Having a dinner guest over for a weeknight meal can sound daunting between grocery shopping, getting home from work and oozing with charm under stress. Dismiss images of burned chicken and put down the number for Domino's, because cooking a meal for someone else should be fun and painless. The key is to use a recipe which meets the happy medium between easy assembly and impressive results. The most common problems occurring in this situation are using an unfamiliar recipe or mis-timing the cooking of the dinner's components. One does not easily forget the scene in Bridget Jone's Diary when she fails in both and ends up serving blue soup.
This post includes a full grocery list, a rough timing schedule and a fail-proof, delicious recipe. I've included some options in ingredients should you already have them on hand or have preferences. This is a generous recipe and can serve three, if needed.
MENUThis post includes a full grocery list, a rough timing schedule and a fail-proof, delicious recipe. I've included some options in ingredients should you already have them on hand or have preferences. This is a generous recipe and can serve three, if needed.
French bread with roasted garlic
Arugula salad with easy lemon dressing
Penne with caramelized onions, bell pepper and Italian sausage
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt
GROCERY LIST
Baguette of good French (or sourdough) bread
2 heads of garlic
1 bag of ready-to-go arugula lettuce
1/2 lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 box penne pasta
1 yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 small handful of fresh basil or two tablespoon of simple basil pesto
1 handful of grated parmesan reggiano
1 pack of 4-6 Italian sausage (sweet, mild or hot is up to you!) *
1 small handful of fresh basil or two tablespoon of simple basil pesto
1 handful of grated parmesan reggiano
1 pack of 4-6 Italian sausage (sweet, mild or hot is up to you!) *
1 bar of gourmet chocolate, my recommendation is Lindt Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt (amazing!)
*I recommend a pre-cooked sausage to make it easier on you!
IN YOUR CUPBOARD
aluminum foil
dijon mustard
olive oil
salt
pepper
sugar
chicken broth
red wine or beverage of your choice to serve
DINNER
Before your guest arrives, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the outer skins of the heads of garlic, but not so many layers that the head falls apart. Slice the top off the heads, so that each clove is exposed at the top. Place each head on a generous square of aluminum foil and sprinkle with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap the heads in the foil completely and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. If you can time removing the garlic from the oven around your guest arriving, do! Prep the ingredients before your guest arrives by roughly chopping the onion and bell peppers, careful to removes the seeds and stems. Chopping the onions early are also important if you do not want mascara running down your face! Prepare a pot of water with a dash of salt and olive oil to boil later. Prepare two skillets with a dash of olive oil and salt. Prepare the seating area and open a bottle of wine to air briefly.
After your guest arrives, offer wine, slice the baguette and remove the garlic from the oven. Unwrap the garlic, remove the roasted cloves and spread on slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy while everything else comes together. Save two or three cloves for the salad dressing. The pasta, vegetables, and sausage all take around ten minutes cooking time, so keep this in mind as you begin. Start the pot of water boiling and turn on one skillet over medium heat. Put the chopped onion in the skillet and pour enough chicken broth on top to almost cover the onion--about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar and stir. The onions will caramelize over the next 10 minutes or so; do not forget to stir them periodically. This is not a classic caramelize, but it is an easy alternative with items you should have in your cupboard. The water should also be boiling, so add the penne and cook for 9 to 11 minutes or until al dente. After the onions have been caramelizing for five minutes or so, add the bell pepper and continue stirring. At this point, you should turn the other skillet on over medium heat in preparation for the sausage. Using a fork, puncture the sausage with small holes all over to release a little of the fat when cooking. Add the sausages to the skillet and turn every 2 to 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice of 1/2 lemon. Add two crushed cloves of roasted garlic and a dash of salt and pepper. Salad dressing is personal (I believe), so I encourage you and your guest to continue tasting and adding ingredients until you are satisfied. Go ahead and toss the salad as dinner is almost complete!
Drain the penne when it is ready. Add the onion and bell pepper, which should be soft and not blackened. Add the handful of chopped fresh basil or pesto and grated parmesan. Add a dash of olive oil and stir completely. Plate the sausage which should have developed a little color on the skillet. Plate the pasta next to the sausage and the salad on separate plates. Serve and ENJOY!
After dinner, break the chocolate bar and slice some fruit (apple, pear, nectarine, etc.) on a small plate for an easy dessert... relax and enjoy your culinary successes! xoxo, ForkEnvy
*I recommend a pre-cooked sausage to make it easier on you!
IN YOUR CUPBOARD
aluminum foil
dijon mustard
olive oil
salt
pepper
sugar
chicken broth
red wine or beverage of your choice to serve
DINNER
Before your guest arrives, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the outer skins of the heads of garlic, but not so many layers that the head falls apart. Slice the top off the heads, so that each clove is exposed at the top. Place each head on a generous square of aluminum foil and sprinkle with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap the heads in the foil completely and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. If you can time removing the garlic from the oven around your guest arriving, do! Prep the ingredients before your guest arrives by roughly chopping the onion and bell peppers, careful to removes the seeds and stems. Chopping the onions early are also important if you do not want mascara running down your face! Prepare a pot of water with a dash of salt and olive oil to boil later. Prepare two skillets with a dash of olive oil and salt. Prepare the seating area and open a bottle of wine to air briefly.
After your guest arrives, offer wine, slice the baguette and remove the garlic from the oven. Unwrap the garlic, remove the roasted cloves and spread on slices of bread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy while everything else comes together. Save two or three cloves for the salad dressing. The pasta, vegetables, and sausage all take around ten minutes cooking time, so keep this in mind as you begin. Start the pot of water boiling and turn on one skillet over medium heat. Put the chopped onion in the skillet and pour enough chicken broth on top to almost cover the onion--about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar and stir. The onions will caramelize over the next 10 minutes or so; do not forget to stir them periodically. This is not a classic caramelize, but it is an easy alternative with items you should have in your cupboard. The water should also be boiling, so add the penne and cook for 9 to 11 minutes or until al dente. After the onions have been caramelizing for five minutes or so, add the bell pepper and continue stirring. At this point, you should turn the other skillet on over medium heat in preparation for the sausage. Using a fork, puncture the sausage with small holes all over to release a little of the fat when cooking. Add the sausages to the skillet and turn every 2 to 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice of 1/2 lemon. Add two crushed cloves of roasted garlic and a dash of salt and pepper. Salad dressing is personal (I believe), so I encourage you and your guest to continue tasting and adding ingredients until you are satisfied. Go ahead and toss the salad as dinner is almost complete!
Drain the penne when it is ready. Add the onion and bell pepper, which should be soft and not blackened. Add the handful of chopped fresh basil or pesto and grated parmesan. Add a dash of olive oil and stir completely. Plate the sausage which should have developed a little color on the skillet. Plate the pasta next to the sausage and the salad on separate plates. Serve and ENJOY!
After dinner, break the chocolate bar and slice some fruit (apple, pear, nectarine, etc.) on a small plate for an easy dessert... relax and enjoy your culinary successes! xoxo, ForkEnvy
2 comments:
Yum! What sort of wine pairing do your recommend with this menu?
I have no idea how I missed this blog for so long but AHHH, I love it! This is just so perfect, Paige...I will check frequently and, as I'm spending a lot of time in the kitchen myself, use your tips to improve my skills. And, if you haven't seen this blog yet, you should check out smittenkitchen.com - I'm obsessed and cook from her suggestions (they're all borrowed recipes) at least 4 times a week. happy cooking and MISS YOU!
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