<p>What are you serving? Do you have a favorite “go to” recipe? I’m an adequate cook. I’d like to find one or two recipes that I could master and feel really good about serving.</p>
<p>that depends on what time of year it is…if it is summer , it will be a variety of grilled goodies to suit variest palettes. Dry rub ribs, chicken , pizzas…and use the herbs and available veggies from the garden</p>
<p>[Broiled</a> Salmon Fillet with Mustard Dill Sauce Recipe at Epicurious.com](<a href=“http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Broiled-Salmon-Fillet-with-Mustard-Dill-Sauce-11858]Broiled”>http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Broiled-Salmon-Fillet-with-Mustard-Dill-Sauce-11858)</p>
<p>It’s so easy and most people like salmon.</p>
<p>Whenever I try to make lamb or a roast, I can never time it to be done because people don’t always arrive on time and sometimes the cocktail/conversation part is over too soon or goes on too long and I don’t have a good meat thermometer so I’m always worried it will be overdone or not done enough. With the salmon, you pop it in the oven and it’s ready in 12 minutes. Salad or steamed vegetables and red skinned potatoes – you’re done.</p>
<p>I’m eager to hear other people’s ideas. Somehow, my other “go to” dishes – pasta or roast chicken – don’t seem special enough for company.</p>
<p>I’m having 15 teenagers over for dinner tonight. It’s a “Welcome to America” party for our foreign exchange student. I’m grilling hamburgers and serving our traditional foods such as potato salad, jello, and apple pie.</p>
<p>I often serve grilled kebabs & veggies with rice pilaf or cous cous. This simple & easy menu is flexible for both meat-eaters & vegetarians. Throw in a green salad & dessert and you can make this menu casual or sophisticated. It’s also nice because you can have everything prepped & ready in advance.</p>
<p>I put the marinaded meat (chicken, beef, pork) & veggies on separate skewers because meat & veggies cook at different rates and also to accommodate any vegetarian guests. My current fave: soy-ginger pork kebabs accompanied by grilled pineapple, onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes and fresh cucumbers with sesame-vinegar dressing. Yum!</p>
<p>If you are so inclined, add a store-bought chimichurri sauce (garlic & parsley) for beef or a peanut satay sauce for pork/chicken to ‘gussy up’ the menu.</p>
<p>For dessert, I might buy something fancy at the bakery or farmer’s market. Ice cream with fresh seasonal fruit is also simple but good.</p>
<p>OK, my go-to teenager menu is a DIY taco party. Make 3-4 pounds of taco meat, taco shells (hard & soft) & tortilla chips, then lots of toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, large bowl of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, rice, black beans (for vegetarians), etc. Sauces: taco sauce, salsa, chipotle-ranch, etc. Set it up salad bar style & let them customize their own tacos. (You can always freeze any leftover taco meat or use it for a taco salad lunch).</p>
<p>I’ve also made chili for a casual office party of 30-40 people. I made different kinds of chili in advance: chili con carne with beans, vegetarian chili, pork & green chili, white chicken chili). Serve with corn muffins, assorted hot sauces & lots of different toppings so people can customize. Decorate with bandanas, red/green chili plants from Lowes or Home Depot. I purchased some chili pepper lights for the patio. Drinks: beer or margaritas for the adults, lemonade for the kids.</p>
<p>Variation on the chili party theme: baked potato party with different toppings. Works for a crowd.</p>
<p>For summer:</p>
<p>Baby back ribs: Slice through each rib about 90% of the way. Place on rack in pan. Add about 1/8 cup liquid. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 325 for two to three hours. Remove foil and brush on sauce – BBQ or hoisin or teriyaki glaze – then cook at 425 for another 20 to 30 minutes. Add corn on the cob.</p>
<p>For winter:</p>
<p>Whole filet of beef, rubbed with garlic. Sliced root veggies (onions, carrots, parsnips, cut up potatoes) sprinked with olive oil and kosher salt, then roasted at 425 for 45 minutes or so until browned and caramelized.</p>
<p>My go-to default dessert: Sara Lee pound cake with ice cream and chocolate sauce.</p>
<p>I often have fairly large groups of folks over for homemade calzones. I have all the ingredients out and ready, with homemade pizza dough pre-rolled out into rounds and ready to stuff. Then people give me their “orders” for what they want in their calzone and I make it as they watch. Choices include a variety of cheeses, roasted garlic, fresh spinach, fresh basil, mushrooms, fresh and/or sun-dried tomatoes, italian sausage, pepperoni, and marinara sauce and/or olive oil. </p>
<p>A good trick I have learned over the years is to bake them on parchment paper-lined pans, so the calzone’s “owner’s” name can be written alongside said calzone on the paper. No confusion about whose is whose when they are done. Handy when you are making 12-20 at a time! :)</p>
<p>They bake at a high temp for around 15 minutes which gives me just enough time to clean the mess from assembling the calzones off the counter and get ready to serve them. I try to have extra marinara sauce (I just use prego…sue me!) and little cups for dipping available. A splash of olive oil on them as they come out of the oven and they are good to go. YUMMY!</p>
<p>I have a relative who had a “go to” for a snack or dessert:</p>
<p>Homemade waffles with ice cream and fresh fruit. I always enjoyed it as a kid.</p>
<p>Churchmusicmom, that sounds yummy! I admire someone who is brave enough to cook in front of guests. I always have 90% of what I am serving premade before guests arrive.</p>
<p>^Wow – that sounds so delish! And fun, too!</p>
<p>Who are these people? Am I trying to impress them (the boss?)? Am I feeling flush? In that case, I go for good wine, beef tenderloin, roast potatoes, and a salad, with gelato and cookies for dessert. It’s an easy meal–everything can be done in advance–and I can focus on the conversation. A nice cheese and crackers for appetizer. (I do ask if people eat beef before going with this option. Salmon also works.)</p>
<p>Is it just friends? Then it might be a cooperatively prepared meal that’s more elaborate, like pizza on the grill in the summer. </p>
<p>Is it dinner-in-a-hurry? Roast chicken from the store, rice, and a steamed vegetable, whatever’s in season.</p>
<p>Vegetarians? I buy butternut squash ravioli. While that’s cooking, I put about three TBS olive oil in a large frying pan and deep fry sage leaves (I have an herb garden) in the oil. I take them out and add a handful of pecans; those will be lightly browned about the time the pasta is cooked. I put the pasta in (after draining it) and let it brown just a bit, then add salt, pepper, and about a half cup of heavy cream. That gets put into a bowl, then I spread the sage leaves on top for decoration. (Fried sage leaves are really tasty, very sweet, not like raw sage at all.) I serve with salad and bread.</p>
<p>When our older s arrived home with 17 counselors from the camp he has worked at that summer (they were mostly internationals, from Eastern Europe, and also Australia, New Zealand and Tazmania) we had steaks on the grill, salad, corn on the cob, fruit salad, etc. Thank you Costco!!</p>
<p>dmd77 – good point. </p>
<p>Can you tell me how you cook tenderloin? I am terrified of spending the $$$ and ruining it. How long, what temp, do you “sear” it first at high heat? Much appreciated.</p>
<p>vegetarian baked manicotti…a favorite for everyone!</p>
<p>My go to when I have meat eaters is flank steak marinated, then grilled. I can cook one or five quickly. I can have everything ready otherwise. When it is time, I grill, let them sit just a bit, then call to the table as I am slicing on the grain. The edge slices are medium and the center slices medium rare. Everyone is happy. They are very tender, not horribly expensive, can be dressed up or down. I can serve fancy for “the boss” or casual for the teens. I can feed “steak” without the hassle of individual steaks or the price. It is WAY EASY and everyone raves.</p>
<p>For summer grilled steak or fish plus vegetable kabobs if I am inviting vegetarians. Corn is always yummy. I’ll make a fruit pie for dessert unless dh makes his baklava.</p>
<p>Winter it depends on the budget, for parties I usually have a whole beef filet because it is so easy to cook. I do what Julia tells me to do (in How to Cook not Mastering the Art). If I know my invitees like lamb I’d do rack of lamb it’s pretty and festive. I’d serve it with steamed vegetable and since it’s a party and I never get it otherwise maybe something like scalloped potatoes. Same desserts. </p>
<p>Good wine goes without saying. :)</p>
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<p>I think I just did a Google search to cook a tenderloin. However, I preheat the oven to 550 degrees. The meat is cooked for five minutes per pound and then you turn off the oven and let it cool down. </p>
<p>I have to call my alarm company before I start because it makes so much smoke. 
</p>
<p>[Roasted</a> Beef Tenderloin | Beef Recipes](<a href=“http://www.howtocookmeat.com/roastedbeeftenderloin.htm]Roasted”>http://www.howtocookmeat.com/roastedbeeftenderloin.htm)</p>
<p>A meal I always like for company is shrimp creole. It can be made ahead and then the shrimp can be added at the last minute.</p>
<p>I am making this for Shabbat dinner tonight. A real no-fuss recipe–but you must remember to rub the chicken with the seasoning mix the night before. I’m not a huge chicken fan, but this is falling-off-the-bone tender and flavorful.</p>
<p>Also, because you cook the chicken on such a low temp, the largest chicken you can really use is 3 1/2 pounds–ideally it should be as close to 3 pounds as possible. I’m making two.</p>
<p>Sticky Chicken
This is the best roast chicken ever! And yes, DO cook it for 5 hrs
at 250 degrees F. </p>
<p>a… 2 teaspoons salt
b… 1 teaspoon paprika
c… 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
d… 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
e… 1/2 teaspoon thyme
f… 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
g… 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
h… 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 whole roasting chicken, about 3 pounds
1 cup chopped onions</p>
<p>Combine all spices (first 8 ingredients) in small bowl.
Rinse chicken, inside and out. Drain well.</p>
<p>Rub spice mixture over skin and the inside of chicken.</p>
<p>Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.</p>
<p>When ready to roast, stuff cavity with onions.
Place chicken breast side down in roasting pan.</p>
<p>Roast uncovered at 250ºF for about 5 hours. Baste occasionally with pan juices or until pan juices start to caramelize on bottom of pan and chicken is golden brown.</p>
<p>Serves 4.</p>
<p>For smaller groups (such as professional colleagues or the boss):</p>
<p>My easy go-to dessert is [Brandied</a> Plum Clafoutis](<a href=“http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brandied-Plum-Clafoutis-243386]Brandied”>http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brandied-Plum-Clafoutis-243386). I just made it for company but substituted in-season peaches & apricots for the plums, & amaretto for the brandy.</p>
<p>For larger group menus:</p>
<p>The soccer team pre-game menu: DIY sandwiches with hard rolls, assorted lunch meats & cheese, condiments, large bowls of fresh fruit (melons, strawberries, pineapple) & maybe a light pasta salad (with coach’s OK).</p>
<p>The Boy Scout menu: sloppy joe mix or pulled chicken/pork barbecue in crockpot (extra BBQ sauce on side), hamburger buns, potato salad (from COSTCO), cupcakes or brownies.</p>
<p>The potluck dinner menu (church/sports banquet/Boy Scout banquet): chicken drumsticks with Shake-n-Bake, pesto-tortellini salad (pesto from COSTCO).
My mother’s Potluck Dessert: devil’s food cake mix baked in tartlet pans (makes ~24) with fresh raspberries/strawberries or cherry pie mix, topped with a dash of whipped cream. Really easy to make but fancier than ordinary cupcakes.</p>
<p>I am printing that one–dg5052.</p>