Whipped Up Wednesday - Surprise Dinners

Did you notice the pie in the corner? That is my chicken pot pie, one of the pies that I made for Christmas eve dinner. Jeff's second cousin was home for the holidays (attending college in Chicago) and she requested the chicken pot pie. I thought why just make one pie. So I made a French Tourtiere, Mediterranean Pie and Pecan butter tarts for dessert. Now that I have those extra time to try out new recipes, I would try them out every time we have company. Last Wednesday a couple of friends came over for dinner and here's the complete menu.

Appetizer: Beef in puff pastry

Soup: Butternut squash soup with Crostini with Fontina Cheese

Entree: Butter Chicken, Lime Cilantro Basmati Rice, Stir fry veggies (red and green pepper, green beans, yellow and green zucchini, onions, broccoli and carrots)

Dessert: Brownie with individual Haagen Daz ice cream 

When I get up in the morning, I am already thinking what I would make for dinner. During breakfast I would be checking recipes while listening to 95.3 the Vinyl (Toronto Station).  This part of my morning is kinda special because I can listen to my favorite kind of music, the current weather in the area where I use to live. Only problem is that when I forget that I am tuned to that station and they are talking about the traffic on the 401 and the temperature is -10C with light flurries and then I look outside, it's sunny with blue and it's 53 F - oops back to reality.  Certain days of the week is leftover nights but Thursday is surprise night. This is when I would try a new recipe and Jeff won't know what we are having for dinner until he gets home and actually sit down for dinner.  One night I was not really in the mood to cook and so when he got home I said: SURPRISE, you are taking me out to dinner. Do you have any favorite recipe that I can try?  Do you sit down and plan the weeks menu then get your groceries? or Do you just open your fridge, freezer or pantry and just whip it up - TA TA TA DA!