Claire
Master Chef
If you had to fix dinner for 4 or 6, in your house, right now, with what is in your house, what would you be able to make? How would you set the table and otherwise entertain?
What would you fix .....
- Thread starter Claire
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I think I would prepare some salmon fillets in parchment and before sealing the parchment I'd sprinkle matchsticks of carrot, leek, and zucchini, along with finely minced roma tomatoes and shallots. Throw in a mince of fresh parsley and tarragon and some salt and pepper. Drizzle some nice oilve oil over all, seal and steam until the salmon is tender.
For sides, I'd serve a light couscous made with chicken broth and a bowl of steamed hericots verts tossed with a touch of minced shallots, parsley, tarragon, and lemon zest. Add enough butter to make the veggies shine.
Dessert would be frozen pineapple rings soaked in rum.
I'd be happy.
P.S. All the above ingredients currently are on my pantry shelves or in the refrigerator or freezer.
As for setting the table, it's a delightful day today, so we'd eat outside on our big round patio table. I'd use our most festive dinnerware/glassware and have vases full of our beautiful tiger lilies everywhere. Soft, low music playing so conversation can be enjoyed. Candles available for when night begins to fall.
For sides, I'd serve a light couscous made with chicken broth and a bowl of steamed hericots verts tossed with a touch of minced shallots, parsley, tarragon, and lemon zest. Add enough butter to make the veggies shine.
Dessert would be frozen pineapple rings soaked in rum.
I'd be happy.
P.S. All the above ingredients currently are on my pantry shelves or in the refrigerator or freezer.
As for setting the table, it's a delightful day today, so we'd eat outside on our big round patio table. I'd use our most festive dinnerware/glassware and have vases full of our beautiful tiger lilies everywhere. Soft, low music playing so conversation can be enjoyed. Candles available for when night begins to fall.
Last edited:
Let's see, I'd start a large skillet going with some butter and evoo, add in some diced onion and garlic, soften it then add chicken stock and orzo, close to the end of cooking I'd add in some fresh chopped parsley from my garden, and some mushrooms I'd sauted ahead. Mix all together, Place on a pretty platter, and top with shrimp that I'd quickly cooked with more butter,white wine and lemon...Put this over the outer edges of the platter and in the center a pretty rose with parsley tied with a tiny ribbon...A simple tossed green salad of mache with some avocado and tomatoe and cucumber from the garden..Home made biscuits warm butter and lavender honey and of course my mother in laws version of artichole hearts... My table would be casual, white square dishes, set on purble place mats, with purple flowered napkins held with a purple napkin ring flower, in the center a round vase short and fat willed with the pretty faces of lavender and white violas...The glases will be round and full of ice and your choice of mint tea or mango tea and even some lemonade..Relax sit back and enjoy your meal..Dessert will be small puff pasry shaped over a muffin tin and then filled with ice cream I've made and topped with berries and coulis to top it off..
kadesma
kadesma
Last edited:
bethzaring
Master Chef
I've got some pesto and ricotta cheese that need to be eaten, so I would cook some pasta and stir in those ingredients. My neighbor/renter brought over a head of cabbage this morning, so cole slaw would be on the menu.....and for dessert, been thinking about that buttermilk pound cake recipe in the kiddie thread, with chocolate syrup, or the chocolate mousse recipe in ChefJunes cookbook, or maybe, finish off the last quart of vanilla ice cream with some fresh black raspberries. (got dessert covered!)
I keep a nice table cloth and cloth napkins on the dining table, it is most easy to accommodate friends at that table....no fresh flowers blooming today, or at least not enough for a vase, a few daylilies opened this morning, otherwise, fresh flowers would be on tables. A walk between dinner and dessert is the norm here, if we don't walk before dinner.
added: actually, dessert is not the norm here, just when we have guests..
I keep a nice table cloth and cloth napkins on the dining table, it is most easy to accommodate friends at that table....no fresh flowers blooming today, or at least not enough for a vase, a few daylilies opened this morning, otherwise, fresh flowers would be on tables. A walk between dinner and dessert is the norm here, if we don't walk before dinner.
added: actually, dessert is not the norm here, just when we have guests..
Uncle Bob
Chef Extraordinaire
Cold beer, Bourbon, Martinis, Bloody Marys, whatever.
Appetizer...A Small batch of Hushpuppies to snack on......
A Fish Fry. --- Catfish Filets, Hushpuppies, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potato/Russet French Fries, Thin cold slices of Vidalia Onions, Lemon wedges, Ketchup, Pepper Sauce, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Very Cold Ice Tea in Pint Mason Jars...Heavy Duty Paper plates, Regular silverware, a roll of paper towels and/or a wash cloth for napkins.
Fresh Peach Cobbler/ Hand Cranked French Vanilla Ice Cream
(Take your tune cranking the freezer if ya expect to eat any!!!)
Appetizer...A Small batch of Hushpuppies to snack on......
A Fish Fry. --- Catfish Filets, Hushpuppies, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potato/Russet French Fries, Thin cold slices of Vidalia Onions, Lemon wedges, Ketchup, Pepper Sauce, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Very Cold Ice Tea in Pint Mason Jars...Heavy Duty Paper plates, Regular silverware, a roll of paper towels and/or a wash cloth for napkins.
Fresh Peach Cobbler/ Hand Cranked French Vanilla Ice Cream
(Take your tune cranking the freezer if ya expect to eat any!!!)
CasperImproved
Sous Chef
UB - That's pretty hardcore on the ice cream 
I remember doing that when I was young, and thinking then that was too much work for a little bit of soft ice cream
Bob
I remember doing that when I was young, and thinking then that was too much work for a little bit of soft ice cream
Bob
mike in brooklyn
Senior Cook
I'd make a salad of lettuce, red cabbage, lentils,
barley, mushrooms, cooked carrot, red onion, orange pepper,
tomato - dressed with red wine vinegar and EVOO.
Next - scrambled eggs with potato, shrimp, onion and
smoked salmon.
Desert - the guests better bring it.
barley, mushrooms, cooked carrot, red onion, orange pepper,
tomato - dressed with red wine vinegar and EVOO.
Next - scrambled eggs with potato, shrimp, onion and
smoked salmon.
Desert - the guests better bring it.
CasperImproved
Sous Chef
I forgot to say what I'd make!
I have the fixin's to make two 12" pizzas. and a salad. I also have in the freezer, a Qt of Bryers "Very Chocolate Cherry" ice cream I could dish, and stick a Chips Ahoy real chunk chocolate cookie in.
The item choices for the pizza are, pepperoni, hot Italian sausage, ham, bacon, onion, mushroom, green olive, green bell pepper, hot banana peppers, tomato slices, and for the adventurous, I can slice hard boiled egg on to them also. In Europe, you rarely know what you'll get for the house salad unless you ask, some pizza ingredients are that way also. One pizza labeled on the menu was the "house special". It came with sausage, sliced tomato, basil, and sliced hard boiled eggs, and of course mozzarella . Well I thought yuck until the first bite. If you think about it, hard boiled eggs go well with tomato based recipes. This really does work. Give it a try sometime.
Bob
I have the fixin's to make two 12" pizzas. and a salad. I also have in the freezer, a Qt of Bryers "Very Chocolate Cherry" ice cream I could dish, and stick a Chips Ahoy real chunk chocolate cookie in.
The item choices for the pizza are, pepperoni, hot Italian sausage, ham, bacon, onion, mushroom, green olive, green bell pepper, hot banana peppers, tomato slices, and for the adventurous, I can slice hard boiled egg on to them also. In Europe, you rarely know what you'll get for the house salad unless you ask, some pizza ingredients are that way also. One pizza labeled on the menu was the "house special". It came with sausage, sliced tomato, basil, and sliced hard boiled eggs, and of course mozzarella . Well I thought yuck until the first bite. If you think about it, hard boiled eggs go well with tomato based recipes. This really does work. Give it a try sometime.
Bob
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
Well, since I just got my refrigerator fixed again and it's pretty much nekked I'd say we'd have wine...and wine...and more wine...all flavors of wine... If you got tired of wine you could have...um....water...and Scotch...and Bourbon....that's about it.
If you got tired of wine you could have...um....water...and Scotch...and Bourbon....that's about it.
Uncle Bob
Chef Extraordinaire
UB - That's pretty hardcore on the ice cream
I remember doing that when I was young, and thinking then that was too much work for a little bit of soft ice cream
Bob
It is hard work...especially since all of my "hired hands" have flown the coop...I plan the hand crank cream for when they will be at home...Depending on Blue Bell, and Breyer's to keep me supplied in the mean time...
I have lots of great memories of the old hand crank ice cream makers. I looked forward to when someone would say "it's ready"...They would take the dasher out, clean it off as best they could, then pack the ice cream in ice with a big bath towel over the top to let it "ripen"....Licking the dasher to get that last little bit was pure joy!!!
CasperImproved
Sous Chef
Well, since I just got my refrigerator fixed again and it's pretty much nekked I'd say we'd have wine...and wine...and more wine...all flavors of wine...
That's okay.. I bet if you drink enough, you could get inventive with what's in the pantry
Bob
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Well, since I just got my refrigerator fixed again and it's pretty much nekked I'd say we'd have wine...and wine...and more wine...all flavors of wine...
What about all those take-out menus in the kitchen junk drawer?
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Did you think you were the only one with a junk drawer full of take-out menus?
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
butter lettuce salad, with onion,mushrooms and tomato (grape ones.) meatloaf, jasmine rice. yellow squash, and asparagus . iced tea, for dessert, lemon bars or ice cream. since this meal is fairly causal, i would set the table with my all white dishes set on blue placements. centerpiece , fresh roses from my yard. oh yes choice of dressing, vinegar and oil or a raspberry one from the market. so come on over ready in not time. sorry no alcohol in house , not against it, just don't always have it on hand.
getoutamykitchen
Master Chef
Well with this kind of short notice. It'll have to be chicken stir-fry on paper plates. I ain't much on entertaining lately.
Loprraine
Executive Chef
We have stuff left from a catering gig we did on Saturday, so I think I'd have an appetizer party. Veggie spring rolls with a Thai Mex Chimichurri dipping sauce, filo tarts filled with goat cheese mousse topped with olive tapenade, caramelized onion crostini topped with grilled oyster mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and grated queso blanco. Not sure what I'd do with the 10 lbs of baby bok choy.
katybar22
Senior Cook
Right now I have the fixin's for either spaghetti w/meat sauce and garlic bread or beef stew w/homemade biscuits. If they want the stew, they should get a drink and settle in, it takes some time. BUT, beggars can't be choosers, right?
Claire
Master Chef
Hmmm. At the time, I don't have enough alcohol to bribe the guests (a bit each of wine, beer, and whiskey), so I'd have to go with my cooking. Chili is a viable option, as is corned beef soup, and I could roast a chicken. Got plenty of salad fixens, and fruit and cheese for desert.
