My husband’s birthday in August is something I look forward to every year. I love planning the meal. Last year’s Italian Dinner Party has been one of the most viewed posts on my blog! I love inviting our friends, decorating my table, planning the menu and most importantly deciding on the perfect dessert. An Easy Summertime Dinner Party is my annual time to bless my husband and our friends. I get to spoil them all.
Simplicity is the secret to a successful dinner party menu. I want everyone to feel great and not miserable after the meal. Food shouldn’t be so heavy everyone wants to go home and go to bed as soon as dessert is served. And most importantly, it shouldn’t be so time consuming you can’t enjoy it yourself! I’ve certainly been guilty of that.
Over the many years of hosting dinner parties, I’ve learned that the best parties are the ones that have one delicious entree with a delightful salad, rustic bread and an amazing dessert. Then instead of slaving over a hot stove all evening, I get to enjoy my friends’ company.
So, for this dinner party I decided on a Roasted Vegetable Frittata. It’s light and delicious. Combined with an arugula salad with strawberries and mozzarella and a French baguette made the perfect dinner.
My friend brought me two buckets of her beautiful zinnias. They matched my meal! I used my white tea caddies for vases. A new piece of fabric (I’m planning on making curtains) was folded and used for the table runner and lots of blue and silver candle holders made a happy looking table for a Happy Birthday celebration.
The salad was made with baby arugula, strawberries, red grapes, yellow sweet peppers, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes. Tossed with a fruity dressing. A perfect Summer Salad. Strawberry Arugula Salad…yum.
The baguettes are Sister Schueber rolls found in the frozen food section.
And for dessert, (of course we had birthday cake,too)….but the ‘dessert’ is a blackberry mousse.
Perfection in a parfait, I say.
Before Summer wanes into Fall, plan yourself an Easy Summer Dinner Party to bless your loved ones and friends. It’s such a delightful way to say ‘I love you’ ……..and to say goodbye to Summer.
Roasted Vegetable Frittata
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs
- 1 large red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 3-4 cups raw spinach, chopped
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup half N half
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups swiss cheese, divided
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425* Toss onion, bell pepper, mushrooms with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and add minced garlic. Bake 15 more minutes. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350*.
- Add butter to a 10" skillet and melt. (I use my cast iron skillet) Add roasted vegetables.
- Stir spinach and 1 cup swiss cheese into egg mixture.
- Pour egg mixture over roasted vegetables in skillet. Do not stir.
- Cook for 2 minutes on stove top over low heat without stirring.
- Place skillet in oven and bake 20 minutes until frittata is risen in the middle and a knife comes out clean.
- ***Sprinkle with 1/2 cup additional cheese on top during last 5 minutes of baking.
- Slice into 8 wedges and serve immediately.