Double (and Triple!) Date Dinner Party Recipes
7 of my favorite dinner party recipes that never fail me!
When it comes to being social in the winter, I’m all about inviting friends over for a home cooked meal. It’s no secret that I love to cook, and our friends love to eat 😉 So I thought I’d round up my favorite dinner party recipes!
I know entertaining can seem really intimidating, but it truly doesn’t have to be. Sure, snobby people might scoff at a comforting crock pot recipe or your mismatched plates… but the truth is, REAL friends don’t care one bit. One of my favorite authors, Shauna Niequist, said this in her book called Bread & Wine:
“What they are craving isn’t perfection. People aren’t longing to be impressed; they’re longing to feel like they’re home. If you create a space full of love and character and creativity and soul, they’ll take off their shoes and curl up with gratitude and rest, no matter how small, no matter how undone, no matter how odd.”
Don’t you just love that?! So the next time you’re craving good conversation and red wine, come back to this post, pick out a recipe, and invite your favorites over!
Dinner Party Recipes
Crock Pot Zucchini Lasagna
This is one of my favorite winter recipes – but it’s also a great option when you’re cooking for a group! Also, if this looks good to you but you’re cooking for meat lovers, don’t worry. I’ve tried it with ground turkey and it worked really well. Just brown the turkey (or beef!) on the stove and be sure to drain any liquid/grease before you add it to the lasagna layers.
Also, if you need a little extra push, a reader named Jennifer messaged me last night and said, “So I just made your crockpot zucchini lasagna. Holy smokes! I could have gone for a third, maybe four servings!” That’s what I like to hear!!
Mama’s Easy Lemon Chicken
If this lemon chicken is good enough to be one of my Mom’s favorite dinner party recipes, it’s good enough to be one of yours, too 😉 Plus, it’s much easier to make than it looks. I’m salivating just thinking about making it again…
Instant Pot Risotto with Garlic Shrimp
Craving risotto but don’t have time for all the stirring? Make it in an Instant Pot! This trick is seriously mind-blowing to me. Who would have thought it would work so well?! Plus, garlic shrimp? YUM.
Honey Mustard Walnut Crusted Salmon
Instead of simply baking or pan frying salmon, this recipe is WAY more fun for a dinner party. The combination of honey mustard with crunchy walnuts makes it seriously irresistible.
Stuffed Peppers
I grew up loving Italian style stuffed peppers, but as soon as Adam tried these Mexican inspired Whole 30 peps, these became the favorite. They’re super flavorful, the colors are pretty, and they make GREAT leftovers if your group doesn’t eat them all!
Pork Shoulder Ragu by Dinner, A Love Story
My friend Danielle actually introduced me to this recipe over a girls weekend a few years ago. There was a huge snowstorm, so before the roads were closed, we got groceries and then hung out/played games all day while this cooked in the kitchen. You guys know I don’t eat a lot of pork, but this sauce is AMAZING. It also smells like heaven and makes a ton of food – aka perfect for both a snowed in girls weekend or a dinner party!
Vodka Sauce
When I want to keep things really simple, Vodka Sauce is my go-to recipe. I’ve been helping my Mom make it since before I can remember and it’s ALWAYS good.
What are your favorite dinner party recipes?
PS. You might also like 10 Slow Cooker Recipes to Meal Prep Next Week.
