So is there anyone who doesn't love Trader Joes? Great pre-prepped food, fabulous flash-frozen fish, the least expensive organic produce anywhere, and the only place I know where I can routinely get great bottles of wine for less than $5 a piece. And did you ever notice that all the people who work there seem so genuinely happy?
So as an ode to TJ's, here are some of my favorite things to buy there:
1. Basmati and wild rice pilaf -- it's got very reasonable sodium levels, enough flavor to make it interesting, but not enough to overpower the delicious taste of the basmati rice.
2. Caponata -- the TJ's brand of caponata is fabulous -- as good as any homemade I've ever had.
3. Roasted red pepper/eggplant dip -- it's got an amazing kick to it
4. Their bagged salad greens -- easily half the price of what you'll find at any other supermarket
5. Bite-sized pita chip crackers -- no better accompaniment to hummus, dips and spreads
6. TJ's white bean and basil hummus . . . luscious
7. TJ's smoked apple chardonnay chicken sausages (all of their chicken sausages are wonderful but this one is my absolute favorite!)
What are you favorites?
Showing posts with label Commentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commentary. Show all posts
Friday, March 4, 2011
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sherry's Jubilee Desserts
I'm very excited to tell you about a brand new company that sells the most delicious homemade chocolate that I have eaten in a long time!
Rebecca Miranda, the proprietor, just opened her own business, doing what she's done for fun for many years. Her chocolates are delectable, and her fillings are both tried-and-true favorites, such as peanut butter, coffee and coconut, as well as creative fillings such as strawberry-basil creme and spiced pumpkin cake.
Rebecca can do small orders for yourself, gift orders for friends, family or colleagues, and is open to customized orders in colors, shapes and flavors beyond what is listed on her still-developing website.
Do yourself a favor -- try these chocolates as soon as you can! They are rich, creamy, mouth-watering, and beautiful for the eye as well as the palate.
http://www.sherrysjubileedesserts.com/
Rebecca Miranda, the proprietor, just opened her own business, doing what she's done for fun for many years. Her chocolates are delectable, and her fillings are both tried-and-true favorites, such as peanut butter, coffee and coconut, as well as creative fillings such as strawberry-basil creme and spiced pumpkin cake.
Rebecca can do small orders for yourself, gift orders for friends, family or colleagues, and is open to customized orders in colors, shapes and flavors beyond what is listed on her still-developing website.
Do yourself a favor -- try these chocolates as soon as you can! They are rich, creamy, mouth-watering, and beautiful for the eye as well as the palate.
http://www.sherrysjubileedesserts.com/
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A great dinner party
Last Saturday, I was supposed to have all my local work colleagues for dinner. In anticipation and preparation, I assembled a big lasagna and eggplant parmigiana during the week. All the other foods were purchases (antipasto, salad, etc) and I was ready to go!
Then came the snow -- people couldn't get out or get to our neighborhood. Rather than miss a beat, we invited some neighborhood families to dinner and two of them accepted. It was a fabulous evening!
Lit a fire in the fireplace; had copious red wine and food; casual clothes; and 5 kids occupying each other so that parents could (mostly) relax and take it easy.
Much as I missed having my work friends over, we had such a great time -- it reminded me of the neighborhood where I grew up where everyone came together during blackouts in the summer, blizzards in the winter, and any other natural phenomenon to enjoy the time together.
Had we not had all the food ready, I still would have invited folks over for pot luck . . . so the next time you're snowed in, think about having a dinner party -- trust me, everyone will be happy to participate!
Then came the snow -- people couldn't get out or get to our neighborhood. Rather than miss a beat, we invited some neighborhood families to dinner and two of them accepted. It was a fabulous evening!
Lit a fire in the fireplace; had copious red wine and food; casual clothes; and 5 kids occupying each other so that parents could (mostly) relax and take it easy.
Much as I missed having my work friends over, we had such a great time -- it reminded me of the neighborhood where I grew up where everyone came together during blackouts in the summer, blizzards in the winter, and any other natural phenomenon to enjoy the time together.
Had we not had all the food ready, I still would have invited folks over for pot luck . . . so the next time you're snowed in, think about having a dinner party -- trust me, everyone will be happy to participate!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
How to cook a perfect and juicy turkey
OK -- some purists are going to hate me for this . . . I know there are many who are devoted to fresh, not frozen, turkeys . . . many like to do their own brines . . I get it and there are MANY great ways to make a turkey. But for my money, this way is foolproof and the bird is just delicious! I learned this method from my Aunt Betty, who always does a perfect Thanksgiving feast.
Here goes . . .
Buy a Butterball turkey -- either fresh or previously frozen. Follow the directions exactly.
Viola!!!!
The only other thing I do is to sprinkle the skin with some olive oil, salt, and herbs de provence before cooking.
It never fails . . . .
Here goes . . .
Buy a Butterball turkey -- either fresh or previously frozen. Follow the directions exactly.
Viola!!!!
The only other thing I do is to sprinkle the skin with some olive oil, salt, and herbs de provence before cooking.
It never fails . . . .
Thanksgiving menu
My favorite holiday is fast approaching -- no need to dress up; no need to shop for presents; no need to do anything but cook a great meal, gather wonderful people around your table, and eat until you are so full all you can do is sleep it off :) AND, watch lots of football!! What could be better?
I'm still deciding on what appetizers/antipasto I will serve, but the rest of the meal is set -- here it is:
Roast Turkey
Chestnut stuffing
Garlic mashed potatoes
Mashed turnips
Garlicky green beans
Ginger/garlic carrots
For dessert, apple pie and pumpkin pie!!!!
I'll post recipes one at a time, but trust me, it's a pretty easy dinner to pull together!
I'm still deciding on what appetizers/antipasto I will serve, but the rest of the meal is set -- here it is:
Roast Turkey
Chestnut stuffing
Garlic mashed potatoes
Mashed turnips
Garlicky green beans
Ginger/garlic carrots
For dessert, apple pie and pumpkin pie!!!!
I'll post recipes one at a time, but trust me, it's a pretty easy dinner to pull together!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Dinner Party #1
When I started this blog, I led off with an introduction about the joy of nurturing people with good food, good company and good conversation. As time goes on, I'm going to lay out dinner parties you can throw -- food that is both easy enough for anyone to prepare, as well as a plan for making it happen in the midst of busy weeks and hectic lives. Here is the first one.
Menu --
Antipasto platter
Lasagna (possibly with meatballs and sausage, though this is optional)
Ceasar salad
Dessert
Here's how you make it happen day by day:
Your dinner party is on a Saturday which in this chronology is Day 8.
On Day 1, which is the Saturday before your party, you go food shopping and buy all the ingredients for your sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you choose to go with that sauce), and lasagna.
Day 2 (Sunday) -- make the sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you're not going with marinara or Bolognese sauce).
Day 3 - Day 5 (Monday - Wed) -- you can pretty much take it easy, but if you have a burst of energy, and a dedicated dining room you won't be using until your dinner party, set the table one night so you won't have to do it on the day of your party. On one of those nights, you can also make your salad dressing . . it tastes good when it's got a few days for all the flavors to meld together and for the sharpness of the garlic to mellow just a bit.
Day 6 (Thursday) -- assemble the lasagna (including veggies if you go with that variation), cover tightly with foil, and put into the back of your refrigerator.
Day 7 (Friday) -- on your way home from work, or in a bit of free time that day, go back to the supermarket and pick up ingredients for the salad and your antipasto platter. (More on that later). If you haven't done so yet, set your table.
Day 8 (Saturday) -- in the morning, either make some brownies (using previous recipe), or buy a nice assortment of Italian pastries (assuming you live in part of the country where that's possible), or some other favorite dessert from a bakery. (Of course, you can bake something more ambitious yourself, but this is all about keeping it simple!)
In the early afternoon, arrange your antipasto platter -- this can be as simple as an assortment of Italian meats (prosciutto, salamis, pepperoni, etc.) and cheeses (boccocini of fresh mozzarella, fontina, chunks of parmigiano, etc.), and you can also add various veggies such as olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers, all of which are available in your grocery store, usually in the same aisle as canned tomotoes or near pickles and condiments. Keep this in the fridge until about 30 minutes before your guests arrive, but take it out a little early to take the extreme chill off, as all the food will taste a little richer if it's not quite so cold.
An hour before your guests are expected to arrive, cut and wash your lettuce, and put it into a salad bowl in the refrigerator to crisp. At the same time, take the lasagna out of the fridge and let it start to come up to room temperature. Don't worry about the cheeses going bad -- it won't happen.
If you are serving meatballs and sausages, put them in a sauce pan and turn the stove burner on as low as it will go. Let them come up to temperature very slowly, stirring every 15 minutes or so. It will not only keep them moist but will perfume the whole house.
When you expect your guests (this is different from the time they actually arrive, for if they're anything like my friends, no one will be on time) pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
When a critical mass of your guests arrive, put the lasagna in the oven, removing the tin foil and just draping it loosely over the baking dish.
Enjoy the antipasto and some cocktails with your guests.
After the lasagna has been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil. In theory, it should cook in about 45 minutes, but the only way to be sure that it's heated all the way through is to poke a finger right into the middle -- if it's so hot that you can't submerge it into the center, then it's done. The outer edges should be bubbling.
When it's done, take it out of the oven, cover tightly with foil, and set on the stove. Put a few toothpicks in the top of it so the foil won't stick to the cheese.
Toss and serve the salad at the table. (A real Italian meal would serve salad AFTER the main course, which is also an option, but most Americans are used to salad first.)
When the salad is done, remove the foil from the lasagna, bring to the table and serve it, along with the meatballs and sausages if you have them (if you don't, don't worry -- the lasgna is enough of a meal!).
After a sufficient respite from dinner, serve your dessert.
At every opportunity, take your guests up on their offers to help clean up, and when they ask what they can bring for dinner, suggest a nice bottle of Chianti or some other Tuscan red wine. You can also get a guest to bring dessert fairly easily and then it's one less thing you have to do!
Remember, your guests will be eager to dine with you -- they would probably be willing to pay for dinner in a restaurant for the pleasure of your company, so don't feel bad about asking them for wine or a dessert for this party, because odds are it's still cheaper than going out to dinner would have been. People love to pitch in -- they're usually just too daunted to throw the dinner party by themself.
So there you have it . .. .a meal everyone will love, and a plan to do it bit by bit, a day at a time.
Enjoy!
Menu --
Antipasto platter
Lasagna (possibly with meatballs and sausage, though this is optional)
Ceasar salad
Dessert
Here's how you make it happen day by day:
Your dinner party is on a Saturday which in this chronology is Day 8.
On Day 1, which is the Saturday before your party, you go food shopping and buy all the ingredients for your sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you choose to go with that sauce), and lasagna.
Day 2 (Sunday) -- make the sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you're not going with marinara or Bolognese sauce).
Day 3 - Day 5 (Monday - Wed) -- you can pretty much take it easy, but if you have a burst of energy, and a dedicated dining room you won't be using until your dinner party, set the table one night so you won't have to do it on the day of your party. On one of those nights, you can also make your salad dressing . . it tastes good when it's got a few days for all the flavors to meld together and for the sharpness of the garlic to mellow just a bit.
Day 6 (Thursday) -- assemble the lasagna (including veggies if you go with that variation), cover tightly with foil, and put into the back of your refrigerator.
Day 7 (Friday) -- on your way home from work, or in a bit of free time that day, go back to the supermarket and pick up ingredients for the salad and your antipasto platter. (More on that later). If you haven't done so yet, set your table.
Day 8 (Saturday) -- in the morning, either make some brownies (using previous recipe), or buy a nice assortment of Italian pastries (assuming you live in part of the country where that's possible), or some other favorite dessert from a bakery. (Of course, you can bake something more ambitious yourself, but this is all about keeping it simple!)
In the early afternoon, arrange your antipasto platter -- this can be as simple as an assortment of Italian meats (prosciutto, salamis, pepperoni, etc.) and cheeses (boccocini of fresh mozzarella, fontina, chunks of parmigiano, etc.), and you can also add various veggies such as olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers, all of which are available in your grocery store, usually in the same aisle as canned tomotoes or near pickles and condiments. Keep this in the fridge until about 30 minutes before your guests arrive, but take it out a little early to take the extreme chill off, as all the food will taste a little richer if it's not quite so cold.
An hour before your guests are expected to arrive, cut and wash your lettuce, and put it into a salad bowl in the refrigerator to crisp. At the same time, take the lasagna out of the fridge and let it start to come up to room temperature. Don't worry about the cheeses going bad -- it won't happen.
If you are serving meatballs and sausages, put them in a sauce pan and turn the stove burner on as low as it will go. Let them come up to temperature very slowly, stirring every 15 minutes or so. It will not only keep them moist but will perfume the whole house.
When you expect your guests (this is different from the time they actually arrive, for if they're anything like my friends, no one will be on time) pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
When a critical mass of your guests arrive, put the lasagna in the oven, removing the tin foil and just draping it loosely over the baking dish.
Enjoy the antipasto and some cocktails with your guests.
After the lasagna has been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil. In theory, it should cook in about 45 minutes, but the only way to be sure that it's heated all the way through is to poke a finger right into the middle -- if it's so hot that you can't submerge it into the center, then it's done. The outer edges should be bubbling.
When it's done, take it out of the oven, cover tightly with foil, and set on the stove. Put a few toothpicks in the top of it so the foil won't stick to the cheese.
Toss and serve the salad at the table. (A real Italian meal would serve salad AFTER the main course, which is also an option, but most Americans are used to salad first.)
When the salad is done, remove the foil from the lasagna, bring to the table and serve it, along with the meatballs and sausages if you have them (if you don't, don't worry -- the lasgna is enough of a meal!).
After a sufficient respite from dinner, serve your dessert.
At every opportunity, take your guests up on their offers to help clean up, and when they ask what they can bring for dinner, suggest a nice bottle of Chianti or some other Tuscan red wine. You can also get a guest to bring dessert fairly easily and then it's one less thing you have to do!
Remember, your guests will be eager to dine with you -- they would probably be willing to pay for dinner in a restaurant for the pleasure of your company, so don't feel bad about asking them for wine or a dessert for this party, because odds are it's still cheaper than going out to dinner would have been. People love to pitch in -- they're usually just too daunted to throw the dinner party by themself.
So there you have it . .. .a meal everyone will love, and a plan to do it bit by bit, a day at a time.
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Products I love
In the spirit of Oprah, here is a partial list of products that I love -- things that are really delicious and/or make cooking SO much easier!!
1. No boil lasagne noodles -- either Barilla or San Giorgio are great. And I promise you, you'll NEVER know the difference. You can also get fresh lasagne sheets in a lot of grocery stores, but they're much more expensive and, in my humble opinion, don't make any appreciable difference.
2. Herbs de Provence -- a great herb mixture that makes for a catch all seasoning for pork, poultry and lots of seafood -- mix it in with juice of one lemon and twice that amount of olive oil, and you've got a fabulous marinade.
3. Spinach pasta -- toss it with a little bit of olive oil and garlic salt, and it's a fabulous and foolproof side dish any night of the week.
4. Apple cider vinegar -- a truly underappreciated vinegar -- makes for fabulous marinades and salad dressings.
5. Costco -- not a product, but especially in a place like Virginia, where local grocery stores don't carry too many specialty Italian items, Costco has the best assortment of the meats and cheeses necessary for a good antipasto platter.
6. Swanson's low-sodium chicken broth -- great for making so many dishes, and better tasting that even much more expensive brands.
7. Tastefully Simple Garlic, Garlic! and Onion, Onion! See earlier post about Tastefully Simple.
8. Pork tenderloin -- so quick and easy too cook and comes off as a much fancier company dish than it really is. Marinate it in lemon juice, olive il and herbs de provence (as above), throw it on the gril for about 20 minutes, and dinner is ready!
9. Chicken thighs -- by far, the most flavorful piece of the bird. Very under-rated cut of meat. Cooks quickly, especially if boneless, and it's almost impossible to cook them in a way that renders them dry.
1. No boil lasagne noodles -- either Barilla or San Giorgio are great. And I promise you, you'll NEVER know the difference. You can also get fresh lasagne sheets in a lot of grocery stores, but they're much more expensive and, in my humble opinion, don't make any appreciable difference.
2. Herbs de Provence -- a great herb mixture that makes for a catch all seasoning for pork, poultry and lots of seafood -- mix it in with juice of one lemon and twice that amount of olive oil, and you've got a fabulous marinade.
3. Spinach pasta -- toss it with a little bit of olive oil and garlic salt, and it's a fabulous and foolproof side dish any night of the week.
4. Apple cider vinegar -- a truly underappreciated vinegar -- makes for fabulous marinades and salad dressings.
5. Costco -- not a product, but especially in a place like Virginia, where local grocery stores don't carry too many specialty Italian items, Costco has the best assortment of the meats and cheeses necessary for a good antipasto platter.
6. Swanson's low-sodium chicken broth -- great for making so many dishes, and better tasting that even much more expensive brands.
7. Tastefully Simple Garlic, Garlic! and Onion, Onion! See earlier post about Tastefully Simple.
8. Pork tenderloin -- so quick and easy too cook and comes off as a much fancier company dish than it really is. Marinate it in lemon juice, olive il and herbs de provence (as above), throw it on the gril for about 20 minutes, and dinner is ready!
9. Chicken thighs -- by far, the most flavorful piece of the bird. Very under-rated cut of meat. Cooks quickly, especially if boneless, and it's almost impossible to cook them in a way that renders them dry.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tastefully Simple
Normally, I'm not a big proponent of pre-prepared foods and shortcuts. They are necessary on certain weeknights, but generally, I don't like to forego the pleasure (yes, pleasure) of dicing onions and mincing garlic and tasks like that. BUT, in the last year I've discovered Tastefully Simple, a great line of products designed to make entertaining and cooking easy and delicious. My dear and life-long friend, Michelle Coleman Lacey, is a consultant and if you're at all interested in learning about their products and ordering any, here is her website: www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mlacey.
Their cocktail mixes are divine and a sure hit at a party. The dip mixes are addictive (I'm a big fan of Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic, both of which are great seasonings too, as well as the Chipotle dip), even people who shy away from spice and flavor in their food love the Seasoning Salt, and the (cream) cheese ball mixes will be a hit at any party. Michelle also has three kids who are picky eaters and they LOVE the stuff.
So, take a look and definitely try some of the products. The garlic and onion mixes are especially good when you are in too much of a rush to cut and dice -- they are of a far superior quality to anything you'll ever find in the supermarket and even this food snob uses them with abandon.
Ciao!
Their cocktail mixes are divine and a sure hit at a party. The dip mixes are addictive (I'm a big fan of Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic, both of which are great seasonings too, as well as the Chipotle dip), even people who shy away from spice and flavor in their food love the Seasoning Salt, and the (cream) cheese ball mixes will be a hit at any party. Michelle also has three kids who are picky eaters and they LOVE the stuff.
So, take a look and definitely try some of the products. The garlic and onion mixes are especially good when you are in too much of a rush to cut and dice -- they are of a far superior quality to anything you'll ever find in the supermarket and even this food snob uses them with abandon.
Ciao!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Desserts
OK, so as much as I LOVE to cook, I really hate to bake. When I'm cooking, I may read a recipe, but I never follow it exactly. It's a jumping off point for me, but I always add, subtract and edit as I go along. The imprecision is part of what I love for as people who know me well can tell you, I'm not a detail person. But with baking, you have to measure and follow recipes. I know that those who are truly skilled at it start to bake by feel, just like I cook, but I'm not at that point and not likely to ever get there.
So I prefer desserts that can be "arranged" or "assembled" and I'll share those as I go along. I've also found a few baked goodies that are pretty easy, or if not, still worth doing. One I highly recommend is the chocolate cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can. My husband worships chocolate, and chocolate cake in particular, and this is the one his Grandma likely used as the starting place for her own version of the chocolate cake (she could bake by feel, not just by recipe). It's fairly fool-proof and is moist and delicious.
And of course if you live in a place with great Italian bakeries (like Staten Island, NY where I grew up), you don't need to bake -- a platter of pastries is the best dessert you could ever put out. But here in Northern Virginia, the Italian bakeries are few and far between, so I've learned to make do with other ideas.
I'll happily share them as I go along, and for those of you who love to bake, please do share your yummy recipes with the rest of us.
Cheers! Judy
So I prefer desserts that can be "arranged" or "assembled" and I'll share those as I go along. I've also found a few baked goodies that are pretty easy, or if not, still worth doing. One I highly recommend is the chocolate cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can. My husband worships chocolate, and chocolate cake in particular, and this is the one his Grandma likely used as the starting place for her own version of the chocolate cake (she could bake by feel, not just by recipe). It's fairly fool-proof and is moist and delicious.
And of course if you live in a place with great Italian bakeries (like Staten Island, NY where I grew up), you don't need to bake -- a platter of pastries is the best dessert you could ever put out. But here in Northern Virginia, the Italian bakeries are few and far between, so I've learned to make do with other ideas.
I'll happily share them as I go along, and for those of you who love to bake, please do share your yummy recipes with the rest of us.
Cheers! Judy
Thursday, August 20, 2009
A few words about saucing pastas
Ideally, pastas should be cooked in whatever sauce you are serving for just a little bit. It's OK to just dump the sauce on top, but it's so much better when the sauce is absorbed into the pasta. As a general rule, it's a good idea to drain pasta about 30-60 seconds before it's done (and "done" means it's still a wee bit firm -- al dente). Don't rinse the pasta with water -- just pour it back into the pot, and put the sauce on top of it, stirring to coat thoroughly, and cook for that extra minute. And don't over-sauce. You shouldn't have big pools of sauce left when you're done with your pasta -- just enough to coat it, with a little left over for scooping up with Italian bread.
Sauces
I'm going to be posting various recipes for Italian sauces over the next few days . .. all the basics, and a few of my own takes on some of the standards. With very few exceptions (and I'll note those as I go along) all of these sauces can be made in bulk and frozen for LOONNGGG periods of time, so I always recommend making big batches at a time. It doesn't take much longer to make sauce for 20 than it does to make sauce for 2. Plus, then you always have it on hand for a quick weeknight dinner or an impromptu dinner party, and you'll never need to buy jarred sauce again (not that you should have been doing so in the first place!!!) So, read on and cook on . . .
XOXO
Judy
XOXO
Judy
Portion Control
We hear so much today about portion control, almost exclusively in the sense of not eating more than you need to or should. And for the average weeknight meal, this is absolutely correct. 4 ounces of meat, a moderate amount of starch, and some fresh veggies are perfect. BUT, when cooking for guests, the rules all change.
When my Grandma cooked, there were always leftovers. (And she mostly made Italian food -- as anyone who has ever had leftover Italian food knows, it only gets better after sitting for a day or two!) One day I asked her why she always made so much food and she shared with me her version of portion control, one I practice to this day whenever I entertain.
Here was her theory -- you HAD to have leftovers and not just in general, but there had to be leftovers of every single dish you prepared. If not, then it was likely that someone wanted more and, HORROR OF HORRORS, couldn't have it! (There is nothing worse for an Italian woman than not being able to feed people to the point of near gluttony). The only way to ensure that everyone had all that they wanted to eat, was to cook more than enough of everything.
Of course, there is an art and skill to this. While it's great to have a few leftover servings of lasagne and veggies, you don't want so much you get bored with them, and some dishes just don't work well the second time around, so you have to be comfortable with a little bit of waste. I've had dinner parties where I've made literally twice as much food as could ever be consumed, but ideally, I aim to have 2 servings of everything left-over by the time people are done eating.
But remember, when in doubt, cook a little bit more rather than a little bit less. NEVER let a guest leave the table wanting more :)
When my Grandma cooked, there were always leftovers. (And she mostly made Italian food -- as anyone who has ever had leftover Italian food knows, it only gets better after sitting for a day or two!) One day I asked her why she always made so much food and she shared with me her version of portion control, one I practice to this day whenever I entertain.
Here was her theory -- you HAD to have leftovers and not just in general, but there had to be leftovers of every single dish you prepared. If not, then it was likely that someone wanted more and, HORROR OF HORRORS, couldn't have it! (There is nothing worse for an Italian woman than not being able to feed people to the point of near gluttony). The only way to ensure that everyone had all that they wanted to eat, was to cook more than enough of everything.
Of course, there is an art and skill to this. While it's great to have a few leftover servings of lasagne and veggies, you don't want so much you get bored with them, and some dishes just don't work well the second time around, so you have to be comfortable with a little bit of waste. I've had dinner parties where I've made literally twice as much food as could ever be consumed, but ideally, I aim to have 2 servings of everything left-over by the time people are done eating.
But remember, when in doubt, cook a little bit more rather than a little bit less. NEVER let a guest leave the table wanting more :)
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