Entertaining Ideas

salad dressing on the table?

apparently — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:11:00 GMT

I've been asked to bring a green salad with a "festive" dressing to Thanksgiving -- but told not to dress the salad before serving to accommodate several people who take their salads dry.

What should I serve the dressing in?

Pumpkin overload???

jquirke9881 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:00:01 GMT

So I was planning to make pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes as a dessert option for Thanksgiving. We were also planning on serving an apple and pecan pie. So MIL asks what she can do to help and I give her the apple and pecan pie suggestions, and tell her she can really do any kind of pie she wants, but I am doing pumpkin cupcakes. So she calls me last night and says she is going to make her mother's pumpkin pie recipe. I didn't want to say no and be rude, because she is heloing me out by bringing most of the desserts, but seriously??? So now my question is, should I rething my cupcake idea? It seems like it could be a lot of pumpkin to have 2 of the 3 desserts be pumpkin based.

Need suggestions (Crockpot cooking for brunch) -

The Warrens — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:57:45 GMT

Hey girls -

I have a BIG holiday party every year, and every year I'm still running around in the kitchen while guests are there - and I hate that. This year, I'm determined for it to be different.

There are three things I want still 'cooking' when guests arrive:

1 - cinnamon sticky buns in the oven

2 - cranberry apple cider in the crockpot

3 - ??? What can I put in the other crockpot, which will mix with the smells for the cinnamon buns & cider to make the house smell super YUMMY?

Baby Shower

daisy21le — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:36:59 GMT

I thought I'd share with you all since I was asking advise about a "jungle theme baby shower" a couple weeks ago.

Here are the results from the shower I threw. It was pretty fun!

www.lesliesarna.com

I think we had a DD

kimnelson09 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:29:24 GMT

The picky eater post. Um...ok?

Meat Ideas for Potluck

mrsbookworm — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:38:51 GMT

I need to bring a meat dish to a potluck, but I do not want to cook. Any ideas on meat dishes that I could purchase from a store already cooked? TIA!

Thanksgiving Appetizer???

NJ_TMM — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:28:25 GMT

I am going to my in-laws for Thanksgiving and was asked to bring an appetizer. Any suggestions?

Wedding shower suggestions???

SocialWorker2B — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:23:41 GMT

I am throwing a wedding shower (jack-n-jill) shower for my very best friend! I have been to exactly one wedding shower in my life which was my own which was VERY different than the one I want to plan for her. So can anyone tell me what they really loved or hated about their own shower? Or what you actually did at it?

I had a lot of plans for girls-only but all those are out. I was thinking of renting a hall and bringing in our own food and cake. Obviously get some decorations and people will bring gifts (hopefully, at least!). But, beyond that.....anyways, any and all suggestions are welcome!! Thanks in advance!!!

Murder Mystery Party?

oct06wedding — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:22:55 GMT

Has anyone hosted a murder mystery party before, using one of the kits you can buy online? There are many to choose from so I was wondering if anyone had a good experince with any of them.

TIA!

Ideas need for what to write on duck themed cake

*SissyLaLa* — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:58:27 GMT

Does anyone have any creative ideas for what to write on a cake for a ducky themed shower?

turkey tips?

CesEve99 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:43:55 GMT

hello ladies,

we will be cooking our 1st turkey this year and although some recipes tell you more or less how to cook it, we have no idea how to clean it.

can you guys please share your tips on the following:

1. should we remove everything from the inside of the turkey?

2. do some turkeys come already clean when purchased?

3. what materials do we need for cooking turkey? (ex: roasting pan, baster, thermometer, etc...)

4. do we marinate the turkey the day before? or hours before popping it in the oven?

5. any other tips would be really helpful

thx!

Eye round roast

Simpsongal1 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:01:41 GMT

I have to stop buying meat that I'm not familiar with. Anyway, have any of you cooked this piece of meat? I've googled for recipes and haven't found much. I can't figure out if it's best for a slow cooker or if it should be treated at a more traditional roast.

TIA!~

First Little Dinner as Newlyweds - dessert suggestions and tomato question?

MrsAlphabet — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:05:51 GMT

Tonight I am hosting our first dinner party as a newlywed couple. It actually all started because its the Christmas Tree Lighting nearby our house and since I am law school and from this weekend on I am on total lock down for finals preparation and really dont get to partake in the earlier holiday celebrations, just thanksgiving dinner and nothing till after Dec. 11, I figured this would be a great opportunity for me to do a little something and have family and friends over.

Anyways, we invited about 10 people, but unfortunately only 3 can make it - my parents and one of my sisters. Everyone else has existing plans, big sisters daughter made it to softball championship game which is tonight and other sister has class till late.

Anyways, I wish I would have had a better turn out since it is my "first" dinner I am hosting in my home - as a couple we only hosted our engagement cocktail party which we did all the work for - we thought it was great for everyone to meet and since his parents were out of town we just did something with 40 people or so in town with my family and some friends. I even told my mom we'd reschedule to have a better turn out but schedule wise its tough for me ( I had already bought food for 8) but she told me I should have it tonight - which works great regardless.

So tonight's menu!

Chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and spinach wrapped in bacon ( Ive cooked this several times, so dont think it will be too challenging although it might sound a little complex)

Tomato stacks ( red & green) with mozerella and basil vinagrette

Baby bella mushrooms

Garlic & Herb cheese spread to start - chardonnay and cab sav for wine.

Havent figured out dessert - any ideas?

Also, are green tomatoes the same as hierloom tomatoes - because aside from fried green tomatoes I am not seeing much but seeing similar setups like what I have with hierloom and beefsteak ( red, which is what I got)

Dessert suggestions & tomato clarification much appreciated. Thanks!

How to handle the rude houseguest?

legallybrunette82 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:52:33 GMT

So this weekend my husband and I left town on a mini vacation and told our best friend's boyfriend that he was welcome to stay at our home. We knew that our best friend would be spending some time over at the home too. On Saturday we recieved a call saying that they were making dinner for us on Sunday. We were thrilled. On Sunday we recieved a text that they would be making dinner at another friend's home. We arrived home and found our friend's car parked in our driveway (making it difficult to unload the car from the weekend), the living room had their belongings all over, and I realized that they took a couple of cooking supplies (spices). We felt taken advantage of. Any suggestions on how to handle the situation? We want them to feel comfortable in our home and we welcome them at any time but we're afraid they could become a little too comfortable and frankly ungrateful. Any advice?

Thanks!

Need an answer in the next 2 hours before I go to the store :)

TarHeels&Rebels — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:29:25 GMT

I have an elderly shut-in friend I'm having over for dinner tomorrow night IHO his 94th birthday. I'm doing pork tenderloin, potatoes, green beans, corn. Nothing fancy, he's not a fancy man.

I can't decide what to do for dessert, though. I know he likes a good pie, but I don't want leftovers for days. (He eats very little, so if I sent him with the leftovers, they'd spoil before he ate them.) There'll be 4 of us for dinner. Ideas?

breakfast food ideas

MrsStubbs — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:59:18 GMT

We are doing a family breakfast after church. I was thinking a ham I just don't know what to put with it. It will be the first Sunday in December so I would like to still do some fall type of stuff, maybe pumpkin/apple. Any ideas? Thanks

Favor/place setting for Christmas

Vermont.Bride — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:10:36 GMT

DH's uncle is hosting a big dinner on Christmas for 35 people. My MIL would like to make some sort of favor that we can place at each setting that everyone can take home after. It has to be something relatively inexpensive. Anyone have any cute/creative ideas?

Relatives for lunch - menu ideas needed!

bethann3181 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:36:34 GMT

DH's parents, aunt, uncle, and 3 year old neice are coming over to see our house, and are going to stay for lunch the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I want to serve something more substantial and fun than boring sandwiches, but everyone will just have eaten huge family meals two days before. I also want to keep it relatively low cost, which I don't think should be too hard for lunch. I am drawing a blank on what to serve - any ideas??

Italian celebration birthday party

*moeilyk* — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:54:35 GMT

Need ideas (menu) for a birthday dinner. It's next week saturday, and since DH always has thanksgiving-y food in his birthday, i'd rather not include anything related to turkey day.

Party will include ~30 people, so I would prefer tapas/appetizers that I can leave out all night. Party "starts" at 6pm. DH is italian, so the theme is Italian...

I was thinking of -

Meatballs in sauce
2 different types of flatbreads with toppings (one with arugula/cherry tomatoes/buffalo mozz and olive oil/sea salt/balsamic, the other with thyme, lemon peel, olive/sea salt/feta.. i am thinking of buying 2 large trader joes pizza doughs and grilling them on the griddle)
antipasto platter (salami, prosciutto, peperoncini, olives, bread sticks, 2 different cheeses (pecorino, another one... which?)
Some kind of pasta salad that could stay out all night
crostini or focaccia with eggplant tapenade/pepper caponata and pesto tomato "bruschetta topping" for spreading
spiced blanched almonds
risotto/parmesan/grean peas balls

note. I am a vegetarian, so obviously less meat heavy dishes appeal to me. but DH is not, however, I can't cook meat, so... I do have 2 friends coming over to cook on that saturday, and htey can cook meat, so if there's a fave, I can ask them to help out

any specific cocktails that I should make ahead of time, besides the obvious wine/prosecco?

dessert will be apple cranberry pie that my friend, who's channeling her inner "waitress" will make.

what else?

Are these plates a good purchase?

Wingit — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:34:54 GMT

I saw them at Costco for $17.99 but wasn't sure if they were a good purchase or not. I came home to look for reviews and really only found this one with a description online:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Comet_Masterpiece_Premium_Heavyweight_Plastic_China_epi/content_453051190916

I was hoping I could use them several times. I'm hosting a bridal shower next month and then 2 baby showers in January and thought they'd come in handy for them. However, this review makes it sound like they really are more of a 1 time use. I'll be serving mostly apps that won't require a knife so maybe that will extend the life of them???

Anyone here use these? Or maybe i just need to buy paper plates. I just hate the cute ones b/c they can't hold crap! And the the ones that are sturdier are either styrofoam (ick!) or huge (like the chinette ones). Any tips? Thanks!

Please post your chicken salad with grapes recipe

yale — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:44:05 GMT

Planning my baptism menu - does anyone have a good chicken salad sandwich recipe? I was interested in one that calls for grapes - had that a shower awhile ago and it was yummy.

Need easy appetizer ideas for evening party!

sugarp — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:59:38 GMT

I'm hosting a get together tomorrow night for highschool friends I haven't seen since, well, high school (16 years ago!) The paty's at 6:30 p.m. so I want substantial, yet easy appetizers that will impress. I'm not being very creative. Any ideas? Thanks:)

Having an ugly sweater party..

pvrmx00 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:34:41 GMT

need some ideas for entertainment during the party. Have you ever played any games (is that lame)? This is a group of late 20's early 30's. There will be alcohol and good music but I feel like there should be more. I am also open to any appetizer ideas. I have plenty of desserts! Thanks for any ideas!!

post idea for christening gift

ebride2005 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:53:23 GMT

aunty needs idea for christening gift for 2nd child, second boy. clothes and toys dont seem to be needed. not into the silver/pewter keepsakes. no more picture frames.

What time is a good time to start a new year's eve party?

brownsugarbabe — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:30:17 GMT

I dont want to start too late or too early, we will be having appetizer's and drinks.

TIA