topic Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please! in Kitchen

Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

qvc chick — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:38:39 GMT

I am having a holiday dinner party for girlfriends next week, and I need some ideas! Last year I had, baked ziit, chicken cutlets, tossed salad, garlic knots, and dessert.

I want to do something a little different this year, but thinking maybe some type of pasta again. Lasanga is out. When I make it, and then cut it, it slides all over the place. Not pretty.

Anyone have any ideas? It would be for 6 friends.

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

colliegirls — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:45:29 GMT

Glad you are rethinking the baked ziti, I am sick to death of that at every gathering.

I love a chicken pasta or some chicken dish with a white or lemon sauce. Chicken marsala?

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

chrystaltree — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:52:36 GMT

I'll give you my menu for a holiday get together, I'm planning for later in the month. I got all the recipes from Pinterest.

Garlic chicken & spinich pasta

Italian green salad

Olive Garden bread sticks

Lemon Thumb Print cookies

I plan to do dry run for the cookies this weekend because I've never made them before.

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

MercysMom — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:53:25 GMT

This is one of my favorites and it's easy. I'll try to post a pic.

You’ll Need:

1 (12 oz) package of bowtie pasta.
1 cup of chicken broth.
2 cups of half and half.
2 cans cream of chicken soup.
1 tsp of dijon mustard.
¼ tsp of onion powder.
Salt and pepper.
3 tbsps of sour cream.
2 cups of cooked and cubed chicken.
2 cups of chopped ham.
1-2 cups of shredded swiss cheese.
1 cup of Italian panko bread crumbs.

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

MercysMom — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 15:54:25 GMT

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

colliegirls — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 16:06:37 GMT

@MercysMom wrote:
This is one of my favorites and it's easy. I'll try to post a pic.

You’ll Need:
1 (12 oz) package of bowtie pasta.
1 cup of chicken broth.
2 cups of half and half.
2 cans cream of chicken soup.
1 tsp of dijon mustard.
¼ tsp of onion powder.
Salt and pepper.
3 tbsps of sour cream.
2 cups of cooked and cubed chicken.
2 cups of chopped ham.
1-2 cups of shredded swiss cheese.
1 cup of Italian panko bread crumbs.

Is this layered or all mixed together? Looks great!!

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

MercysMom — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 16:42:37 GMT

LOL! I guess the directions would help. Sorry. Here you go.

How to:

First, cook the pasta according to the package instructions and set aside.
Mix together the chicken broth, half and half, cream of chicken soups, mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large skillet and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

Mix in the sour cream, chicken, ham and the pasta. Toss to well combine then pour the mixture in a 9×13 baking dish.
Drizzle the swiss cheese on top with the bread crumbs.

In a preheated oven to 400°, bake for 20 minutes et Voila!

Simple, easy and super delicious! I love cordon bleu, and this casserole makes me love it even more. It’s amazing what you can do in 30 minutes!

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

colliegirls — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 15:07:52 GMT

Thank you, MercysMom, I am going to make this tomorrow for my family!

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

MercysMom — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 15:19:04 GMT

@colliegirls

You are welcome. My son loves this. I got it from 77easyrecipes.com if you want to look for more. They have some easy, yummy recipes there.

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

patbz — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 02:16:33 GMT

Before I retired, DH and I did a Xmas luncheon for all the ladies with whom we worked (his work group was mainly women whereas mine only had 5 or 6). We did 2 chili's, one beef and the other one a canned white sauce chicken chili (from Costco). We also did eggnog or sodas and a variety of cookies plus holiday music in background and our tree plus other decor. We would do this first week in Dec to kick off the season.

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

Sooner — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 02:27:09 GMT

I like to use pork tenderloins, marinate them in some soy and ginger (look up recipes for marinade--maybe a little brown sugar), brown them and then put them in the oven with fruits and dried apricots around them. Serve with rice and a salad.

THere are lots of recipes out there for this, and I make them different every time, so I wish I had a real recipe but I don't.

It is something easy and different, and the pork and fruit is delicious together.

Or fix a ham presliced and have a hot fruit compote with it--canned fruits cooked (crock pot!) together and with a sauce of spices and brown sugar and fruit juice. Lots of recipes for this too but most have too much sugar in them--so go easy. Serve leftover compote with ice cream or pound cake the week after the party! It smells WONDERFUL and is in the crock pot!

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

Campion — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 11:14:38 GMT

If you make lasagne ahead, cool it and refrigerate it, then cut and reheat, it stays nice and layered.

My mom's recipe always stayed firm--but it had no meat and used eggs in a sort of custard-pudding layer of ricotta, mozzarella and other cheeses layered with the tomato sauce and pasta.

I mix a carton of ricotta with three large eggs, 8 oz grated mozzarella, about 1/4 cup parmesan and some chopped parsley. This layers with the pasta sheets, and a good tomato sauce (I like Don Pepino in a can but you can use Barilla or Classico.) Top with sauce and a mix of parmesan and mozzarella. Bake as you do lasagne.

If you MUST have meat, used sauteed Italian sausage, well drained, and in small bits, layered on top of the cheese layer.

Another reason for slippage is vegetables like zucchini which give off too much water. If you want veggie lasagne, use spinach steamed and then SQUEEZED to remove as much liquid as possible, then chop. If you need to use zucchini, steam it and also squeeze it after to remove excess liquid.

Re: Holiday Dinner Party - need ideas please!

qualitygal — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 13:49:12 GMT

Tacos!