A Menu That Worked

Since I'm always interested in easy meal plans with lots of make-ahead components, I thought I'd share the menu from a recent afternoon get-together that I thought worked particularly well.  As you'll see, it's slow-cooker heavy, since-- lazy as I am-- I now own two of these workhorses!

In my small slow cooker:  Spinach and Artichoke Dip (8 oz cream cheese; 2 cups grated mozzarella; 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained of course; and 1 bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.  Combine in the slow cooker and heat on "low"-- stirring every now and then--until it's all nicely melted.)  I assembled this about an hour before our guests arrived, and set out crackers, a serving spoon, small plates, etc., so that they could help themselves directly from the slow cooker.

In my large slow cooker: Pot Roast  This was a 6-lb beef chuck roast that I cooked overnight (12 hours) on "low" along with a cup of red wine; a can of beef broth; a package of frozen mixed peppers and onions; and (key) the drippings from at least six strips of bacon, which I also crumbled into the pot.  In the morning I added extra seasonings to taste, including paprika, caraway seed, salt, and a couple tablespoons of sour cream.

In the oven:  Slow-Roasted Tomatoes ...  Wow.  Last month I'd never even heard of this dish, and now I'm convinced that it's the perfect make-ahead side for wintertime!  Following this recipe from the most recent issue of Cooking Light, I baked plum tomato halves overnight in a 200-degree oven.  The next morning, I was able to chill them and later-- just before dinner-- reheat them, adding a sprinkle of mozzarella and fresh basil.  The taste was intensely rich, complimenting the pot roast so well; moreover, the (scant) leftovers reheated nicely on the next day, too, without any apparent change in texture or moisture.  I'm definitely making this again!

On the stovetop:  Mashed Potatoes, which I'd boiled the previous night, ready for day-of mashing with butter and cream ... and Steamed Asparagus, just a quick three minutes in a steamer basket.

Bread and Butter, of course; and then:

Dessert #1:  A guest asked "what to bring?" and I pounced on the offer!  She made a marvellous homemade Apfelkuchen-- and hopefully she'll also post the recipe on her blog, as I thought it absolutely perfect: light and mildly (not cloyingly) sweet.   I just couldn't stop cutting slices for myself!

Dessert #2 (and I might also label this "In the Refrigerator") I'd made a batch of Rote Grütze, a wonderful German berry dessert-- sort of a thick compote served with heavy cream-- which I love, love, love!  A German military wife hooked me on it last year, after which it became one of my go-to recipes.  And it's so simple!  While this version (also easy) calls for fresh fruit and cornstrach, I only stewed a large bag of frozen mixed berries and a small bag of frozen cherries together (with just enough water to cover) in a large pot; slightly thickened the mixture with a package of vanilla cook-and-serve pudding; and then added just a tablespoon of sugar.  I then chilled it overnight, and served it in bowls with a small pitcher of heavy cream... and wished that I didn't have to share!

As you'll note, I could do most of the work on the previous night, after children were in bed.  At that time I set up the pot roast, which began to cook shortly before midnight; prepped the tomatoes and put them in the oven to roast overnight; boiled the potatoes; and made the Rote Grütze.  On the morning of the get-together, all that I really had to do was throw the spinach-artichoke ingredients in a crock pot; season the pot roast; mash the potatoes; slide the tomatoes back into the oven; and steam the asparagus.  ...Yes, plenty of time left to stress over a wrinkled tablecloth and try to match the napkins (a losing battle)! 


I'd love to see examples of your successful menus!  If you have a post or an idea to share, please leave me a note in the comment box... And as always, thank you!  Although married for over eleven years, I still feel like a novice when it comes to entertaining.