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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
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"safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
when you are entertaining people/hosting dinner, what do you usually cook thats considered 'safe' that people will enjoy? My MIL usually hosts us at her house on Monday nights with DH and his Bro's and his bro's wife, but i feel like sometime soon i should offer to host dinner since we just moved into our new house... any good ideas that usually goes over well w/ everyone you've hosted in the past?
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Posted 8/18/10 10:14 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
Egg
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/09 627 total posts
Name:
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
lasagna and sausage and peppers.
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| Posted 8/18/10 10:16 AM |
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maybeamommy
Blessed beyond belief
Member since 10/07 17048 total posts
Name:
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
homemade pizzas
caesar salad (hold the anchovies)
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| Posted 8/18/10 10:36 AM |
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sperminated
LIF Infant
Member since 7/10 74 total posts
Name:
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
big family style bowl of penne alla vodka and a nice tossed salad and aybe some homemade garlic bread.
i've done build your own pizza where i bought whole wheat pizza dough from a pizza place and had everyone make their own pizzas. it was a fun group activity.. maybe that would be more fun for a game night with friends..
i've done a delicious pork tenderloin with a spicy roasted red pepper sauce served with roasted potatos, green beans and a salad too...
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| Posted 8/18/10 11:15 AM |
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DiamondGirl
You are my I love you
Member since 7/09 18802 total posts
Name:
DiamondMama
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Chicken Francese is usually a good go to for me. I make it well and most people eat chicken and lemons 
When we had people over for football games and it was more people we did sausage and peppers and they were a hit.
Also most people like pasta. I usually stay away from dishes that call for mushrooms or olives; while I love them they are something that many people don't eat.
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| Posted 8/18/10 12:06 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
a roasted chicken is probably the easiest and safest and most delicious thing!!
and it looks so elegant on the table.
you could serve it along side of roasted root veggies (potatoes and carrots are naturals) and have a nice salad.
the best part about roasting is that once it's prepared and in the oven, all you need to do is wait for it to cook, so you can focus on other things (table setting, drink making, getting yourself showered and ready)
I would roast the bird with a few garlic cloves, sprigs of thyme, half an onion and lemon in the cavity.
rub the outside with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
roast the potatoes and veggies with fresh rosemary, chopped garlic, salt pepper and olive oil.
easy tossed salad with mixed greens and tomatoes with a lemon vinaigrette.
nice crisp sauv blanc.
brownies and ice cream for dessert.
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| Posted 8/18/10 12:19 PM |
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MarisaK
HELLO Manolo !!
Member since 5/06 14562 total posts
Name:
Marisa
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Posted by Ophelia
a roasted chicken is probably the easiest and safest and most delicious thing!!
and it looks so elegant on the table.
you could serve it along side of roasted root veggies (potatoes and carrots are naturals) and have a nice salad.
the best part about roasting is that once it's prepared and in the oven, all you need to do is wait for it to cook, so you can focus on other things (table setting, drink making, getting yourself showered and ready)
I would roast the bird with a few garlic cloves, sprigs of thyme, half an onion and lemon in the cavity.
rub the outside with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
roast the potatoes and veggies with fresh rosemary, chopped garlic, salt pepper and olive oil.
easy tossed salad with mixed greens and tomatoes with a lemon vinaigrette.
nice crisp sauv blanc.
brownies and ice cream for dessert.
Oh SHUT the EFF UP !!! You're doing THAT on a freakin' MONDAY night ???
Freakin' show off !!
I say order Chinese !!!  
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| Posted 8/18/10 1:26 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Posted by MarisaK
Oh SHUT the EFF UP !!! You're doing THAT on a freakin' MONDAY night ???
Freakin' show off !!
I say order Chinese !!!
honestly this is so simple. the prep is a breeze and the cook time is hands free.
I would do it on a Monday, but we don't eat until 8 pm and I am home at 6.
ETA: I will say though that I didn't realize the OP was looking for a monday night dinner. I thought it was a general question.
Message edited 8/18/2010 2:07:38 PM.
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| Posted 8/18/10 2:06 PM |
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GinaR
LIF Adult
Member since 9/08 1976 total posts
Name:
Gina
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
I'd do some sort of casserole. They are usually pretty easy to put together and feed a lot of people.
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| Posted 8/18/10 2:11 PM |
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Marybeth222
My Girls!
Member since 5/05 2688 total posts
Name:
Marybeth
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
I've done
chicken parm,
shrimp scampi,
bbq - steaks, vegetables, chicken & shrimp, scallops (by far the easiest meal - because DH would BBQ), serve w/salad, corn on the cob, or tomato & fresh mozzarella & basil
Dessert is usually angel food cake w/cool whip & strawberries because it's ridiculously easy to cook
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| Posted 8/18/10 2:19 PM |
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MommaBear
Very much in love!
Member since 6/10 2864 total posts
Name:
Angela
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Chicken cutlets or chicken francaise
A baked pasta that you can prepape ahead of time
Big burgers on the grill with lots of toppings
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| Posted 8/18/10 2:25 PM |
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NASP09
...
Member since 6/05 6030 total posts
Name:
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
pasta primavera and salad.
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| Posted 8/18/10 2:44 PM |
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MrsRitaB
Love of my life! <3
Member since 4/10 4669 total posts
Name:
Ri
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Baked Ziti
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| Posted 8/18/10 3:05 PM |
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bird382
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Member since 7/07 1712 total posts
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Pasta primavera is a good choice - especially this time of year when there's a big variety of delicious veggies in season. (You could go to the farmers market over the weekend to get the freshest veggies.) I would add a dollop of ricotta on top. Serve with a salad and an easy mascarpone cream-filled fruit tart.
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| Posted 8/18/10 3:28 PM |
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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
Name:
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
ok thanks for all the great suggestions! do you think its possible to prepare something on sunday and then just re-heat it when i get home from work monday or will that be a bad idea? for instance i was thinking of maybe making a tray of baked ziti on sunday, refrigerating it, and then monday when i got home just popping it in the oven to re-heat it.... i feel like i have to cater to everyone since MIL and BIL are super picky on what they eat, the food has to have like zero fat in it so i was also thinking of buying a small turkey breast, roasting some potatoes, and making some plain veggies to cater to them.. what do you think, overkill?
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| Posted 8/19/10 9:36 AM |
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Cheeks24
Living a dream
Member since 1/08 8589 total posts
Name:
Cheeks
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Posted by jenbill61210
ok thanks for all the great suggestions! do you think its possible to prepare something on sunday and then just re-heat it when i get home from work monday or will that be a bad idea? for instance i was thinking of maybe making a tray of baked ziti on sunday, refrigerating it, and then monday when i got home just popping it in the oven to re-heat it.... i feel like i have to cater to everyone since MIL and BIL are super picky on what they eat, the food has to have like zero fat in it so i was also thinking of buying a small turkey breast, roasting some potatoes, and making some plain veggies to cater to them.. what do you think, overkill?
I wouldn't necessarily reheat it, but just don't bake it the day before. Do the prep stuff and then Monday toss it in the oven.
I love roast chicken idea. It really is very easy to do. You can even do the prep work the day before so you can just toss it in the oven when you get home.
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| Posted 8/19/10 10:11 AM |
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Egg
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/09 627 total posts
Name:
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Posted by jenbill61210
ok thanks for all the great suggestions! do you think its possible to prepare something on sunday and then just re-heat it when i get home from work monday or will that be a bad idea? for instance i was thinking of maybe making a tray of baked ziti on sunday, refrigerating it, and then monday when i got home just popping it in the oven to re-heat it.... i feel like i have to cater to everyone since MIL and BIL are super picky on what they eat, the food has to have like zero fat in it so i was also thinking of buying a small turkey breast, roasting some potatoes, and making some plain veggies to cater to them.. what do you think, overkill?
we reheat ziti, lasagna or any other baked pasta all the time. I actually think it tastes better as long as you have extra sauce to serve it with and there's enough sauce in the dish so it doesn't dry out.
Message edited 8/19/2010 4:44:22 PM.
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| Posted 8/19/10 4:44 PM |
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KNic19
Baby's First Christmas
Member since 7/09 3541 total posts
Name:
Kim
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
I make a baked ziti with provelone and sour cream in it. Everybody looks at me like I'm sorry you said what? But it gets rave reviews and even the picky eaters like it! (I also usually make a regular dish of ziti as well just in case someone doesn't like it)
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| Posted 8/19/10 8:05 PM |
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Octobermom
LIF Adult
Member since 1/09 972 total posts
Name:
Anna Maria
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
A couple of easy meals that people always enjoy:
#1
small appetizers
roast beef
mashed potatoes baked in the oven with ham and mozzarella
salad
#2
ziti with marinara sauce
veal and chicken cutlet milanese
a veggie
salad
#3
penne ala vodka
sausage and peppers or broccoli rabbi
Salad
#4
appetizers
fried calamari -- very easy to make -I use Giada's recipe but have to be served right away
homemade lasagna (can be prepared ahead of time)
#5
small appetizers
a big pot of ragu (meatballs and sausage cooked in a tomato sauce for about 2 hours)
salad (the prep is easy and then all you do is wait for it to cook and boil the pasta when you are ready to eat.)
#6
turkey dinner
sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes
beans
stuffing
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| Posted 8/19/10 8:07 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: "safe" dinners/hosting ideas?
Posted by jenbill61210
ok thanks for all the great suggestions! do you think its possible to prepare something on sunday and then just re-heat it when i get home from work monday or will that be a bad idea? for instance i was thinking of maybe making a tray of baked ziti on sunday, refrigerating it, and then monday when i got home just popping it in the oven to re-heat it.... i feel like i have to cater to everyone since MIL and BIL are super picky on what they eat, the food has to have like zero fat in it so i was also thinking of buying a small turkey breast, roasting some potatoes, and making some plain veggies to cater to them.. what do you think, overkill?
I definitely wouldn't do both.
in fact, if you are going to do this fairly soon, while it's still warm outside I would do the following
roast the chicken or turkey breast the day before. then I would serve it cold or room tempertature with a nice pasta salad (I would probably do a tortelloni and spinach pasta salad with cherry tomatoes. great at room temp!) again, a nice sauv blanc and a fruit tart (store bought!!).
it's pretty healthy and I don't think anyone would kick it off the dining table!!
in fact, this may be dinner next week in my house
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| Posted 8/20/10 9:49 AM |
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