Do It For Less! Parties
Sophisticated and Easy

by Karen Tripson

Interesting recipes in quantities for 12, 25, 50, and 75 are more precious than rubies. KT

This is my new favorite cookbook because the flavors are sophisticated but the recipes are easy.  Recipes in quantities for 12, 25, 50, and 75 are hard to find. Interesting recipes in quantities for 12, 25, 50, and 75 are more precious than rubies. I like the recipes so much I won’t wait for parties but will probably use DIFL! Parties for filling my freezer with family dinners and for brown bag lunches in single serving containers.  Imagine how a recipe for 12 cooked in two casseroles looks like a big leg up on meals in the future.

There is tons of fun extra information on party planning, shopping lists and cooking tips. The advice is practical. If you’re short on time, shortcuts are provided and easy to find, prepared food is suggested as an alternate for many recipes. Embrace it—making a great dish and serving convenience sides around it is not a faux pas these days. If you’re short on money—don’t worry about it—chicken will be just as divine in that sauce as halibut would be.

Fantasy Entertaining Becomes Doable
Written by a Hollywood caterer, Denise Vivaldo, who’s given lots of swank parties, DIFL Parties of course includes all sorts of decorations and invitation ideas. Essential in LA, clearly not most everywhere else, but hey, if you want to knock yourself out, jump on these ideas! What’s nicer than receiving an invitation in the mail? This book has impressive online sources for ordering beautiful invitations. That’s the kind of party I would like to have but never do. Throwing a luau is another fantasy that might come true for me this summer with DIFL. I’ll try to meet someone with a surfboard before hand so I can borrow it for a table decoration. No pit needed for Coconut Shrimp, Island-Style Chicken with Mango Salsa, Honey-Barbecued Pork Ribs and Hawaiian Baked Beans. Who knew you could purchase passion fruit ice tea bags?

Twice Tested Recipes
So far I have cooked the Arabian Nights menu with Marrakech Chicken and Lamb Tangine—twice. Both were so well received by me, my husband and the neighbors, I did them both again for a volunteers’ lunch meeting. With Tabouuleh Salad, Minted Yogurt Sauce and Pita for side dishes, I skipped the Chocolate Baklava, a novel concept that wouldn’t require taking a pastry class, but I will try it another time.  The recipes seem to be well tested and accurate in portion sizes. Both the chicken and the lamb were rich and complex in flavor without using chiles.

Wine for a Moroccan Menu
Moroccan or North African food is a new enough trend that I couldn’t remember reading any wine ideas so I asked everyone to bring something they thought might go with Lamb Tangine and Marrakech Chicken. These recipes are so food friendly the favorite wines were Semillon, Pinot Noir and Syrah.

Easy is what you need when preparing for a party.  Now you have no excuse not to invite some friends over and make something new.

Marrakech Chicken Recipe for 12 from Arabian nights menu
(Click here for an easy print PDF file of the recipe.)

¼ cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground tumeric
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
6 cups chicken stock
12 (6-8ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup olive or peanut oil, plus more if needed
6 cups sliced onions
3 tablespoons minced garlic
¾ cup lemon juice
2 cups sliced black olives
½ cup honey
2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees (F).
2. Combine the flour, tumeric, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon and cumin in a mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock until smooth.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
5. Reserve the juices in the pan; place the chicken on a baking sheet and move to the oven.
6. Add the onions to the pan juices in the sauté pan and cook until the onions become translucent, about 4 minutes. Add more oil as needed.
7. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
8. Add the lemon juice. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. (The dish can be made up to this point a day in advance. Return the chicken to the pan, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Reheat before continuing to the next step, and add additional chicken stock or water if the stew seems too thick.)
9. Just before serving, stir in the olives and honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until heated through.
10. Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately.

Helpful hints:

• For a different taste, substitute apricots or golden raisins for the olives. Use kalamata olives for extra flavor.
• For a delectable vegetarian version, replace the chicken with 6 ounces of sliced eggplant and 2 ounces of Portobello mushrooms per person.

Do it ahead:

• The chicken can be made through step 8 a day in advance. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warmed through. Add additional chicken stock or water if the stew seems too thick.

Do it for less money:

• This dish will also work with chicken thighs or legs.

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