What is your favorite special dinner that you make?

[Karinbob]

I am just curious what everyone likes to make as their "special" dinner meal? Is it pasta, chicken, beef, barbque, etc... You know a meal that you can fix when company comes and yet a meal that does not require you to be in the kitchen the whole time they are visiting. K

[mckenzygirl]

I like to make my Greek style stuffed Eggplant.
It's made with lean ground lamb, feta cheese.
It easy to perpare and lets you visit with guests while it's baking.

[Lynzee]

I have two. During winter months, it's lasagne because I can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven an hour and a half before dinner time. Once the weather gets warm, dinner is on the grill. I make pasta salad, potato salad, cole slaw and tossed salad the day before and we throw steaks, chicken, burgers, and ears of corn or marinated veggies on the grill. With everything done ahead, I can visit and not have to worry about anything.

Lynzee

[Kristen]

In the fall and winter, I love making my homemade chicken soup or Ina Garten's (The Barefoot Contessa) Cheddar Corn Chowder. I like to serve it with homemade (or store bought ;) ) crusty bread. If I serve it when we entertain a small group I set up my table w/ candles and linens and put the soup in my tureen. If it's a large group... it's buffet style off of the stove! Soup is so easy because you make it ahead of time - you can make it fancy or simple and you can really enjoy your party.

In the summer, I'm with you Lynzee... it's grilling outside! We have a large garden so I always incoporate something fresh out of the garden. I love to take summer squash, zuchinni, sliced red onion; toss with olive oil, kosher salt and ground pepper; wrap it in foil and throw it on the grill.

[Karinbob]

Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa is fabulous, I have her "parties" cookbook. There is so many good recipes to choose from. I have tried her panzanella salad and it is to die for, Strawberry country cake, her shortcake recipe, but one of her best is her apple crostata...so easy and it has the best flavor and there is never ever a crumb left.

I also love to grill in the spring and summer too. There is nothing better than that. I try to set a fun and colorful table with bright colored linens I have huge bright yellow plates from Pottery Barn and it always look so festive even on a regular night with just my little family.

Lasagna in the cooler months for sure and soup....I can't get enough of homemade soup. I like to make a creamy carrot soup and have crusty bread with it. The color alone makes you all warm and toasty inside. :p

K

[Karinbob]

Please post your greek style stuffed eggplant recipe. IT sounds delicious!! K


I like to make my Greek style stuffed Eggplant.
It's made with lean ground lamb, feta cheese.
It easy to perpare and lets you visit with guests while it's baking.

[Catsmeow]

I have a wonderfully easy recipe for laid-back outdoor summer entertaining.

Fill a large stock pot with 3 gallons of water, add a package of crab boil, and bring to a boil. Add 12-15 small red potatoes and a whole onion chopped into thin strips, boil about 15 minutes, Add 10 corn on the cob halves, celery chopped in 1-inch sections, and 2 packages of precooked sausage. Boil another 10 minutes. Dump in 1 pound of shrimp and boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour off the liquid through a collander. I add a stick of margarine to coat the ingredients, but you can leave the fat out. Serve in a couple of large bowls with French bread and let guest scoop out as much as they'd like. It very easy and fun.

[sararose]

I'm old fashioned...I usually go with roasts because they are crowd-pleasers. I probably make roast beef au jus the most often. I sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper and put it in the oven for an hour and a half. Then I add boiling water and seasoning to the pan drippings while the roast rests. The total time I stand at the stove is only about 5-10 minutes.

For very special occasions I cook lamb. A leg of lamb and pan gravy in the winter (very easy) and barbecued lamb ribs, shish-ka-bobs, and chops (marinated in olive oil, rosemary, oregano, and garlic) in the summer. I must warn you that these are dangerous dishes to cook around lamb lovers. The last few times I served it, my family and guests turned into animals--they ate at least three portions of meat each and none of the side dishes.

I never have much luck with my side dishes. I don't know if it's because people don't like them or if my guests are big meat eaters. I usually serve the old standbys, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, steamed asparagus, salad, and sweet potatoes. The times I've tried new and different things, the food has gone to waste.

My special dessert is drunken strawberries or peaches, depending on what's in season. It's very easy--I wash and cut the fruit, and serve it with a dip made from cool whip, cream cheese, amaretto, and powdered sugar. If no fruits are in season, I make toasted pinon ice cream, which isn't simple, but it's amazing and can be made a couple of days in advance.

[sararose]

Catsmeow, I'd love to try your recipe, but I don't know if I have precooked sausage in my supermarket. Is that like smoked sausage or kielbasa?

[Catsmeow]

Smoked sausage or kielbasa works perfectly. I use low-fat smoked sausage and it works wonderfully. Sorry, I should have been more clear. I usually make a big pot so we'll have leftovers, but you can also cut the recipe in half and make it in a stew pot.

[Kristen]

Catsmeow... that recipe sounds AWESOME!


Sararose... my husband's mom made a roast every Sunday for noon dinner when he was a kid! Roast is one of his all time favs!

[sararose]

Thanks Catsmeow,
I know what I'm making for dinner this weekend!

[Lynzee]

Your receipe really does sound wonderful, catsmeow! I am definitely going to try it next time the crowd gathers!

My hubby is a meat and potato guy, Kristen and Sararose, and could eat pot roast seven days a week. I make it alot because it's one of those meals I can throw in the slow cooker in the morning and forget about it until it's time to put it on the table. It's easy, my husband loves it and clean up is a breeze--what a great meal! :D

Lynz

[Lisa S]

I make my roast in the slow cooker too. I usually run another pot full of water through my coffee grounds and make a weak patch of "coffee" to use as my roast base. Then I add onion soup mix and a little red wine if I have it. Delicious!

My favorite side dish of all time sounds weird, but it's always a crowd pleaser at a party:
2 cups sliced grapes
2 cups raw broccoli florets
2 cups of raisins
4 green onions
1/2 lb cooked bacon
1/4 cup almonds
2 cups mayo
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

[sararose]

I've had that before at a local salad buffet and it's delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

I'll try your roast too. I love beef recipes featuring coffee, but I rarely see them.

[Karinbob]

Oh yea! The broccoli salad is truly the best tasting salad ever!! Whenever I make it there is nothing left!! My mother-in-law gave this recipe to me and I make it all the time!! K

I make my roast in the slow cooker too. I usually run another pot full of water through my coffee grounds and make a weak patch of "coffee" to use as my roast base. Then I add onion soup mix and a little red wine if I have it. Delicious!

My favorite side dish of all time sounds weird, but it's always a crowd pleaser at a party:
2 cups sliced grapes
2 cups raw broccoli florets
2 cups of raisins
4 green onions
1/2 lb cooked bacon
1/4 cup almonds
2 cups mayo
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

[sararose]

I made catsmeow's low country boil and it was delicious!! I don't usually make recipes like that (i.e. big chunks of things boiled together), but there is something deeply satisfying about that dish and I find myself wanting to have it again.

[Lynzee]

Catsmeow:

Tried your Low Country Boil recipe last night--it was awesome! And so easy! Thanks for sharing it!

:D
Lynz