topic Re: Menu help, please. in Recipes

Menu help, please.

house_cat — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 16:39:08 GMT

I'm having guests for dinner on Saturday. They requested Italian cuisine, which is usually a no-brainer for me. However, I'm having a little trouble with one item.

Here's the menu so far:

Antipasto

Caesar Salad

Caprese Chicken (basil pesto, tomato, mozzarella)

Pasta

Garlic foccaccia

Tiramisu (store bought) or Italian Cream Cake

Here's my dilemma - what kind of pasta sauce willl complement the caprese chicken? Perhaps it would be better to go with a pasta salad? Any suggestions will be appeciated and recipes... even better!

Thank you!

Re: Menu help, please.

Jasmine19 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 16:43:52 GMT

A nice light pesto sauce would complement the chicken and go better than a red sauce. A lemon garlic sauce would also be nice.

Re: Menu help, please.

Spacrazy — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 16:49:58 GMT

Definitely pasta salad.

Re: Menu help, please.

deepwaterdotter — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:06:17 GMT

My recipe for Caprese Chicken on the grill:

1/4 cup chopped basil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

6 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4" slices, pat dry, and cut in half

1 1/2 lb chicken cutlets, patted dry

2 big tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2" slices

Mix basil, vinegar, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in bowl. Whisk in oil to combine. Place 3 tbsp mixture in bowl and toss in mozzarella to coat. Set aside rest of dressing for later.

Season both sides of cutlets with salt and pepper. Over hot grill, cook chicken until browned, and tomatoes until lightly charred (2-3 minutes per side). Move cutlets to a platter and top with tomato slices. Drizzle with rest of dressing. Cover tomatoes with a layer of mozzarella and tent loosely with foil for 10 minutes.

Re: Menu help, please.

IamMrsG — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:09:44 GMT

I'm supplying the following recipe with a double reasoning.

1. By combining your Caesar Salad and Caprese Chicken into one course, it might be helpful in simplifying your ambitious (but delicious) menu.

2. The dressing in the recipe could be used for your Caprese Chicken.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 garlic cloves – 2 peeled and 1 minced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

12 slices French bread

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 to 8 anchovy fillets (Optional)

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

8 cups Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare grill.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of the oil, the minced garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Lightly brush 1 side of each bread slice with a little of the oil mixture. Put the chicken on a plate and rub remaining oil mixture over both sides. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the lemon juice, anchovies, mayonnaise and the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. With the machine running, drop the whole garlic cloves through the feed tube and process until puréed. Scrape the dressing into a large salad bowl.

Grill the chicken 4 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate.

Grill the bread about 1 minute, without turning, until toasted. Cut bread slices in half crosswise.

Mix the chicken juices that have collected on the plate into the dressing. Carve the chicken on an angle into thin strips. Add the Romaine and Parmesan to the dressing and toss to coat. Add the toast and chicken and toss again; serve immediately.

Re: Menu help, please.

novamc1 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:24:06 GMT

Pasta salad seems like a good idea.

Don't know how well this fits in with your other foods, but I've taken a liking to a fresh Caesar/spinach/ pasta salad from a good-quality "gourmet" deli department at one of our best grocery stores.

It consists of small shell pasta, fresh spinach which of course softens in the dressing, some small pieces of artichoke, mixed with a delicious Caesar dressing that seems to contain plenty of parmesan.

I can't identify the ingredient that gives the mixture a little heat and zip.

Love your whole menu----you're more ambitious than I am when it comes to quantity of dishes for one meal. Can I come?

Re: Menu help, please.

ahoymate — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:20:38 GMT

No to pasta salad & no to pesto pasta. You already have pesto with the chicken & pasta salad, ugh It's not a fav. The pasta gets soft & soggy. I'd go with the other 2 suggestions. Enjoy

Re: Menu help, please.

persiflage — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:25:15 GMT

All these foods sound yummy! I would do a puttanesca sauce and go heavy on the kalamata olives, light on the tomatoes.

Re: Menu help, please.

ECBG — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:35:25 GMT

@novamc1 wrote:
Pasta salad seems like a good idea.

Don't know how well this fits in with your other foods, but I've taken a liking to a fresh Caesar/spinach/ pasta salad from a good-quality "gourmet" deli department at one of our best grocery stores.

It consists of small shell pasta, fresh spinach which of course softens in the dressing, some small pieces of artichoke, mixed with a delicious Caesar dressing that seems to contain plenty of parmesan.

I can't identify the ingredient that gives the mixture a little heat and zip.

Love your whole menu----you're more ambitious than I am when it comes to quantity of dishes for one meal. Can I come?

@novamc1 That salad sounds yummy. What store please?

Re: Menu help, please.

novamc1 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:39:05 GMT

@ECBG

The pasta salad I mentioned comes from Publix, one of the better stores we have around here in Georgia---and where I live now, we have PLENTY of grocers. Choice is amazing.

By the way, I just looked up online recipes for Caesar pasta salads and found many to choose from.

A future cooking project, maybe.

Re: Menu help, please.

ECBG — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 17:42:17 GMT

@novamc1 wrote:
@ECBG

The pasta salad I mentioned comes from Publix, one of the better stores we have around here in Georgia---and where I live now, we have PLENTY of grocers. Choice is amazing.

By the way, I just looked up online recipes for Caesar pasta salads and found many to choose from.

A future cooking project, maybe.

@novamc1 Thank you! We happen to have a Publix! I rarely have time to go there too but I'll definately go now! My fav Caesar dressing comes from Red Lobster. They'll sell you a pint. Many thanks!

Re: Menu help, please.

Foolywooly11 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 18:02:48 GMT

@ECBG wrote:
@novamc1 wrote:
@ECBG

The pasta salad I mentioned comes from Publix, one of the better stores we have around here in Georgia---and where I live now, we have PLENTY of grocers. Choice is amazing.

By the way, I just looked up online recipes for Caesar pasta salads and found many to choose from.

A future cooking project, maybe.
@novamc1 Thank you! We happen to have a Publix! I rarely have time to go there too but I'll definately go now! My fav Caesar dressing comes from Red Lobster. They'll sell you a pint. Many thanks!

I love Caesar salad, & used to get a great one at a local restaurant, but it's closed now. I haven't been to Red Lobster in awhile, but would love to pick up a pint of their dressing to try. Thanks for posting.

Re: Menu help, please.

aroc3435 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 19:29:58 GMT

@house_cat Bowties with a lemon butter sauce might be a possible side, or tricolor pasta or spinach noodles dressed with olive oil, garlic and butter. Or, leaving pasta aside, you could have mashed potatoes with truffle oil.

No matter what you decide your guests are going to have a superb Saturday dinner.

Re: Menu help, please.

ciao_bella — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 19:46:54 GMT

How about Orzo pasta with basil and parmesan cheese?

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo and saute until lightly browned.
Stir in chicken stock and bring to boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Mix in Parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to shallow bowl. Garnish with basil sprigs and serve

Re: Menu help, please.

house_cat — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 01:10:23 GMT

Thanks, everyone!

As often happens on the forum.. I ask for a suggestion and get so many good ones that it's even more difficult to decide!

Re: Menu help, please.

violann — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 19:46:59 GMT

Invite ME!