Planning The Perfect Dinner Party with Chef Meggan Leonguerrero

No matter if you’re a professional chef or just a single mother handling the household duties and the kids, food is the main staple of life.  We all have the daily meals but sometimes constructing and laying out a meal game plan can be hard to figure out.  First things first, the star of the meal.  The star needs to be some great protein like a whole chicken, a succulent steak, a meaty filet of fish, or for all you veggies, some really flavorful beans or vegetarian casserole. ​

 
Next we need some side dishes to bring the whole meal together such as a starch and a vegetable.  Starches could be anything from a grain to a pasta or maybe a root vegetable for a low-carb meal.  I know vegetables can be really boring and redundant to eat, but vegetables can be really tasty and fun to eat if you add the right things.  A couple ways to crank up your vegetables is to add some toasted nuts, toss some blanched veggies in a bright vinaigrette, or also roasted the vegetables brings a depth of flavor out of the veggie’s natural flavors.  Even a nice salad with sprinkles of fresh fruit is a way to get those veggies on the plate but not be too boring as well.  Finally we need a sauce to tie everything together.  You don’t always need a sauce, but sauces are a fun way to mix things up and bring the whole meal to another level.  Planning a meal is stressful at times and we all hit road blocks when we’ve rotated through our go to meals that we eat weekly.  It really only takes about 15 minutes to figure out what will be on the menu for any dinner party or brunch with friends.  With all these tips you will be the hottest foodie on the block!