, turning a few times.  Bake at 375 for 1 - 1 1/2 hours uncovered turning once.  Great with rice as a side.  Stir fry big batch of fresh veggies - carrots, brocs, cauliflower, onion, mushrooms - throw in some pecans and a tin of those tiny corn cobs at the end and serve.  You can also add some cubed pineapple either to the veggies or directly to the sauce.  

How about doing a 12 pound turkey instead of chicken?  More economical and goes further.  Slice up ahead of time on to platters of white meat and brown meat.  Baby boiled potatoes with mushrooms, onions, butter and dill as a side.  Big bowl of your favorite salad and a couple of loaves of crusty bread and you have a great meal.  As far as dessert, you can't go wrong with vanilla ice cream, with fresh or frozen berries (thaw), walnuts or pecans, and a splash of liquour on top.  Nice to serve in champagne glasses.  When your guests ask what they can bring, ask for wine and serve with your meal.

Answer 9

We need to keep in mind this is "Buffet" style.

Sooooo *Chicken wings, *B B Q  Sausage Links cut into 2 inch peaces, **Lasagna ** Meatballs (put toothpicks in each one on a large platter or 2**Cheese platter with ham chunks, cheese chunks, Green Olives, Black Olives and Crackers, **Platter with celery, carrots, broccoli and snow peas served with a Ranch Dip to dip all into. **Bar B Q Beans ** Large Bowl with Salad... do 2 different types lettus, red onions, cucumbers, chopped ham, Mushroom slices, carrot shavings and cheese. **French Rolls with honey Butter(or Garlic Bread) Serve Iced Tea   Enjoy & Have Fun!!

Answer 10

that sounds more like a LARGE dinner party!

how about roasting some chickens or a turkey even! ten people is a lot and you will need a lot of food- you could make it like a Thanksgiving in July or something! or you could just pick up a few rotisserie chickens from your local grocery store to save time and just make a bunch of sides.

Answer 11

Uh, get the sandwhiches from Subway, those are great with dinner buffet style. Maybe a big salad, uh, dinner rolls, and try this recipe for a great & easy stur fry;

2tbsp. olive oil

sesame seeds

1/4 c lime/lemon juice

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c water

2red,orange, & yellow peppers

2 zuchini

1 c broccoli

2 carrots

~ Mix it all together until veggies are dont and vuala! A great and easy dish that everyone loves.

Answer 12

grab ten "healthy choice" boxes and cook cake for dessert