Your favorite go to meal?

[lyndalou]

HI,

I am having 2 couples over for dinner on unday and wonder what you would serve for a very informal gathering. I have just had my kitchen done, and would like us to eat at the kitchen table. I've thought of lasagna, but wonder if anyone can come up with something a little different.

Thanks

 

[licia]

My favorites are either ham or a roast - mainly because everything can be made ahead of time and most people enjoy them. I'm sure you will get lots of ideas.

 

[JGDean]

Meat loaf, Big ole salad, garlic or cheese bread and Broccoli or cauliflower au gratin. For dessert - maybe fresh fruit with optional topping.

 

[Yakuta]

Salad with some fresh bean salsa as a topping - I like to use balck beans with fresh veggies finely chopped, lime juice, cilantro. I top romaine lettuce with this and some shredded mexican cheese

Enchilada or Enchilada type casserole dish - Chicken or Beef

Dessert a Flan - simple to make and bake ahead of time

I also love chili (can be made ahead), corn bread and any dessert that suits your fancy. I think a float would go great with this.

 

[luvs]

i would make a pasta/red sauce. cheese ravoili? i get those & luv them!
dessert- chocolate fondue. angel-food, frozen banana, strawberry, kiwi-fruit, poundcake & other fruits, cookies or cakesters, quartered.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I think lasagna (or any other baked pasta dish) would be great. You could start with a terrific antipasto platter, then move on to the lasagna, a big green salad, & some terrific garlic bread. Maybe a tiramisu for dessert? Apart from the green salad, everything else can be made or at least prepped a day ahead, allowing you to enjoy your guests.

 

[luvs]

chili/bead/butter/drinks, too! that's another. if vegetarians attend, tempeh &/or tofu in half the chili; meat (beef stew meat, venison, burger meats- turkey or beef or chix & that for the others. various legumes included for both texture/contrast, & variety/color.
pre-shredded cheddar, or another cheese (these could be seasoned using a taco seasoning.)
tortilla chips, cheeses, sourcream, sliced scallion, frank's or tabasco may be offered as garnish.
crockpot this & used canned items before adding the drained, skillet-browned meat, or cook using your preferential way of.

 

[buckytom]

i'm starting to sound like a broken record, but my latest "go to", especially if i was cooking for guests would be shellfish in a fresh tomato basil sauce, served over squid ink linguini or angel hair.

it's very easy and doesn't take a lot of time. with the shellfish cleaned (scrub the clams, de-beard the mussels, shell and devein the shrimp, have containers of scallops and crabmeat ready) and the mise en place, well, en place, you can make this in less than 20 minutes or so while everyone sits at the kitchen table and has salad, bread, or maybe some kind of appetizer like prosciutto wrapped melon.

 

[BreezyCooking]

i'm starting to sound like a broken record, but my latest "go to", especially if i was cooking for guests would be shellfish in a fresh tomato basil sauce, served over squid ink linguini or angel hair.

Uh, while I myself like squid ink pasta, unless I knew my guests intimately as far as their food preferences, I would never serve what essentially is black pasta to folks I didn't know well enough that I could be sure they'd enjoy it or at least try it. Ditto to make sure none of your guests are allergic to shellfish.

Still think a baked pasta dish or perhaps a poultry braise like chicken with sausage & artichoke hearts (aka "Chicken Scarpariello") or even a French Coq au Vin would work best. Rustic, informal, & nothing at all last minute. Dishes that include linguini or Angel Hair pasta wait for no one. Baked pasta dishes & poultry braises can sit for quite awhile without loss of quality.

 

[buckytom]

coq au vin? what if one of the guests were an alcoholic?

or what if they were allergic to artichokes, or argumentative hosts?

of course my suggestion assumed lyndalou would ask about shellfish allergies. i mean, we're only talking about 4 guests, not the masses.

like my broken record, you made the same arguement the last time i suggested this. maybe we should only make suggestions of things that you think are ok, what do you think, breezy?

 

[BigAL]

coq au vin? what if one of the guests were an alcoholic?

or what if they were allergic to artichokes, or argumentative hosts?

of course my suggestion assumed lyndalou would ask about shellfish allergies. i mean, we're only talking about 4 guests, not the masses.

like my broken record, you made the same arguement the last time i suggested this. maybe we should only make suggestions of things that you think are ok, what do you think, breezy?

I don't care who you are, that was funny!

My location gives in to smoked brisket, pulled pork, and smoked beans. We also like a good fish fry, onion rings, hushpuppies, or try some fried whole belly clams. This time of year begs for watermelon for dessert. Grilled corn on the cob is great, also.

Try a low country boil and add some crab legs, spice it up w/Zatarans.

Just ideas. I'm hungry!

 

[PattY1]

Baked Ham
Baked Mac-n-Cheese
Three Bean Salad
Buttermilk Biscuits w/Honey Butter
Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 

[GrillingFool]

Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and garlic zucchini .....

 

[ChefJune]

My choice would be dictated in part by the weather. In the Northern Hemisphere, it's summer, and around here, that can mean pretty darn humid. If I were to serve pasta, it surely wouldn't be lasagna, which I think of as a "heavy" dish, and which also requires having the oven on for a long time -- thereby heating the kitchen unnecessarily.

A dish you prepare on top the stove will be cooler to fix. My most requested dish is Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar Sauce. It's easy, has only a few ingredients, and everyone loves it. To go with it, a big salad with a tangy vinaigrette, and a couple of fresh vegetables.

 

[babetoo]

my go to dish everyone loves is granny's chicken casserole. does require the oven being on. only for short while , to melt the cheese and brown the top. everything in it is cooked.

 

[kadesma]

Being it's so warm now I go to my chicken fried, put on a large cookie sheet, that is sprinkled with salt,garlic powder dotted with butter and sprigs of rosemary put on the fried chicken an do again as the bottom of the pan then i sprinkle with white wine and bake til done through. I do this the day before then the day of I put on the counter let come to room temp. I also serve a large borl of pasta with pesto and have a side bowl of chopped tomatoes to garnish the pesto with, Garlic bread with parmesan. I do the bread outside on my dh's gas grill. Dessert is usually soft serve ice cream or a sorbet and crisp cookies and we always have cheese and fruit with Prosecco or white wine,ice mango tea.
kadesma

 

[Kathleen]

I have a chicken parmesan recipe that always turns out nicely. Basically, I use boneless chicken breasts and bread them with Italian bread crumbs. I bake them on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick. I heat water for pasta while the chicken bakes. I also start sauce heating and doctor it up a bit with some fresh herbs or mushrooms or whatever I have on hand. Just before starting the pasta, I add a ladle of sauce over each chicken breast and cover it with several paper thin layers of parmesan cheese. Back in the oven to bake while the pasta cooks.

Drain the pasta and mix the sauce over it thoroughly. I put a chicken breast with a good portion of pasta and garnish with a bit of fresh parsley or a sprig of oregano.

Crusty bread and a fresh salad round out the meal.

For dessert, some short bread cookies and ice cream or sorbet.

It can all be done within 30 minutes and so it is a good stand-by.

~Kathleen

 

[qmax]

For me, a simple grill of quality salmon fillets, a few minutes on the grill, slightly on the medium rare side (NEVER OVERDONE!), good squeeze of lemon at the end, drizzle of good EVOO, and sea salt always wows everyone.

Simple accompaniments, like a saffron rice, really fresh veggie tray, or maybe some steamed veggies.

Another good one is an easy braise if you've got the time (not effort), lamb shanks if you got 'em (a little pricey), or beef short ribs. Brown them, saute a mirepoix, near the end toss in some fresh herbs (thyme is great), garlic. Toss it all on a pot with enough GOOD red wine to cover, cover and roast low 2-3 hours.

Again, simple sides. Polenta's good with this. Braising liquid has to be spooned over the polenta.

Everyone will think you are a culinary master.

 

[SoupDragon]

I have a chicken parmesan recipe that always turns out nicely. Basically, I use boneless chicken breasts and bread them with Italian bread crumbs. I bake them on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick. I heat water for pasta while the chicken bakes. I also start sauce heating and doctor it up a bit with some fresh herbs or mushrooms or whatever I have on hand. Just before starting the pasta, I add a ladle of sauce over each chicken breast and cover it with several paper thin layers of parmesan cheese. Back in the oven to bake while the pasta cooks.

Drain the pasta and mix the sauce over it thoroughly. I put a chicken breast with a good portion of pasta and garnish with a bit of fresh parsley or a sprig of oregano.

Crusty bread and a fresh salad round out the meal.

For dessert, some short bread cookies and ice cream or sorbet.

It can all be done within 30 minutes and so it is a good stand-by.

~Kathleen

Wow, that is spooky! That is almost exactly my go to recipe. The only thing I do different is to add some Mozarella at the same time as the parm.
I vary it sometimes by leaving out the pasta. Instead I like to roast small cubes of potato after tossing them in olive oil, chopped rosemary, garlic, salt & pepper.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Miss Lynda Lou....I would think local, fresh, seasonal. I like the idea of mostly make ahead dishes....A smoked (or otherwise) ham....Cold salads...Potato, Pasta, Fruit, Shrimp etc. ~~ Florida sweet corn is good right now...I guess I'm thinking casual, in the kitchen, "pic-nic-ey" stuff....

Have Fun!!