Cooking from the Pantry (merged)

[mags]

Rachel,

GOOD FOR YOU!!! Don't get me wrong -- I love recipes. I use recipes lots. But to a large extent, cooking is chemistry, and once you get an idea of its basic laws, you can make recipes work for you, accommodate your tastes and what you've got in the fridge. (And then you can start playing with the laws and figuring out which ones you can break...but I'm not really there yet.)

The reason your chili was hotter than you had expected is that when you cook stew or soup (and chili is just stew, right? ground-meat stew), you evaporate some of the water. This evaporation is what thickens the mixture, but it also concentrates the flavors. Which makes sense, from a purely logical POV: If, before cooking down, spicy stuff represents X% of the total volume of your mix, after you get rid of some of the water, the spicy stuff will represent more than X%

As for it's being very tomato-y...well, you did use a lot of tomato, one way or another. Also, I suspect that the sherry helped underline the sweetness of the tomatoes; next time red wine might bring out the acidity in a way you might like better. The only reason I say this is that when I cook with sherry it's almost always in the context of Asian foods, which typically have slightly sweetened sauces.

Also, you will vastly boost the yum-power of your cumin if you start with whole cumin seeds (rather than the pre-ground stuff), toast them LIGHTLY in a small, non-stick pan (without any added oil) until they smell good, and then grind them yourself in either a spice grinder or (what I use) a small mortar-and-pestle arrangement. Remember that the ground stuff will take up less space than the whole seeds, so if you're following a recipe that calls for 1/2 a teaspoon, say, you want to toast MORE than half a teaspoon of seeds.

[reesek]

rachel -

spiciness intensifies with heat and time. i bet that chili is even hotter today. with leftovers you can make nachos, (cut your tortillas into wedges and bake until crisp - or fry them) or you can heat it up, top it with cheese and shove it in the broiler for a minute before you eat it with fried eggs and tortillas. yum.

as promised - chicken salad with tarragon. you can certainly do this with the legs/thighs - but i think you'll be happier with their flavor if you use them for something better. you can use up your tenders for this.

first - you need to cook the chicken. you can cook it however you want - in the oven, in a grill pan, on a bbq grill or you can poach it. poaching is what i suggest if you use all white meat as it tends to dry out and since poaching is cooking in liquid - it's easier to keep it moist. you can poach in plain water, juice, wine, beer, broth or any combination - you can season the liquid (also called court boullion) if you like with any kind of seasoning. you aren't cooking for long, so season aggressively and expect a mild flavor even with strong seasoning. i suggest a combo of dry sherry, veg broth, whole pepper corns, a bay leaf and 2 tarragon stems. (pull the leaves off and save them for later and drop the stems into the pan) if you have a deep frying pan it will be perfect. heat the liquid to a simmer, poach the chicken until it's white all the way through. drain it, cool it and cut it into whatever size/shape you like. i prefer big chunks but that's just me.

add whatever you want - mayo, mustard, minced shallot/green onion. celery if you have it, the chopped leaves of the tarragon, salt and pepper. very easy. chill the chicken before you mix it with the other ingredients - just to be safe.

check out the EGCI class on mayonnaise for a wonderful way to jazz up the salad -homemade mayo is wonderful!

[RSincere]

Okay, tilapia tonight. I'd like to say how I cooked it and if anyone can chime in to tell me what I could have done better, I would love it!

I kind of blended laurel's and malawry's suggestions. I looked up "beurre blanc" from malawry's post and added the ginger/garlic/scallion idea from laurel. This is what I did. I think I bastardized the beurre blanc, but it was good anyway.

Put all in a pan: one chopped shallot, 2 chopped scallions, 2 inches of ginger chopped, a big chopped garlic clove, with 1/3 cup rice vinegar and 1/3 cup dry sherry and a splash of soy sauce. Let it boil and reduce for a while, until it was about 1/3 cup of liquid and chopped stuff. Turned the heat to low and whisked in 1-1/2 sticks butter, one Tbsp at a time. I tasted it and freaked out, because the vinegar taste hit me really hard and I thought it would be terrible! Strained it anyway and hoped for the best.

Meanwhile, seasoned the tilapia with salt and pepper, brushed it lightly with evoo and broiled 6 minutes like it says on the bag.

Also meanwhile, I cooked jasmine rice in water, soy sauce, and sherry. When it was done I threw in a handful of frozen peas and let it steam!

At the end, put rice/peas on the plate with fish, and poured the sauce over. It was really good and didn't have that scary vinegar POW it had when I tasted it on the stovetop. I did notice that I didn't really taste the ginger or garlic, and I think it was a waste to use the scallions like that because I don't think they added anything. Maybe I should have put them on top of the dish at the end instead? The sweet crisp peas really complimented the rich sauce and the texture of the fish and rice. I did undercook some of the fish and had to put my plate in the microwave for 45 seconds but that was the only big mistake.

Enough rice/peas leftover to try fried rice for lunch tomorrow!

[hillvalley]

wipes tear from her eye

i am so proud.

we have created the best kind of monster. a foodie monster.

i think ginger scallion beurre blanc sounds like it would be very expensive on a menu somewhere

[reesek]

you said:

It was really good

i think that's the point! one thing though - you must have a lot of sauce left over. how many people are you cooking for? in baking it's a lot harder to manipulate servings sizes (can't really make half a cake) but i make buerre blanc and only use 2 T of liquid - starting with 2/3 of a cup is a lot. the sauce is definitely intended to be an accent - since it's kind of rich. next time - if you're cooking for one, maybe make a little less sauce. 2 inches of ginger seems like a lot to me...if you reduce the liquid - don't forget to reduce the aromatics (ginger, scallion, garlic) too. vinegar intensifies as it cooks - so does sherry - so maybe pick one and use that as your liquid.

overall though - you're improvising and enjoying what you're making - how cool is that??

[RSincere]

reesek, this cracks me up. I just followed the 1/3 cup and 1/3 cup from a recipe I found on the web. I had no idea it was supposed to be only a couple of tablespoons of sauce per person. My husband (5'9" 128 lbs) doused his fish and rice like gravy and ate it all. I didn't use quite so much on my plate, because I still wasn't sure about the vinegar, but it was definitely more than a few tablespoons. However, I have had the experience of being on Atkins for 8 straight months, so I could probably eat "Butter Soup" and not blink an eye. Now that I'm not on Atkins, I should probably take your advice and not use so much butter sauce!

Well, there was some left over.

Question: The recipes I looked up called for "white wine vinegar." I have both white wine vinegar and red wine vinegar, but it's Reese brand. That's about the cheapest brand there is. I used to use the Reese cooking wines too until I found out that you're supposed to use real wine and sherry. Is the Reese wine vinegar gross as well, does anyone know? I haven't even opened the bottles but I'm afraid to use them for fear they will wreck my food.

hillvalley, you're too funny. Here's a "recipe" I used to make: put 8 oz. Frito-Lay chips in an 8x8 pan. Pour canned chili over. Sprinkle with chopped onions. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted. Hee!

[sparrowgrass]

This is a fun thread--I hope you are enjoying the cooking as much as I am the account of it.

RSincere--I noticed something in one of your threads that worried me--something about draining ground beef and losing meat down the drain. Please tell me you don't drain meat grease down the sink.

If you do, I hope your SO is a plumber, because you are looking for one big clog.

[RSincere]

Hi, sparrowgrass. Don't worry, my mom beat you to it. About a month ago she read me the riot act because she found out I dumped my meat grease down the garbage disposal. I always figured if I ran a ton of hot water at the same time, it would go through. No problems yet. But she told me about how she did that, and clogged the drain, and had to call the college janitor (she was living on campus) and he poured lye down the drain...and it reacted with the meat grease and made soap in her pipe! I now do the strainer over a coffee can. But I have to use the strainer, any other way I lose food.

Today for lunch: frittata with roasted tomatoes and Parmesan cheese! Doesn't that sound fancy? I had to throw away one of my tomatoes because it was punctured and got moldy. So I followed Mark Bittman's directions to seed and roast the other three. When they were done I peeled off the skins and broke the tomato part up with my fingers, and drained well. Then I used his frittata recipe (which includes 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese), adding the tomatoes right before I dumped the egg stuff in the pan. It was good and turned out very pretty, even looked pink in spots. I should have used more salt, maybe a touch more pepper, a little less oil, and should have cooked it about 2 minutes more in the oven.

I have been thinking about what I am trying to accomplish here, and I think that cooking without a recipe isn't my main goal, even though it's very freeing to know these techniques and know if I want to braise something, I don't have to look up a specific recipe for "Braised ________" (whatever meat I'm wanting to braise).

My main goal is trying to learn what you all did for me, and that is, look at what I have available and think of something I could make out of it. That is a challenge for me, as I get really overwhelmed and confused sometimes when I try to think of something I can make, even though my pantry doesn't seem challenging at all to you. I'm so stuck in the rut of, pick 10 recipes out of a cookbook and buy exactly those ingredients and that's all you get for the next two weeks. Sometimes I get burned by a bad cookbook, and halfway through I have all these ingredients from abandoned recipes, and no clue what to do with them! Also, I can only pick out 3 or so recipes with perishable ingredients, because by the end of the 2 weeks, my mushrooms or scallions or whatever will be gross and I can't make the planned recipe.

Plus I need to get a sense for how to put a meal togther. I did read the ECGI course on that but while I understood the basic concepts--keep the same ethnicity/type of cuisine, use complimentary flavors, don't overdo any one type of food (i.e. cream and cheese in every dish)--it was very difficult for me to translate it to everyday life, and I don't think I really was able to internalize it. I like malawry's suggestion of reading menus in my cookbooks to get some real-life examples.

I'd love to just go to the store every Friday and buy what looks good or what's on special and figure out something to make out of it. That's my goal.

[Anna N]

I think you are a very gutsy lady, Rachel. I am following along as I too would love to go to the market and know from what is available how to put together a week's worth of yummy meals! I even have trouble sitting down with a bunch of books and trying to work things out. We eat much, much better since I joined eGullet but still it's a challenge to me to put together an every day menu from soup to nuts as it were. It's not instinctive to me either to make sure that the dishes complement one another and don't all end up looking alike or, worse, tasting alike.

I know I found myself at my daughter's house yesterday and between us we didn't seem to have enough of anything to make a meal for four but we did somehow manage. I am now determined to learn a few off-the-cuff pasta dishes as I knew we had the ingredients to put together something tasty but my brain shut down at the critical moment!

So, today I dragged out a pasta recipe book and for lunch made a pasta dish with nothing but garlic, butter, some herbs and some cheese and it was DAMN good, even if I say so myself. I know now that I could do this anytime and even add to it if the ingredients were available.

You go girl. I'm betting lots of others are learning from this thread too.

[reesek]

rachel - you should be so proud of yourself (and i hope your husband is grateful! ) i wish i had a tasty fritatta for lunch!

is there a way you can take your food budget and spread it out over the course of 2 weeks? you're right that fresh vegetables won't last that long, but if you buy half your ingredients at a time - you'll have a little more flexibility. when i was on a very strict budget i would divide my monthly food allowance into 4 and take only a week's worth of cash with me at a time. since you have so many staples at home (the pastas, rices & beans) and lots of stuff in your freezer - you can supplement with fresher ingredients.

as far as the reese brand stuff - yeah it's a shame to my name... the bottled green olives are good, but otherwise that stuff is no good.

the problem with "cooking" wines/sherries is that they're salted (in addition to being of lousy quality) and salt is definitely one of those things that you should try to add yourself as opposed to having it in your food already. the general rule is that you shouldn't cook with it if you wouldn't have a glass of it. i'm sure lots of people here would disagree, but "drinkable" is on a sliding scale for me. if i'm going to cook with a little of it and drink the rest - i buy nicer bottles, but if i'm making food in quantity will i add carlo rossi jugged wine to beef stew? hell yes. drink glass o' carlo while stewing? anytime.

[RSincere]

reesek, about that red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar, I had to go to Walmart for some lettuce and I checked that section. ALL the wine vinegars were under $2.00, the same price the Reese wine vinegar was. There was a Holland Hill, and another brand I can't remember. Should I be looking at a specialty market? Is there a brand you can recommend--nothing too extravagant, just maybe the lowest priced one that won't wreck my food.

About my husband, he's one of those people who just sees food as a calorie delivery system. I could feed him the frittata or the Frito pie, he'd eat his portion in about 2.5 seconds with the same appreciation; that is, if it's edible, he doesn't really care how it tastes. He's no fun because I'm still oooooh-ing and ahhhhh-ing and doing the happy dance about my first bite, and he's already finished eating. I was a vegetarian for 14 years, and when we got married, even though he wasn't vegetarian, he never asked for any kind of meat--he just ate whatever I cooked because he just.didn't.care. It's weird. The good thing is, he's eaten a lot of my kitchen disasters that I couldn't bear to eat, so we don't waste much food.

Now, I need help! My in-laws--who hate me and who haven't seen me since BEFORE the wedding, 10 years ago--invited themselves over for the day on Sunday. I told him I would cook them a nice meal but he would have to do the entertaining. What do I make? I was really tempted by a recipe "Leg of Young Goat" because I thought maybe if I served that they'd never come back. I would like to impress them, though. I have never entertained, really, not "formally." I really need to know what to make, something I won't screw up. That rules out chicken on the bone because I have yet to cook that properly. Does anyone have anything foolproof, maybe an entree and one vegetable or salad, and any suggestions for a make-ahead dessert? I can go grocery shopping on Friday so it doesn't have to be a pantry challenge. Thank you in advance to anyone who is willing to help. I don't want to give these people any more ammunition, they are vicious.

[enrevanche]

Now, I need help! My in-laws--who hate me and who haven't seen me since BEFORE the wedding, 10 years ago--invited themselves over for the day on Sunday. I told him I would cook them a nice meal but he would have to do the entertaining. What do I make? I was really tempted by a recipe "Leg of Young Goat" because I thought maybe if I served that they'd never come back. I would like to impress them, though. I have never entertained, really, not "formally." I really need to know what to make, something I won't screw up. That rules out chicken on the bone because I have yet to cook that properly. Does anyone have anything foolproof, maybe an entree and one vegetable or salad, and any suggestions for a make-ahead dessert? I can go grocery shopping on Friday so it doesn't have to be a pantry challenge. Thank you in advance to anyone who is willing to help. I don't want to give these people any more ammunition, they are vicious.

Rachel,

I hope that you will get plenty of good suggestions for Sunday dinner. Mine would be: lasagna, a little time-consuming but easy to make and nearly foolproof; crisp green salad with a simple homemade vinaigrette (or good bottled dressing is just fine too); crusty bread (decent storebought bread is fine); a bottle of Italian red wine like a nice Chianti. For dessert, now that summer is here a fresh fruit tray (apples, pears, maybe plums or peaches) with maybe some nice store-bought sorbet to put in little cups?

However, I wanted to give you a word of warning and encouragement at the same time. I don't know you *or* your in-laws, but I am sadly familiar with this type of situation.

Here goes:

Cooking for hateful, vicious people is a no-win situation. Do *not* get your self-esteem all wrapped up in trying to "impress" people who have snubbed you for ten (!) years; if they have that much pathology working for them, don't expect them to act appreciative or even rational. Cook to satisfy yourself and your husband, and don't worry so much about the in-laws.

Make something nice and tasty for them, be polite and correct and friendly, and if they don't like it (or start picking at you or spewing venom for some reason), fuck 'em. Not your problem, not your fault, their issues not yours.

When you're dealing with people like this, the best thing you can do is do what pleases you.

[mags]

I'm going to borrow some advice from others, Laurie Colwin in particular: BUY THINGS. There is NO shame in buying a wonderful dessert -- a fruit tart, ice cream and cookies (if you insist, you can make a little fruit sauce for the ice cream), etc. -- plenty of good cooks do it all the time. The only secret is getting good stuff: By and large, you'll be better off with a bakery than with the bakery section of a supermarket, and look for a bakery in the expensive part of town. Also, premium ice cream (Ben & Jerry's, Hagen-Daz, etc.) really is better than the supermarket stuff. With some fresh fruit -- berries would be good -- or fudge sauce, people will be in heaven.

Also, buy appetizers. Olives (get them from a bin at a gourmet store or ethnic market, rather than in jars) are swell, cheese (go to a cheese store or someplace where there's an actual cheese-guy who can help you), salami, smoked salmon if you can afford it, prosciutto, hummus with cut-up vegetables to dip (most markets sell those, as well). All of that stuff is delicious, everybody loves it, and nobody will think less of you for serving store-bought stuff.

That just leaves you with a salad and a main course. I would recommend the CrockPot here -- what you want to do is minimize, as much as possible, the amount of last-minute fussing you need to do. A standard stew might feel too wintery, especially for July 4 weekend, but chicken or spareribs slow-cooked in a good BBQ sauce -- I can give you a recipe, if you want, or there may be one on RecipeGullet -- might feel more seasonal. Throw in some coleslaw (either made the day before or -- gasp -- BOUGHT), some fresh corn, rolls or cornbread (Jif is fine, so is bought or Pillsbury frozen), a platter of sliced tomatoes with a dribble of olive oil and salt and pepper...that would be a seriously wonderful dinner that would leave you relaxed. Get a blueberry pie and some good vanilla ice cream, and your guests will be blissed out. Or take others' suggestions.

[reesek]

i think mags and enrevanche are right - don't try to impress them - it will only add to your stress level...but feel free to hide out in the kitchen!

definitely do something you're comfortable with - this is not the evening to try out something scary - or overly creative - they don't really seem worth it anyway... lasagne or another pasta dish would be easy and you could assemble the lasagne the night before and bake it off the day they're coming. served with a crisp green salad, and good bread and finished with a blueberry or sour cherry pie (my current obssession. i've never had one, but how good does that sound?)

as for vinegars - regina is a pretty basic red wine vinegar that doesn't totally suck. i'd also suggest investing in a basic balsamic vinegar...there's one that comes in a pretty green bottle that i'm blanking on - it's fine for now. for sherry - go to the liquor store or to the wine department. you want a dry sherry not a cream sherry. i have no idea about brands but once you add that to some sauteeing mushrooms and shallots - you'll never go back.

[Behemoth]

I second (third?) the lasagne & salad advice. And to buy the olives, good salami, & cheese for starters, and to buy dessert. No reason to cook for people who have their wall up, its frustrating and pointless. Better that you have everything ready ahead of time, and can be realxed and confident (and make sure to get enough chianti into your system! ).

About the roast chicken -- whenever you want to try it, I do an approximation of Marcella Hazan's chicken with two lemons which has been absolutely foolproof even on first attempt, and I used to be completely terrified of roasting chicken. Now it's become my safety menu. (I use Mark Bittmans' trussing instructions, makes life easier and looks really impressive.) I'd be happy to PM you the recipe if you want.

As for coming up with menus, I think it develops naturally...the more you cook, the more you start thinking of what would go with what. I generally keep a reasonably well-stocked pantry and some frozen meats, but try to buy my vegetables at least twice a week. That way I'm not tied in to having to make a certain dish when I don't feel like it anymore, and also its better to not let vegetables (apart from onions/carrots/potatoes) sit around for more than a week.

[jo-mel]

How about using boneless chicken thighs for a White Wine Coc-au-Vin? You can't go wrong with thigh meat. It won't dry out and can be made ahead. I like putting artichoke halves (frozen/thawed) in mine for a treat. A crusty bread, green salad and keep filling their wine glasses.

[RSincere]

The suggestions all sound good. I think I'll go with the lasagne idea because I have made it before, albeit the kind where you buy a jar of pasta sauce and layer it with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and dried noodles.

Anyway, I'll do that because I can put it together on Saturday. I'm thinking of trying the from-scratch recipe from "How to Cook Everything" except I'll buy fresh pasta instead of making it because I have a horrible touch with all things dough, and this is not the time to be setting myself up for failure. The recipe uses fresh pasta, 3 cups of Bolognese sauce from another recipe in the book, Parmesan cheese, and bechamel sauce. I'm a little nervous about the bechamel. I read the recipe and it sounds like something I tried to make once that basically turned into paste. What if I substituted a layer of sliced fresh mozzarella? I've always wanted to try fresh mozzarella.

Does anyone have any nifty lasagne recipes? I'm not trying to be fancy for them anymore, it's for me, to have fun making a great lasagne not assembled from jars and packages.

I will do the salad with vinaigrette, bread from the one bakery in town (there is no expensive part of town in Baraboo, WI ) and purchase a dessert as well; there is a restaurant in town that is known for their fresh pies.

About dealing with them personally, I wish we could all drink some nice wine but I'm on too many meds, and I think his dad is a recovering alcoholic. I'm so nervous because the last time I even talked to them (we've only had 2 conversations ever) my husband's stepmom told me she knew I was a deadbeat because her sources told her I had been fired from "X" company. I could not convince the woman that I had never even worked at X company. After that, they didn't show at the wedding even though we held it up for 20 minutes waiting for them...and for a few years after that, when I sent them Christmas gifts, she returned them to us! The third and final year I sent a gift that was purely something I wanted. I'm trying hard not to dwell on the past, but I just have no clue why on earth they want to come here, and what on earth I'm supposed to talk to them about.

Not to mention the hostess thing is freaking me out. We don't have enough table chairs. I don't have nice dishes, I don't know the proper drinks to have on hand...one diet cola, one regular cola, lemonade, milk? We don't drink milk, should I buy some? I don't know the etiquette of appetizers, should I have them on the table before the meal, with some little plates? And let's not even talk about my dishes and glasses...and do I serve the lasagne in the pan I cooked it in? I'd almost have to, right? Or do I dish it on separate plates? Do I serve the salad and then bring out the lasagne? Or can I plop it all down on the table at once? Speaking of which, what the hell should I put on the salad anyway?

Oh, boy, I think I'm getting a little too worked up about this. Could I pretend to be a caterer, make the lasagne the day before, leave a note for my husband telling him how to cook it, and leave for the state park for the day? I mean, he's the one who told them they could come without consulting me. I'm sure they're more interested in seeing him, and maybe spending some time with our 7-year-old son--they've only seen him 2 or 3 times anyway.

Edited July 1, 2004 by RSincere (log)

[mags]

Rachel, these people don't deserve to eat. They certainly don't deserve to eat your handmade lasagne!

Okokok, you have to feed them.

The following are just my suggestions.

Drinks and snacks beforehand: I would lay in a bottle of wine -- maybe one each, red and white, just in case your mother-in-law drinks or your father-in-law has fallen off the wagon. Otherwise, lemonade is a great idea (buy it), and iced tea is also nice at this time of year (make it in the morning, make sure you have at least two trays' worth of ice and sugar in a bowl, for people who want to sweeten it). Buy some sliced salami and lay it out on a plate on the coffee table (or wherever people will hang out before they sit down to dinner), along with a small bowl of olives. It's nice to have several different kinds of olives, and it's nicer still to marinate them overnight -- PM for a simple recipe, if you want -- but even one kind straight from a jar is fine. If you can get some kind (or kinds) of olives other than the little green ones stuffed with pimento, that would be great; those don't really taste of much besides brine. Also, I would avoid the black olives in a can; they really don't have much taste at all. Along with the salami and olives, put out a second small bowl (for the olive pits) and a small pile of napkins, so people can wipe their fingers. Also, if your coffee table is wood, people can put their glasses down on the napkins, to avoid leaving water-rings on the table.

You can put together the lasagne the night before and just stick it in the oven in time for it to be ready for dinner. Bechamel really isn't hard, but if you're nervous, you can practice beforehand; cut the quantities in the recipe by 75% and make a little pan of the stuff. You'll be making such a small quantity that you really won't be wasting much stuff, and if you make it once or twice you'll get a sense of how it works.

You can either cut the lasagne in portions in the kitchen and bring out the plates -- people can ask you for seconds, if they want them -- or you can bring the pan out to the table. If you bring it out, you'll need some kind of trivet to protect the table from the hot pan; you should be able to buy a couple cheaply at a hardware store, maybe even at WalMart. You'll need both a knife to cut the lasagne and a big serving spoon or fork to serve the pieces.

This is an informal meal, so my inclination would be to serve the salad with the lasagne, though others may disagree. To serve it at the table, you'll need a salad fork and a salad spoon. Lasagne can be runny, so it would be good to have separate salad plates (people can also use them for bread), if you have them. If not, it ain't the end of the world. A plain lettuce salad is FINE; if you want to get a bit fancier, you could buy a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drain them, cut the hearts into quarters, and toss them with the salad.

To deal with the bread, the simplest thing to do would be to get a loaf of Italian or French bread, and either have the bakery slice it or slice it yourself, right before dinner, then pile the slices on a plate or in a little basket, if you've got one. Put a stick of butter on a plate (take the butter out of the fridge an hour before dinner), and put that on the table as well, with its own knife.

Buying a pie is great; you might want to get a pint of vanilla ice cream to go with it (this being a celebratory dinner and all). Put the ice cream in the fridge when you serve the lasagne. You can either dish up pie and ice cream in the kitchen or bring them to the table. Me, I think I would opt for the kitchen, if only because there really isn't any easy way to disguise the ice cream's "carton" shape. If the pie looks nice, though -- if it looks homemade -- you might consider taking it out of the store's foil pie plate, plopping it in your own pie plate (if you have one -- otherwise don't sweat it), and puting it out on the sideboard so your guests will see it when they arrive. Then you can just bring it into the kitchen to cut and serve. Remember that you'll need dessert plates (if necessary, you can quickly wash and dry the salad plates) and also forks and spoons (for the ice cream). With the pie you'll want to serve coffee (you should have milk or half-and-half available, even though you don't drink it -- just buy a pint). Ice tea or hot tea are also nice alternatives; in any case, you'll need sugar in a bowl, and each person will need his/her own spoon

Then shove the momsers out the door and tell'em to come back in another 10 years!

[reesek]

wow. that's a lot to deal with, rachel - i'm very impressed with your attitude...i don't think i would be nearly as gracious under similar circumstances.

lasagne - there are millions of wonderful recipes out there...you might want to look at epicurious. i'm not crazy about bechemel usually - i think it can be pretty heavy - but if you do choose to make it - you'll have milk on hand in case the in-laws want it. you could certainly use mozzarella in lasagne - i usually do, and like to add chopped spinach and basil to the ricotta/egg mixture. i also like to add mushrooms to my sauce. but that's just me.

for the salad - i suggest crisp lettuce (green leaf or romaine and red leaf for color) some thinly sliced radishes if you like them and maybe some diced green onions. i had a green goddess dressing the other night that knocked my socks off...basically it's a vinagrette with loads of herbs and something creamy...buttermilk maybe or sour cream? i think bittman's book has a recipe. that might be nice.

for serving - i suggest having a plate of snacks on the table when people arrive. if you have a living room area with a coffee table - put it on that and just put out napkins - if not - put it on the dining table. when you're ready to serve, you can clear the snacks and plate everyone's food in the kitchen and just hand people full plates of lasagne and salad and then serve bread/butter at the table.

you'll be fine! and do not worry about how these people will judge you, your house etc - it's a waste of energy and they're not worth it.

[Behemoth]

And honey, mismatched plates with the right attitude are very chic

[enrevanche]

Don't sweat the plates and glasses; the only "presentation" anyone will notice is how the food looks once it's plated up.

A little lasagna-making advice. One, I agree that a handful of chopped fresh basil in the ricotta/egg mixture is a very nice touch. Two, make a little more Bolognese/red sauce than the recipe calls for, maybe half again as much. A little extra sauce never hurt anybody's lasagna, and you'll need more than three cups of sauce to generously spread over a couple of layers.

And you could *absolutely* use fresh mozzarella. I always put some mozz in my lasagna. If I were you, I'd shred it, not slice it, but either would work. And I would frankly prefer it to bechamel sauce in a lasagna.

I like mags' idea of a plate of cold cuts and olives for starters very much. This will keep the guests busy and whet their appetites. If you can't serve wine, make or buy some lemonade (always a summer winner) or iced tea for people to sip.

Edited July 1, 2004 by enrevanche (log)

[winesonoma]

Make a really garlic, garlic bread to go with the lasagna. That way they have something to complain about and will forget the other complaints.

[winesonoma]

And you could *absolutely* use fresh mozzarella. I always put some mozz in my lasagna. If I were you, I'd shred it, not slice it, but either would work.

How do you shred fresh mozzarella? It seems like it would be to soft to me. I have a hard time just cutting it with a wire.

[enrevanche]

How do you shred fresh mozzarella? It seems like it would be to soft to me. I have a hard time just cutting it with a wire.

Hmm. I have coarsely shredded it before with no problem.

I agree that if you tried to shred it finely it would basically turn to goo.

[Dana]

I think I'd offer them nuts instead of the olives, if you're thinking of ones with the pits. These people sound like barbarians (who could have a 7 year old grandson and only see him 2-3 times?) and if they broke a tooth on an olive pit, there'd be hell to pay. Just my 2 cents.

The cold cuts and a cheese plate, along with lasagne, salad and bread with pie for dessert sounds great to me!!!