I thought it was a simple and generous offer- invite my husband's coworker and his wife over for dinner this coming weekend. In our three years of marriage we have had plenty of dinner guests and I enjoy entertaining. I can usually prepare something tasty and a bit unusual since I was born and raised in New Mexico and, here in Calgary, authentic Mexican cooking (with many ingredients sent straight from the source via my mother and UPS) can be a treat for those with a sense of adventure and who don't mind a bit of spice.
However, when I asked my husband to please ask his colleague if they have any food allergies or if there is anything they don't like, they replied that they do not like anything spicy. Hmmm, what to do? Sure, I can prepare a tasty steak, pot roast, marinated chicken breasts or something of that sort, but it also so happens that this particular colleague can be classified as a "foodie". He and his wife are the type that often to go a restaurant and stay for 4 hours to enjoy an appetizer, main course, dessert and after dinner cocktail. I highly doubt if they have ever set food in some of my favorite haunts such as Swiss Chalet, Tim Hortons, Opa Souvlaki or Taco Time. This colleague once told my husband that he had turned down a job offer in another city (which happens to be a city of over a million people) because "there weren't any good restaurants" to be found.
I feel like I need Wolfgang Puck or Curtis Stone (the cute blonde chef on the TLC show "Take Home Chef" who picks someone out in the grocery store and offers to go home with them and prepare a gourmet meal for them and their guests) to come and rescue me!
In the meantime, I am searching through cook books for just the right recipe, nothing too difficult and nothing too over-the-top but something that is sure to impress even the most selective diner. If you have a recipe that you'd like to share with a struggling cook in need, I will be forever grateful!
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how about Beef Wellington, it's actually simpler to make than it seems, & looks quite impressive! It goes really nice with roasted mixed veggies! I can email you the recipe I use if you like. I'm no gourmet chef (& hey who wouldn't say no to Curtis Stone lol), just a self taught mummy who apparently can cook after all! :0)
ReplyDeletemmmm Curtis stone.... Yumm!!!
ReplyDeleteWell I have to say in a situation like that M&M meat stores is my friend, just to pick up a few appys and then focus on the main course.
Do a appy, then a small salad, main course and some dessert. I use the kraft canada website a lot for recipes, u plug in what ingredients u want to use and recipes poop up with them!
Good Luck, Hope it goes well.
Thanks so much for the suggestions!
ReplyDeletePrariemom- That would be great if you could please email the recipe for Beef Wellington to me! My email address is: andrews.ashlee@gmail.com (for you or anyone else who wants to send a recipe my way!). Thanks again!
Ashlee
Salsa chicken is always an awesome thing you can do in a hurry. As an entre its absolutely awesome and so easy. All you do is get the number of chicken breasts for the number of people you are having, put them in a pan, pour your fav salsa on top and bake for 40-60 min. @ 375. Obviously longer if you do them from frozen.
ReplyDeleteIt goes really well with any sort of rice dish and corn.
Its a family fav here! It is very hard to cook the chicken wrong... and with all the different typed of salsa out there now you really can do a few different things. We like the traditional salsa and you can get mango salsa at some of the grocery stores.. YUMMY!
Good luck with the dinner party!
all depends on what you want to do. If you want chicken I have tones but one of the best cook books I have found is Taste of Home. Most of the stuff is nice and easy and i have not been disapointed. They have a magazine out. First thing you need to do is decide what sort of ingredient you want. Chicken, seafood, what? Then go from there. I have TONS of recieps... something like 9 3 inch binders full... so let me know and I will see what I can find you.
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies! I think I have decided on a chicken with asiago cheese and prosciutto. We will have saffron rice and steamed asparagus as sides and buttermilk pound cake with a Bailey's Irish cream cheese sauce and fresh fruit drizzled over the top. Do you think that sounds okay? Thanks again for all of the great suggestions- I want to try ALL of your recipes :)
ReplyDeleteyour menu sounds great!!! I'm emailing you the beef wellington recipe to you today, just so you have it! Hope it all goes well, keep us posted!!
ReplyDeletemmmmmmm, feeling very hungry now reading all these ideas lol! Salsa chicken is yummy, we have a similar one where you put sour cream on the chicken breasts, then salsa, then broken up tortilla chips & grated cheese, we had that on Tuesday night with morrocan couscous & salad, yummo as Rachael Ray would say! Beef in guiness is on the menu for tonight! :0)
ReplyDelete