Entertaining Ideas
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
How's my menu?
FI & I are having a Southern-themed dinner party. I wanted to make jambalaya, red beans & rice, and cornbread, because that's all really easy to make for a crowd and this is the first dinner party we're throwing. Does that sound yummy? Any suggestions?
Also, any ideas for decorating?
Re: How's my menu?
Hi, welcome
I think jambalaya and red beans & rice are too similar to be served together. Depending on how you prepare them, both have quite a bit of heat to them, offer the same mushy mouth-feel, and contain pork. I'd choose one or the other.
To change things up and keep with the Creole flair, try a shrimp dish or tamales. If you add a shrimp dish, keep shrimp out of the jambalaya (if you decide to do it and not the red beans).
If you're interested in Creole cuisine, find a copy of any of the River Road Recipes series cookbooks by the Junior League of Baton Rouge. The original is considered the seminal work on that style of food. Your local library may have a copy. Since I know very little about Creole cooking, I'd check there for menu ideas.
The cornbread's a great side to cut the heat of the other dishes and sop up juices.
For decor, could you save this idea for near Mardi Gras?
PS - Do be sure to advertise this as a Creole-themed dinner party since it's an important cuisine in its own right that is quite distinct from and shouldn't be lumped under the generic "southern" label.
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Fried chicken is very difficult, not to mention messy, to prepare well. That would be the last dish I'd ever want to make for a party.
Let's back up a second here. What are you wanting to do with this party? Do you just want to have friends over and thought red beans & jambalaya would be easy? Do you want to throw a southern party? From your name, are you a transplanted southerner living someone outside the south and you want to introduce others to the cuisine? If you tell us what you're driving at, we can give more helpful suggestions.
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Oh no, we're in Texas. I just love Southern food so that's what I wanted to make!
We're just having a few friends over for dinner & a movie (The Blind Side) to unwind after the first week of classes. We decided to make it a monthly thing, but this is our first time doing it. I just wanted to pick something yummy that went with the theme.
If I were doing a southern food party, I would add in collard greens and fried okra, and I'd be sorely tempted to not add in mashed potatoes with a dark gravy. You could either do Jambalaya with chicken, shrimp, and sausage, or do fried chicken with red beans and rice. If you're having a casual dinner party, then the fried chicken would be ok if you have a large electric skillet.
If you really want to do a southern food party, you also need to have some great southern desserts. What about fried pies? They are amazing!
This recipe is close, but really no cigar...http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/apple-fried-pies-recipe/index.html. I love peach fried pies.
I think I get the idea. The Blind Side seems more soul food than creole food. I agree that fried chicken would be a pain, but you could cater that portion then just make all of the sides. Another completely different thought might be to do a tailgate them. Hang penants and big football mums etc.
One thing you might take into consideration is that people are coming off of big holiday parties and making new year's resolutions. You might think about some lighter fare.
The Blind Side makes this so easy! It's from Memphis! Serve Memphis-style dry rub barbeque. Get ribs and season them with Rendezvous dry rub. Depending on where you are in Texas, you may be able to Rendezvous rub in the grocery store.
Serve with little corn cobs, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, baked beans. (Some or all, depending on how big a group you're talking.)
Do football cookies or cupcakes for dessert.
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Mm, that would let FI get in on the cooking, too.
What is the thing in your signature??
Just something to get people thinking. Much like those First World Problems sayings that are going around.
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But is it like...a little kid hand? I get the message but I can't figure out what's being held?
I believe it's the hand of an emaciated child in the hand of a volunteer.
Yep.
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