My Dinner Party Menu & What I Cooked Last Week

How to Host a (Low-Stress) Dinner Party, Creamy Chicken Enchilada Skillet, Garlic Butter Shrimp Crispy Rice Bowl, and Healthy Sesame Quinoa & Broccoli

Hi friends, happy Friday! I hope you're all winding down after a busy week and looking forward to the weekend ahead.

You might be surprised to learn that I actually get a little stressed when I host dinner parties. As a bit of a perfectionist, I always want to make sure my guests are having a great time and really enjoying the food I’ve prepared. Since becoming a full-time cooking blogger, I’ve felt even more pressure—there’s this added worry that people have higher expectations, and I’d hate to disappoint anyone.

My parents host a lot, and they love inviting friends over—especially around the holidays when people are always popping by. I used to be the same way, but lately, with so much cooking on my plate, I’ve had less energy for hosting. When I’m kicking back with friends, I actually prefer going out to eat. It’s the one time I can take a break from the kitchen!

But last week, I started to get the itch to host again. So, I invited a couple of friends over to our home in LA. I was also planning on testing some family recipes for my cookbook, and this felt like the perfect opportunity (or excuse) for a dinner party. When I’m hosting, I like to keep it simple and stick to recipes I’m really confident in. The last thing I want to do is try something new, not knowing how it’ll turn out or how long it’ll take to cook!

First, I prepared a cheese board. I love having snacks out as soon as guests walk through the door, so they can start nibbling right away. I kept it easy: two cheeses (Gouda and Humboldt Fog, a soft goat cheese Doug and I have adored for years), along with crackers, three different colored grapes, and some hot honey.

The meal itself was Italian-inspired. I made shrimp scampi as a starter, which is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s incredibly easy to make but looks so elegant, especially when served in scallop shells. It feels fancy but takes almost no time (or skill) to whip up!

Aren’t they so pretty?!

For the main course, I served my mom’s spaghetti and meatballs, Caesar salad, and garlic bread—all recipes I’m testing for my cookbook. I was having a bit of a dilemma with the garlic bread, wondering whether I should use a softer or crustier baguette. So, I decided to do a little A/B test with my friends to see which one they preferred. We tasted them side by side, and funny enough, we were completely divided! My takeaway? You can’t go wrong. It’s a foolproof recipe no matter which bread you choose. I can’t wait for you to try it!

A/B test

The final product!

My mom’s spaghetti & meatballs—I love this one so much.

For dessert, my friend brought over a delicious pumpkin cake, and I had some vanilla ice cream on hand. I was planning to serve it with a drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. I’m not the biggest dessert person, and after cooking all day, I wanted something quick and low-stress to serve. But we were so full from the meal that we didn’t even end up touching the ice cream! It’s still in my freezer, waiting for the next time we need a sweet treat.

How did it go? Honestly, I had such a good time. Sure, I was a little stressed, but everyone loved the food, and it was a reminder of how rewarding it can be to cook for friends. It made me excited to host again! I’m hoping that one day, hosting will feel completely stress-free, and I’ll be able to fully enjoy and look forward to it without any hesitation.

Here are a few tips for hosting a dinner party:

• Stick to what you know: Choose recipes you’ve made before and are confident you can execute well. Avoid trying something new for the first time.

• Prep ahead: Do as much as you can before your guests arrive. In my case, I had almost everything ready in advance. All I had to do was boil the pasta and dress the salad.

• Have nibbles ready: Put out a few appetizers as soon as your guests arrive, so everyone can start grazing right away.

• Keep dessert simple: Don’t overcomplicate it—store-bought ice cream is always a win. You can easily elevate it with a drizzle of high-quality olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. (To make it extra special, serve it in a coupe glass!) Most people love ice cream, so you can’t go wrong.

Thanks for reading, and I hope these tips help make your next dinner party a little less stressful and a lot more fun!

And in case you need more recipe inspiration, I’ve added 10 recipes to the archive here, such as Thai Basil Chicken, My Favorite Healthy Lentil Soup, and Mom’s Chicken and Cauliflower Au Gratin

Love,

Maxine

What I Made Last Week! ↓

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Skillet

This recipe was so good that I looked forward to eating the leftovers for three days in a row. It all comes together in one skillet—so easy and delicious!

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Skillet

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• ½ medium yellow onion, diced small

• 1 small jalapeño, seeds removed and diced small

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 (10-ounce) can mild green enchilada sauce

• 1 (4-ounce) can mild diced green chilis

• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans, such as cannellini or navy, drained and rinsed

• 6 corn tortillas, sliced into 8 triangles

• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Serving

• Fresh cilantro, chopped

• Sour cream

• 1 avocado, sliced

• Pickled jalapeños

• Tortilla chips

• Lime wedges

Instructions:

1. Generously season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

2. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through (the internal temperature should be at 165ºF), 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. If the skillet is super hot and smoking, remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before proceeding.

3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the butter, onion, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, until the onions are starting to become tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. 

4. Add the flour, chili powder, cumin, salt, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, ¼ cup at a time, stirring between each addition to fully incorporate. Add the enchilada sauce and diced green chilis along with their juices. Mix to combine and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. 

5. Meanwhile, shred the chicken into small pieces with your fingers (or two forks) and add it to the skillet along with the white beans. Mix to combine, then add the tortillas. Cook, stirring to combine everything, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

6. Heat the broiler. Spread everything in the skillet into an even layer and top with the shredded cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. 

7. Serve: Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and enjoy with a dollop of sour cream, the avocado, some pickled jalapeños, tortilla chips, and lime wedges for squeezing over. 

Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes 

Serves 4

Watch the video here :)