Need easy, make ahead recipe for dinner party

MarchMom06

I'm new to the board, but would love your thoughts, as I'm drawing a blank on this.

We are having house guests the weekend of Halloween. On Halloween evening, we have two kids that we will be taking trick or treating. (Not for long, I'm guessing we will just go up & down our street, as the kids our young.) My plan is to serve appetizers & drinks around 5:00, and feed the kids their dinner at that time. They eat early in general.

I assume we will trick or treat from around 5:30ish-6:30. After that, I'd like to come back to the house & serve dinner to the adults around 7:00. Obviously, I won't have much time in the kitchen. I can prepare things a little earlier in the day, but I will only have about an hour of kitchen prep time due to the kids schedules. My preference is to prep everything as much as possible the day before (Friday).

So, if you made it through my explanation, would love your ideas for an elegant, make ahead dinner entree recipe. I'm planning to have the following appetizers: goat cheese crostinis & caprese salad skewers, & possibly spiced nuts. Drinks will be cosmopolitans & wine. I'm open if you have other delicious & easy appetizer recipes.

I am planning on doing either a pumpkin cheesecake or a chocolate almond cheesecake for dessert, & am thinking of a spinach, pear & gorgonzola salad.

I'm drawing a complete blank for the entree. Only caveats are that it can't involve pork & can't be soup. I love soup & think while it wouldn't be particularly elegant, it would be simple & rustic. However, DH & one of our guests detest soup.

We will be serving 6 people.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have.

joelen&louis

So if I read right:

appetizers - goat cheese crostinis & caprese salad skewers, possible spiced nuts

drinks - cosmopolitans & wine

salad - spinach, pear & gorgonzola salad

dessert - pumpkin cheesecake or a chocolate almond cheesecake

Why not a lasagna? You can prepare it in advance, let it bake when you leave with the kids to trick or treat, or have it finish up baking when you're feeding the kids. When you get back with the kids, it will have cooled off slightly, perfect for serving and cutting at the table. Maybe throw in some breadsticks or italian bread too.

Temp23782687501318

What about a roast chicken?  You can put it in the oven earlier in the day and forget about it until supper time.  This recipe was very good.

http://simplegoodness-mandy.blogspot.com/2009/10/roast-sticky-chicken-rotisserie-style.html

And, how about roasted sweet potatoes for a side dish along with your salad?

MarchMom06

Both excellent ideas - keep them coming! Thanks.

TarHeels&Rebels

LIB of the make ahead menu I did for a dinner party.

AmyO.

I second the lasagna idea.  I also like the idea of chicken cordon bleu.  You can prep the chicken the night before then throw them in the oven when you're ready.

KoCoLoCo

Braused Shortribs, twice baked roquefort potatoes, and a roasted veggie.  You can make them ahead and rewarm them a day ahead.  So elegant and delicious.

bostonjen

I love Bolognese for a make ahead dinner.  I make it a day or two in advance and then just make the pasta the day of.  It's sooo yummy!

bostonjen

Oh, I also saw Giada make a pumpkin (or some kind of squash) lasagna with a bechemel sauce one time.  That might be nice this time of year!

redsoxbono

Wow - all fantastic ideas!  I was going to mention lasagna or a bolognese (although that usually has pork).  Along the bolognese line, my dad makes an amazing lamb ragout (like a bolognese).  I think both kinds of sauce and lasagne taste great (better) when made ahead of time!  This may not be elegant enough, but you could do chicken and eggplant parmesan.  Make the cutlets and the sauce ahead of time (grate the mozzarella ahead, too) and then just assemble and pop in the oven.  You sound like a great cook - wish I was coming!