AMA - What is your go-to dinner when inviting people ?

[baytosa2013]

It depends...usually we all get together and kind of decide what we want to eat. Host usually does the main dish and a side and everyone else brings something that coordinates to share. We will do like enchiladas, or if we grill chicken we marinate it in a package marinade and then use a grill bowl to "grill" cut up broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper and carrots that marinated in olive oil, basalmic vinegar and salt and pepper. Usually do a salad and potatoes too. We are random lol

[kemdupuis]

1. Marinated steak on the grill, orzo salad, spinach salad, garlic loaf
2. Bruschetta, Italian marinated chicken, roasted veggies
3. Mac and Cheese Lorraine with bacon, steamed veggies

I am having friends over for dinner in a few weeks. I think I'm going to do chicken pot pie, and spinach salad. What other sides would you serve?

[periwinkledaydreams]

Sept 1, 2016 20:40:12 GMT -5 @scoop said:

Pizza. Except we don't cook it, other people do and they even deliver it to our door sometimes.




I'll see myself out.

Was exactly what I was going to say. GTG at our house is pizza and wings. And beer.

[billyhorrible]

Roast chicken, potatoes and Brussels sprouts. I cook them all in the same roasting pan so the veggies cook in the chicken fat. Plus, only one pan to clean up!

[sugarkissed]

+1 on pizza... But I usually make some form of dessert!

[mirage86]

We almost never have people over since nobody lives nearby, but when we had friends over a couple weeks ago I made homemade chicken strips, honey mustard to drizzle on top, corn on the cob, baked beans and they brought a watermelon. Otherwise my default is usually pizza or spaghetti with garlic bread.

[heartofglass]

Pizza and wings^^^
BBQ pork chops on the grill with sides
Grilled salmon
Brats

[pghtruelove]

Enchiladas

[holliberry28]

Add me to not cooking. I don't have a cooking bone in my body.

We order either Sushi, Turkish, or Pizza. And supply lots of wine.

[jillywilly]

In the summer lots of grilling - brats, steaks, hamburgers. Normally served with some sort of pasta salad, grilled veggie or salad, and fruit for kids.
In the winter I like doing a lasagna or stuffed shells since they can be prepped earlier and just put in the oven when guests arrive.

... Or pizza, especially since DS.

[veggiemo]

Definitely order out! Pizza or Deli or something else delivered.

But we have had people over for special meals too. H smokes meat in his smoker (pork tenderloin, beef brisket) and we usually do a store bought salad or side. I've also done enchiladas and baked ziti.

[Deleted]

H makes homemade pizzas.

I make tacos with a make your own type set up

[dmoney]

Lasgana, Crab Cakes, Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, Chicken, Fajitas

[blueskiessmiling]

Sept 2, 2016 7:34:59 GMT -5 jillywilly said:

In the summer lots of grilling - brats, steaks, hamburgers. Normally served with some sort of pasta salad, grilled veggie or salad, and fruit for kids.
In the winter I like doing a lasagna or stuffed shells since they can be prepped earlier and just put in the oven when guests arrive.

... Or pizza, especially since DS.

Pretty much exactly this.

[jessila]

Lasagna, meatloaf, burgers, tacos, chili, or H smokes some sort of meat.

[jessila]

Sept 2, 2016 18:21:30 GMT -5 madymoiselle said:

Oh chili! I have never made this, do you have a good recipe jessila ? Or anyone?

I've been told that I make really good chili but I don't have a written recipe for it. I can give you my estimations and you can play with that.

1 lb ground meat (beef or turkey)
1 bell pepper (any color) diced
1 medium onion (yellow or white) diced
1 15.5oz can red kidney beans
2 15.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 T. Italian seasoning
1/2 T. fresh ground pepper
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp minced garlic

Brown meat in seasonings with some oil over med high heat in a soup pot. When thoroughly cooked add in bell pepper and onion. Cook until onion is translucent. Add in canned ingredients; make sure to rinse the kidney beans first. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to med low. Put a lid on and continue to simmer for another 30 min+, stirring occasionally.

I also always serve it with corn bread. Jif brand box mix. Cornbread goes in the bottom of the bowl, then a layer of sharp shredded cheddar, then chili on top. 

This makes me super excited for fall!

[jessila]

Sept 5, 2016 9:54:52 GMT -5 madymoiselle said:

Thank you jessila ! I think I am going to try it this week, my H is excited he loves chili

My H informed me that it's not normal chili and while it is great it isn't what most people think of when they think of chili. Enjoy!

[jessila]

Sept 5, 2016 10:11:12 GMT -5 madymoiselle said:

Sept 5, 2016 10:06:29 GMT -5 jessila said:

My H informed me that it's not normal chili and while it is great it isn't what most people think of when they think of chili. Enjoy!

Why does he say it is not real chili? Ingredients seem good no?

I know that chili is different regionally. I think that he's used to more meat and less veggies. I like the veggies in it. It's how my dad made it so it's what I've always known.

[stinybean]

So easy!

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://allrecipes.com/recipe/221140/broken-spaghetti-risotto/&ved=0ahUKEwjy25uO4vjOAhUJHh4KHSO2B-YQqUMIHTAA&usg=AFQjCNFU53u3aK2geS8cQUlgogfaE0wDIw

[txngrl31]

Tex mex night: chips and dips, beef enchiladas and chicken tacos with Mexican beer and margaritas

Slow cooker soup w crusty bread and salad

Slow cooker pork tenderloin with wild rice and steamed veggies

Grilled steaks, corn on the cob and veggies ( in the summer)

[billyhorrible]

Sept 6, 2016 17:54:38 GMT -5 carrots said:

madymoiselle I recommend getting one that has a timer for when it starts so you can have something start cooking while you're at work and be done when you get home. Mine only has a timer to shut off so if something has to cook for 8 hours, it ends up being done an hour or so before I get home.

Get a lamp timer! Plug your crockpot into it and you can set it to start whenever you want.

[jillywilly]

Sept 6, 2016 18:42:38 GMT -5 madymoiselle said:

I am interested to know if it works too billyhorrible. I just read about it online, since none of the slow cookers have clocks that would let you start at a given time. You can only start cooking when you turn on and read on the display temp or time left. Then they can switch to warm.
carrots

We have one of the crock pots that you turn on in the morning and then goes to he warm setting - it works fine for me. I usually turn it on around 7 am, low for 8 hours, then warm until we eat - normally between 5 and 6. It's not perfect, but waaaaay better than my old crock pot that you had to manually do everything, so it would just sit on low all day.