Cooking for the dude's poker night

It's cliche -- as the lady of the house, I get to cook a whole meal for the poker night crew of dudes and then not get to eat it. It has to be the standard fare -- chili, pork bbq, pizza, etc. Nothing interesting. And it's a Friday during lent and that matters to this crowd (I got in trouble last year for white chicken chili). Ideas? I'm at a loss this time and am having a hard time getting inspired. And yes, I could just have them order pizza, but as someone who loves to cook, I really don't like to do that. Help picklers!

Posted by: jenmmcd
March 8, 2011

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11 Comments

11 Comments

lloreen March 9, 2011

I like the idea of a slightly spicy bean chili made in the slow cooker. With the right spices, the beans have the heft of meat. Serve it with sides of grated cheddar, sour cream, and green onions.
I assume you won't be hanging around all night serving, so maybe it is a good idea to have everything prepared before the guests arrive.
For appetizers you could just do guacamole, a corn salsa, a tomato salsa, and lots of chips.
Don't knock yourself out for poker night!

CozyDelicious March 8, 2011

I'd just go for planty of snack - lots of dips and veggies and chips. My favorite dip is this homemade onion dip - so good with potato chips! http://www7.food52.com/recipes/10015_golden_onion_dip

And if you want something more, maybe a good homemade mac and cheese?

cookinginvictoria March 8, 2011

I think that I would make drbabs's Wildcard-winning shrimp gumbo recipe. Perfect for Lent -- and for feeding a crowd!

http://www7.food52.com/recipes/3528_shrimp_gumbo

latoscana March 8, 2011

In the old-school comfort food vein, what about grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup? Or upgrade to quesadillas.

betteirene March 8, 2011

Meatless muffalettas or panini or calzone or stromboli--any version of a hot or cold sandwich with mozzarella, roasted red peppers, artichokes, tapenade or vinaigrette
Grilled cheese sandwiches with assorted fillings
Build-your-own nachos
Individual 7-layer baked dip plates (refried beans, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, green onions, olives) with tortilla chips
Gumbo or jambalaya (seafood only)
Devilled eggs (they go great with beer)

innoabrd March 8, 2011

They sound pretty undeserving. I think having them order pizza and taking yourself and a girlfriend out for a really nice meal somewhere you've always wanted to try would be a more appreciated use of resources!

AntoniaJames March 8, 2011

How about tuna casserole? Sounds kind of crazy, but who knows? It's a classic, and if made well, can be fantastic. Plus, you can make it ahead. And don't forget to put a lot of Worcestershire in the white sauce, as well as a lot of finely chopped celery and a good bit of parsley in it, and plenty of good quality Cheddar on top, and let it get nice and chewy. ;o)

Waldito March 8, 2011

Fish and chips? Fritto misto (shrimp, scallops, white fish)? Tuna burgers? Seafood cassoulet? Panko-fried squid with chili/lime mayonnaise? Have the Dudes reschedule for Saturday?

hardlikearmour March 8, 2011

So fish or vegetarian for typical guy fare? That's sort of tough. Maybe fish tacos? Or you could do a make-your-own burrito or taco bar. How about black bean chili with corn bread or polenta?

Anitalectric March 8, 2011

A little off-topic but this post totally reminded me of a post on this hilarious website:
http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/10PM/2.html

Based on your guidelines, my choice would be pulled jackfruit BBQ sandwiches. http://chowvegan.com/2008/05/28/bbq-pulled-jackfruit-sandwich/ I love jackfruit, and it is a much healthier alternative to pork.

jenmmcd March 8, 2011

correction -- cliche is not the right word. I'd go with lame.

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Cooking for the dude's poker night

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