What do you cook for company?

[Cheesy_Goodness]

You've got a small gathering planned at your house. Nothing fancy, just a few people getting together. What's on the menu?

Lately I've been smoking boston butts. It's easy, doesn't require maintenance, and it's very tasty. Pizza is always a crowd pleaser too. :rockin:

So, what do you cook when you have company?
Looking for something different this weekend

 

[kaconga]

Baked salmon with a nice herb salad is really good this time of year. Another fave is chili or a hearty soup.

 

[Rivenin]

Pizza - always easy and cheap to boot

Kahlua pork - crockpot a butt for 4-5 hours on high with liquid smoke... toss out some buns and something on the side. always easy and super good

Sliders are always fun, do 2-3 different kinds of them... not terribly bad. Once did a normal Bison burger with cheese, a teriyaki one and swiss mushroom

Ribs are easy too.... crockpot for a few hours and finish them on the grill

Wings! toss a **** ton in the oven, split half with BBQ sauce and the other half with buffalo sauce

Salmon in the oven is easy and make a simple rice dish or israili couscous on the side

those are my go to things

 

[fuelish]

I like to make my "pork Italiano" .....saute some green and red peppers with some onions, brown some cubed pork chops, toss it all in a large frying pan with Italian seasoning (generic mix works fine) and a jar of good pasta sauce, cover with foil and simmer until pork is cooked. A nice side salad and a good loaf of ciabatta or any kind of crusty sourdough, perhaps some adult beverages (mead, anyone???) .....easy dinner, folks generally like it a lot

 

[pointcity-homebrew]

Warm Gumbo Dip with toasted french baguette, more of an appetizer/snack.
Stuffed shells, one of my favorite dishes
We cook steak a good bit, costs an arm and a leg these days.
Lasagna

 

[Rockn_M]

I will usually do a pork butt or smoked chicken and now I'm getting into homemade pizza on the grill.

 

[mb82]

Chicken stir-fry.

Carne asada tacos.

 

[DromJohn]

SWMBO has been making paella, with whatever seafood catches her fancy.

 

[CadiBrewer]

SWMBO has been making paella, with whatever seafood catches her fancy.

This. I have a great recipe for paella on the grill. I prep everything ahead of time and then take it outside and cook it on the Weber kettle while everyone is sitting around drinking sangria and beer. Easy as hell and a crowd pleaser every time.

 

[bruteforce]

Lamb burgers with a whiskey, cream, and bleu cheese sauce, sauteed oyster mushrooms, and asparagus wrapped in prosciutto.

 

[paperairplane]

I like Italian saute dishes served over angel hair. Marsala or Piccatta are easy crowd pleasers - much can be prepped ahead of time, and you can add veggies like peppers, squash and mushrooms to cut down on overall cost.

I've been on a flank / flat iron kick lately when grilling - I like to serve with chimichurri sauce of fresh herbs and roasted root vegs.

Traditional Sunday Catholic dinner - pasta and a nice braciole, which is flank stuffed with things like sundried tomatoes, spinach and provolone, then rolled and braised until tender.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

Likes all around.

If you have a good recipe its hard to go wrong with old fashioned spaghetti and meatballs. Or, as Grandma would say (God I miss her sometimes) "you have company coming? Start a pot'a'sauce!"

 

[TheCADJockey]

I love making fried rice and adding a ton of stuff into it. Its super easy to make once you get a couple under your belt and can be really fun to be making something so tasty while half paying attention and drinking with friends in the kitchen. Just turning around now and then and throwing in more crap and mixing and flipping.

Then of course, your choice of quickly stir fried meats and veggies. If you set it up right you can make the whole thing into a fun experience letting people pick what they want, or just as easily, make a massive wok of fried rice and one of stir fry. Ugh. Hungry.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Totino's and popcorn.

I am not a big fan of having company.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

My wife makes some stuffed mushroom appetizers that are insanely good.

Using large white mushrooms, wash and remove the stems. Mix cream cheese, bread crumb, bacon bits and cheddar cheese into a paste, and fill the mushrooms. Bake until GBD.

 

[Devin]

It gets expensive, but we have an annual party at my house where I have live Maine lobsters shipped in. We steam some and grill some. The fun part is letting those who haven't experienced it try their hand at helping to prepare a live lobster. It is quite entertaining to watch, actually.

Anyway, just another idea.

 

[agrazela]

If my Mother in Law's coming over, it's steak. But she brings it over, so that saves me some major coin.

If my daughters have any say, it's ribs every time.

I like kebabs of all kinds. Especially in a Middle-Eastern spiced marinade. Some lamb and some chicken (for those chicken of lamb).

But whatever it is, it's from the grill, baby.

 

[Evets]

Lots of good ideas here but, yeah, I'm a pizza guy so that's what I usually go to. I usually invite anyone to bring whatever toppings they like or make their own dough or whatever and fire up the big oven out back.

 

[JonM]

Depends on the occasion. If it's a get-together for a Packer game or something, I'll smoke a pork butt or put a couple corned beef brisket flats in the slow cooker. If we're getting fancy, I might do a stuffed pork loin, or bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin medallions, or grilled salmon or a roasted or smoked capon.

No matter the occasion, SWMBO is a master of appetizers, salads, and all things to go with all of the above.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

This is great, some fantastic ideas here.

One more I've tried with pretty good results is spanakopita (Greek spinach pie). It requires a metric ton of spinach to make a few pies, but the prep is easy and once it's put together it just needs popped in the oven and you're set.
Easy to make for a crowd and awfully tasty.

This. I have a great recipe for paella on the grill. I prep everything ahead of time and then take it outside and cook it on the Weber kettle while everyone is sitting around drinking sangria and beer. Easy as hell and a crowd pleaser every time.

Sounds awesome. Care to share the recipe?

 

[CadiBrewer]

Sounds awesome. Care to share the recipe?

Absolutely. Funny, it is a Spanish recipe from Mario Batali, but it is great.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/lobster-paella-on-the-grill

 

[Cyclman]

I make awesome BBQ, pork butt. Or burgers, it is amazing how many people can't cook a burger (including restaurants!).

My wife makes an insane, low fat buffalo chicken cheese dip that is to die for.

And of course, I usually have hundreds of bottles of homebrews, wines, meads, skeeter pee, ciders; and, a full bar.

We do throw pretty good parties, I must say. And I share my cigar humidor if the boys are nice.

 

[passedpawn]

Chicken marsala for a quickie meal. Grilled tenderloin roast for holidays.

Salmon steaks are also easy and quick on the grill, but not everyone likes fish. Know your audience!

 

[unionrdr]

Pit barbecued turkey of 12-13lb size is always a hit with pit barbecued taters & chip dip. Maybe add some grilled corn to that. Or my buffalo burger stew with rice or fresh spetzle. Or just pit barbecued cheese burgers that are huge with corn on the cob is always a winner.

 

[StonesBally]

For our guests today I'm making braised beef short ribs and oxtails in a sauce of roasted tomatillos, onion, garlic, mild Chile peppers, oregano, thyme, and homemade stock. Going to finish it with some lime and cilantro. On the side: mashed potatoes with aged cheddar, sour cream, chives, and butter, glazed carrots with chipotle, honey, and lime, roasted sweet potatoes and golden beets with black pepper and clarified butter, and homemade yeast doughnuts with cinnamon sugar for dessert.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

For our guests today I'm making braised beef short ribs and oxtails in a sauce of roasted tomatillos, onion, garlic, mild Chile peppers, oregano, thyme, and homemade stock. Going to finish it with some lime and cilantro. On the side: mashed potatoes with aged cheddar, sour cream, chives, and butter, glazed carrots with chipotle, honey, and lime, roasted sweet potatoes and golden beets with black pepper and clarified butter, and homemade yeast doughnuts with cinnamon sugar for dessert.

I didnt read the whole thing before clicking like because you had me at short ribs and oxtails. I'm going to read the rest now.

 

[krackin]

Large crowd. Whole hog, beef shoulder, couple turkeys, chicken quarters, burgers, roast corn in husk, tater salad, antipasto, slaw, ice cream and apple crisp. Serves a couple hundred.

Small crowd. Chili or pasta of some type ( beef, pork, venison and/or moose) with a salad and sourdough bread. Apple pie and usually another pie of some type. Serves 10 or so.

 

[Homercidal]

Too many variables to just list a few, but depending on the season, grilled steak or chicken, or soup, or smoked pork butt, stuffed jalapenos, bacon wrapped shrimp. Or sometimes just whatever we have in the house.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Had a get together this weekend. Pulled pork, cole slaw, brisket, ABTs, kale, and green beans made for a great spread.

Seems like a lot of folks do the pulled pork thing, and justifiably so.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

Bar-b-que shrimp. That's what it says on the recipe card. Big shrimp marinated in butter, chili sauce, lemon, etc. Cooked slowly in the oven, with a plain tossed salad and crispy bread to soak up the sauce.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Depends on the guests, the season & sometimes the weather. Chicken leg quarters on the grill with grilled red taters is quick & easy. I really like salmon fillets on the grill, with asparagus too. If I want to go slightly fancy, but stay simple, I'll do some bison steaks, nice & rare (bloody for me), maybe with mushrooms in a champagne sauce & gai laan on the side; baked sweet potatoes are a good side too.

When it's colder I like to do stuffed squash (kabocha with sausage is a fav), pretty simple & very tasty, but most people wonder about it when they see it for the 1st time. I've made roast leg of lamb with peas & carrots for a B-day party & I've made fish & chips with slaw for a Friday movie night, for me it's just trying to tailor the meal to the guests & then run with it.
Regards, GF.

 

[unionrdr]

Try leg of lamb in the pit with a sweet dry rub, like a Memphis rub. I use cottonwood in the pit for that one. Nice, light side of medium smoke.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I'll add another vote for pizza.
I did about 4 pies in the oven two weeks ago for about 10 people (along with some ABTs of course).
Everyone loves pizza and it's easy enough to make a few with different toppings so everyone is happy