How to: Make-Ahead Dinner Party Menus

Quiche and salad can be made ahead of time.

Throw a dinner party to show off your cooking skills and welcome guests to your house. With the right amount of planning and pre-party preparation, you'll be able to pull off a dinner without the stress of juggling dishes on the stove in the hours before the party. Pick dishes that you can prepare a day or two in advance so that everything comes together quickly on the night of the party. You can spend more time entertaining and less time in the kitchen.

Things You'll Need

• Pie dough
• Rolling pin
• 1 onion, chopped
• Sauté pan
• Oil or butter
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar or Swiss
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups cream or whole milk
• Mixing bowl
• Salt and pepper
• Pie dish
• Slow cooker
• Braising pan
• Chicken or ribs
• Salad greens
• Large salad bowl
• Parmesan
• Lemon juice or vinegar
• Olive oil
• Salad dressing
• Frozen puff pastry
• 1 egg
• Grated cheese
• Knife
• Baking sheet
• Cookie dough or brownie batter
• Ice cream

Instructions

Make-Ahead Main Course

1. Prepare a quiche up to a day before the dinner party. Roll out the pie dough into a circle that fits your pie dish. Put the pie dough in the pie dish and crimp the edges.

2. Pour about 1/2 tablespoon oil or melt a 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the sauté pan and add the onions. Cook until golden and soft. Add the chopped spinach and cook until it wilts.

3. Combine the cheese, eggs and cream in a mixing bowl while the spinach and onion cook. Add the onion and spinach mix to the cheese and egg mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Pour the spinach and egg mixture into the prepared pie dish

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until the quiche is set. Refrigerate. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the quiche is warmed through.

6. Cook a chicken in your slow-cooker or braise ribs over the stove top instead of serving a quiche for the main course. You can start the chicken or ribs hours before the party. They'll cook while you take care of everything else.

Salad, Appetizers and Dessert

1. Pour a bag or two of baby salad greens into a large salad bowl. You can do this up to a day before the dinner party.

2. Prepare a dressing by mixing together 1 part lemon juice or vinegar and 2 parts olive oil a day ahead of time. Dress the salad right before serving. You can also use a store-bought dressing.

3. Top the salad with grated Parmesan cheese just before serving.

4. Prepare a quick, make-ahead appetizer by coating a sheet of thawed frozen puff pastry with a beaten egg. Top with grated cheese and roll up the pastry to form a log.

5. Freeze the pastry overnight. Just before guests arrive, cut the log into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

6. Prepare your favorite cookie dough recipe up to a week in advance of the party. Scoop the dough onto baking sheets and freeze.

7. Once frozen, place the cookie dough balls into a zip-top freezer bag and keep in the freezer.

8. Take the dough out a few hours before the party to thaw. Bake as you usually would. You may need to add a few additional minutes to the baking time.

References

• The Kitchn: Entertaining: Make Ahead Ideas for Dinner Parties; Elizabeth Passerella; 2008
• Martha Stewart: Spinach and Gruyere Quiches
• Real Simple: Parmesan Scallion Pastry Pinwheels
• Food Network; 5 Day Make-Ahead Dinner; Ina Garten