Make Ahead Dinner Party Recipes

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Make Ahead Dinner Party Recipes I know you’re going to love preparing and enjoying!

These make ahead dinner party recipes are great for this Valentine’s Day or any  occasion.  It is comfort food – everyone loves it but in recent years most of us avoid consuming it.  However, they are so very tasty – we all appreciate them if only seldom.  For any kind of celebration I am of the belief that it’s great to break out these recipes and enjoy yourself. These make ahead dinner party recipes are quick, easy and will give you time with your guests when they arrive.

Make ahead dinner party recipe #1

Stroganoff Bake — Serves 6 to 8

6 slices cooked bacon

2 pounds veal cut in large bite size pieces

2 large yellow onions, chopped

1 box fresh brown mushrooms

1-1/2-2 cartons sour cream – or ½  carton sour cream and 1-8 oz plain yogurt — at room temperature.  (Add sour cream mixture slowly to your desired taste.  I’d mix the wine with 1/2 amount called for to begin with.)

1 cup white cooking wine

1 cup white or brown rice

Set cooked bacon aside and brown veal.  (If you wish, use the bacon grease to brown or brown in a non-stick skillet.)  Remove veal from the pan.

Brown onions in the same pan.

Slice the mushrooms.

Combine veal, onions and mushrooms and add the sour cream mixed with wine.  Do this slowly so as not to curdle the sour cream.

Cover and cook slowly on top of the stove for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  (I personally believe 2 hours is a long time.  Just check the meat for tenderness often after first 1/2 hour.  You also want the wine to cook off partially.)

Cook and drain rice.

Layer rice and meat/sour cream mixture in a casserole and refrigerate.

When ready to bake, crumble the cooked bacon on top and bake one hour at 350 degrees – or until piping hot.  Do not cover.

Serve with side salad, crusty bread and dessert.  A bottle of red wine adds to the meal, also.

Variations:  You may wish this with noodles instead of rice and a filet mignon or sirloin instead of veal.  That works great, also.

Make ahead dinner party recipe #2

This is a side dish to use if you decide on steak or fish on the grill instead of stroganoff.

White Rice Browned – Serves 8-10

½ cup butter

2 cups white rice, uncooked

2 ¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 cans beef consommé

2 cups water

½ cup chopped, blanched almonds

Melt butter in a large frying pan.  Add the rice. Cook over very slow heat, stirring often, until rice is golden brown.

Place rice in a 2 quart casserole.  Sprinkle with seasonings and refrigerate until ready to bake.

When ready, add consommé, water, and nuts.  Mix gently.

Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Do not stir.

Make ahead dinner party recipe #3

Great French Dressing

2 cups olive oil

½ cup red wine vinegar, garlic flavor

2 tsp salt

2 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 tsp wet mustard

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Beat with blender or egg beater and store in refrigerator in covered container.  If it separates, just let it stand for a while at room temperature.  Shake well before using.

For Roquefort or Blue Cheese dressing, just add the desired amount of crumbled cheese and beat it along with all ingredients.

(These three recipes are from Make It Now – Bake It Later!  By Barbara Goodfellow that I received at a wedding shower – many years ago.)

Top off your dinner with some great vanilla ice cream covered with either chocolate syrup or Bailey’s Irish Cream.  Place two cookies in each bowl.  Pass the coffee and tea and enjoy.

I hope you have fun with these make ahead dinner party recipes and your guests come back for more!!!

Bobbi Miller

Entrepreneur

P.S.  Find out here how I make money writing blogs about make ahead recipes.

P.P.S.  Check out some of my other recipes for party time!