What's for Dinner?: Over 200 Delicious Recipes That Work Every Time

Introduction

Written for busy people who expect good results with a minimum amount of time in the kitchen, these recipes include tempting hors d’oeuvres, satisfying soups, creative salads, terrific entrées, quick pasta and grain dishes, and desserts that will appeal to the beginner as well as the experienced cook.

Every entrée has menu suggestions; some have helpful hints and other information. The recipes are straightforward and practical with complete, easy-to-follow directions that make cooking fun and easy.

Most ingredients are readily available and fresh ingredients are used whenever possible. Today’s cooks are more health conscious and aware of good nutrition, so reduced cholesterol, fat, and calories are taken into consideration.

This is a cookbook that will soon become your favorite.

Great Beginnings

Start the evening in style by serving a delicious hors d’oeuvre or appetizer as a prelude to dinner. Your guests will appreciate something to nibble on, especially if wine or drinks are being served. Before a meal, hors d’oeuvres should tempt the taste buds, not dull the appetite. The best rule is to keep the cocktail hour short and the hors d’oeuvres simple.

Hors d’Oeuvre and Appetizer Basics

01 For an open house, hors d’oeuvres are heartier and, depending on time of day, often serve as a meal. Offer a variety of complementary hors d’oeuvres; hot, cold, hearty, and low-calorie should be offered.

02 Select recipes that can be made ahead so that you can enjoy your party.

03 Be sure that hot hors d’oeuvres are hot and cold ones cold.

04 Provide small plates and napkins.

05 Arrange the hors d’oeuvres attractively on a large table or in different locations about the house to promote mingling and socializing.

06 Replenish the food trays often to keep them looking fresh and appealing.

Bread with Gream Cheese and Pesto Spread

SERVES 8

Easy to make, this hearty hors d’oeuvre is tasty as well as colorful and useful when you are short of time. Use purchased pesto or make your own.

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 loaf French bread, split lengthwise

¹/2 cup Basil Pesto, or purchased pesto (see note)

2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped, and drained

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl combine cream cheese and garlic. Spread on cut side of bread. Spread pesto on top. Add tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until bread is warmed and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Cut into serving pieces and serve immediately.

Note: If using purchased pesto, pour off some of the oil that accumulates on the top, then stir to blend before spreading on bread.

Antipasto Platter

SERVES 8 TO 10

Antipasto is an Italian word for an appetizer served before the meal. Generally, it is an assortment of vegetables, meats, fish, and cheeses arranged on a platter or tray. It can be served as an hors d’oeuvre or as the first course. Use the following suggestions to create your own antipasto platter.

1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets

¹/2 pound fresh green beans

¹/2 pound whole mushrooms

2 red bell peppers, roasted and cut into strips

Italian Dressing

Greens for lining the platter, such as Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, or leaf lettuce

MEATS AND FISH (CHOOSE 2 OR 3)

3 ounces dry salami, sliced

3 ounces pepperoni, sliced

3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced and rolled

1 cup cooked fresh tuna, or 1 can (7¹/2 ounces) tuna, drained

1 tin (2 ounces) anchovy fillets, drained

CHEESES (CHOOSE 1 OR 2)

4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced and rolled

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced and rolled

4 ounces goat cheese, cut into ¹/2-inch cubes

OTHER ADDITIONS

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed, and marinated in Italian Dressing

1 jar (6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained

2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges

1 cup well-drained ripe olives

1 bunch green onions

2 tablespoons well-drained capers

To prepare vegetables, place cauliflower on steamer rack over gently boiling water, cover, and steam 7 minutes. Drain under cold water and set aside. Repeat with beans, steam for 5 or 6 minutes, and drain under cold water. Marinate all vegetables, including peppers, separately in Italian Dressing for several hours in refrigerator.

To assemble, line a large tray or platter with lettuce leaves. With a slotted spoon arrange drained vegetables in groups on leaves. Add meats, fish, cheeses, garbanzo beans, and artichoke hearts in mounds. Garnish with eggs, olives, and onions and sprinkle with capers.

Serve extra dressing if desired.

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto on Crostini

MAKES ABOUT ³/4 CUP

This delicious pesto has many uses. Spread on crostini or sourdough bread as an appetizer or mix with cooked pasta for a side dish. It is also good as a topping on grilled polenta.

³/4 cup packed, cut-up, dry sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)

1 cup boiling water

¹/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

5 large basil leaves

2 parsley sprigs

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 cloves garlic, cut up

3 tablespoons olive oil

12 to 14 Basic Crostini (recipe follows)

In a small bowl soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for 10 minutes to reconstitute them. Drain. In a food processor combine sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, basil, parsley, pine nuts, and garlic and blend briefly. Slowly add oil and process until a smooth paste forms. Stop motor and scrape down sides of bowl, if necessary.

If making ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using. Serve on crostini.

Basic Crostini

Crostini are simply bread rounds toasted and used as a base for toppings. They may be served as an hors d’oeuvre or with soup or salad.

¹/4 cup olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, quartered

1 baguette, cut into slices ¹/4- to ¹/3-inch thick

In a small jar combine oil and garlic. Let stand to absorb flavors, about 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet and broil on first side until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Turn slices over and brush with garlic oil. Broil 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Makes about 30 to 35 slices

Note: The bread slices may be baked instead of broiled. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet and place in a preheated 350°F oven. Brush one side with garlic oil. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Crostini with Feta Cheese

SERVES 6 TO 8

This hors d’oeuvre makes a nice introduction to a company dinner. Allow two to three crostini per person.

1¹/2 cups chopped Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers (recipe follows)

20 to 24 Crostini

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Place about 1 tablespoon marinated peppers on each slice of toast. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve immediately.

Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers

2 roasted red bell peppers (see note), chopped, or one 7¹/2-ounce jar (1¹/2 cups) purchased roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Dash of salt

In a small bowl mix all ingredients together. Cover and chill several hours.

Makes about 1¹/2 cups

Note: To roast red bell peppers, preheat broiler. Cut pepper in half lengthwise and remove stems, seeds, and ribs. At 2-inch intervals, make a 1-inch slash around the edge of each half pepper. Place skin-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet with a rim and press peppers down to flatten. Broil until skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer peppers to a paper bag or covered bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove peppers and peel off skin.

Warm Brie with Marinated Roasted Red Peppers and Roasted Garlic

SERVES 6

Serve this impressive hors d’oeuvre as a first course on individual plates with warm baguette slices. Provide small knives for spreading.

1 Brie wedge (10 to 12 ounces)

Marinated Roasted Red Peppers, cut into strips and drained

2 to 3 tablespoons drained capers

Roasted Garlic (recipe follows)

Curly-leaf lettuce for lining plates

Preheat oven to 325°F. Place Brie on a pie plate and place in oven until warmed, 6 to 7 minutes (do not allow to get runny). Divide Brie evenly onto 6 small, lettuce-lined plates. Top with red pepper mixture. Sprinkle with capers. Place several roasted garlic cloves on the side and 2 or 3 bread slices around the edge.

Roasted Garlic

Roasted garlic can be used in whipped potatoes, on vegetables and Pizza, with pasta, or spread on bread.

4 large garlic heads

2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove outer, papery skin of garlic head but do not peel or separate cloves. With a knife slice ¹/4 inch off the top, leaving the head intact. Place each head on a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle ¹/2 teaspoon oil over each head. Fold foil over garlic and seal tightly. Bake until garlic is very soft, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Slip cloves out of skin and set aside.

Serves 6

Party Cheese Ball

MAKES ONE 3-INCH BALL

Red and green flecks make this creamy cheese ball a perfect hors d’oeuvre for the holidays. Horseradish is the secret ingredient, adding extra zest. Serve with crackers or crudités (raw vegetables).

1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon prepared cream-style horseradish

¹/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¹/4 cup drained pimiento-stuffed green olives plus 1 tablespoon of the brine

Red chard or red cabbage leaves, for lining plate

4 pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced, for garnish

Place cream cheese, horseradish, Parmesan cheese, whole olives, and brine in a food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula if necessary.

Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Wrap and chill several hours.

To serve, place in the center of a large plate lined with chard or cabbage leaves. Decorate the ball with sliced olives. Surround with crackers and strips of vegetables. Serve at room temperature.

Beer Cheese Spread

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

Four cheeses are combined with beer to make this mellow cheese spread. Make at least a day in advance to allow the flavors to develop. Serve with crackers or toast rounds. It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

2 caps grated Cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

2 ounces cream cheese, cut up

¹/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, cut up

¹/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 drops Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¹/2 cup beer, allowed to go flat

In a food processor combine all ingredients and process until blended. Pack into a bowl or crock, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Will keep up to 2 weeks.

Serve at room temperature for easy spreading.

Quesadillas

SERVES 4

An easy hors d’oeuvre to serve with drinks. For a main course, add cooked chicken, avocado, salsa, olives, refried beans, green chiles, or chopped green onions.

4 large flour tortillas

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Vegetable oil, for brushing skillet

Fresh Tomato Salsa, or prepared salsa

Variation:

Add sliced olives and chopped tomatoes

Lay tortillas on a flat surface and sprinkle ¹/2 cup cheese on half of each tortilla. Fold over into a semicircle. Brush a non-stick skillet lightly with oil and place on medium-high heat. Cook one quesadilla at a time until lightly browned and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes on each side.

Keep warm in a warm oven or cover with foil until all quesadillas are cooked. Brush skillet with more oil if needed. Cut each quesadilla in quarters and serve immediately with salsa.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

MAKES ABOUT 2¹/2 CUPS

Salsa appears on the Mexican table at every meal, to be served with almost any dish. You can make it as hot as you like by varying the amount and variety of chiles you use. It is best when made fresh.

2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes, seeded and drained

2 or 3 jalapeño chiles, ribs and seeds removed and finely chopped (see note)

¹/2 cup finely chopped white onion

¹/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl mix together all ingredients. Serve immediately.

Note: When working with chiles, wear gloves or wash hands thoroughly afterward. Keep hand away from eyes.

Broiled Shrimp Rounds

MAKES ABOUT 20 ROUNDS

Small cooked shrimp are always available and lend themselves to this easy hors d’oeuvre that goes together in just minutes. This also makes a good open-face sandwich on an English muffin.

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon paprika

¹/4 teaspoon dry mustard

¹/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped, cooked, small shrimp

Baguette or cocktail rye bread slices, about 20

Prepare broiler. In a bowl stir together all ingredients except shrimp and bread. Fold in shrimp.

Place bread on a baking sheet. Broil one side until lightly toasted, about 40 seconds. Remove pan from oven and turn bread over. Spread on shrimp mixture and broil until bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Shrimp Salsa

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

A great introduction to a Mexican dinner party. Serve with tortilla chips and provide napkins or small plates.

¹/2 pound small, cooked shrimp

1 cup prepared salsa, briefly drained

2 tablespoons catsup

1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

1 large avocado, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

3 green onions including some tender green tops, sliced

1 small tomato, seeded, chopped, and drained

1 or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

In a bowl stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate several hours before serving.

Hot Shrimp Hors d’Oeuvre

MAKES ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

Serve this shrimp in a chafing dish along with Spicy Red Sauce for dipping. Make the sauce several hours ahead.

¹/4 cup butter or margarine

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails intact

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried dill

Salt to taste

¹/2 cup dry white wine

Spicy Red Sauce (recipe follows)

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add shrimp, garlic, and dill and cook, turning several times, until shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, add wine, and cook 1 minute on low heat. Transfer to a chafing dish to keep warm. Serve with Spicy Red Sauce.

Spicy Red Sauce

³/4 cup catsup

¹/4 cup bottled chili sauce

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, or to taste

¹/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate several hours before serving to blend flavors. Serve at room temperature.

Makes about 1 cup

Crab-filled Mushrooms

MAKES ABOUT 20 SERVINGS

Stuffed mushrooms are always a party favorite, especially when they are filled with fresh, delicate Dungeness crab. Using the food processor saves time in chopping.

1 pound (about 20) medium mushrooms of equal size

2 green onions including some tender green tops, cut up

1 clove garlic, cut up

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

¹/4 cup dry bread crumbs

¹/4 pound fresh crab meat, flaked

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¹/4 teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil, for brushing on mushroom caps

Paprika

Clean mushrooms and remove stems neatly. Place stems in food processor along with 1 mushroom cap, green onions, and garlic. Process until coarsely chopped.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small, nonstick skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add mushroom mixture and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add crumbs,