Dinner party recipe suggestions?

[BeezeeBee]

Yum, Hally! Fab menu 👍👍

Great thread. Good luck, Jo. Whittaker is my fave chocolate now. Just the right amount of choc and creaminess. I like using it for ganache 😄

[Halex]

Jo, How did your dinner party go?

[jo_nz]

Going to be next Saturday now...I think.  DH is organising the date, so I'm hoping I don't find out for sure at 4pm on the day!!

[Halex]

Gulp, 4pm on the day

[goldfish]

A friend calls it "a male thing" . . .    Good luck, Jo! Just get everything ready and freeze the dishes . . . then it won't matter how much (or how little) notice you're given . . . . 

[jo_nz]

I did get the indian cookbook last week, so thinking of going for a couple of dishes out of there... Is the naan from there good?  I have another naan recipe I usually use.

How were the dumplings??  They sound delicious.

I think DH really wants me to basically do a tmx demo on the night!  I'm not so keen (want to prep in advance and not have too much to do on the night).  I thought I might do those choc souffles for dessert and then make custard on the night.

[kezza]

Gosh all of this sounds fantastic.  If you wanted to show off thermie, I can recommend Tenina's Butterflied lamb you steam first in Varoma and then finish off under griller in oven.  So simple, but yummy.  If you want little canapés first you can't beat JD's caramelized onion, mushroom and feta tarts.  They are easy and I know because I just made 120 of them!!!!!  You can make in advance and freeze.  Good luck for the night.

[Halex]

Maybe you can teach dh to use tm & he can do the dinner lol

Jo the naan recipe  I use is from the tandor living website. Its good, but happy to try others too

Dumplings were great, huge hit with all. Having them in soup tomorrow to finish them off. Luncheon was really good, great flavours

[jo_nz]

Haha, no way. Watching him use my baby drives me nuts. He makes such a mess! And he thinks that if a recipe says speed 4 then speed 8 will do it twice as well in half the time. I have to go and apologise to my TMX afterwards and give it some TLC

[achookwoman]

Jo,  yesterday we had 8 for lunch.  My advice would be to do as much as possible before hand.  We had a Dinner Party at lunch time!!
The things that were very popular were the Smoky Eggplant dip, (TMX), Pasta bake, Egg plant and tomato with a Pesto crumble,  ( prepared 2 week ahead and frozen, crumble topping TMX),  Rhubarb and Apple crumble, crumble topping TMX.  Ice cream served in cones, TMX . I think you have enough to cope with on the day without doing a demo. 
Have fun with the preparation, and enjoy the dinner.  You are a good cook so whatever you prepare will be good.

[jo_nz]

Well, we did it!

8 adults and 5 kids, three curries from the fast and easy Indian cooking book (chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, chick pea curry) and two batches of rice (garlic rice and cumin rice), and two batches of Alison Holst's naan recipe (cooked in the afternoon in the pizza machine). Other than the rice it was all done and in the oven when everyone arrived.

For dessert I had made the chocolate soufflés, a lemon meringue pie and just cooked some vanilla custard while the soufflés were in the oven. After dessert we attempted a few random cocktails too, although I think people were more interested in the way the TMX handled the ice etc than the actual drinks.

The guests were determined they should bring something too, so had brought some entrees and some little sweet bites for after dinner.

Was lovely and relaxed for me - almost all the prep done, and rice and custard weren't exactly complicated. The flavours were good and not much left over. Enough that I don't have to worry about DH for lunch for a couple of days.

The guests were very impressed and after the initial shock at the price tag, all want a TMX.  I think at least one might go for it soon.

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement! Even though I ended up selecting mostly different recipes from my new book, I appreciate the inspiration, and I am looking forward to trying a few more of these ideas!!

[Halex]

Great well done. I love the chicken tika massala from the book, must try the others you made

[Kimmyh]

Congratulations Jo. Sounds like a wonderful night. It never ceases to amaze me how people baulk at the price of a tmx yet spend more when buying a TV!

[judydawn]

Well done Jo, it sounded like a fantastic dinner party.  You did the right thing to do most of the prep beforehand but still manage to show off the TMX as well.  There's no way I'd cook a full meal whilst people were watching me, I like to have it all done and be able to spend quality time with my guests.   I guess they've asked to come again  

[Halex]

I agree Kimmy, some people think nothing of 3 or 4 flat screen tvs but bault at a kitchen item that is so good