I don't know why I'm stressing about this, but I am. My step dtrs 16th bday is Sunday. We are having her family party on Saturday. She wants "spaghetti", its her favorite. Ok, no prob. But it isn't everyone's favorite.
So I want to make something to go with it but can't think of what else!!! I'm talking main food, another entre. I'm also going to do a green salad, corn or maybe steamed carrots, and garlic bread or some kind of bread. She can't have sugar so she's getting her favorite "naturally sweatened apple pie", the rest of us...something chocolate!
So, what else goes with spaghetti that is easy and I can make? (I'm not a good cook and don't really *like* it!) Thanks everyone!!!
Just to clarify, technically everyone LOVES my spagetti so I do usually only make one item and that's it. But I'm trying to expand my cooking abilities and do something different. I actually like the fried fish idea. Can it be frozen??? LOL!!! Thanks for all your opinions, I appreciate it. (And we know there is sugar in every single food we eat, we just don't *purposely* give it to her if there are other options. She is moderately retarded and it affects her behavior.)
Do you like meatballs or sauted chicken (like chicken parmesean)? You could have them seperate and make subs out of the meatballs or chicken. Or you could do a big Italian sub if you wanted something cold. Pizza also goes with spaghetti. You could also do a pesto sauce.
Chicken Parmesan. it definitely goes with spaghetti. Just flatten the chicken breast, coat with eggs, then coat with italian seasoned breadcrumbs. I usually cook it on the stove in some veg oil, but if you want to do it lower fat you can use a little olive oil instead, but I think it tastes best in the veg oil. Brown it on both sides so the bread crumbs stay on, then remove the chicken and drain the oil. Put the chicken back in the pan and cover with spaghetti sauce and cook until cooked through. Then put some shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan on top until it melts. Done and delish. :)
Why not just cook some spaghetti noodles and provide 2 or 3 sauces? I'm not a red sauce fan, but I love pesto and other sauces. Easy, and the base of the meal is the same for all.
Easy sauces:
Pesto
Garlic, olive oil, and chili pepper flakes
Some version of bacon/pancetta, cream/egg, peas
Canned tuna, garlic, olive oil, chili pepper flakes, fresh sage
Garlic, olive oil and fresh sage
All of the above need grated parmigiano on top (except maybe the tuna pasta)
I could go on and on and on. I love pasta!!!
Just my opinion but one entree is enough. It doesn't have to be everyone else's favorite for them to eat it for one meal.
If you absolutely must have a second entree, I would make meatballs and fix meatball subs or fixed some grilled chicken and let those that don't want spaghetti have salad as their main course w/ chicken added to it.
I would make a dish of mac and cheese. and who cares if everyone likes it? its the birthday girls dinner. or go to kfc and buy a couple buckets of chicken. in our house the birthday person gets to pick the dinner and its suck it up suzy to everyone else lol . they all get their days
Chicken parm goes great with spaghetti!
I do chicken &/or shrimp with our pasta dishes.
If your stepdaughter can't have sugar, then I would watch that menu plan. The pasta is a carb which turns to sugar, as is the corn & bread! My DH is a diabetic so I really watch for this.....sorry! None of my beeswax!
Chicken Parmesan. Easy, b/c you use the same spaghetti sauce.
In Montreal almost every Italian restaurant had Pizzaghetti - Half a serving of Pizza and half a serving of Spaghetti. I had to think about that right away when I read your title. I loved it.
I am with the ones that said make different sauses. That way you are making other things but not having to put out the time and energy to make two mail cources. Everytime I make spagetti I have to make two sauces cause my oldest does not like tomato sauce very much. If you don't like that I would go with chicken parmasian cause that goes with spagetti.
Good luck and God Bless!
I am making my homem made marinara sauce tonight with spagetti and handmade Hot Italian sausages from my local butcher. I also have a green salad and garlic bread.
If you wanted to ad more, you could bread some chicken breasts cutlets, lpan fry until done and then have that available if someone wants chicken parmesan.
Enjoy!
I just printed this off today to make tonight. I have some chicken breasts I need to cook:
http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-easy-and-delicious-...
I am going to try it with spaghetti as a side. I'll let you know how it goes!
I would suggest maybe having alfredo sauce as well. That was you only have to make pasta and then 2 different sauces (far easier than making 2 seperate meals). Alfredo sauce is really easy and pretty quick you can find a recipe on allrecipes.com
Chicken goes well with spaghetti.
Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Maybe a hearty soup or stew of some kind? That way the salad and bread can go with both of the entrees. Good luck, I know it's hard to please the whole crowd. :)
anything I can order over a phone, honestly if people are only there for food, they are missing the real reason for the party. Dont fret, just pick up that great phone!
I love the idea of a pasta bar dealy! Been to many parties and weddings even with this. Alfredo sauce, a vegetarian sauce anda meat sauce of some kind. Put cubed grilled chicken (we marinate in Kraft Tuscan House Italian dressing for a few days, then grill--have as a meal--then cut up for sauce and use the rest for a 2nd pasta meal), sausage or just burger in it. Maybe have 2 kinds of noodles just for fun? A few cheeses to sprinkle on the top (differnt flavors or grated chunky or fine).
Make a ceasar and a regular house salad and offer some dressings? Some bread options.Dunno, thats making MY mouth water! I am a challenged cook too, so I go for simple!
Have fun at your party!!
Do green beans instead. Add a bit of powdered garlic to them and they'll fit right in. The green also looks very good next to the red sauce.
Oh my gosh this is making me hungry. I am going to make spaghetti!
NOW
Yum! This sounds like a fantastic idea!!! I vote for the pasta bar with all the trimmings. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Haven't read other answers so not sure if I am duplicating....What about doing a pasta bar? You can make a few different types of noodles a day or two ahead of time, you can put out a few different sauces (marinara, alfredo, meat sauce, pesto, butter/garlic/parmesean, lemon/olive oil/garlic etc...), and if you really want to be fancy you could set out some bowls of mix ins (zucchini, black olives, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, chunks of sausage, meatballs etc...). This could be pretty easy because you can use things that are already prepared and just require heating up and throwing in a bowl. Frozen, precooked, canned, jarred stuff can all make it quick and easy. Have fun!
Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken. Buy the sauce made, cook noodles, put grilled chicken (either bought packaged and frozen or cooked yourself) on top. garnish with Parmesan cheese.
I would suggest some type of chicken. I'm thinking along the lines of something like chicken parm.
No corn or carrots. You need a green veggie, maybe green beans. You could also do zucchinni or eggplant, it's really good if you just cut it into cubes, drizzle with olive oil, add some salt and pepper and roast in the oven.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! YAHOO!!!
spaghetti with garlic bread and salad.
Do you make your pasta - or is the carbs/sugar in that okay?
If I had to make something else - not just spaghetti - I would try to stay within the Italian theme - ravioli - so you can use the marina sauce....or if you wanting something entirely different because people don't like the marina??? alfredo - shrimp alfredo, chicken alfredo....goes well with salad and garlic bread!!!
You could coat chicken breasts with breadcrumbs, panfry it, and serve it sliced alongside the spaghetti. Ina Garten has a great recipe for that (it is the one with the arugula salad). I think it's 1 c. bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup parmesan.
You dredge first in flour, then beaten eggs, then breadcrumb mixture--then fry away...my family LOVES it. You can also put red sauce on it and make it like a chicken parmesan.
Have fun!!!
