Last Saturday I had the chance to host a nice dinner party at my apartment with 14 friends. Calphalon and Williams-Sonoma recently teamed up to give a group of bloggers (including me!) the opportunity to host an “Easy & Elegant Dinner Party” in their own homes, using recipes from chef Michael Symon and Williams-Sonoma, and Calphalon’ Unison Nonstick cookware. When I got the opportunity, I happily agreed and invited a bunch of friends over to join the fun. Calphalon & Williams-Sonoma even sent me a big party pack in the mail which included: 2 brand new pieces of Calphalon Unison cookware (a round grill pan and round griddle), Michael Symon’s newest cookbook, a food stipend (to cover my grocery costs), and party favors for my guests (brand new slotted spoons from Calphalon). Eee! I was so excited.
On the day of the party I spent a bunch of time in the kitchen preparing for the meal. The recipes were easy, but it’s always a big job to cook enough food for over a dozen hungry people! I loved using the brand new Calphalon nonstick pans—they worked like a dream. I really recommend them if you’re looking for a new set of cookware.
Here was my menu for the night (you can download the recipes here!):
- Grilled Crostini with Goat Cheese and ‘wichcraft Tomato Relish
- Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Salad
- Garden Vegetable Skewers
- Lemon-Ricotta Blinis with Raspberry Sorbet
The recipes were overall pretty healthy but I tweaked a few things here and there. I used multigrain baguettes for the grilled crostini appetizer, bought all organic dairy products, and purchased my meat and produce from Whole Foods. I also served blueberry sorbet in addition to the raspberry sorbet for extra variety.
I think everyone’s favorite dish of the night was the pork tenderloin with tomato salad. The funny thing is my oven broke half-way through, so I had to finish the pork on my stovetop. I just put it back in the sear pan and covered it with a lid. Miraculously, the meat still came out delicious and moist and everyone was raving over it. Whew!! Plus, we all loved the fresh mint and toasted almonds in the salad. I was so thankful a few of my friends jumped in the kitchen to help me prepare the salad when I was having the oven crisis.
Once the party was over, I was soooo glad we opted to use disposable plates and cups! The clean-up job was a breeze considering we had that many people over.
Here’s a few pictures from the party. I hope you enjoy them! I want to give a big thanks to Williams-Sonoma and Calphalon for their generous party supplies and for inviting me to host the party. What a great opportunity!
Lots of love,
Laurel
