inlaws coming for dinner

bridet0be15

My FI and I bought our first home a month ago.  We decided to host my FSIL birthday dinner at our new home.  This is the first time we will host a family dinner.  There is a total of 8 adults and 1 child coming (his family is very much meat and potato type of people).  I have decided on a ham dinner for the meal.  I was wondering how these sides sounded:

Salad

Honey glazed baby carrots

Mashed potatoes or maybe baked? not sure

baked mac and cheese

For dessert I am going to make Raspberry cheesecake cupcakes and Reece's cheesecake cupcakes.

Do you think I should add another veggie?  

loveislouder

With ham we always do mashed potatoes. We also find that dill compliments honey glazed baby carrots. I think you're good on veggies.

hellohkb

That sounds delicious!

bridet0be15

Great!  The recipe I found has dill, honey, and thyme in the ingredients!  

Edit: for the carrots!

RebeccaFlower

I think that sounds great. The only thing is if it's supposed to be for FSIL, should you make do a regular cake or does she really like cheesecake?

raissyrais

Ham and every else sounds great but I would add maybe some strings beans (you can just saute them in browned butter with crush garlic, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice). 

As for the dessert, just make sure everyone likes cheesecake (I go to people's places for dinner sometimes and my heart sinks if they have cheesecake for dinner cause I run away from it like the devil).

OliveOilsMom

You could probably skip the mashed potatoes or mac n cheese, those are both heavy sides.  I LOVE mac n cheese with ham!  

I actually make a casserole with mac n cheese, ham cubes, and either peas or broccoli.  Put a little bread crumb topping, bake it for a bit and it is oh so yummy!

So I would probably only make one of those sides and them add in either another veggie side or bread.

I also agree with PP about the cheesecake.  I don't like cheesecake, so if that was my birthday dessert,  I would be disappointed.  I wouldn't say it to the host, but I'd lament it to my H on the ride home.

lurkergirl

What time should I be there?

lyndausvi

sounds good.

MairePoppy

Wow, two desserts? I'd have to try both.

I would  skip the potatoes and add in home made applesauce and some kind of bread.

alpacalunch

OliveOilsMom said:

You could probably skip the mashed potatoes or mac n cheese, those are both heavy sides.  I LOVE mac n cheese with ham!  

I actually make a casserole with mac n cheese, ham cubes, and either peas or broccoli.  Put a little bread crumb topping, bake it for a bit and it is oh so yummy!

So I would probably only make one of those sides and them add in either another veggie side or bread.

I also agree with PP about the cheesecake.  I don't like cheesecake, so if that was my birthday dessert,  I would be disappointed.  I wouldn't say it to the host, but I'd lament it to my H on the ride home.

One heavy side should be plenty (though I vote scalloped potatoes), another veg if you want four dishes. And I will be there at 7 thx

bridet0be15

I like all those suggestions.  I am personally not a huge fan of cheese cake but FMIL is the one who told me to have cheese cake for dessert, thats why I picked it.  I could always make a regular chocolate cake with it