Steakhouse Dinner Party Menu and Recipes

Paul and I hosted our dinner group last weekend. We were too busy to take pictures that night, but I still wanted to document the menu and recipes. I remember things better when I put it on my blog!

When we plan one of these parties, we first decide on our main course. We landed on steak, probably because we were eating it as we discussed.

We sidetracked into a discussion about old steakhouse and roadhouse restaurants and what we remembered from their menus.  From that discussion, our dinner party started to take shape.

My next step in the process is recipe research, which happens to be one of my favorite things IN THE WORLD. I have accumulated quite an extensive library of recipe books. They live in a bookcase in our living room. I pull up my rocking chair, open the doors and start taking a gander.

If I can't find exactly what I am looking for, I continue my search on the internet. I throw out ideas and we start to experiment. Our kids have learned this is a good time to cruise through the house, as the refrigerator has some interesting choices. I trust their palates and value their decisions. They appreciate the dinners and the leftovers.

After about three weeks of this process, our "old" steakhouse dinner with a "new" twist menu was set.

As these menus develop, Paul researches wine selections to serve with each course. We then start searching our local wine stores for possible choices. It's a tough job, but we carry on like the good soldiers we are. I make spreadsheets of grocery lists, develop timelines for food preparation, print the recipes and spreadsheets, and place everything in a three ring binder.

We are ready to start cooking!!!

Click on each menu item below to find the recipe.

We remembered the relish trays and bread baskets that we would be served at these old roadhouses. So, we started with a relish tray and basket of crostini served with white bean dip and curried mushroom pâté. And, how could one not include shrimp cocktail?

We also remembered the vegetable soups sometimes found on the menus. We decided to serve a broccoli, leek and spinach soup. We made half of the recipe, served six servings at our party and ate a bowl for lunch every day for the past four days. That original recipe makes enough to serve a 1962 Catholic family!

For your information, I base most of what I make in my kitchen on that frame of reference, so I always work at scaling down the amount of food I prepare.

We loved the salads from these old days. So we served iceberg lettuce wedges with bacon and purple onion. To top the salads, we made Zesty French Dressing, Thousand Island Dressing and Blue Cheese Dressing.  I even made my own mayonnaisse. I forgot to add the recipe to my collection, but will do so later. We loved those popovers served in the old days, so of course we had to make those as well. However, I forgot to put them on the table during the salad course that night, so they were eaten as a "between courses" treat.

Our main course was Paul's favorite bone-in rib eye steak topped with chimichurri sauce. On the side of the steak (on what little plate was leftover) we served lemon potatoes and sautéed mushrooms and onions.

We finished with Lemon Pannacotta with Lemon Marmalade.

After dessert, as they always do, the guys went to the patio and enjoyed a cigar while the women dozed in the living room. It's become a tradition!

And, just like every old steakhouse, we sent home "doggy bags."

Email me if you'd like a copy of my "dinner party in a binder"!!

We have to go now and help people retire. Talk to you soon.