Shabbos dinner menu with guests

Executive Member Joined: Dec 27 2011 Posts: 435

I have been married for less than a year, and always have issues creating menus.

We are having 2 couples over, who we are close to and my sister is staying over. I don't know what to make at all.

I need something budget friendly and easy to make.

I don't know if I should make moroccan gefilte fish, I always make, or/and a soup.

For main, I was thinking chicken caccatore, sheperds pie, and I don't know what else.

I can try strawberry shortcake for dessert, which is easy.. Duken Heinz cake with rich whip and strawberries.
I'm seriously out of ideas this week.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 17 2010 Posts: 1080

Since the fish has a tomato sauce, I'd make mushroom & white wine sauce for the chicken instead of the cacciatore, so you don't duplicate flavours.

Executive Member Joined: Dec 27 2011 Posts: 435

I think I need a new fish idea (I dont like fish) or skip it all together and serve a soup. Idk what soup or sides. so I am out of ideas. Thanks tho

Executive Member Joined: Dec 26 2011 Posts: 254

im married a lil over a yr and I make pretty basic food.
challah
fish-reg gefilte
chicken soup
dips
a salad or 2
chicken and rice
potato kugel
apple kugel
crsberry kugel
orzo with veggies
dessert which is something w/ choc chips n vanilla ice cream!

Gold Member Joined: Jun 08 2007 Posts: 1333

I would make a basic yummy chicken soup to start. roasted chicken with potatoes and sweet potatoes, a sweet kugel llke apple or cranberry apple crisp, a rice or orzo and a big tossed salad. all basic and cheap.

you can do homemade dips and salads as a starter with the Challah. followed by soup. then the main course.

do you need to main dishes of chicken cacciatore and shepherd's pie, or could one do along with a veggie side dish and starch side dish.
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Silver Member Joined: Feb 24 2011 Posts: 684

if I were you.. and wanted to keep it interesting but on the cheaper side..
I would do a first course of dips and one salad (and I do fish, either reg baked gefilte fish, or morrcon)

soup

then I wouldnt do both chicken cacciaoter and shephard pie, I would choose one, and then make one kugel, one roasted veg, maybe teryiaki string beans...and depending on the amount of ppl, id make a second kugel..

good luckkkk

Gold Member Joined: Oct 09 2011 Posts: 1070

start off with alot of dips and enough challah to fill everyone. maybe serve lox salad among the dips instead of fish. I'd stick to plain old fashioned chicken soup with matzo balls or noodles for the soup.

Gold Member Joined: Mar 23 2007 Posts: 1889 Location: NY

Some other ideas.....

Roast chicken with lemon slices and roasted garlic for garnish is simple and yummy.

Roasted sweet potato wedges drizzled with honey and seasoned with thyme (for taste and color) is a nice side.

Roast green beans with mushrooms and carmelized onions.

I always include a basic lettuce salad. You can add fun things like sunflower seeds and dried cherries or craisins to make it more special. You just need a handful so it's not expensive. Maybe look up some recipes for interesting salad dressings. You can add leftover chopped chicken to the salad for shabbos lunch.

In general, I look for what produce is on sale and then think about what seasonings and garnish would make it taste and look great.

Also, skip the shepherd's pie. It's too much - if you have extra time and money just prepare an extra side dish.
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Executive Member Joined: Dec 27 2011 Posts: 435

Thank you everyone for your advice. Now we are having three couples. I would make a small sheperds pie, and make chicken the main course. I don't know how to make many of these sides, or to keep them warm. I'm also not a big kugel person...

Diamond Member Joined: Sep 18 2004 Posts: 2600

If you're making chicken as the main, maybe skip the shepherds pie and just make the mashed potatoes (with fried onion for more flavor). Then you can just do green beans or roasted peppers and you're good to go.

Posted: Wed, Feb 22 2012, 9:15 pm Post subject:

If your gonna make the shepherds pie I would make individual size ones

Executive Member Joined: Dec 27 2011 Posts: 435

I am thinking of doing a gefilte fish breaded in corn flake crumbs with some sort of salad..
chicken soup with matzo balls.
chicken caccatore, mashed potatoes, a few ribs on brown rice (which I make my cholent with, its sephardi style), spinach pie, and green beans. this is mainly according to what my husband wants. I was thinking of maybe making just chicken caccatore and potatoes.. but what if people don't like chicken caccatore? I think variety is good. Hopefully not too much tho..

dessert, strawberry shortcake and tea