Dish to make a day ahead..no dairy

[coco puff]

I'm having a little dinner party this coming week. I will be working all day and will only have about an hour to get everything ready for dinner when I come home.

I already have some appetizers...assortment of olives, peppers and bruschetta w/cannellini beans.

so far for dinner I'll be doing a quick chicken marsala, some roasted asparagus, maybe a penne w/pesto and peas...

can you please recommend a dish I can prepare the night before and stick in the fridge and just heat the night of??? just one catch, it has to be dairy free.

thanks so much

[Emme]

if you're looking for app stuff, i made a ridiculously easy dairy free app using dairy free sour cream - salami crisps - bake slices of salami til crisp then dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with chives

do a watermelon, tomato, basil, red onion, and balsamic/olive oil salad --- was loved today at my party - can give proportions if interested

[Phurstluv]

I like salsalisa's ideas of the added starches, although you do have a potato-chip crusted salmon.

The orzo or a nice rice pilaf can be made ahead and reheated gently in a strainer over a simmering pot of water.

Or perhaps a great green salad, since you have a pasta on the menu. One with lots of gorgeous greens and really fresh veggies. Just place your washed lettuces in a large, metal (if you have it) bowl covered with and lined with paper towels. Or, to save room, just wrap the greens in paper towels and store in a ziploc-type baggy. Toss salad with other vegs of choice when ready to serve.

[Emme]

perhaps a salad... garbanzos, lettuce, tomatoes, basil, olives... could offer grated mozzarella for those who could have it?

or a simple minestrone

if you don't do penne, you could do orzo

i know you've got bruschetta, but you could also do a flatbread - not quite with your theme (and mine uses cheese), but one i made for a bbq tomorrow - i took dough, stretched to a long rectangle pressed in halved red grapes, sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary, then baked for 6 minutes, sprinkled on blue cheese and baked again for 2 minutes at 450; once out of the oven i drizzled on honey and sprinkled with chopped chives ... i may add a few chopped pistachios tomorrow. you could do a similar foccacia with rosemary and garlic, and of course cheeseless

[Old Spice]

Do you mean a dish to serve in addition to the chicken, asparagus, and penne? Or instead of one of these dishes? Or another course entirely? It's not clear what role our suggestions need to play in your menu.

[coco puff]

yes, in addition...oops, I almost forgot..I'm making a potato chip crusted salmon as well. is this enough food? I'm always worried I don't have enough.
should I forgot the penne and make a dish the night before and stick it in the oven???
also, it'll be the first time I'm entertaining this particular group of people so I do want to impress. I always seem to blank out.
thx

[valerie]

How many people are you having? It sounds like a lot of food...chicken marsala, asparagus, penne and salmon?

Also, I don't know if the meal has to be completely dairy-free, but pesto has cheese in it, so wouldn't that be a problem?

[hotoynoodle]

i'm also confused why there needs to be 2 entrees.

[salsailsa]

Roasted baby potatoes with rosemary, sea salt and cracked pepper.
Roast garlic and olive oil mashed potatoes.
Risotto isn't much fun without parm.....