One of my favorite
things in the world is having people over for dinner. I admit, sometimes I like
to be a bit of a show-off (acknowledging the problem is the first step,
right?), but mostly I love to find great recipes and share them with others to
make for a special evening.
You know that
age-old advice of never try a new recipe on guests? I'm the worst at that! I
almost exclusively try new things whenever we have company - I guess I like the
gamble? Sometimes you totally win, and sometimes it’s a huge flop, but at least
then you all have something to laugh about!
But if you don't
feel like being as risky as me (probably wise), or if you just want to get some
great ideas, I'm going to be pulling together some weekend dinner party guides
for you all - a little menu, and maybe some tips, playlists, or decoration ideas!
These recipes have all be tried by yours truly (I wouldn't send you out there
to fail!) and are guaranteed to make your guests happy and your night awesome.
Lots of people ask me how I got good at cooking, but I'm telling you - it's not
about the skills, it's all about the internet. Anyone can learn to cook from
the internet! (Or how to do anything for that matter….things Dr. Google has
taught me: how to change oil on the car, how to beat box, how to fishtail
braid, how to replace a broken iPhone screen…it's amazing!)
Without further ado,
we'll start off with a menu that I shared with some friends just this past
weekend!
Starter: Cheese
Plate
You can almost never
go wrong with a classic cheese plate to start off the meal and to entertain
people while you sometimes run around like a crazy person. What's Gaby Cooking
puts together some of the most beautiful cheese plates of all time, so I look at
her pictures for inspiration, and then go to Trader Joe's to find affordable
and amazing cheese. When making a cheese plate, you've always got to have at
least three options (a blue, a soft cheese, and a hard salty cheese), and here
are some of my favorite things to include: fontina cheese, gorgonzola (softer
for those who don't like blue cheeses), cornichons, jalapeño jelly, fig
preserves, dried unsulphured apricots (TJ's again), and obviously cute little
cheese knives!
Salad: Watermelon
Salad
The theme of our
party was going to be summer (more on that later), so obviously watermelon had
to be involved. This slightly savory take on watermelon from Cup of Jo was a
total hit - I changed it a little by subbing pecans for walnuts, using a
basil-infused olive oil, and adding balsamic vinegar as well. Get creative with
what you've got!
Main: Grilled Salmon
Like I said, it was
supposed to be a summer theme, which of course means GRILLING, but then an hour
before the party, it started to POUR and HAIL and FLOOD OUR STREET! Yeah, so
the grilling situation was out. But I had already marinated the salmon using this
recipe from All Recipes, so I just used my old standby, all-time favorite way of
cooking salmon from The Pioneer Woman, and it turned out amazing. Use this
recipe for non-fish lovers, and you may convert them!
Side: Garlicky
Spinach
Another classic from
The Pioneer Woman - when I look for sides, I want something I can either prep
in advance, or put together in less than five minutes. This one was of the
latter, and it was good. It was a little too garlicky for some guests, so use
you own judgment :)
Dessert: Brownies
with Fresh Strawberries
Okay, I had to beg for this recipe, since its from my friend Jessica, who
in my book, is the ultimate QUEEN of brownies. In the past, I have been
strictly a "brownies-from-the-box" kind of girl, and homemade
brownies sucked, but THESE CHANGED EVERYTHING. Add some fresh macerated
strawberries on top or vanilla bean ice cream, and it’s a classic end to any
meal.
BEST BROWNIES EVER
1/2 cup butter
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.
- In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
- To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Stir until smooth. Frost brownies while they are still warm.
** She doubles the recipe and puts it in a 9x13 pan, and you should too.
