Tomorrow night I’m hosting some friends for a long overdue get together. My “cousin” (I use quotations as we are family both being Greek and having grown up together, but we’re not blood related) and his girlfriend live here in Hackensack just a few building away from my own but we NEVER see each other. There is another couple they are super tight with that I also have known for years and wanted to hang out with, so we organized a get together and I agreed to host.

My cousin, God bless him, loves my cooking, and because he is always eager to see what I’m going to make next, I like to please and make some fancy shmancy stuff.

This is  what I decided for the menu –

• Hors d’oeuvres – assorted cheeses, hummus with pita chips, pretzels with French onion dip, Greek sausages
• Roulade-style Chicken stuffed with Basil Pesto, Proscuitto, and Fontina with Beurre Blanc and Egg Noodles
• Bacon and Onion Brussels Sprouts
• Sauteed Broccoli/Cauliflower/Mushroom Mix
• “Anna” Salad
• Cheesecake Brownies

As with any dinner party, it is highly recommended to do as much as you can ahead of time. This evening I prepped the chicken, made the sauce, and blanched the vegetables. I’m going to spend the next few posts highlighting recipe by recipe.