What kind of meal(s) do you like to fix for another people?

FMZ

Are we talking the opposite sex, like for a candlelight dinner, or having a family over for dinner?

FMZ

averyniceguy

FMZ, it does not matter who you fix it for.

FMZ

Well, I am used to making food in bulk (being raised in a family of 7 taught me that)... so no matter what I make, I make a lot of it. Some dishes are much easier when just for 2 tho ;)

I've cooked a few times for my roommate and his wife now, but I've got a mission: to teach them that not all vegetarian food is rabbit food :) Usually I like to make spaghetti bolognese, or veggie rice (despite how it sounds, it's VERY tasty). When I cook for people, I really like to use fresh veggies and make it from scratch... I find it tastes better than all those processed foods :)

Here's a couple of my favorite recipes that I like to cook for company:

Veggie Bolognese This is a modified version of a recipe I have cooked since I was about 12 years old with my mother. It obviously used to use beef (and gravy), but I decided I couldn't live without my comfort-food forever, and modified the recipe to use nice meaty shiitake mushrooms. Ingredients 6 large shiitake mushrooms, rinsed handful of button mushrooms, rinsed 3 medium sized onions 16 plum tomatos small can of tomato paste ketchup! 2 tablespoons of dried oregano / large sprig of oregano 3 garlic cloves Chop up the shiitake mushrooms and onions, smaller is better for these, you want the flavor but preferably not the texture. Throw them in a large saucepan with a little oil. Cook on medium heat until the onions are browned. Dice the plum tomatos while the onions are browning, but not too small... you want a little texture from the tomatos. Seems like a lot right now, but they will cook down. Throw the tomatos in with the onions and mushrooms. Also at this point, throw in the tomato paste, but don't forget to get the last remains of the paste out of the can with a spoon, and eat it like cookie-dough . Also at this point, it's time for the ketchup. Now I know what you are thinking, "All these nice fresh veggies, and you are ruining it with KETCHUP!", but the ketchup adds just a little sweetness to the tomato-ey flavor, just a couple of squirts will do, not too much! Now for the garlic, peel and slice the garlic cloves (doesn't have to be too fine, the flavor will cook into the rest of the sauce) and throw it in. Oregano... you can't have too much of it in this sauce! About 2 heaped tablespoons usually does the job if you are using dried oregano, but if you are using it fresh, be prepared to be tearing a whole lot of it. Add as much as you like to taste. Finally, slice the button mushrooms into the pan, I like to make these a little chunky to give some texture. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a glass of water, and let simmer for a couple of hours. Generally I let it simmer for at least two hours, that seems to bring it to a nice consistency, still giving a little texture from the tomatos. Serving Suggestion Toss in a pound of cooked whole grain pasta, preferably spaghetti. Take some nice bread, spread with a little garlic butter (or alternatively, toast a couple of slices of good bread, and rub a cut garlic clove over the surface, then butter) and bake for a few minutes to crisp. Finally, and most importantly, a nice glass of merlot accompanies this quite perfectly.

Veggie rice This recipe came from the desire to make something simple, yet filling and tasty (and healthy goes without saying) Wink . It's pretty much just every vegetable you can find, thrown in with rice... but here's my usual recipe. Ingredients handful of button mushrooms, rinsed 2 medium sized onions 2 red bell peppers 5 carrots 1/2lb asparagus tips 1lb brown rice Chop up the mushrooms, peppers and onions, again, smaller is better with the onions. Saute over a medium heat until the onions and peppers are browned. Meanwhile, chop your carrots and throw them and the asparagus tips in another pan over high heat, putting enough water in to cover, and salt to taste. Don't cook these too long like this. Once they have boiled for a couple of minutes, throw in some more water and add the rice. I don't like to waste all of the stuff that boils into the water from the carrots and asparagus, so we can soak as much of it into the rice as possible Once the rice is cooked, your veggies should be just about perfect. Strain if you need to (I'm a very inexact cook, so I can never do that thing where you use the perfect amount of water for however much rice you are making). Now, toss it all in together, throw your caramelized onion, pepper and mushroom mixture in with the rice and veggies, add a little salt and pepper, and you are good to go. Serving Suggestion This is great to stuff mushrooms / peppers with. Either get some stuffer mushrooms or some nicely shaped red bell-peppers, and stuff it chock full of rice (with mushrooms I find it best to roast them beforehand, otherwise the rice dries out a little on top by the time the mushroom is done). I like to put a little parmesan and romano cheese on top of mine before roasting to give a little extra flavor . I haven't had wine with these, but I expect a nice light cabernet would go quite well with the earthy flavors.

I have made both of these for my roommate's family and they love them. :)

FMZ

averyniceguy

FMZ, both recipes sound appealing to me, I will print them out. Thanks!

Vivamus

when i have large groups coming over for dinner (large as in more then 4 ) I simple set a perfect table, and we have a fondue Bourguignonne (or however you englisch speakers call having tiny pans on the table with raw veggies, meat and fish, which you bake yoursleves during a 3 to 4 hour dinner party.)

Otherwise, when I feel relaxed and actually have time ... I like to make lam-enchiladas, roast lam, grilled salmon, overdishes with chicken or ... anything really, i love cooking.

What kind of meal(s) do you like to fix for another people?

averyniceguy

FMZ

averyniceguy

FMZ

averyniceguy

Vivamus

puck

Vivamus

puck

kristyann

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