Let’s make a vow, shall we? Let’s keep things easy during this upcoming outdoor entertaining season. I’m talking last minute get-togethers that seem to happen after 5PM on a Friday while you’re chatting away on the phone with a friend – wishing you were in person, clinking glasses. Do it. Invite that friend over, and hey, no need to panic. Enter the one platter entertaining idea.
In the winter I rely on my trusty red pot for the whole keeping it simply thing. Normally it’s a nice roast, or this divine chicken and mushrooms, or the ever so elegant company sauce. Whatever it is – the heart of the meal is in that pot, and the sides involve nothing more than picking up fresh bread and tossing a simple salad. The red pot takes the scene on the table.
When spring and summer hit that concept shifts to my large white platter. I’ve found if I keep the meal to that rule the meal is stress free. There isn’t a lot fuss, thought, dishes – etc. It’s all on that platter and broken down into a very precise (and top secret, of course) equation:
50% Some type of grilled meat.
- How much do you like your friends? Because nothing beats a simple grilled filet. Be sure to bring to room temperature!
- Get these ribs going a few days before the weekend. Come Friday or Saturday all you have to do is toss on the grill.
- The best grilled chicken of your life.
- Marinated flank steak.
- A whole chicken flattened on the grill – sure to impress!
25% Starch. Suggestions for you:
- Crack potatoes
- Mexican street corn. Killer.
- Perfect roast potatoes. Hey, saves you room on the grill.
- Cheese, grilled. Not grilled cheese in a pan. Slices of cheese, grilled, outside. I know. There is nothing better over fresh veggies…
25% Vegetable. Find what is fresh, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper, and get it on the grill. We’re eating a ton of asparagus right now.
The most impressive one platter dish to entertain with ever? Enter the gorgeous salmon nicoise platter. Grilled ribeyes on the side keeps the guys just as content as the girls. Everyone goes home happy.
And, bam. 100% perfection. All you need to do is throw on a maxi, some flats (or keep it barefeet, if you’re like me), and get the summer jams cranking. Watermelon slices, pretzels, and grilled Trader Joes hot dogs are my go to for the kids, if we can ever find them to feed them.
Here’s to 65 and sunny this weekend! Who are you inviting over?
C
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Courtney
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Ha. ALL of my plans are last minute. Which also means a last minute scramble for food as well! They need to get on with whatever plans are supposed to be happening to the abandon Dominick’s because this heaux needs to be able to strut down the street to grab some food on the quick!
Tia @ HoPo recently posted…The Commuter’s Uniform- Rain Edition
All your plates look amazing – why have I not grilled cheese before?! Must buy some haloumi cheese!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Haloumi-Cheese-and-Lemon-238665
Thanks for your virtual hugs this week – hopefully we’ll get some answers this weekend.
Biz recently posted…Now we…Wait
Thank you so much for this one platter dinner, its hard to impress most of my friends as they are great enertainers, but this saturday I accomplished that thanks to the Haloumi cheese (so tasty everyone loved it) and setting out a beautiful platter of grilled veggies, steak and salmon, best part, less dishes to wash, this will be my go to enertaining meal for the summer.
Is this Catherine Lange the pharmaceutical rep with 2 adorable boys?? This is Catherine Wood (Internist in Arlington Heights with 3 boys)…how are you??
Great post.
Cecila recently posted…Cecila