Dinner at home with a few good friends. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Whether you're a regular on the entertaining circuit, or you've been putting those dinner invitations on the back burner, Spring is a great time to celebrate with a special meal.
Make it Easy on Yourself
The rule of thumb for enjoyable entertaining is this: keep it simple. Remember that you've invited people over for a friendly, warm evening not to dazzle them with something so complicated that you can't relax and enjoy their company. The first order of business is of course, the food:
Appetizers are strictly optional. You'll probably be serving dessert, so consider just how much food your guests can handle and how much work you want to do.
- Select an entree that will shine with flavor and can be easily
complemented with unadorned foods of the season, such as
bright, fresh asparagus, delicate snow peas, new potatoes,
or those easy-to-use peeled mini carrots. Something as
simple as wild rice, regular, or basmati rice can round out the
menu. Double the amount so you'll have plenty for seconds.
That goes for everything if you're serving big eaters.
- Take a few moments to read through your recipes and make
your shopping list. Once you're ready to cook, lay out every
single thing you'll need -- equipment and ingredients,
pre-measured and chopped if possible. This is what the pros
do. It saves time, running back and forth and the surprise of
"missing ingredients.
- Do yourself a favor and have the table set before people
arrive. Remember that the smallest details can make all the
difference in the mood of the dinner and how welcome you
make people feel. You don't need to pull out your best china
-- but go ahead if you're in the mood! Otherwise, fresh
flowers, candles, and cloth napkins should do it.
- Dessert can always be made well in advance. It's perfectly
acceptable to buy a wonderful ice cream to serve with
homemade cookies or your favorites from a bakery. Or, since
it's spring you can't go wrong with luscious fruit served with
cream, or over frozen vanilla yogurt.
- Consider inviting people for an early supper. That way, you won't have to face clean-up in the wee hours, or worse -- the next morning.
The Main Dish
When it comes to your main dish, consider lamb, chicken, pork, or poultry, all of which can all be deliciously enhanced with a sweet/savory glaze. Deeply flavored, but lighter than a sauce, glazes often have a component of fruit and/or fruit juice mingled with seasonings. They're often cooked in the same skillet as the meat, which leaves its own glaze and helps create a concentrated flavor. Glazes for meat can range from a sweet and sour blend to a simple melted jelly.
This recipe for Lamb Chops with Pineapple Glaze makes a memorable entree, and will take you about 20 minutes to prepare. You simply cook the small lamb chops and heat through with tangy pineapple tidbits or chunks and mint, all in the same skillet. The glaze, which is spooned over the lamb chops, comes together in just minutes as the pineapple juice drained from the can, mint jelly and white pepper (so your beautifully shiny glaze won't be dotted with black pepper flecks) are melted together in the skillet. If you can find fresh mint, it's the perfect garnish. For a classic Spring menu, serve with fresh steamed asparagus or mini-carrots and boiled or steamed red potatoes. Finish it off with a simple fruit dessert, and enjoy your friends!
Whether you're entertaining or planning a regular family meal, remember that nutritionists recommend 5 A Day. That means everyone should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Dole products fit into the 5 A Day program, and many, such as canned pineapple, make it easier on the cook.
LAMB CHOPS WITH PINEAPPLE GLAZE
YIELD: 4 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
- 1 can (20 oz.) Dole Pineapple Tidbits or Pineapple Chunks
- 6 to 8 lamb loin chops (about 1 1/2 lb.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint, crushed
- 1/2 cup mint jelly
- 1/4 teapoon white pepper
- Mint leaves, optional
- Drain pineapple, reserve 2 tablespoons juice.
- Cook lamb chops in oil, in skillet, about 10 minutes. Add pineapple and mint, heat through.
- Remove lamb chops to platter; keep warm.
- Add reserved juice, jelly and pepper to skillet, heat until jelly is melted. Serve pineapple glaze over chops. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.
Approximate Nutrient Information Per Serving
Calories: 691
Total Fat: 41 gm
Saturated Fat: .4 gm
Cholesterol: 80 mg
Sodium: 76 mg
Carbohydrate: 53 gm
Protein: 29 gm
SWEET AND SOUR SPARERIBS
YIELD 10 servings
PREPARATION TIME 1 hour
COOKING TIME 20 minutes
- 4 pounds pork spareribs, cut in 2-inch pieces
- 1 can (20 oz.) Dole Crushed Pineapple
- 3/4 cup Dole Pineapple Juice
- 1/4 cup lite soy sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Place ribs in large pot; cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover, cook 1 hour or until almost tender. Drain.
- Drain pineapple; reserve juice. Reserve pineapple for serving sauce.
- Stir together reserved juice, pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, vinegar, garlic and ginger in bowl.
- Place ribs on grill and brush frequently with sauce, until ribs are cooked, about 20 minutes.
- Return sauce to saucepan, add reserved crushed pineaple and cornstarch. Heat to boiling and until sauce has thickened. Serve with spareribs.
Approximate Nutrient Information Per Serving
Calories: 527
Total Fat: 37 gm
Saturated Fat: 14 gm
Cholesterol: 149 mg
Sodium: 396 mg
Carbohydrate: 9 gm
Protein: 36 gm
Source: Dole
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