Need ideas for birthday dinner party - quick!

[goldilocks]

leigh,

I am not sure if the stuffed chicken recipe is in the complete CB since i made it from one of the issues. I don't recall there being any lemon in there though. They have published several recipes of this sort. I just thought of another idea for you, the chicken francias from jan 2001. i hear it is really good, and it serves 8, so you could double the recipe to serve more. let us know what you wind up making.

[Jessica]

I concur with goldilocks about the tenderloin. I don't mean to sound nasty, but I don't usually tell a hostess that I won't eat something. As a hostess, I usually ask guests if they have specific allergies or food needs, but I don't feel the need to approve the menu with each guest.

[leightx]

My husband's 30th birthday is this weekend and we're having a dinner party on Sat. night with about 8-10 people (including us). One person will not eat seafood of any kind (including fish), and will also not eat rare meat (like tenderloin). Sooo...I'm looking for something tasty and impressive looking to serve. My husband's favorite is tenderloin, and I've thought about doing this and just cutting off a portion and cooking it a little longer. But are there any other good ideas? I'd also love to hear ideas for appetizers - I've though about the Asiago Cheese Dip (is it the same one that's on the website here?). For dessert, well, I don't think I'll even try to go light. My husband really likes cheesecakes, and dense, dark chocolate cakes with rasberries. Oddly enough, he doesn't like any kind of flavored cheesecakes. Basically, I need a rich, impressive dessert that you love to serve at special occasions only. Maybe a souffle of some sort? If you have any recipes that would be suitable for a dinner party (even if they aren't light), please post them here. I'm at a total lost and don't want to fly blind on this one (did that on the last one and it was a disaster - I do not recommend the lime chicken with black bean sauce from the Complete cookbook - the was almost completely flavorless and the black bean sauce was just not good). Thanks in advance,
Leigh

[leightx]

Hmmm...I don't know why there's a thumbs down sign - could've sworn I clicked on the smiley face and I didn't see where I could edit the icons. Sorry! :-)
Leigh

[Grace]

What about Pork Tenderloin? It's still tenderloin, and very, very tender, but can't be served rare, so it should please everyone. For dessert though, I can recommend Dark Chocolate Souffle Cake. I've made this many, many times, and it's fantastic. Here's the recipe:

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Dark-Chocolate Souffle Cake

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: Nov/Dec 1997 PAGE: 133

INGREDIENTS FOR 12 SERVINGS:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon instant espresso or 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2/3 cup Dutch process or unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons Kahlua (coffee-flavored liqueur)
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sifted cake flour (such as Swan's Down)
6 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/4 cup raspberries (optional)
Chocolate curls (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cake flour is a fine-textured, soft wheat flour with a high starch content,
and usually comes in a box rather than a bag. It can be found with the cake
mixes at the supermarket.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Coat bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

3. Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, water, and espresso
in a large saucepan; stir well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add
cocoa, salt, and chocolates, stirring with a whisk until chocolate melts. Stir
in Kahlua and egg yolks. Stir in flour; cool to room temperature. Set aside.

4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until foamy.
Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff
peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of egg white mixture into chocolate
mixture; repeat procedure with remaining egg white mixture, one-fourth at a
time. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until a
wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire
rack. Remove sides from pan; sift powdered sugar over cake. Garnish with
raspberries and chocolate curls, if desired. Yield: 12 servings (serving size:
1 wedge).

Note: A substitution of 1/4 cup all-purpose flour may be used in place of 1/3
cup cake flour.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 205 (27% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 3.2g, mono 1.9g, poly 0.4g);
PROTEIN 5g; CARB 34.2g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 55mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 91; CALC 31mg

And look at the calories and fat! Barely any for such a rich and wonderful cake.....

Good luck with your party.

[goldilocks]

I second Grace's recommendation of the souffle cake. Sounds perfect for your party. As for the main course, you could do the beef tenderloin, and just have other side dishes (potato gratin and a hearty salad, vegetable, etc.) so that the fussy eater can eat everything else. It's your husband'b b-day, so you should make his favorites. Also, I recently made chicken breasts stuffed with feta or goat cheese and artichokes. This was from Cooking Light. These look very impressive for company and are easy to do. I could not stuff the mixture inside the chicken, so i just put it in the middle of the breast and rolled it up. They were fancy and really good.

As for appetizers, the asiago dip is good, the spinach artichoke seems to have good reviews, though I have never made it. Here is one I always make, again really easy and really good -
Green Chili Artichoke Dip

1 can artichokes, chopped
1 package cream cheese
1 cup mayo
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 small can diced green chilies

cook it for about 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees, or until it has
browned on top. you can also substitute crab for the chilies. serve
with tortilla chips. enjoy!

[leightx]

Grace - that cake sounds perfect! I think I'll give it a try and keep my fingers crossed that I can find fresh raspberries this time of year. Or, does anyone know of a raspberry sauce?

Goldilocks - the dip sounds great - crab would be perfect with this crowd (well, except for one, of course). Thanks! I've also tried the stuffed chicken breasts - I remember liking them but I thought they had too much lemon (is this the same recipe - from the complete cookbook?). May try again with less lemon.

Leigh