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Easy dinner party recipes

Dinner parties don't have to involve an overwhelming amount of work or cost a fortune.

Try these easy and frugal ideas, and enjoy hosting your dinner party.

Easy and frugal dinner party recipes

Having a few friends over for dinner is an enjoyable way to spend the evening. There is something about sharing a meal and conversation in someone’s home that just can’t compare to an evening in a restaurant. So, you invite friends over, and then the panic sets in. What are you going to feed these people? How are you going to get everything done? Will you spend the whole night in the kitchen? How can you keep it in your budget?

Take a deep breath, and relax. The key to being able to enjoy your own dinner party is planning. Planning carefully before the event and choosing foods that can be made ahead will ensure come party night that you will be able to enjoy the conversation; not be stuck in the kitchen cooking. 

You want to have good food, but remember it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to be good. Your guests want to spend time with you that evening, so you want to prepare as much as possible before they arrive. Before you choose your menu, carefully consider any special diet needs of your guests. Use recipes you are comfortable with. Use some of your favorites; just adjust for the number of people, and pick ones that you can do most of the work for before the party. 

Below, you will find several menu suggestions with recipes for casual meals with friends. First find ideas for soups and sandwiches, and then for more traditional main dish meals.

One of my favorite menus for a casual meal with friends is chili and cornbread. Chips and salsa, and a vegetable tray with dip can be set out for munching before the meal. The chili can be made ahead of time and kept in a crockpot. Keep dessert simple. Fruit or cookies are fine, or try Jessie’s Peanut Butter Cake, one of our favorites. The cornbread and dessert can be made before the big night. Everything will be ready, and the kitchen cleaned up before the guests arrive. After they come, you just need to serve. You can serve with a buffet line, at the table family style, or make up plates in the kitchen to serve to guests at the table. Of course, this menu can easily be changed to include your favorite soups and breads. 

Easy party recipes

Chili | top

This is very much a make to taste kind of dish. Below is a basic recipe to get you started. Adjust to taste, but for a dinner party you want err on the mild side unless you are sure all your guests like it spicy. Cook the day before, and let simmer in the crock pot all day before the party. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapeños, diced onions and sour cream.

1 pound ground meat (use beef, turkey or ½ and ½)
1 chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 Tbs chili powder
2 cup tomato juice
1 small can tomato paste
pinch of cumin
salt to taste
1 can kidney beans (or about ½ dried beans that have been soaked and cooked)

Brown the meat (if you are using only ground turkey you will need to use a bit of oil, about 2 TB) with the onion and garlic. Drain. Add the remaining ingredients except the beans. Simmer for ten minutes, and then add beans cook for another five minutes. Serves 6.

Cornbread | top

2½ cups flour
1½ cups corn meal
½ C sugar
2 Tbs baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 cup milk
2 eggs beaten
6 Tbs butter, melted

Sift dry ingredients. Add milk, egg and butter. Beat well and bake in a 9x13 greased pan, if you have a 10” or larger cast iron skillet use it instead, at 400°F for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with butter and honey.

Jessie’s peanut butter chocolate cake | top

Cake

2 cup sugar
½ C butter
2 cup flour
3 Tbs cocoa<
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup buttermilk (or substitute ½ cup milk mixed with ½ Tbs vinegar)

In a large bowl, sift together sugar, flour, and salt. Add the eggs. In a saucepan, bring to a boil, water, oil, margarine, and cocoa. Remove from heat. Add baking soda, vanilla, and milk. Mix with the dry ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees F for abut 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake come out clean. Allow cake to cool completely.

Frosting

½ cup peanut butter
2 Tbs butter
6 oz chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
2½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup milk
2 Tbs corn syrup

Heat peanut butter, butter, chocolate chips in a pan. Melt slowly. Stir often. When melted remove from heat and add remaining ingredients Pour onto cooled cake and spread evenly. 

Other menu ideas

Sandwiches like sloppy jo, creamed chicken, or barbecue pork are easy to make ahead of time too. Serve with chips, cheese slices, and coleslaw. Desert can simply be fruit, or you could present a sundae bar. Dish up the ice cream and let everyone build their own sundae from a variety of toppings. Easy, fun, and delicious.

For a more substantial and impressive main dish, I often choose lasagna. It is reasonable on the budget, and can be completely assemble the day before. All you need to do the night of the party is bake it. If there are vegetarians in your group, you can make one pan with out the meat. You can also add chopped spinach and grated carrots to the vegetarian pan. Serve with salad, garlic bread, and brownie sundaes for dessert.

Lasagna | top

1 pound ground meat (sausage, beef, turkey or a combination)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (1 pound 4 oz) tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp sal
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
½ pound lasagna noodles, cooked
1 pound ricotta
1 egg
2 tsp parsley flakes
½ cup grate Parmesan
½ cup mozzarella, shredded

Brown the meat and garlic. (You may need a little oil if only using ground turkey.) Drain the fat. Drain off about ½ the juice of the tomatoes. Add drained tomatoes, sauce, and seasonings to the meat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Mix the ricotta, egg and parsley in a separate bowl. Cook noodles until just tender. Drain and rinse. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, and cover the bottom with about 1/3 of the meat mixture. Then cover with 1 layer of noodles. Spread ½ the ricotta on top of the noodles, and sprinkle with 1/3 the mozzarella and ½ Parmesan. Repeat. Top with remaining meat mixture and mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes after removing from oven. 

Brownies | top

Four Squares Unsweetened Baking Chocolate (or ¾ cup cocoa and 4 Tbs butter)
¾  Sticks butter
2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Melt chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for two minutes. Stir. If not completely melted after two minutes place back in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking time, until melted. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour and nuts. Stir until blended. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Cool in the pan.

To serve, cut into squares, and place a square in a bowl. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.

Finishing touch

Don't forget to provide a variety of  beverages for your guests tastes. You may want coffee with dessert.

Entertaining your friends in your home does not have to be a stressful event for you or your budget. Plan ahead, keep it simple, and enjoy your evening with friends.