Dinner Party

There are few things I enjoy as much as throwing a dinner party.  Sure, big bashes have their time and place {I’m looking at you, holiday extravaganzas!} but when my guest numbers start to climb above 30, I find it challenging {and expensive!} to prepare the quality of food I’d like.  I have visions of a chef-quality kitchen with 6 or 8 burners, 2 ovens, and an endless island of counter space dancing in my head.  But, until that dream comes true, it’s working with what I’ve got and hoping that I can get hors d’oeuvres from the kitchen to the table before the guys at the party have plucked half of them off the tray.  {Not as easy as it sounds…trust me.}

But, dinner parties?  Whole different scenario.  My sweet spot for a dinner party is six.  The table fits six {and even then I’ve got to hope for two kind, skinny guests who won’t mind being wedged in a bit}, many recipes yield six servings {or can easily be 1-and-a-halved to get there}, and I seem to have about six each of most of my favorite little serving dishes.  But most of all, I can take my time and cook GOOD food {or at least attempt to} when I only have six of us to serve.  {If you have ever been to one of my dinner parties, you know that I mean it when I say, “take my time.”  I am working on that.}

Last weekend I hosted a dinner party honoring two dear friends.  They were married a few weeks ago and I wasn’t able to be there, so this was my little way to celebrate them with a few other friends in the same circle.  J was out of town and it was the first time I’d truly entertained without him or one of my old roomies there to take a coat or pour a glass of wine while I kept an eye on the kitchen.  But, with only five good friends to worry about, there wasn’t much to worry about at all.

One of the other reasons I love dinner parties is because I get to cook for a different audience.  J and I will eat just about anything, but we are certainly the exception to the rule.  I really enjoy taking various guests’ allergies, dislikes and dietary restrictions into account and creating a menu that will please all and maybe even get everyone {myself included} to taste something a little different.  In this case, one guest of honor was a vegetarian.  I’ve never prepared a vegetarian main course in my life.  But, immediately I knew I’d be focusing on mushrooms…until I realized the other guest of honor dislikes mushrooms and onions.  Throw in a dislike of seafood {go ahead, be horrified} and an aversion to raisins and this? Was a challenge.  I love a challenge!  

I figured a pasta dish would be the way to go to ensure that we carnivores felt like we were having something substantial.  At first I considered some variety of homemade ravioli, but I ultimately decided on butternut squash risotto.  It was fantastic, if I do say so myself. {And I do.}  The seasons are just starting to change, and it was a nice fall-inspired dish for a chilly night.  Risotto is a little tricky to keep an eye on while you try to enjoy your earlier courses with your guests, but it all works out.  {Note to self: dream kitchen will also have open layout so I can see my guests at the dining room table whilst stirring my risotto at the 6-burner stovetop.  I hate missing even a moment of good dinner conversation.}

The rest of the menu was less challenging to keep vegetarian, and I was happy to find ways to work in a shout out to the groom {a connoisseur of the chicken finger} and also work in some nuts for extra protein.  There wasn’t much of a theme, which is unusual for me, but I kind of enjoyed the summer flavors and fall flavors coming together…it felt just right for early September.

 

 

Here is the full menu.  Butternut Squash Risotto recipe to follow soon!  

~Antipasto Skewers

~Gorgonzola & Fig Crostini with Honey Drizzle

~Baked “Chicken Toes” and Artichokes with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Sauce

~Spinach, Strawberry & Avocado Salad with Walnuts, Drizzled with Meyer Lemon Oil and  Blackberry Balsamic

~Butternut Squash Risotto

~3-layer Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting and Raspberry Coulis