Recipe: Dinner for 12 - Recipe Ideas for Dar

Hi Dar,

Here are some ideas for you to look at. I posted more than one main dish and dessert just to give you some different ideas. I would buy 2 or 3 loaves of fresh bread that morning. If you like wine or your guests do I would suggest anything by Rosemount Estates. Their wine is very inexpensive and tastes great. The Shiraz goes with anything and I have found that people who aren't wine drinkers enjoy this wine. If you have tried Shiraz before you might look for Jacob's Creek Shiraz, it is wonderful.

I would also have a lot of crackers, cheese, pepperoni on hand, people (especially the guys) love it. Have a great dinner whatever you decide to serve!

Shrimp w/ store bought cocktail sauce

Crab Dip

11 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 small onion, finely chopped
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 (1 pound) loaf round, crusty Italian bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise, crabmeat, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread mixture into a 1 quart baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. While the dip is baking, cut a circle in the top of the bread, and scoop out the inside to create a bread bowl. Tear the removed bread into pieces for dipping.

Remove baked crab dip from the oven, and stir well. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out loaf. Place bread bowl and chunks of bread on a medium baking sheet, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Salad Greens With Garlic-Cabernet Dressing
Serves 6

GARLIC-CABERNET DRESSING
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup cabernet vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 head garlic, roasted and squeezed out of papery skin
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

SALAD
1 head butter lettuce
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head radicchio
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 bunch radishes, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced

To prepare the dressing, place the chopped garlic, shallots, Dijon mustard, vinegar, roasted garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl and whisk together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. (The dressing may be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to 3 weeks.)

To prepare the salad, wash and dry the lettuces, tear the leaves into pieces, and place in a large salad bowl. Add the cucumber, tomato, radishes, and onion and toss well. Add about 1/4 cup of the dressing, or enough to lightly coat the leaves, and toss well to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Garlic Parmesan Potatoes

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil

Place everything in a bag and shake around. Pour into baking dish and bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Best Broccoli Casserole
Submitted by: Taste of Home

Makes 6 servings

1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant rice
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup diced process American cheese

In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Stir in rice; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a skillet; saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add to rice. Add soup, broccoli and cheese.

Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

New York Steak with Pepper Coulis & Caramelized Onions
Serves 4

PEPPER COULIS
3 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded
1 Anaheim pepper, roasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded
2 jalapeno peppers, roasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil
5 large onions, julienned

4 (8-ounce) New York steaks
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the coulis, place the bell peppers, Anaheims, jalapenos, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, ground cumin, and cilantro in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

To prepare the onions, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add the onions and do not stir until they start to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Toss and allow onions to brown completely, about 3 minutes. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes. Keep the onions warm while you cook the steaks.

To prepare the steaks, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large ovenproof saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add the steaks and sear well for about 2 minutes on each side. Put the pan in the oven and cook for 5 to 8 minutes for rare to medium-rare doneness.

To serve, distribute the caramelized onions among 4 individual plates and place a steak on top of each one. Spoon the coulis over the steaks and serve hot.

Roasted Pork Loin with Rosemary-Balsamic Glaze
Serves 6

2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 pound boneless pork loin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the glaze: Combine the garlic, rosemary, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over high heat, and bring just to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and cook 5 minutes longer, until the brown sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

To prepare the pork loin: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the pork loin well with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a very large ovenproof saute pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add the pork and sear well, about 5 minutes per side. Brush the pork liberally with the glaze, and set the pan in the oven. Roast the pork loin for 15 minutes, brush with more glaze, and continue roasting 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium doneness. Let sit about 3 minutes before slicing. Slice very thin.

To serve: Place the pork loin slices on a serving platter. Serve hot.

Turtle Cheesecake
Submitted by: Kevin Ryan

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 ounces individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter one 9 inch springform pan.

Toast the pecans at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 6 minutes. Remove pecans and set aside. Leave oven at 350 degrees C (175 degrees C). In a small saucepan, melt the unsalted butter.

Combine vanilla wafer crumbs with the melted butter then press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Place the pan onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove and allow to cool.

In a double boiler, or a bowl set over barely simmering water, melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Pour this over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the nuts over the top.

In a bowl, combine the cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. Melt the chocolate chips in the double boiler and mix into the cheese mixture. Pour the batter over the caramel layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes or until barely set. Chill over night in the refrigerator before serving.

Fresh Apple Cake III

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups apple - peeled, cored and diced
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8 inch pans. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the apples and walnuts.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

To make the frosting: In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir in the evaporated milk. Bring mixture to a boil, then cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool, then fill and frost cake layers. Sprinkle with walnuts, if desired.