Dinner party/recipe help!

[Colleen27]

I'm going to have about a dozen guests for dinner a week from Friday and I'm hoping y'all can help me think up some ideas for what to serve that work around the craziness we have going on that night.

My daughter's confirmation is at 5:30 p.m. We're having people over afterwards for dinner. It can't be before mass because we got Frozen on Ice tickets for that morning (11 a.m. show) long before the confirmation was scheduled, so I'm not going to have a lot of free time between the show and mass.

Here's the problem: It is a Friday during Lent, so no meat. My husband is allergic to fish, so it has to be seafood or vegetarian. And of course I'll be at mass with the family, not at home to get the food ready, so I need something that can be prepped in advance and won't take a lot of heating time immediately before serving. My oven does have a timer/delay start setting so at least there is that.

I think I'm set for appetizer ideas - shrimp cocktail, caprese "kabobs" (on toothpicks), smoked salmon and cheese plate, hummus with pita chips, a veggie tray, all homemade, plus a sushi party tray from a local shop DD likes. But I'm at a loss for a main course.

Any suggestions?

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Eggplant parmigiana can be prepared ahead of time and then just baked. Baked ziti is another idea, along with a salad. Baked flounder is a fish suggestion. We bake it sprinkled with garlic and bread crumb. You can preparebthe fish then keepnin fridge until its time to bake it.

 

[verleniahall]

be carefull with seafood/fish - i know you are restircted, but there are alot of people with allergies to those.

What about "build your own nachos?" you could do a buffet of the items - you COULD do some meat in there, and those who are not catholic can choose to have those, and then you would have leftovers for another night.

 

[powellrj]

What about a hearty soup in your crock-pot. I was thinking like a bean soup or a vegetable and a hearty bread?

 

[Cheetie]

I'd do a veggie or cheese and spinach lasagna. Both can be prepared ahead and popped in the oven.

 

[HeatherC]

Spinach Lasagna...can do it in the Crock Pot so it is ready when you get home. Could also do a Crock Pot Mac and Cheese....serve with a salad and some bread.

 

[HannaBelle]

I would do a baked pasta, set on time bake in the oven so it is hot and ready when you get back home. You can make the pasta the day before, just under cook your pasta because it will absorb liquid while it sits in the fridge.

I like the "make your own nachos" idea too!

 

[Happy Snowman]

Weird that they would have confirmation during Lent??? I would go with a soup or meatless pasta dish. They are easy to make ahead of time and can stay warm during the ceremony.

 

[PigletsPal2]

Is pork considered meat? I'm not Catholic so I don't know. If it's allowed, jambalaya with ham and shrimp is easy; otherwise, just use the shrimp.

Queen Colleen

 

[teacherlisa1978]

Maybe fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp? Or the Mac and cheese idea is good. Either one with salad and bread works well. I agree-I've never heard of a confirmation during Lent. Interesting.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

That is a really tough dilemma!!! I would do probably do mostaccioli.

Pasta will cook quickly, if you make homemade sauce you can simmer in a crockpot. You could do white and red if you have 2 crockpots.

Have salad, garlic bread, baked potato side and a veggie.

With the baked potatoes, I think you could do those in your oven with the timer. You don't have to worry about refrigeration.

 

[eliza61]

Some one mentioned my "go to" big dish, eggplant lasagna but my second one is New Orleans jambalaya. The great thing is that you can substitute out the meat and use shrimp, crawdads, scallops etc (depending on allergies).

Another favorite but a bit pricey for large crowds is a seafood fra diavola. Tons of recipes on line and another dish where you can make ahead and alter to taste.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipe/17454_Shrimp_Fra_Diavolo_with_Linguini/

 

[mjkacmom]

Lasagna, salad, bread. I wouldn't do seafood, since some people don't eat it (I personally love it all). Same with eggplant (although I love it).

 

[Kogo Shuko]

Whenever I have a get together, I usually make meatballs. I have a recipe for Raspberry Balsamic meatballs that people constantly request, so these days I don't really have much of a choice!

 

[mjkacmom]

Whenever I have a get together, I usually make meatballs. I have a recipe for Raspberry Balsamic meatballs that people constantly request, so these days I don't really have much of a choice!

The problem the OP is having with her menu is that Catholics can't eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

 

[Kogo Shuko]

The problem the OP is having with her menu is that Catholics can't eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

Sorry, that'll teach me to skim.

 

[Kogo Shuko]

The problem the OP is having with her menu is that Catholics can't eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

So here's a question... if you can't eat meat on Fridays (but fish.......), can you eat dairy?

If yes, what about a nice, homestyle macaroni and cheese??

 

[mjkacmom]

So here's a question... if you can't eat meat on Fridays (but fish.......), can you eat dairy?

If yes, what about a nice, homestyle macaroni and cheese??

Yes, dairy is okay.

 

[BellsFam]

The problem the OP is having with her menu is that Catholics can't eat meat on Fridays during Lent.

We're catholic but we only abstain from eating red meat, (but for that matter cut out all dairy by Easter if you practice that you could do a chicken taco braid? I've had lots of success with this for dinner parties...

 

[Colleen27]

Weird that they would have confirmation during Lent??? I would go with a soup or meatless pasta dish. They are easy to make ahead of time and can stay warm during the ceremony.

I know, right? I was confirmed in May, DD's friends who were confirmed last year had the service in May, and when DD brought home the details in Jan I didn't even process the "March" part. I skimmed it and thought "May" until we got the reminder last week.

I really thought they didn't do confirmations during Lent - they don't schedule baptisms or weddings, but I guess the bishop's schedule dictates when each parish's confirmation will be and ours is early this year. It is going to be so icky and sloppy outside too; right now the forecast is calling for mid-30s with a 70% chance of "wintery mix".

Some one mentioned my "go to" big dish, eggplant lasagna but my second one is New Orleans jambalaya. The great thing is that you can substitute out the meat and use shrimp, crawdads, scallops etc (depending on allergies).

Another favorite but a bit pricey for large crowds is a seafood fra diavola. Tons of recipes on line and another dish where you can make ahead and alter to taste.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipe/17454_Shrimp_Fra_Diavolo_with_Linguini/

Wow, that looks good. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try a new recipe for guests, though! I like using my family as guinea pigs first.

Seafood is fine with the group we have coming - just extended family and fairly close friends, so there's no "unknown allergy" factor to worry about. Jambalaya is a great idea! I make a pretty good crockpot version and if I sub scallops and/or crawdads for the sausage it would be Lent-friendly.

I can't believe I didn't even think of lasagna. I used to make that all the time for Lent but since we started volunteering at the parish fish fry (school fundraiser) I don't have to cook on Fridays - workers eat free and DH makes do with their mac & cheese, salad and veggies. But for 20+ people, I think jambalaya sounds like the easier option.