Help with planning a Birthday Dinner.
By
on
March 8th, 2008
I am cooking a Family Birthday Dinner for 10 yr old daughter.
My main dish is a Mediterranean Fish Stew by Michael Smith that is to die for. My problem is my father and brother are both very large men and thus eat a lot. I am affraid this dish will be just a tease for their large appettites, however this is my daughters favorite dish that I make. I need suggestions on what else I can prepare to accompany the Stew besides French bread for dipping. Any ideas from the experts .
Thanks, Kitchen Hack in Washington State
PS. THe fish in the stew will be fresh Chinook Salmon and Pacific Halibut
Tags: remake kitchen, kitchen faucets, kitchen designer, Design Kitchen Software, kitchen backsplashes, kitchen planning
Mr. United States. says:
maybe some spaghetti. or lasagna. just an idea.
March 8th, 2008 at 6:08 am
francisco.guevara007 says:
buy some chips and buy refreshments in publix or somewhere like that
March 8th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Kelsey M says:
It’s your daughter’s birthday. If the men think it’s too small, so what. It’s not up to them.
Good Luck.
March 8th, 2008 at 7:29 am
cheryl d says:
something starchy could fill them up.do something creative with potatoes and corn.
March 8th, 2008 at 8:10 am
sammi says:
maybe some pasta salad or something of the sort.
March 8th, 2008 at 9:00 am
star_lite57 says:
Store bought appetizers before hand.
Shrimp cocktail.
Serve dinner with a salad.
Cheese and crackers
Veggie platter.
March 8th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Momof2inLa says:
How about making a vegetable tray (carrots, celery, olives, pickles, etc.) for them to snack on before supper.
How about a crab salad from the deli (like at walmart)
Salmon Cakes or Hashbrown “blocks”
Hope this helped.
March 8th, 2008 at 10:25 am
cherrie022 says:
Do appetizers first, like the little pigs in the blankets.veggies and dip,hot wings, stuff your daughter can help with, it will be fun for both of you, my little girl is 3 and loves to help me cook. And it may help fill up the big ol’ boys before dinner
March 8th, 2008 at 11:11 am
TaraTot says:
What about an appetizer or snacks beforehand.
nuts
veggie tray
cheese and crackers
artichoke dip
hummus, tabbouleh, and pitas
March 8th, 2008 at 11:43 am
TX2step says:
Rice goes well with fish . either a seasoned rice dish, or just white rice. Since it’s a Mediterranean Fish Stew, you could have Tabboleuh (sp.), several kinds of hummus and pita bread too . and a Greek salad
March 8th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
AikoAiko says:
Have a cheese and cracker tray with some meats, like salami, mortadella or even thin slices of rare beef.
March 8th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
bellababi44 says:
i like the appetizer idea heres some ideas and recipes
Restaurant-Style Buffalo Chicken Wings
INGREDIENTS
oil for deep frying
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 dash ground black pepper
1 dash garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 chicken wings
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.
Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Remove from heat, place wings in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Serve.
Coconut Shrimp I
INGREDIENTS
1 egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup beer
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
24 shrimp
3 cups oil for frying
DIRECTIONS
In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/beer batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer.
Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
Cheese Puffs (Gougeres)
INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup whole milk
1 stick butter (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
6 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 ounce pepperoni, diced (optional)
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Combine the flour with the salt, black pepper, thyme, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
Put the milk and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When the butter melts, turn heat to low. Add the seasoned flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball. Remove from heat.
Separate the white and yolk from one egg, reserving the yolk for glazing.
Put the dough into a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for one minute. Then beat in one egg and the extra egg white. Beat until completely absorbed into the dough. Then add the remaining 4 eggs, one at a time, waiting each time until the previous egg is completely absorbed. After all 5 eggs (plus the one egg white) have been incorporated, the dough should be smooth and satiny.
Add the Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses, and pepperoni if you are using it. Incorporate thoroughly into the dough.
Use a pastry bag to pipe dough onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. You can also drop dough from a teaspoon. For tiny puffs, mounds should be about 1/2 inch in diameter. From small appetizers, mounds should be 1 inch in diameter. For puffs large enough for filling, mounds should be 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Keep the size of the puffs uniform so they bake properly. Space puffs about 1 inch apart.
Beat the remaining egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk to make a glaze. Lightly brush the tops of the puffs with glaze before baking. Sprinkle tops with your Parmesan cheese.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes (5 minutes for tiny puffs). Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Bake 10 minutes more for tiny puffs; 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium or large puffs, or until puffs are golden brown. Test by removing a puff from the oven and breaking it open. The inside should be baked through. If it is still doughy or wet, bake another 5 minutes.
Remove pans from oven and leave puffs on pans until cool enough to serve.
Cherry-Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup chopped cooked chicken or chicken luncheon meat
2/3 cup chopped dried tart cherries
3 tablespoons purchased chipotle-flavored salsa
2 10-inch flour tortillas
Purchased chipotle-flavored salsa (optional)
Light sour cream (optional)
Thinly sliced green onions (optional)
DIRECTIONS
To assemble, layer 1/3 cup cheese, 1/2 cup chicken, 1/3 cup cherries and 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa on half of each tortilla. Sprinkle each with 1/3 cup of remaining cheese. Fold tortillas in half; pressing gently.
Spray a nonstick 10- or 12-inch skillet and tops of each quesadilla with no-stick cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-low heat. Place quesadillas in skillet, bottom sides down.
Cook quesadillas, uncovered, for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden and cheese is melted, carefully turning over once. Remove quesadillas from skillet.
Cut quesadillas into wedges. If desired, serve with additional salsa, sour cream and green onions.
Ranch Ham Roll-Ups
INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
3 green onions, chopped
11 (8 inch) flour tortillas
22 thin slices deli ham
DIRECTIONS
In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and salad dressing mix until smooth. Add onions; mix well. Spread about 3 tablespoons over each tortilla; top each with two ham slices.
Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Unwrap and cut into 3/4-in. slices.
Pepperoni Stuffed Mushrooms
INGREDIENTS
24 large button mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
3/4 cup diced pepperoni
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup crushed buttery round crackers
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Remove and chop the mushroom stems. Set the caps to the side.
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushroom stems, onion, pepperoni, and garlic to the butter and cook until the onions are tender. Stir in the cracker crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and chicken broth; remove from heat and allow to cool to the touch.
Stuff the mushroom caps with the pepperoni mixture. Arrange the stuffed caps on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until filling is hot and mushrooms are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.
March 8th, 2008 at 2:07 pm