Need suggestions for Mother's Day dinner

[kccougar]

We've invited my Mom and Dad, along with my grandmother, to dinner at our house on Sunday, and I need some help selecting the menu. I've also invited my siblings and their kids, but I don't know yet how many of them will come. I will have somewhere between 8 (5 adults) and 22 (13 adults).

Normally, I would do a brisket, but my Mom cooks a great brisket that I won't be able to compete with, given the same audience. In fact, that's my main problem. My family is one of those annoying groups that has to discuss the food DURING the meal, and my Mom is a superior cook so I'm in trouble if I cook anything similar to my Mom's standard fare. We typically gather as a family once or twice a month for Sunday dinner, which usually consists of roast beef, sirloin, tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs, roast turkey, lamb, or ham.

I'd like to choose something different, but not too far off the Sunday dinner track, since beyond being food critics, my family members are also slaves to tradition - chicken or lasagna for Sunday dinner? Never in my parent's house.

I've considered the following:
brisket
beef wellington - I did this for my in-laws a year ago and it turned out real well.
salmon
tri-tip - hesitant to do that and compete with my Dad's grill
skirt steak - I'm terrible with steaks on the grill, but I can usually cook a skirt steak. I saw a great recipe in a magazine on Sunday, that I'd like to try, but I don't know how well it would work for this big group.
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/re...ipe_id=1891963

[ERCougar]

We've invited my Mom and Dad, along with my grandmother, to dinner at our house on Sunday, and I need some help selecting the menu. I've also invited my siblings and their kids, but I don't know yet how many of them will come. I will have somewhere between 8 (5 adults) and 22 (13 adults).

Normally, I would do a brisket, but my Mom cooks a great brisket that I won't be able to compete with, given the same audience. In fact, that's my main problem. My family is one of those annoying groups that has to discuss the food DURING the meal, and my Mom is a superior cook so I'm in trouble if I cook anything similar to my Mom's standard fare. We typically gather as a family once or twice a month for Sunday dinner, which usually consists of roast beef, sirloin, tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs, roast turkey, lamb, or ham.

I'd like to choose something different, but not too far off the Sunday dinner track, since beyond being food critics, my family members are also slaves to tradition - chicken or lasagna for Sunday dinner? Never in my parent's house.

I've considered the following:
brisket
beef wellington - I did this for my in-laws a year ago and it turned out real well.
salmon
tri-tip - hesitant to do that and compete with my Dad's grill
skirt steak - I'm terrible with steaks on the grill, but I can usually cook a skirt steak. I saw a great recipe in a magazine on Sunday, that I'd like to try, but I don't know how well it would work for this big group.
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/re...ipe_id=1891963

I'm a huge salmon fan. I have a great teriyaki salmon recipe (that niku would likely scoff at, but still tastes good, dang it) for the BBQ if you're interested. Salmon's hardly a traditional BBQ-loving family Sunday dinner though.

[TripletDaddy]

Why not make fajitas for your family? Turn it into a Mexican fiesta (utah style, of course).

Alton Brown did a Good Eats show on Skirt steak. It was a simple approach and, judging by the looks on TV, it came out really well. He turned it into fajitas.

What was really cool was that he threw the skirt steak directly onto the coals. He didn't use the grill itself.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ipe/index.html

[kccougar]

Why not make fajitas for your family? Turn it into a Mexican fiesta (utah style, of course).

Alton Brown did a Good Eats show on Skirt steak. It was a simple approach and, judging by the looks on TV, it came out really well. He turned it into fajitas.

What was really cool was that he threw the skirt steak directly onto the coals. He didn't use the grill itself.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ipe/index.html

Interesting - use a blow dryer on the charcoal. The fajitas do sound good, but my mother is not a big fan of mexican food and since it is her day, I'll hold that recipe for dinner this week or next.

[TripletDaddy]

Interesting - use a blow dryer on the charcoal. The fajitas do sound good, but my mother is not a big fan of mexican food and since it is her day, I'll hold that recipe for dinner this week or next.

He used the blow dryer to blow off excess coal dust. Make sure to cover the steak before coal dust goes flying.

You can also do a beautiful crown rib roast. Emeril had a nice recipe for that one and it is always a hit when I make it. I noticed on your list that your family does pulled pork, but I didn't see any pork roast, so maybe this would work.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/e...ipe/index.html

[TripletDaddy]

This is another variation on the crown rib roast (also an Emeril recipe) that I have tried. The stuffing is delish.

One of the coolest things about the crown rib roast is the presentation. You buy those bone toppers that look like a chef's toque and and put the entire roast on a platter....everyone thinks it looks cool when you bring it out and put it on the table.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/e...ipe/index.html

[kccougar]

Yeah, I forgot to list the pork roast. It is part of the regular Sunday rotation - and one of my favorites! Although, my mom doesn't cook pork tenderloin so that may be an option.

[kccougar]

So I went with the skirt steak w/ chimichurri, grilled asparagus and pineapple, and red potatoes. I thought it turned out well. My wife made some fabulous homemade shortcake that we had with strawberries and whipped cream.

Mother's Day Dinner:

[Jeff Lebowski]

Looks delicious KC.

At my wife's request, I did the following:

Thai grapefruit salad (grapefruit, mint, scallions, toasted coconut, peanuts, etc.)
Garlic and black pepper cauliflower (stir-fried in a wok)
Kung pao chicken

I am now cooking mango sticky rice.

[Drunk Tank]

So I went with the skirt steak w/ chimichurri, grilled asparagus and pineapple, and red potatoes. I thought it turned out well. My wife made some fabulous homemade shortcake that we had with strawberries and whipped cream.

Mother's Day Dinner:

Looks great! We had basically the same thing. I didnt use the same recipe as you though.


Skirt steak on the Weber


Asparagus on my ugly drum smoker turned grill...




Grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with more cinnamon and chili powder.


Sorry for the blurry pics. I need a new camera.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Looks great! We had basically the same thing. I didnt use the same recipe as you though.


Skirt steak on the Weber


Asparagus on my ugly drum smoker turned grill...




Grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with more cinnamon and chili powder.


Sorry for the blurry pics. I need a new camera.

Skirt steak?

What is that green sauce/marinate you are using? Looks delicious.

[TripletDaddy]

So I went with the skirt steak w/ chimichurri, grilled asparagus and pineapple, and red potatoes. I thought it turned out well. My wife made some fabulous homemade shortcake that we had with strawberries and whipped cream.

Mother's Day Dinner:

Yowza! That looks pretty delish.

Look at the symmetrical and systematic way you arrange your food on the grill. Something an engineer would do. Hokie Hokie Hokie, Hi, Tech Tech, VPI!

[Drunk Tank]

Skirt steak?

What is that green sauce/marinate you are using? Looks delicious.

The green stuff is chimichurri. It is an argentine sauce made with cilantro, flat leaf parsley, garlic, red pepper, and a few other things. It is super flavorful. I posted my recipe in the other thread http://www.cougaruteforum.com/showpo...38&postcount=6

Skirt steak


I buy mine at Costco. They sell it as "flap meat"

BTW, I used the grilled pineapple recipe you posted, it was great. I didnt have any lime juice, so I used a 1T. of tequilla I had instead. It was great.

[Jeff Lebowski]

The green stuff is chimichurri. It is an argentine sauce made with cilantro, flat leaf parsley, garlic, red pepper, and a few other things. It is super flavorful. I posted my recipe in the other thread http://www.cougaruteforum.com/showpo...38&postcount=6

Skirt steak


I buy mine at Costco. They sell it as "flap meat"

BTW, I used the grilled pineapple recipe you posted, it was great. I didnt have any lime juice, so I used a 1T. of tequilla I had instead. It was great.

I must have missed your post in that other thread. I am going to give this a shot. Thanks!

[Eddie]

Well - I don't have pictures. But let me give a thank you shout out as well for help with something to cook for my kids' mom.

We went with one of the salmon recipes - we don't eat a lot of fish, but I know she likes it (more than me) so I figures with it being her day we'd give that a try. Turned out great and the kids loved it too.

Also threw some asparagus on the grill with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.

And followed it up with the grilled pineapple with the marinade.

Wife and kids were both impressed.

Thanks all for the help!