Our neighborhood’s Gourmet Group gathered for our monthly dinner party last weekend, and I had the opportunity to host with a Fall Dinner Party Menu.
I went simple with my table decor, utilizing funky pumpkins, gourds and candles. And I dressed up my masculine, Spanish-style wooden chairs with wide and sparkly wired ribbons (I got rolls of the ribbon at Sam’s Club in their holiday section).
Our Menu:
Featured Beverage:
Cranberry Amaretto Kisses
Appetizers:
Apple- Cheddar Sausage Meatballs w/ Dijon Balsamic Glaze
Pancetta Crisps w/ Goat Cheese & Pear
Salad:
Apple- Walnut Salad w/ Cranberry Vinaigrette
Main Dishes:
Blue Cheese & Mushroom Stuffed Beef Tenderloin
Cranberry Rice Pilaf
Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic, Sage and Pine Nuts
Dessert:
Ginger- Spice Cake with Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
We were really happy with all of the recipes that we tried for this dinner party! I’m not a cocktail kind of person, but the cranberry cocktails were very, very good, and not overwhelmingly flavored of alcohol. Both of the appetizers were delicious. The salad was simple and perfect for the fall theme. We didn’t add any cheese to it since there was cheese in other parts of the meal. The main dishes… the tenderloin was melt-in-your-mouth good. The blue cheese was subtle and just right. The cranberry pilaf and the roasted butternut squash are both favorites of mine and are easy to make too. I knew I wanted to make the Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream (spicy and delicious and reminiscent of the flavors of Pumpkin Pie), so a simple cake was in order to serve with it. The Ginger-Spice cake was the perfect accompaniment to the ice cream. All was delicious, and it was a great kick-off to the fall season.
All recipes for the fall dinner party can be found by clicking on the recipe titles above each photograph.
Other dinner party menus you might be interested in:
Greek Dinner Party Menu
Portuguese Dinner Party Menu
Cuban Dinner Party Menu
Sicilian Dinner Party Menu
Gorgeous table setting, Lori! And the menu is fantastic. Your guests had to be thrilled.
Can I join your group?? 🙂
This is such a wonderful menu to welcome fall. Your table setting is just beautiful – you have very lucky friends. Sweet how you greeted everyone with cranberry *kisses*
xo
What a fantastic menu!
Amazing!!! not only are you a great cook but, an amazing decorator! the table looks beautiful!
Can I tell you how much I wish I had a group of friends who would like to have dinner parties like this??? GORGEOUS and everything looks delicious!
I wish too I had friends who would enjoy a dinner party now and then! The table and menu looks so inviting and delicious!
Wow, Lori! How fun – I’ve been thinking about starting a group like this. I’m glad to see it work so well.
Beautiful table! I love how the runners/placemats, gourds, and water goblets set off the wood in your dining set. The food looks fabulous… I’ll have to try that spice cake recipe!
i love planning dinner party menus! i have been looking for a fun fall cocktail and the cranberry sounds good – is it too sweet at all?
That table is set beautifully and your menu sounds delicious!
Your party looks delicious! Friends of ours are doing a “heritage” dinner next month where we all bring recipes from our heritage and I’m excited about it.