Appetizer Dinners – Fun With Family at Dinner Time
About 10 years ago, we accidentally started what turned out to be a family favorite evening. One Saturday, while menu planning for the next week, I realized that nothing was on the “menu” for that evening. I asked around and everyone answered something different, but the theme was the same – appetizers – everything from nachos to chicken tenders to mozzarella sticks. Fun food, not the healthiest, but once in awhile that is okay.
That was the beginning of a new tradition. The kids called it our “appetizer dinner”. We eat well-rounded meals and exceptionally healthy food in our home, so why not have some fun with them in the kitchen too?
My husband and I developed a set of basic rules so things didn’t get too out of control. It was meant to be a fun evening for everyone and also a sort of night off for me.
Keep it simple. Each person had to select an item and prepare it. (or as much as possible within age limitations). Choice should be appropriate so that Mom or Dad didn’t have a lot of extra work either. Kids could have soda, sparkling cider, or a special ginger ale punch. Dishes had to be home-made (with the exception of mozzarella sticks), no duplicates. Every did their own prep and clean-up.
Out came the cookbooks, pen, and paper. The first few times, it was pretty simple fare. As the kids grew older, the choices became more sophisticated. We progressed from simple “English muffin” pizzas, oven baked wings, deviled eggs, and cocktail sausages in chili/jelly sauce to fruit/cheese kabobs or melon wrapped in prosciutto, ground turkey Shu Mai dumplings, cream cheese wontons with garlic and green chilies, mini meatball sandwiches, layered or pasta salad, Carpaccio, boiled or grilled shrimp, crab cakes, homemade egg rolls, mini quiches or mini tacos, sliders, nachos, chicken and black bean quesadillas, and the list goes on.
It was interesting to watch their food tastes develop. They went from simple “kid” food to developing and enjoying some really top-notch dishes. “Dinner” was set out on the dining room table buffet style. We used paper plates for quick clean-up and usually watched TV while we ate – a real treat in our house.
I know they still think about our “appetizer dinners” and remember some fun times and really great food. The other best part of this special night was “late night” for the kids. No scheduled bedtime, sleeping bags in the living room and they could watch their movies to their hearts content.
Try it at your home – keep it simple, have fun, and share a great night together. Make a notebook with ideas, recipes, what worked, and what didn’t. It will be there for the family for the years to come.
