HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Hosting a dinner party? Don't stress the decor or the invites, any seasoned hostess will tell you that the one thing that separates a perfect dinner party from a perfect dinner disaster is the menu. So whether it's a sit-down or a stand-up, indoor or outdoor, check out these menu suggestions and helpful hints that will make your party pop with fun.
Planning a springtime dinner get-together? Make the most of the spring vegetables (think artichokes, asparagus, watercress, snap peas, fennel) and enjoy seasonal produce at its best. Try out this spring-y menu that will surely delight the guests.
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Starter
- Artichokes with Lemon-Garlic Butter (Recipe from Epicurious.com)
Main Dishes
- Rack of Lamb with Fresh Herbs and Garlic
- Risotto with Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Recipe fromGroupRecipes.com)
Dessert
- Chocolate Angel-Food Cake with Fruit and Maple Yogurt
So you don't have time to whip up an elaborate menu of dishes. These days, who does? This menu suggestion is quick and easy (bust out the chicken!), and can even make preparing for a weeknight dinner party stress-free.
Starter
- Mixed Green Salad
Main Dishes
- One-Pot Latin Style Chicken and Rice (Recipe from Epicurious.com)or Walnut Crusted Chicken with Spinach Stuffing (Recipe from RachelRayMag.com)
- Garlic Mashed Potato Croquettes (Recipe from RachelRayMag.com)
Wine Suggestions
- Gewürztraminer or Riesling
Who says romance is just for two? Host an elegant dinner with a menu (French-inspired, of course) that's perfect for an intimate party of four or more.
Starters
- Sparkling wine
- Crudites with Lemon-Pesto Goat Cheese Dip (Recipe fromEpicurious.com)
- Lobster Bisque or Roasted Cauliflower Soup (Recipe fromRecipeZaar.com)
Main Dishes
- Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken (Recipe from frenchfood.about.com)
- Orange Vinaigrette Glazed Beets (Recipe from Familyoven)
Desserts
- Individual Chocolate Soufflés (Recipe from Food Network)
- Green Apple Sorbet/Sorbet De Pommes Vertes (Recipe fromRecipeZaar.com)
They're easy to make and easy on the wallet. Make your next dinner party a fun and stylish Spanish fiesta with a tapas-filled (or tapas-inspired) menu.
Starters and Main Dishes -- that's the beauty of tapas, you can mix them up!
- Cocktail Shrimp and Olives
- Serrano Ham with Crusty Tomato Bread (Recipe from EatingWell.com)
- Spanish Tapas-Inspired Mussels (Recipe from EatingWell.com)
- Shellfish and Chorizo Paella (Recipe from Delish.com)
Dessert
- Valencia Orange Flan
If you want your dinner party to be truly memorable, recreate an elegant (but easy) gourmet menu that's right out of a celebrity chef’s kitchen.
Starters
- Potato-Crusted Crab Cakes with Avocado-Herb Mayonnaise (Recipe fromiVillage.com)
- White Asparagus Soup with Pistachios (Recipe from Chow.com)
Main Dishes
- Local Fish Roasted with Herbs and Seasonal Vegetables
- Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust (Recipe from FineCooking.com)
- Tropical Fruit Crepes with Vanilla Bean and Rum Butter Sauce (Recipe from Bon Appetit)
- Berry Clafouti (Recipe from iVillage.com)
Table For Ten,
Please!
Please!
Edible Flowers---
Enhance Your Food
with...
Enhance Your Food
with...
Cheap, Tasty and
Easy Nibbles
Easy Nibbles
