Recently we had some family friends over for a weekend dinner. The forecast was predicting snow, so I wanted to make something warm, hearty, and comforting – but without going overboard. I am still in study mode, too, so I also knew I couldn’t really spend that much time on prep. Here is the final menu I decided upon:
Cheese Plate
Simple Salad
Stout Braised Short Ribs
Triple Chocolate Mousse
So first the cheese plate. I like to include a variety of tastes and textures when configuring a cheese plate, but as I knew this was to be a low key dinner, I stuck with two different types of cheddar and two types of cured meats.
On the right, you will find a more crumbly sharp Vermont cheddar, and on the left a slightly smoother more mild cheddar. The cured meats included prosciutto, broken into bite sized pieces, and some slices of soppressata.
As for the salad, I stuck with simple and fresh flavors.
On top of a spring greens mix, I added some chopped endive leaves, grape tomatoes, and slices of parmesan. Super easy, not a lot of work, and I was pleased that the final product was full of vibrant colors.
On to the main event – the stout braised short ribs. Oh yes, and mashed potatoes, which I forgot to photograph. 
You can read more about this delicious entree here.
And then there was the dessert. Yes, I know I should have taken a better picture, but I was in too much of a rush to eat it. 
You can read more about this delectable dessert here.
In my opinion, if you are entertaining, you must have a dessert option. Otherwise, I believe there is a very significant chance your guests will be mildly disappointed (I know I would due), and especially after a meat and potatoes meal you need some kind of palate cleanser. And I love chocolate mousse. Quite honestly, it may be as simple as that.
So there you have it – a relatively simple night of entertaining with some great flavors!