How often do you open up your home and have people over for dinner?
With my return to work this fall came a determination to keep my marriage and my kids at the top of my priority list, and, as such, I have not had the time I would like to devote to friendships and sharing life with others. This has been hard for me because I am a social person, but I really didn’t want to have too much on the ol’ proverbial plate this fall. Now that I have a better idea of what the work-life balance is looking like, I feel ready to start being more intentional about having people back into our home, especially for dinners. I find it so easy to just get sucked into our own little busy bubble and the thought of getting the house cleaned for company can feel insurmountable, but it’s always worth it.
Do you wish you entertained more? When you have people over for dinner, do you have a go-to knock-their-socks off meal you like to prepare? If so, do tell! I need some ideas.
i know exactly what you mean. we never have people over any more largely because i’m so overwhelmed with my own bubble that it seems too much to cook and clean for others. but i miss that element of life – socializing with friends in my home. one thing that has worked for me in the past is things that can be prepped the night before. this roast chicken recipe is great because it’s marinated overnight the night before and then just popped in the oven 2 hrs before guests arrive. serve with roast or mashed potatoes, some steamed veggies or salad, french bread or crackers with dips…very quick and easy:
I usually do two of these at the same time because the chicken is great for sandwiches and salads throughout the week. Each chicken feeds 4-5 people in my house.
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> In a large Ziploc bag, put the following:
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> Juice from 3 lemons
> 5 mashed up garlic cloves
> Handful chopped Italian parsley (flat-leaf)
> 2 tbsp salt
> Lots of freshly ground pepper
> Splash of olive oil.
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> Mash up ingredients in bag. Insert washed and patted dry whole chicken. Marinate for as long as you can (overnight is best, but even few hours is good).
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> Dump chicken and marinade into roasting pan and roast for 90 minutes at 375, uncovered.
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> I serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans. My kids’ favourite dinner. You will delicious lemony-garlic pan juices that are delicious drizzled over the chicken and potatoes.
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> Amreen xoxoxoxo
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Love having people for dinner! Try to have someone over weekly, and of course in the summer often it is several times/week. It helps me get/keep my house tidy…
I like to do different things, but the reigning theme is simplicity. I like to enjoy my company. Always remind myself of Mary and Martha! soup and salad and buns for lunch after church, grilled chicken and salads for a mommy lunch, appies for a movie night with friends… I also like a themed dinner- war wonton soup And Asian appies, Italian or even a pizza night.
Go to’s- steak/chicken on the BBQ. I like to invite 2 couples/ families and get 1 to bring salad and 1 to bring dessert then I can just do appy and main!
Cooking and cleaning? Definitely exhausting! But so much fun to have people over. We don’t do it very often, but once we do it one weekend it seems easier to host more people the next. Maybe cause the house is kinda, sorta clean still? Love to make italian bread: http://www.wannalickthespoon.blogspot.com/2008/10/italian-bread-wedges.html Great flavor and my kids like it too. Or we just do popcorn or chips with friends that don’t have kids…after the kiddos are in bed, we visit. And we also have a couple of friends that have seen our house at it’s worst and still feel totally comfortable coming over, even though not everything is in place. 🙂
i love having people over. my s.i.l. feels bad since she wants to help me out in the kitchen but i really, REALLY feel useful when i’m doing fancy foodie things that i know the taller people will eat. i don’t feel at all glamourous plunking fish sticks on the table…but a lobster bisque? huzzahhh!!!
my b.i.l. and family are staying with us for a week and i’m going to go food nuts! yay! it’ll be like a dinner party every night for a week! we’ll revisit this post after they leave…:-)
I’m with you, lady. and I find when we’re inviting people over, I cook more, and fancier than usual. (Kids really suck the culinary-life out of me.) It’s a habit I want to get back into. Also? I need to step up my vegetarian-manue game – I feel like I have more and more friends with veg/vegan/dairy-free/gluten-free issues… man, I miss Gourmet magazine. I have to get into browsing online mags more – I’m completely uninspired these days.
Inviting people over cures me of that though… what time will you be here? Great, 7 it is!!
We’ve never had people over for dinner except one year I hosted the inlaws for Christmas Supper. We often do desserts, BYOM and the like. I always say we don’t have real space to have people over. But this year I’m throwing a Girls Nite at the Oscars. I haven’t totally figured out the meal, lots of dietary restrictions in my group, but it will end in red velvet cupcakes. And we’ll be eating at the fold down tables in the basement with borrowed chairs from the Church, but I’m going to decorate it up! I hope this will help me to entertain for more than just the girls birthday parties!