dinner ideas :: "something informal"

ok, I'm cooking dinner tomorrow for a friend, and was requested to cook something "informal"...

*wtf!? is that woman's speak for something else!? she loved my last meal, enough to ask for the recipe, and I've had to cook it again... but informal!?

I need some ideas. I was going to cook either eggplant parmigiana over tomato basil penne pasta with the appetizer being a fresh fruit salad - mostly melon balls with some fresh strawberries, grapes, what not - and just keep it light like that, with a white wine - perhaps a gewurtraminer.

I never told her of my plans, but with this new stipulation... me am confused...

so, any ideas?

oh, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is too informal...

Eggplant parm is definately informal. I think 'informal' means you didn't spend 6 hours prepping, or that is notoriously difficult. (Souffle's, Creme Brulee...anything French sounding)

A good rule of thumb? Anything Jamie Oliver has on his show. Yeah yeah, I know pop culture cooking and whatnot, but he stays safely within informal bounds without being boring.

You can liven up that fruit salad by going with non traditional fruits, star fruit, mangos, papaya. Maybe just toss some cherry tomatoes and oil in with the pasta instead of a regualar sauce.

What about dessert?

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Originally posted by PAlexC
I think 'informal' means you didn't spend 6 hours prepping, or that is notoriously difficult. (Souffle's, Creme Brulee...anything French sounding)

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Hit it right on the nose with that one! :D

I agree though, as long as she'll know right away what it is she's eating and will have no trouble eating it, you should be fine.

Ice cream sundae's for dessert? ;)



h

hmm. these women and their riddles...

I would suggest tapas or something along those lines...kinda finger-foodish yet special...for me its kinda of a safe middle ground - jamie oliver is a good example of that casual coutour style.

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/147/0.shtml

http://tntn.essortment.com/tapasrecipes_ruym.htm

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Originally posted by PAlexC
Eggplant parm is definately informal. I think 'informal' means you didn't spend 6 hours prepping, or that is notoriously difficult. (Souffle's, Creme Brulee...anything French sounding)

A good rule of thumb? Anything Jamie Oliver has on his show. Yeah yeah, I know pop culture cooking and whatnot, but he stays safely within informal bounds without being boring.

You can liven up that fruit salad by going with non traditional fruits, star fruit, mangos, papaya. Maybe just toss some cherry tomatoes and oil in with the pasta instead of a regualar sauce.

What about dessert?

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the marinara sauce is freshly made... I use cherry and roma tomatoes in my sauce mostly.

I have to be careful with the fruits... she's allergic to a couple... and I damn forgot! I know peaches was one, but I can't remember if it was mango, papaya, guava, or pineapple. and asking... well, I'll be giving the fact that I forgot away :(

thanks for the link. lemme see what I can come up with.

if she actually liked spicy foods, I'd love to make my specialty, jerked chicken. jamaican cuisine for the uninitiated; you dirty minded people. :p

dessert? hell if I know. that's a tomorrow decision.

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Originally posted by gerbick
I have to be careful with the fruits...

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Yea. :p

Quote:

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Originally posted by gerbick
dessert? hell if I know. that's a tomorrow decision.

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This contradicts my earlier statement, but Creme brulee needs at least 6 hours to set up, just be forewarned.

However, lighting the candles with the torch is a neet little intro to dessert that works well.

you just want any excuse to use that new torch

please...don't speak ill of the torch when it's listening. you might make it upset...click click...

Quote:

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Originally posted by gerbick
I was going to cook either eggplant parmigiana over tomato basil penne pasta with the appetizer being a fresh fruit salad - mostly melon balls with some fresh strawberries, grapes, what not - and just keep it light like that, with a white wine - perhaps a gewurtraminer.

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Good lordy. That's "informal?" How about Wendy's instead?

Pasta is pretty informal, thats what i usually use for that kind of dinners, maybe pesto, if you like it.

Quote:

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Originally posted by PAlexC
This contradicts my earlier statement, but Creme brulee needs at least 6 hours to set up, just be forewarned.

However, lighting the candles with the torch is a neet little intro to dessert that works well.

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not raining on your time with your torch; **** creme brulee. she want informal, it's gonna be oreo cookies.

...mac & cheese mixed with ground beef and a beer.







:D

You call that informal?

gawd!

Informal to me would be basic bruchetta for entree

Handmade pasta for mains (spinach/sundried tomato/egg pastas - all three - made into ribbons - melds with sauces better)

Make the sauce simple and chunky - not pureed.

Spend more effort on the desert... women love deserts that are gluttenous, rich, powerful and sensual. That is why creme brulee works so well. Pear Creme Brulee is lovely as the pears contrast the creamy texture of the custard

Chocolate anything is always good though ;)

Quote:

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Originally posted by gerbick
not raining on your time with your torch; **** creme brulee. she want informal, it's gonna be oreo cookies.

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Gerbick, when she says 'informal', it's like when you say 'what do you want for your birthday' and she says 'oh you don't have to get me anything, it's not a big deal'.

so... I guess turkey sammiches ain't the way, eh?

I just bought some lime jello too!

I say go with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches :D

Informal?

Order a pie and get naked already!

30 minute meals: ---> http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show...D_9997,00.html

This thread is too much for me. I live in a family that thinks we have to have Schwann's (food delivery service) every single night. I hate it. And there's so much yumminess here, in this thread, that I'm about into a seizure.

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Originally posted by nightwish
I say go with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches :D

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LOL....now *THAT* is informal, if that dosen't impress her, then she's too hard to please.

PS..Dont forget the wine.

Tony

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Originally posted by XU1
LOL....now *THAT* is informal, if that dosen't impress her, then she's too hard to please.

PS..Dont forget the wine.

Tony

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don't be a fool, everyone knows its diet pepsi that goes with peanut butter sandwiches :D


how about some steak and fries if she's the eating type, if not some chicken fajitas, simple, yet spicey enough and easy and fun to make, she can even help with slicing some stuff

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Originally posted by el-Ignoramus
don't be a fool, everyone knows its diet pepsi that goes with peanut butter sandwiches :D

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HAHAHA....a bit of class will help though...:D

Tony

No no no no no... kids... what are you thinking... informal is finger food... something light so you won't be all bloated with food... you know... for when you... ahem... do your work out... ahem... ;)

I'd go with the pasta, either with pesto, or chop a red chilli and a clove of garlic
finely, let it stand in olive oil then heat it up when the pasta's ready and mix in. Serve with parmesan. Spanish tortilla (potatoes, onion and eggs) is good, too, with a salad, some good bread and cheese (brie or roquefort). Damn, only midday, and now I want dinner.

home made pizza or taco! taco is so freaking good, but noone eat it enough. i htink we have taco at least once a week :D

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Originally posted by bigginge
I'd go with the pasta, either with pesto, or chop a red chilli and a clove of garlic...

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Pungent foods won't facilitate the...ahem...workout markp was alluding to.

How do you think the little Italians and Spaniards are made? Garlic isn't pungent if you both eat it, and it's an aphrodisiac, as are chillies. Trust me, I have 3 children. Though beer may have played a part.

I did not know that, point well made.

I highly recommend fondue


If only I knew how to cook, or had time to learn. I live off of frozen pizzas and fast food

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Originally posted by yasunobu13
I highly recommend fondue

If only I knew how to cook, or had time to learn. I live off of frozen pizzas and fast food

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How to cook? Fondue is just melted cheese... hahaha :D

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Originally posted by Markp.com
How to cook? Fondue is just melted cheese... hahaha :D

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hence the reason that I can handle it, some of the stuff mentioned in this thread are gibberish to me.

It is not just melted cheese :) A lot goes into it! LOL


But better than cheese fondue, do a chocolate fondue for desert ;)


hot sticky chocolate ;)

By the way, I still haven't been able to tell - is this a "special" friend, or just a friendly friend?

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Originally posted by Ultima Designs
By the way, I still haven't been able to tell - is this a "special" friend, or just a friendly friend?

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Oh, they're all special when it comes to Gerbs.

just go get a bunch of stuff for sub sandwiches( bread, veggies, different meats, sauces, ect...)soda, juice, beer, wine, chips, set it all out in your kitchen like it was your own personal sub shop and let her build her own sub sandwich and choose her own drink just the way she likes it.

then what she doesnt eat becomes left overs for the midnight munchies after the ahem...mark was implying, if there is no ahem...
then it is left overs for eating an posting to the boards.

simple, cheap and makes it look like you really care even though its just about the left overs. ;)

ok... figured it out.

charleston she-crab soup *went to a local restaurant this morning to learn how to cook it* and went and hit up the local Williams-Sonoma for a chocolate fondue set *ha! I just saw that it made an appearance in this thread* and some fresh strawberries for the dessert.

gonna make a thin, wheat/garlic/rosemary pita crisp to go with the soup *fancier than soup crackers* but no idea for the entree. probably just go with that because I'm hitting the limits of what "informal" may mean...

now... the damn she-crab soup has sherry in it... should I serve a sweet(er) white wine with it, or go opposite with a burgundy?

Wow...I must have been raised differently, but that sounds really formal to me...

naw, prep time is under 10 minutes.

*thank GOD I live in a town with a lot of seafood*

A good rule of thumb is to match sweet wine with sweet food, acidic wine with acidic or salty food, spicy wine with spicy food, red wine with red meat and white wine with white,

Seafood and shellfish...
Crabmeat, being richer, needs a light wine such as Riesling.