help with light dinner

[cherylopal]

DH and I are having some friends over on an upcoming weekend. They are flying in and then we are going to an afternoon Nationals game. I'm sure they will be hungry and eat at the game. Then we will go back to our house. I'll have beer and wine but what should I do for dinner? We'll want to eat something...

...what could I have ready that would be more than just chips and dip but not quite a full "I gotta cook dinner after a baseball game" meal??

Thanks for ideas

[LakeMartinGal]

Could you leave something in the crockpot? Soup or something a little heartier? Maybe some pulled pork/chicken? just brainstorming...

[Kathy B]

I would probably do some kind of sandwiches in that situation. Deli meats or even a pulled pork or French Dip that can easily be heated. If people are hungry, you are all set, and if not, no problem. A make ahead dessert would probably be enthusiastically received, even if everyone eats a lot at the game.

[funniegrrl]

I was thinking sandwiches, too. And sides could be do-ahead. Skip the chips since that's something you might have at the game, but you could do some combo of salad, a roasted vegetable thing, pasta salad, potato salad, fruit, etc. And then something else make-ahead for dessert -- cookies and ice cream, brownies, cake, pie ...

[sneezles]

If you like Tex-Mex I can heartily recommend the CL Chicken Enchilada Casserole. I have made it many times to great reviews and I make it to take on our RV trips as it freezes very well. I do make double the white sauce because as with most CL recipes there isn't enough sauce.

I serve it with guacamole (can be made ahead and plastic wrap placed directly on top of it), chips and salsa and tossed salad.

[Gail]

I sort of like the idea of what my friend Shirley calls "bits." Really, they can be as simple or as complex as you wish. She's served us soup, hearty bread and wine after a late train ride; or another time a paté, several types of cheeses, good artisanal bread and fruit. Here at home I might buy a nice hunk of smoked albacore to serve with tartar sauce and good crackers or crusty rolls, and a soup. Or maybe I'd buy some salami, black forest ham, a couple of cheeses, fruits and good bread and nibble on that with wine. I can think of a number of variations really, but I'm trying to keep things so that you really don't have to prepare much.

[cherylopal]

Great ideas- thanks!

I'm liking the idea of soup and bread since its supposed to be cooler maybe chili? uuumm I like the sandwich idea too. but gails idea sounds the most doable and easy to have things that everyone likes including veggie dishes for me.

[EmptyNestMom]

Joe posted something on his blog about sloppy joe spaghetti cups...they look like they would be a heartier nibbler type meal...check it out...

http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2...etti-cups.html

[cherylopal]

Originally Posted by EmptyNestMom

Joe posted something on his blog about sloppy joe spaghetti cups...they look like they would be a heartier nibbler type meal...check it out...

http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2...etti-cups.html

actually i'm working on creating a vegan version of this! sounds great though-

[Anne]

Joe and EmptyNestMom - thanks for the great idea of spaghetti cups. We often have left over noodles, when DH cooks he seems to forget that we no longer have starving teens eating with us most nights.