Dinner Parties can range from elegant, romantic evenings to amusing theme evenings. Whether they are elegant and sumptuous or pure fun and frolic parties, they are all easy step by step plans that fit into our “I CAN” motto and thinking. So I think I’ll start off with an elegant party so you can see how to “knock the socks off” of your guests. Give it a try.
An evening of beauty, romance, soft music, easy conversation.
(This could also serve as a perfect Valentine’s day party. Ask everyone to come in red.)
A dinner party for eight
Black Tie (Puttin’ on the Ritz)
RECIPES: See recipe catagories
Hot Stuffed Mushrooms – Easy, delicious start to your evening.
Greet guests into your home, show them to a seat in your living room that is alight with candles glowing and an appetizer table set with small plates, napkins a plate of stuffed mushrooms and another plate of Peta Bites and a tray of Ginger Ale Spritzers along with another tray of wine glasses and an open chilled bottle of white wine for them to choose.
Pita Bites - so easy you’ll faint (well better not as there will be no one to answer the door when your guests come. A crisp accompaniment to the soft plump mushrooms.
Ginger Ale Spritzer – cool refreshing drink with mint sprigs.
Cabernet Pot Roast – this is so very easy yet looks elegant on a platter and will melt in your mouth. I love, love, love crock pot entrees. It cooks and scents the house with wonderful aromas while you prepare the rest of this easy meal.
CABERNET POTROAST
4-1/2 lb. Beef pot roast
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup water plus 3 tablespoons
1 package brown gravy mix
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon wine
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Rub your beef roast with salt and pepper and place in your crock pot (slow cooker). In a small bowl, combine chopped onion, water, gravy mix, ketchup, wine, Worcestershire sauce and garlic.
Blend well and pour over beef. Place the lid on your crock pot and cook on low 8-10 hours.
Remove the meat when done and slice. Place sliced meat on a platter and pour some gravy over to serve. Garnish with a bunch of parsley. Serve extra gravy in a small pitcher or gravy dish.
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Golden Oven Potatoes – Crisped on the outside with bits of bacon and full of flavor.
French Baby Peas – easy and beautiful, emerald green peas with pearl onions and herbs.
Shopping List
1 beef roast 4-1/2 lbs.
1 package brown gravy mix
Worcestershire sauce
1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon wine
1 medium onion (sweet if possible)
Ketchup
2 quarts ginger ale
1 quart orange juice
fresh mint
white and red wine
24 large white mushrooms
butter
garlic
onion powder
fresh parsley
Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
5-6 Dark Greek olives
Romano Cheese wedge
1 pkg. Small pitas
1 jar of sesame seeds
olive oil
10 small potatoes
bacon
paprika
2 bags frozen baby peas
1 bag frozen pearl onions
dried marjoram
1 head ice burg lettuce
1 bag mixed greens
1 bunch carrots
Italian Salad Dressing (Good Seasons packet mix)
Pineapple Sherbert
Cinnamon cookies
Dinner rolls
coffee and tea
cream
Table Decorations
For an elegant table setting – use either a monochromatic (all one or two colors) such as tan/white with flowers, plates same colors. Or use a beautiful floral plate and make it a warm elegant setting. Or cool colors such as a blue print for a cool, calming feeling. Candlelight for romance and elegance.
For added warmth place individual tea lights
at each place setting
Planning:
Day before:
- Choose serving dishes, utensils, glasses and table setting items. Wash and dry and have ready for tomorrow.
- Wash salad greens in a bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons vinegar to remove any residue. Rinse and pat dry completely. Place in an bowl with a barely damp paper towel over the greens and cover tightly with foil. If you don’t have a salad spinner they only cost about $5 – $6 and they make salad greens crisp.
- Par boil potatoes; cool and refrigerate
Early on the day of the party: (remember the roast has to cook on low for 8-10 hrs.) Put roast and ingredients into crock pot) Now you can go back to bed for awhile.
After you wake up again ~
- cut up tomatoes or any other ingredients for salad and refrigerate in plastic bags.
- 1:00 p.m. ~ Set table with plates, napkins, salad fork and dinner fork, knife and teaspoon. Place two sets of salt and pepper shakers on table if your table is long. Put out water glasses, candles, centerpiece, etc. (If using fresh flowers only place on table 1 hr. before guests arrive.)
- 2:00 p.m. ~ prepare mushrooms and peta breads, don’t bake yet. Just wrap and refrigerate.
- Set up trays with glasses for spritzers and wine.
- Set up coffee pot to simply plug in later and have water in a tea kettle for tea drinkers.
- 3 hrs. before guests arrive – shower and dress
Wear an apron or cover your nice clothes because you still have work to do in the kitchen.
- 2 hrs. before guests arrive ~ prepare potatoes but don’t bake yet.
- Put your rolls on a plate or in a basket and cover tightly. Place butter on table.
- 1 hr. before guests arrive -
- place potatoes in oven
- 30 minutes before guests arrive:
- light candles on table and around the house
- bake mushrooms and pita bites
- Cook peas and keep warm.
- Prepare salad with dressing and other ingredients
- Make spritzers and place these, wine and appetizers on your table with small plates, napkins
They’re here: RELAX, take a deep breath, put on your most dazzling smile and greet them in.
About 10 minutes before serving dinner: Excuse yourself – Take roast out of crockpot, slice and plate and pour gravy into container and call everyone to dinner – Enjoy.
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