100 Things I Want To Teach My Daughter #73 Never Try A New Recipe OnCompany~

#73 Never try a new recipe on company~

My dearest fox, I cannot express enough how dangerous it would be to try a new recipe with company. If you are anything like your mother, having company for dinner can be a stressful time. So don't go making it more stressful by trying a new recipe. That shits for amateurs.

My advice is simple. Have two go-too recipes for company. Actually have three...one needs to be vegetarian. Focus on a nice vegetarian pasta dish, if you are not sure about your guests (if you have a larger crowd) eating habits then pull together your pasta. At least you'll have back up if you run into that awfully uncomfortable moment when one guest announces "I'm so sorry, I should have mentioned that I'm a vegetarian."
I will leave below my go-too vegetarian pasta dish, its quick and easy and delicious and it can also be served as a side dish with those who enjoy meat.

Kailey, always have a few dishes that are easy to make. Friends don't really care what you serve them, they just enjoy the night out with you. Keep it simple, but focus on the small things. Have a classy signature drink at each dinner party. One appetizer, something simple but elegant, serve your meal and end with a nice store bought dessert. DON'T put the time and energy into a homemade dessert, especially if you are a busy working mom and wife. SIMPLICITY.

However, sometimes you have those dinner parties where you order the food. Delivery at its finest..you know Chinese food, Thai, pizza etc. if this is the case and there is NO shame in that. If you have the time, compliment that take away dinner with a nice homemade dessert.

If you are entertaining families, and there happens to be a bunch of kids at the dinner table. My advice to you freckled fox is keep dinner plain. Most kids hate onions, green peppers and mushrooms. So don't make anything that a bunch of kids are going to sift through looking for onion chunks.
Spaghetti fox, pull out the spaghetti. All kids love that, use a very plain pasta sauce for the kids. Put out parmesan cheese so they can add that themselves. Kids love garlic bread, and don't forget the cesar salad.
Of course you can always spruce up the adult pasta with veggies in the pasta sauce. Just remember keep it simple.

Dessert with kids is always fun. If you remember I always had desserts that you kids could help "make" yourselves. Always remember if you let kids assist with the preparing and making of food...there's a higher chance they'll eat it.

Spinach Manicotti

~16 oz part-skimmed ricotta cheese
~2 cups of Mozzarella cheese
~1 large egg
~1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
~one large bag of baby spinach, cooked, drained and dried
~12 cooked according to package manicotti shells
~32 0z of your favorite pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 375
In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, egg, spinach, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese mix well.
Fill your manicotti shells with the spinach mixture, once lined in your pan cover with pasta sauce and sprinkle with extra mozzarella cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and back 20-25 minutes.
Now depending on whether or not you have children at your dinner party, I would serve something they can help with. Like brownie sundays, give them choices of toppings and let them have some fun with it. That kind of dessert is always a hit.
BUT if its an all adult party, think rich...like a cheese cake or something.

I want you to take away from this post that it truly doesn't matter what you serve at a dinner party, your guests will only want to spend time with you.

But never ever try a new recipe when having people over for dinner. It will only stress you out...like I mentioned earlier always have your go-too recipe. Don't forget to always have a favorite pot-luck recipe, and the popular "sorry you are ill, sorry there was a death in your family, congratulations on your new baby recipe", Find something that's quick but loved by everyone. Something you can drop off to a neighbour, friend, relative or acquaintance especially when they are needing it. My go too is my shells and when I feed large groups I always have a big roasting pan full of those, they make a good dish.

Most importantly: prepare as much of your meal beforehand. Don't spend all your time in the kitchen once your company arrives. Try to have the prep work done, make your night easy go lucky. You want to enjoy it too...so if that means just cooking a box of Kraft Dinner and some cut up hot dogs...then do it. Good friends will bring the ketchup and cheap wine~
Well my darling, you have lots of time before this takes place. But as your mom its important to me that I leave you with this little bit of dining entertainment. Someday you will read this and think about our dinner parties. Hopefully just maybe...you'll thank  me for this~ xo