3 Easy Recipes For Wowing Last Minute Guests
Usually, when you decide to have guests over, you plan in advance.
You spend hours flicking through recipe books looking for those perfect recipes. Finally, after what feels like days of planning, you come up with a meal plan consisting of appetizers, a starter, a main, and a dessert, each of which is perfect in every way. You then take the time to pick the perfect wine to compliment each course, as well as a selection of non-alcoholic drinks for the designated drivers.
Being a good host is about planning - everyone knows that. But what happens when you don’t have as much time as you would like to plan? Sometimes, plans change at the last minute, and you end up playing hostess without having the chance to do any planning. These are the times that really test you as a host - can you pull a fantastic meal out of the bag with minimal planning or will you crumble under the pressure? Of course you won’t, you’re a millennial after all, and we millennials are known for our ability to cope with huge pressures, it’s just a case of keeping a cool head, that’s all.
Whether you’ve got four hours to prepare or 40 minutes, these deceivingly simple recipes will allow you to wow your last minute guests with the most amazing meal.
Olives three ways
An easy appetizer that is wonderfully elegant and guaranteed to be a hit with everyone is olives on ice.
Ingredients:
(Serves 10)
- 50 pitted green olives
- 6 ounces of goat’s cheese
- Fresh herbs ( 2 tablespoons)
- Pickled garlic
- Pickled peppers
Method:
- For goat’s cheese olives: mix the goat’s cheese with a handful of fresh herbs, place in a piping bag and pipe into ⅓ of the olives.
- For the garlic olives: cut each clove of pickled garlic into quarters lengthways, and place one into a ⅓ of the olives.
- For the pepper olives: blend a small amount of goat's cheese with the pickled peppers and then pipe into ⅓ of the olives.
Italian salad
A simple starter that is wonderfully refreshing and perfect for a last minute dinner party is Italian salad. It’s easy to make, tastes incredible, and isn’t too filling.
Ingredients:
(Serves 10)
- 5 beef tomatoes (must be ripe and juicy)
- 5 balls of buffalo mozzarella (or 5 tubs of mini mozzarella balls)
- Fresh basil
- Olive oil
- Black pepper
Method:
- Slice each tomato into thin slices, then slice the mozzarella into similar sized pieces.
- On each plate, place half a sliced tomato with slices of mozzarella placed in between each tomato slice.
- Then, add a handful of basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil and dust with black pepper.
Slow-cooked chili chicken
When time is of the essence, and you have a million and one things to prepare, crock pot recipes are a godsend. Slow cooked chili chicken is the ideal dish for serving to any last minute guests because it’s so wonderfully simple to prepare and make. Once it’s in the crockpot, that’s it, there’s nothing else to do - there isn’t a meal that could be easier.
Ingredients:
(Serves 10)
- 10 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 jar of tomato salsa
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 red pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
Method:
- Dice the chicken into chunks and place in a preheated slow cooker set to high.
- Pour in the chili powder and ensure chicken is coated in it, add diced red pepper and onion and stir.
- Add the jar of salsa and tin of tomatoes and give another stir. Place the lid onto the slow cooker and cook for at least six hours, stirring occasionally.
- Serve on a bed of wild rice or cauliflower rice.
Just because you end up having guests over at the last minute, that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare and serve a delicious meal.