My default is typically Prawns–after asking about shellfish and allergies. I have 3 “go to” dishes and all are prepped ahead with 5-10 minutes cooking just before serving. Served with an herbed rice and salad (salad served on a huge platter with hardboiled eggs sliced, tomatoes, radishes and whatever drizzled with olive oil and a top notch balsamic) and of course a rich dessert and berries.
Costco’s Prawns are A+ and are huge. At the last dinner people could not get over how meaty they were…
Look at Ina Garten’s Garlic Prawns–make ahead and pop into the oven just before serving.
If you are sick of chicken you can use Cornish Game hens instead. 
Takeout Chinese roast duck and all sorts of other things? It’s a change from chicken.
I’m on a Greek food kick lately, and I recently found and made a recipe for an incredibly good Greek soup: it is quite simple to prepare, can be made ahead and served cold or warm, and has a wonderful, subtly unusual flavor. On top of all that, it’s vegetarian and has only healthy ingredients! It is made with fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, onion, garlic, fresh thyme, and cinnamon, plus vegetable broth and Greek yogurt. If anyone wants the recipe let me know, and I’ll post it. I’m sure it would pass the foodie test.
For my mother’s birthday we had that soup, plus broiled shrimp/onion/pepper skewers in a Greek marinade (olive oil, lemon juice, fresh dill, garlic, S&P), tzatziki sauce (homemade), rice, and a fabulous cake for dessert. You can do the skewers with shrimp, swordfish, monkfish, or a combination.
IMHO, the soup and tzatziki are better made with full fat Greek yogurt, but nonfat works fine, too. I prefer the soup hot, but it depends on the weather.
I recently made dolmades for the first time, and the filling for the rice ones was fabulous on its own. I definitely plan to serve it that way in the future. It had currants, toasted pinenuts, minced fresh mint, parsley, and dill, olive oil, garlic…possibly onion, I don’t recall. Anyway, it would be great with the dinner above. Another make ahead thing.
There’s also a nice Greek soup that has lemon, rice and chicken broth. I’ve had it several times and my niece makes it and says it’s very easy.
How about pasta?
I made this for a very large crowd once. It needs to be cooked in batches, but the cooking time is only about two minutes. There is a good bit of prep ahead of time, but you just put all the ingredients into ramekins and then toss them into the skillet. For a large group you can cook each batch and then pour it over into a large pot set on low simmer to keep warm; but don’t leave it to sit in the pot long. Cook just before eating and prepare the plates in the kitchen.
Also, for the cheese grits, you might try preparing them in advance both with and without the grated Parmasean. My wife prefers it without. Be sure to use a decent quality, very sharp cheese, and don’t substitute any other hot sauce for the Tabasco.
http://www.tabasco.com/tabasco-recipes/recipe/379/shrimp-and-grits/
!The chicken masala sounds great! If it makes sense, would make something regional if they are from out of town.
My go to fancy ingredient is also shrimp.
- This Silver Palate cold herbed shrimp is our go-to recipe for a special shrimp dish and a small crowd. It's really easy to do in bulk, you make it ahead of time so you don't have to stress on the night in question. Serve it with some fresh asparagus, salad, and good bread, and you're golden: http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/jumbo-shrimp-in-herbed-oil
- Bouillabaisse or cioppino, i.e., some sort of mixed seafood stew. Again, easy to make in bulk but too complicated for two, so no one eats it all of the time and it feels special, can be largely made in advance, does not involve meat. You could also look at paella recipes, with or without meat.
- For a recent party for 10 people, I got haddock (firm, meaty, large whitefish) filets and cut them up into 5-6 oz. pieces. Each piece went into a separate parchment bag (they came in boxes of 8 for about $3.50) with a few tablespoons of a mixture of dry marsala, sesame oil, good soy sauce, a little bit of fish soy, chopped garlic, chopped fresh ginger, chopped scallions, grated lemon peel, parseley, pepper, paprika. I roasted them in a hot oven (from which the bread I baked had just been removed) for 10 minutes. Very festive, very special. We served it with roasted root vegetables, green salad, and the bread.
@HImom that’s called avgolemono, and I love it too.
So I like to experiment with new foods and use my family as guinea pigs, and one day I decided to to marinated, grilled cornish game hens. Nobody could eat it because “they look like dead baby chickens”. I had to agree-there was something about the spread out teeny carcassas that I just couldn’t get past, and I’m a big carnivore.
Jeeze Louise, on skimming, I first read your post as “I like to experiment with new foods and use my family guinea pigs” [as a meat source]. Was quite relieved when I read it again!
Oh no, they’re too cute to eat! Then again, I do like duck, and ducks are also adorable…
The only way I like to eat game hens is fully boned out, except for the leg bone, then reassembled around a filling-- such as boudin blanc or sauteed wild mushrooms–and roasted. And a nice rich, boozy(port? Madiera?) deglazed pan sauce made with reduced stock from the bones and some addition like fresh herbs or even fruit. Great presentation, easy to eat, and each person can easily and neatly have either a half or a whole, depending on how big they are and what else is on the menu.
@Consolation - I would love your Greek soup recipe.
I think the chicken Marsala sounds wonderful. Almost everyone eats chicken. I must be one of the few people who strongly dislikes salmon.
@mom60 This is from a book called “World Food Greece.” Serves 4 (easily multiplied)
Ingredients: 4 large tomatoes; 2 tbsp olive oil;1 onion, roughly chopped; 1 large clove garlic, chopped; 1 1/4 cups vegetable stock; 2 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped; 1+ tsp chopped fresh thyme; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 1/4 cups real Greek yogurt (ie, no thickeners); S&P to taste
Method: Coarsely grate the tomatoes into a bowl, discarding the skins left in your hand. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes until softened, not browned. Add grated tomatoes and cook gently for 5 minutes. add stock, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, cinnamon, some S&P, bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then puree with a stick blender or in a food processor. Add the yogurt and mix. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
Keeps well for at least three days in fridge, in my experience, probably longer. If reheated, be careful and do NOT allow to boil, as it will curdle.
I’ve used ripe tomatoes on the vine from the store, since it isn’t tomato season and they are by far the best, and since they are not “large” I’d use an extra 1 or even 2. I tried supplementing with Campari tomatoes, which are usually great, but they are too small to grate easily. I’d also throw in another sun dried tomato. I’ve made it with both dried and fresh thyme, and fresh is better. I’ve made it with both nonfat and full fat yogurt, and full fat may be better but non fat is fine.
@mom60 - I also dislike salmon. It’s one of H’s favorite meals. I’ve tried it several times, several ways. Nope.
How about something like Brisket with Dried Cranberries and Portobello Mushrooms (a Passover favorite - lots of recipes on the web) or Chicken Piccata? (Giada de Laurentis has a good, simple recipe)
I have to admit, I would never try a new recipe in a situation like this. I would have to try it first for myself/my family before embarking on it with guests. (The lesson of some unfortunate incidents early in my adult life when hosting people for dinner!)
Turkey!
Agree; do what you cook the best - less stress all around and it really is about the people and enjoying each other’s company. The foodie will appreciate good home cooking.