Mom's day dinner advice

funiaz

Hello. We're having both sets of parents and both sets of siblings over for our first family "shin-dig" on Sunday evening for Mother's Day. I'm very excited about using our china!!

My husband is going to make a couple of flank steaks and a couple of salmon filets (sort of a surf & turf), and definitely wants to do bananas foster for dessert (his signature dessert). I'm looking for ideas for side dishes & possibly appetizers. I'm 6 months pregnant, so don't want anything too time-consuming. 

My original thoughts were shrimp cocktail for app, and then grilled vegetables & orzo for sides, but that seems boring. Should we do a salad? What about bread?

I'm so nervous and just want to make sure this comes out right!

Thanks in advance!

Stephanie

Jim&Jaime

If this is one of your first dinners, don't worry about things being too "boring", just worry about them being "on point".  Even hot dogs can be fancy if presented well.  Well, maybe not hot dogs, but you get the idea.  I actually think your menu looks great.  To ease your stress on that day, you may want to think of some things you can do ahead.  This is the link to a dinner I did for friends a few months back:Valentine?s Dinner PartyEverything, except for dressing the salad and making the beans, could be done ahead of time.  Your steak, salmon, and dessert would go great with these sides and appetizers. 

JennyQ1985

Skip the apps.  That's too much food then.

For sides, I'd do baked potatoes and grilled asparagus.  They can be thrown on the grill with the rest of the food.

You can do a light side salad and maybe some hot biscuits.  

Jim&Jaime

Honestly, I wouldn't skip some sort of appetizer or snack.  It's great to let guests have a small bite and cocktail while waiting, and keeps you off the hook if anything goes wrong.  This way, they're not chewing their arms off, and you're not thrown into a stress panic because things get behind.  

CarlaAndJames

You can just put some cheese, crackers, and fruit on a plate and put it out, an "appetizer" doesn't have to be something fancy and time consuming. But it is nice to have something out when guests arrive hungry (and like PP said, if you end up a few minutes behind, it's okay!)

smilz4milz

We're surf and turfing for our parents Sunday too!  Steaks and shrimp scampi with salad and twice baked potatoes (making in the morning and will heat up for dinner...might even put it in the crockpot).

We are doing an appetizer though (because it's my mom's fave)...very easy peasy as long you like mushrooms.  It's just baby portobello mushrooms and we stuff them with a mixture of cream cheese, garlic salt, and Worcestershire sauce & top with sliced mozz or provolone cheese.  Bake on 350 for maybe 8-10 minutes (till the cheese is slightly brown).  All of this can be made beforehand and just popped into the oven when you're ready.  These things are awesome and you can't really mess it up (I eye the mixture and it always turns out great).

GL!