italian dinner help

bridgetlb

for my FI's 30th b-day party, i having a sort of nice, sit down dinner meal party. i'm serving my homemade lasgna, bread and salad..... what else?????
what other items should i do with the meal on the side and what apps? i was thinking maybe brushetta? what else? it needs to be sort of quick and easy to make since it is on a friday after work and i only have so much time when i get home before the party.

Donnaaries

An appetizer of stuffed mushrooms?  There are recipes that just utilize breadcrumbs and other filler stuff that aren't too hard.

fallbride1109

I did this for my meet the parents dinner.  I think all I had for appetizers was sliced havarti cheese and crackers and spinach artichoke dip.  You could throw some grapes in the mix and have a bottle of wine.  Yummy.

BanannaP

I always enjoy little caprese skewers: little mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves on a stick. But cheese and crackers or veggies and dip would be easy too.

ezzyv

I would probably go simple and make an antipasto plater with stuff I bought at Central Market or stuff I already had. It would be easy and you wouldn't have to cook anything if you don't want to.

bridgetlb

good ideas! keep'em coming!

Tiffany618

Everything sounds really yummy!!  

So this is not nearly as nice and creative, but you could do italian meatballs, no?  Those are always a hit at every sort of function I've ever been to and you just throw them in the crock pot with some sauce so you don't have to worry about them while you do everything else.

bridgetlb

funny you say that! i do my homemade italian meatballs for EVERY party!!! but i usually have bollio rolls with them to make a sandwich. i usually claim that people only come for my "famous" meatballs!

MsLaura31

I second ezzyv!

Go buy good sliced pepperoni, samali, proscuitto, olives, roasted peppers, and either a fresh mozzarella or a good provolone. You don't have to buy a lot of each. you can buy a baguette or two and have the bakery slice it. When you get home, thorw the baguette slices on a couple of cookie sheets to toast them. Arrange all you meats, cheese and other goodies on a nice platter, and put your toasted bread in a large shallow bowl. This will look VERY impressive.

Another crowd pleaser is to buy boursin cheese and bake it in a small ceramic dish until it's bubbly and serve with the same baguette slices. You can even buy a few roasted garlic cloves (sold at the olive bar) and put them in the middle of your boursin before you bake it. It makes a delicious dip, and is sooo easy!

bridgetlb

you guys are making me hungry!

fallbride1109

I have 2 crowd pleaser dips that are really easy:  the TGI Friday's aforementioned spinach/artichoke dip that you buy ready-made and just nuke in the microwave (just put it in your own pretty bowl).

Also the spinach dip recipe on the back of the Knorr vegetable soup mix packet.  I serve both dips with Kellogg's Townhouse Bistro Multigrain crackers.

MsLaura31

Wow... sorry for all the typos... I guess I got carried away! Appetizers are my favorite.

bridgetlb

i don't eat spinach/artichoke dip, but everyone else does... what do i serve it with? crackers? bread?

speaking of my "famous" meatballs... i'm eating them right now! that is what i brought from lunch (just on wheat sandwich bread - boring!)

annielouise

Wth spinach artichoke I always buy a french loaf (the really skinny ones) slice it into thin pieces, butter both sides, top with some garlic powder and broil them in the oven until they are golden brow.  Yummy!  Wheat thins and thin tortilla chips  sprinkled with some garlic salt and pepper are great choices too.

melissaandjoel

The already made Spinach and Artichoke dip by Stonemill is also really yummy. I've only seen this brand sold at Tom Thumb. I usually serve my dip with pita chips.

ChocolateDelight

Do y'all hear my stomach growling . . . oh the visions of all good food . . .