Q: Our neighborhood is having a progressive spring dinner in a couple of weeks. We'll all start at one house for appetizers, split up for dinner at several houses, then come back to the first house for dessert.
My husband and I are hosting for the entree course — do you have any suggestions? It would need to be mostly made ahead.
Sent by Katherine
Editor: Katherine, do you know what the other hosts are making? My first inclination would be to find that out and try to coordinate your own dish in some way. After that, what about a simple dish of braised chicken that could be cooked ahead and then warmed up? Or you could make and cook pasta ahead of time, and then at the last minute sauté it to warm, and toss with vegetables and pesto.
• Lemony Pesto Pasta with Edamame & Almonds
Readers, what would you suggest for Katherine?
Related: Entertaining: Garden Entertaining Tips
(Image: Leela Cyd Ross)
Magic One-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways: Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Make Chocolate Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping with Only 2 Ingredients
Our reading list
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Candy Stripe Teaspo...
30 DIY Projects for the 3-Day Weekend
Tina Wilson's Striking Style 
Comments (12)
Homemade fresh pasta is also a really lovely touch and very fast to cook. It'll take a few minutes to heat the water (and much less if you have an electric kettle and can transfer boiling water to the pot), but then it's just a matter of cooking the noodles for 3-4 minutes.
I love a simple linguini tossed with lemon and goat cheese. That and a simple salad would be light and delicious.
Or something that can be prepared in the slow cooker? I wonder if, for example, Jamie Oliver's chicken in milk (thekitchn reviewed the recipe a while ago; it is *divine*) could work. And then it's a matter of a side or two to go with it.
I agree with latitiae, Jamie Oliver's chicken in milk is easy and perfect. Beef Bourguignon is another one and here's my favorite, easy recipe for it: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/dining/261frex.html
Agreed that something that can be kept warm in the oven, like a stew (or green chili - for some reason that feels like spring to me...), is a good idea. Alternately, something that doesn't need to be served too hot might work, like quiche or spanakopita, perhaps with the addition of a cold lentil salad or soup that can be kept in the oven if that doesn't seem robust enough for the main (although it sounds ilke not enough food will not be a problem - what a fun evening!).
I like meals where everything can be made and plated in advance except for one finishing item. Here are two I love:
Flank steak salad with chimichurri: I add radishes and sometimes blanched asparagus. You can make the chimichurri and plate each salad in advance, and the steak cooks quickly. Serve with crusty bread to sop the mozzarella's oil and the chimichurri.
Fish tacos with mango salsa: Salsa can be made in advance to let the flavors mingle, and the fish can either be quickly fried, baked, or grilled. I like to serve roasted potatoes on the side (toss them in the oven when you leave for the appetizer house).
Or, hearty soups or stews that need to simmer a long time can be made in advance. Serve with a salad and some crusty bread: Spring minestrone, escarole, orzo, meatball soup, or spring lamb stew.
what the heck is a "progressive" spring dinner?
I like the idea of something bubbling away at the stove, filling the house with a delicious aroma. Ina Garten has a recipe for "Scott's Short Ribs" in her book Family Style. The meat is braised in red wine for several hours.
jess13 - it's defined in the question. You progress from one house to another for each course - all together for apps at one location, split into groups of 8 for the main course at other locations, then back together as a group somewhere else for dessert.
At least one other host is going to make a pork tenderloin, so a lighter pasta, chicken, beef or seafood dish sound good to me.
All of your suggestions sound good, I'm getting hungry just reading them. I hadn't heard of the Jamie Oliver chicken and milk recipe before, will have to try that either way. And I always love fish tacos and short ribs. May have to choose based on how warm/cool the weather will be.
jess13, a progressive dinner just means that you move to different houses from course to course. I think it's called a safari or round robin dinner elsewhere?
@jess13, a progressive dinner is one where you progress from one house to another for different courses. You have cocktails and appetizers at one house, go to another home for dinner, and go to yet another house for dessert.
It splits the hosting duties, adds in a little exercise, and is a good way to bond with neighbors.
We did a progressive dinner in our neighborhood too - it's so much fun! I was thrilled we got cocktails as I wanted to enjoy the process not freak out about my course or how to get everyone out of my house if I got dessert and people wanted to linger...
Anyway, our neighbor who did the main entrée made a FANTASTIC meal of beef bourguignon, au gratin potatoes and roasted veggies. The beef and potatoes he made ahead of time and cooked in the oven while we did the previous courses. He roasted the veggies earlier in the day to almost done and when he got home and was waiting for people to settle, he put them in the broiler to finish them off and get them hot. He then dished out in the kitchen each persons portion and served everyone at the table (we had about 24 people). He had help from many of the ladies in our neighborhood to serve but the cooking part he did all himself. It was delicious, hot and such a treat!
We did a progressive dinner in our neighborhood too - it's so much fun! I was thrilled we got cocktails as I wanted to enjoy the process not freak out about my course or how to get everyone out of my house if I got dessert and people wanted to linger...
Anyway, our neighbor who did the main entrée made a FANTASTIC meal of beef bourguignon, au gratin potatoes and roasted veggies. The beef and potatoes he made ahead of time and cooked in the oven while we did the previous courses. He roasted the veggies earlier in the day to almost done and when he got home and was waiting for people to settle, he put them in the broiler to finish them off and get them hot. He then dished out in the kitchen each persons portion and served everyone at the table (we had about 24 people). He had help from many of the ladies in our neighborhood to serve but the cooking part he did all himself. It was delicious, hot and such a treat!
How about the Silver Palate Chicken Marbella? You can make it ahead and serve it at room temperature. I've never served it that way, only hot out of the oven, but the chicken is very tasty.