Serious Dilemma

Folks, I'm in a real pickle.

I read this amazing book called "For the Love" by Jen Hatmaker, and she talks a lot about loving people like Jesus did and such. Now don't stop reading thinking this is a preachy post. I promise, it's not.

Jen made this really fun suggestion to do a once-a-month supper group with friends, to create a tight knit community and do life together. The rules are as follows (because every organic group has rules bahaha) - the person hosting is the one who does all the cooking and all the cleaning. Those coming over just get to eat, and be fat and happy. The next month, it's at the next persons house. Next month, next person and so on.

Another fun part of this dinner group? You make things you've never prepared before for the adults. As the two families I have coming over have 6 kids between the two of them all under the age of 5, I'm making them a pot of spaghetti and sitting them on a tarp. Bwahah.

You can see my dilemma.

I need recipes. DINNER IS THIS FRIDAY, YOU GUYS. I have NOTHING planned.

What is something fun, easy but fancyish (because I have new platters I want to dress up lol), and isn't seafood, because I am a picky eater? What's your dinner go-to!

Spaghetti Bolognaise with a decent glass of red. May not be all that fancy but, by heavens, is it delicious!

Spiraled ham in the Crock-Pot...Easy fancy !

I've made both of these before!

My favorite ham is done with a coat of brown sugar and maple syrup, and then crock pot it with pineapple spears rolled in cinnamon and sugar. OMG my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

I really want to try a totally new to me recipe. Maybe I shouldn't and go with something I KNOW I can handle? Haha!

I use that coating as well...It's a wonderful dish to make and when cooking for a dinner party it works well for most taste buds lol

And it smells AMAZING!

Shepherd pie for everyone

Easy two dish preparation & you dish the mashed potatoes at the last heating

Pork tenderloin, brown sugar brussels sprouts with shallots, and roasted fingerling potatoes. They can all go in the oven at about the same temperature on a baking pan (or two) and come out at about the same time as well. Three easy dishes. Just marinate the tenderloin(s) in advance. It's also nice to have a soft loaf of bread/baguette with room temperature butter on the table before dinner. What's great about this meal is everything goes in the oven and won't get in the way of the spaghetti you're making on the stovetop.

Set the oven temp to 375F and check all dishes after 25-30 min, and then every 5 min afterward (usually everything's done around 35 minutes -- if something is done early, remove and cover to keep warm). Stir the brussels sprouts and potatoes once or twice while they're roasting. Recipes:
(1) Pork tenderloin = http://chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.com/2012/03/pork-tenderloin-with-pan-sauce.html
(2) Brussels sprouts = http://cookingbride.com/side-dishes/roasted-brussels-sprouts/
(3) Fingerling potatoes = http://thissillygirlslife.com/2015/10/rosemary-roasted-fingerling-potatoes/

Super easy and wholesome meal :) I'd suggest making two 1-lb. tenderloins for 4-6 adults.

EDIT: Actually, we've switched to making melting potatoes with this meal lately. MOUTH-WATERINGLY GOOD. These could take up to 45 min, but usually they're done sooner: https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/melting-potatoes/

If you want to make a dessert in advance, this lemon square recipe will give your guests a heart attack, and they'll thank you for it: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2008/11/lemon-bars.html#axzz4cYpRyd6w

I suggest white wine, probably a buttery chardonnay to pair with this meal. If you guys have Trader Joe's, Big Churn is an excellent chardonnay for ~$6.99.

Have a great time, bunches! I love this concept. So fun.

If you make spaghetti bologense, throw in a loaf of garlic bread and a side salad as well.

DEAR HEAVENS JANE YOU DO NOT DISAPPOINT.

I am drooling. I need to make those melting potatoes, for real. That sounds SO good!!! The spaghetti I am making will have everything made the day before (well, the sauce will be cooking in my crockpot all day) so that shouldn't be in the way. Now I'm super excited. Ha!

What are some fun/yummy non-alocholic drink options? It's supposed to be sunny so I thought a fun tea based sangria as opposed to wine based would be yummy. Or maybe water with raspberry and mint ice cubes. Something a little funky and different. And make little flowers out of lemons for the kiddos water (with a lid, no worries lol), and let's be honest, mine too lol.

I was watching Dinner at Tiffani's (Tiffani Thiessen's cooking show) and she made this amazingly delicious looking peach BBQ sauce for her pork tenderloin. She served it as medallions basically and drizzled it over. Maybe I'll try that too? Mix it all up a little bit. Mmmm. I love pork, it's so tasty.

I pretty much only drink coffee and wine. Oh man, that's really bad. The several non-alcoholic drink options you mentioned sound exquisite. Tea based sangria or water with raspberry and mint ice cubs, yum. Lemon flowers, so cute!
If you make a peach BBQ sauce for your pork tenderloin, let me know how it goes and send me your recipe. That sounds incredible. We occasionally make a riesling and peach preserves glazed ham that's very yummy. I love sweet meat.

EDIT: Before anyone freaks out, I also drink lots and lots of water. LOL.

Sweet meat is my absolute favorite. Jason doesn't mind it either so that's a pretty quick go-to in my house! Coffee & wine isn't a bad thing, haha. I had a sign that said Life is what happens between coffee & wine -- one of our big sellers haha

We have beer for the men and the gals are nursing, so no wine will be happening. Boo lol.

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/tiffani-thiessen/bbq-chicken-with-peach-barbecue-sauce

There's the recipe, though this was done with chicken. Jane, you'd probably really like this show, she has lots of good food but always has some fun cocktail or fun drink to pair with it! I want to cook EVERYTHING she makes.

I'll check out the show. That's right up my alley ;)

Also, she's kind of crazy. My kind of people, ha!!

A couple of curries with some naan bread and a few side dishes will feed a lot of people without too much effort from the hostess, If you want to stick with the Italian theme then maybe lasagne or cannelloni with crusty garlic bread and a big salad. Both these are tasty and easy to make. Mint & lime iced tea goes really well with curry.

Fish and chips.....

Can't go wrong with fish and chips and some home made tartar sauce. I'm drooling.

Larry, I really want to learn how to make shepherds pie. Nom nom.
Hellon, I have a tried and true recipe for a killer pumpkin coconut chicken curry if you're interested.

Yes Jane, I'd love the recipe. I'm a huge curry muncher and love trying out new ones :)

I add a tin of baked beans to the mince mixture in shepherd's pie...it's awesome!

I don't like seafood of any kind....

I know I'm weird.

Also I don't like curry... bahaha. I am such a picky eater you guys!!!

What about some sort of casserole? What do you normally eat Britt?

Tacos. Seriously we make tacos out of EVERYTHING.

Honey bbq shredded pork, fried corn tortillas, sour cream, mozzarella cheese.

Elk burger with onions, cheese, pickles.

Does anyone else put diced pickles in their tacos? Husbands family does and it freaked me out until I tried it. Yumm.

Due to insane schedules we had to reschedule our Friday dinner, but now I have ideas to cook all weekend!

Well that cuts your options down a fair bit Britt. I guess if you eat so many tacos you will already have one of these little gadgets...they're still a bit of a novelty in my household, that fact that you can eat the bowl after you eat the contents really appeals to my lot :)

https://www.amazon.com/Non-Stick-Tortilla-Shell-Makers-Set/dp/B001RDN2EA

All these innovative, fun, exciting dishes and I'm sitting here in shame because my reply was simply going to be: tacos. ;)
Very simple and I know how easy it is to just throw something together.

But good luck, Britt! I've heard about that cooking show before and when I go over to my friend's house (she's a vegan baker),
we watch quite a few cooking shows. There's always something to learn. I'm sure there will come a day when I'll be the one
asking for advice/ideas too... and I will desperately need them!

Don't you dare ever have shame over tacos! THEYRE THE BEST.

Hellon I don't have that, but I probably should, because who doesn't love taco bowls?! Yummy taco salad, it's one of the favorites in my home.. though instead of regular tortilla chips we use Nacho Cheese Doritos, because yum.

I've kind of realized I'm not super good at anything, just kinda okay at lots of things, so cooking and such is my new "thing" I'm going to master and excel at. I want to be the gal people come to for stuff like this, ha. If I just do it, I do it well, but it's the doing part... lol.

^^ I am eternally grateful for your taco support and our bond over them. That is unforgettable ^_^

Yes, you got this! The more you cook, the more you learn and I'm sure down the road you'll have some of your own tips/tricks others will want to know.

Just wanted to creep back in and say... I love tacos too!

For real, who doesn't?

What's your favorite type of taco? Mmmmmmm tacos.

Is that a trick question? I've never met a taco I didn't like :)

My mom and I have the same style where we season ground beef and then lay out all of the chopped veggies and toppings in different bowls so you can put your own taco(s) together. Tomato, onion, lettuce, avocado, cilantro, cheddar cheese, lime, tapatillo, sour cream. Also a big fan of shredded chicken, carnitas, carne asada, fish, etc. Can't go wrong! Nom nom nom. Sometimes we'll deep fry the tortillas if we're feeling extra gluttonous.