EASY HALLOWEEN NIGHT MENU :: easy home made dinner

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I love to host parties and have friends and family over for any occasion.  Sometimes I have the time to prepare food and decorate, other times I don't.  I always want my focus to be on just spending time together, now how perfect everything looks or tastes!  I have found the more complicated I make food and entertaining, the more I am stressed and tired, and the food typically doesn't even turn out that good! We are having a few friends over for a quick Halloween dinner.  We all have littles to take trick-or-treating, so it will be a quick dinner, a stop in between the Halloween festivities!

I know we all have our 'go-to' easy-peasy meals, but I thought I would share a couple of my favorites!  These dishes have to pass the test of easy, tasty and can-be-made-in-advance!

Here is our Halloween menu ::

home made HERBED RICOTTA with pita chips

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This home made herbed ricotta is so good....and so easy!!!  {I use the ricotta for the lasagna.}

EASY LASAGNA

Easy-Lasagna

I love this lasagna because it is easy and versatile.  I can make it the night before and just keep it in the refrigerator until an hour before dinner!

CRANBERRY & AVOCADO SALAD

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 PW CHEESY GARLIC BREAD {half with garlic and half without garlic for the kiddos}

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And for drinks :: HOT COCOA and HOT APPLE CIDER

I figure we won't have any dessert since we will probably be eating too much candy ;-)

I hope have a great Halloween!!

HERBED RICOTTA :: an easy recipe

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One of the recipes I made for the SPRING ENTERTAINING CLASS , was an herbed ricotta on toasted baguette.  I would venture to say it was everyone's favorite thing to eat that night.

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 The ladies all went home with the recipe, but I thought I would be sure to share it here.

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HERBED RICOTTA

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chives, chopped
  • cheesecloth
  • baguette, crackers, toast {and olive oil and garlic to rub on the baguette or toast}

In sauce pan, heat milk and cream until boiling.  Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.  Let sit for 2 minutes. Drape cheesecloth over large glass bowl, pour milk mixture into cheesecloth.  Allow the liquid to drain, leaving the cheese curds.  Let it drain an additional 30 minutes.  Transfer cheese to a clean bowl, discard whey or save for use in other recipes.  Add chives, salt and pepper to cheese, mix.  If spreading on baguette or toast, heat broiler to high. Drizzle baguette or toast slices with olive oil.  Toast on baking sheet 1-2 minutes, just until it browns.  Remove from oven and rub with garlic clove, serve with dolloped with ricotta.  It will keep 3-4 days, covered, in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

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xoxo~Darci