X-Mass Eve Dinner

[Hipgrncln]

Having to wait to get into my new Home and having most everything packed or in storage I need advice for a dinner for a couple of dear friends but have limited cooking resources such as pots/pans etc. Do have a roasting pan and some various stuff. Want to do something special but simple. Please Help !!!!!

Bob J

 

[boufa06]

How about serving lemon roasted chicken Greek-style? My recipe is here. You can use your roasting pan instead of the casserole. A nice winter salad like lettuce, spring onion and dill or cabbage, carrot and dill with vinegar and olive oil dressing go very well with it besides some simple hors d'oeuvres and dessert.

 

[YT2095]

I`m trying to think back when we 1`st moved in here (last Feb) if you have your oven all working (we didn`t until a bit later) then I would go with the Chicken too, that was the 1`st thing I cooked in my new oven, it`s pretty forgiving as a roast and is easy enough to test, perhaps do a savory rice side dish with it and a little salad as Boufa06 said

 

[Chopstix]

If your budget will allow you, what about a cold but elegant dinner? Like meat and cheese platters and wine?

You can get sliced parma hams, salamis, cooked sausages at a deli and arrange them nicely on a tray. Place grapes and dried fruit beside the cheeses. Buy country bread, slice it up, warm it in the oven, and serve with olive oil and grated parmesan, or liver pate (from the deli again) or cream cheese or chopped tomato with garlic and basil. You can make a salad on the side. WIth this set up, there's no need to cook anything and it will be such a pleasant surprise for your friends. (Besides, they know you're in-between houses right now.)

 

[cjs]

Here is simplicity itself and oh so delicious!! Serve with a loaf of peasant bread, a green salad with a vinaigrette and a big Italian Red wine and maybe pick up an elegant dessert at the bakery to serve with a bottle of champagne and you're all set!!


* Exported from MasterCook *
ROAST SAUSAGE WITH ONIONS, PEPPER & POTATOES

Bell Peppers - green, red, yellow - whatever you prefer to use - cored, seeded and cut into nice chunks.
Potatoes, scrubbed & cubed into large chunks.
Large onions, of any variety, peeled and chunked.
Salt & Pepper, Olive oil
Sausage - Italian is the primary choice but this is wonderful with Kielbasa, Bratwurst, Chorizo, Andouille, whatever you can get a lot of for a little.

Combine all cut vegetables in a large foil roasting pan and drizzle with a goodly amount of olive oil, season with salt & pepper.
I add some crushed red pepper, a little Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano and mix well.

Cover with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for about an hour.

While the veggies cook, parboil your sausage in a little water in a covered pan for 15 to 20 minutes.

When veggies are starting to get nice and soft, cut the sausage into nice size pieces and add to the roasting pan.

Cover and bake 3/4 to 1 hour, then uncover & roast under the broiler, stirring occasionally, till the sausage is browning nicely and the veggies start to show signs of browning.

Serve with grated cheese, bread and a salad, or a raw vegetable antipasto, or soup, or anything.

Description:
"Amounts are irrelevant - this is ultra simple and delicious."

 

[silentmeow]

I always stick to the basic New York strip steaks, tossed salad and baked potatoes. I do the steaks stove top, make the salad ahead of time and ready the potatoes. With this meal I'm not stuck in the kitchen and can spend time with family. Any steak would do but it's just the four of us and I can usually find it on sale this time of year. Forgot the cheesecake for desert! Whatever make it simple so you can enjoy your company!

 

[StirBlue]

Apparently your furniture is still around (or is it?). When our move was postponed, we were lounging in lawn chairs and dining off leftover cardboard boxes. Sleeping bag bed pallets and black plastic curtains. A weeks worth of clothing and a few beach towels. Friday until Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sneakers with a dress suit. People noticed the missing heels immediately.
Friday night, our friends charmed and took us out to dinner. Saturday, my mom brought in breakfast (hot scramble eggs and ham, biscuits) and Dad lugged in a 25" tv.
That afternoon, my sister came over with a crockpot full of minestone soup and a thermal bag filled with potatoe bread & cream cheese sandwiches. We had bought two cases of bottled water. We went to see a movie later.
Sunday morning, we picked up a couple of bear claws and orange juice. At 1:00 pm, my mother carried in a platter of fried chicken and my aunt was right behind her with a pot roast. We had mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, and hot rolls. My brother and his wife + children were invited only if they brought a cobbler and it was strawberry.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we were treated to a nice meal by the neighbors, co-workers, and my husband's boss took us to dinner on the river.
When we were finally in our new home, we invited everyone to warm our friendships with some of our favorite wines and cheese. We had planned to grill salmon but set a rain date and had baked salmon.
Moving isn't all it's cooked up to being.