Another dinner party

We had a really great dinner party the other night.  5 couples plus us makes 12 people in total.   I truly enjoy these evenings.  The preparation, the anticipation and the entire event. 

I was thinking about how my parents frequently held dinner parties for business and friends.  Perhaps that is where I got the bug to entertain.  It is great for our kids to see us open our home to friends and family all the time.  I hope it is something that they will continue to do. What is interesting is that I find we are some of the few people I know who entertain often or at all. 

Anyhow, here is the menu for the past dinner party.  I am not going to post the recipes but I will share the full on menu...and maybe some info on the "how to".

We started with cheese sticks and curry spicy nuts.  I like serving this with pre-dinner drinks because it is light and just whets the appetite.  All easy.  I just use pre-made puff pastry.  Take about 1/2 lb. of Gruyere and grate it.  Mix with some paprika and some herbs.  Put on the bottom half of the rolled out puffed pastry and flip the dough over to seal in.  Cut up into long strips and bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes or so at 350.  The nuts.  Take unsalted butter, some curry and herbs and melt together.  Add the nuts and toss for about 3-4 minutes.  That's it.

First course...spicy crab soup.  Love crab soup.  Must be that Maryland childhood.

Second course...mache salad with pomegranate seeds, roasted acorn squash, sugary walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese.

Main course....panko macadamia nut crusted talapia fish pan fried over spinach sauteed with ginger oil and a sauce of carrot/ginger juice reduction.  The sauce I couldn't replicate if you paid me. I played around with it at least 4 times before serving.

Dessert....lemon mousse with chocolate pistachio biscotti, Mexican wedding cookies, peppermint patty chocolate chip cookies on the side.  I always like serving a few different type of cookies on the side as an added bonus.

All good.  Not light on the calories, but hey, it's a dinner party.  Enjoy.

Posted November 20, 2005  
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Joanne Wilson Joanne Wilson loves food, books, and music. She lives in New York City. Her husband Fred and children Jessica, Emily, and Josh are bloggers too. More »

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