03/12/2003

By Tina Danze / Special Contributor

We'll have a table for you in about an hour. Please have a seat in our bar."

How many times has that been your greeting at a popular restaurant on a Saturday night? This, after a 10-minute cruise for a parking space.

Inside, the wait can stretch well beyond an hour. The bar blares bad music and the drink tab is astronomical. Then, when you finally sit down, the kitchen is out of the house specialty.

Maybe it's time for Saturday night in. You could invite a few friends for a casual dinner and drinks, as a prelude to poker or a finale to watching NCAA March Madness. It could be burgers and slaw or steak and potatoes. But unless you're adept at grilling while hosting, a menu with do-ahead components will be your best bet.

Individual Tamale Pies can be assembled ahead of time, and then baked when guests arrive. Or opt to make the dish in a casserole and serve it family-style. The pie's crust is made of cornmeal mush, which is similar to polenta. Although some recipes use a cornbread top crust, the polenta crust was the winner for the editors of American Classics (Boston Common Press, $29.95), the same folks who publish Cook's Illustrated .

The filling is inspired by the chile rellenos of southern Mexico, but if you prefer a more Tex-Mex flavor, use the variation.

While the entree bakes, offer guests a glass of White Sangria, cocktail nuts and some Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms. Since the fruit in the sangria is a treat in itself, spear a few pieces with a cocktail skewer or toothpick, for an edible garnish. The mushrooms can be prepared ahead of time, then popped in the oven just before guests arrive.

A salad with Buttermilk Dressing and Fried Okra Croutons makes a good accompaniment to the hearty tamale pie. Use prebreaded, cut okra and have the okra croutons ready in minutes. Homemade buttermilk ranch dressing is best if prepared a day ahead of time, but there's no shame in buying your favorite bottled brand. Ditto for the bread. Asiago cheese bread, jalapeño cheddar focaccia and garlic bread sticks or focaccia sticks are sold in many supermarket bakeries; cheese and garlic toasts are available in the freezer case.

Evans Caglage / DMN With Individual Tamale Pies, each guest gets his or her own personal casserole. Or you can make one large dish and serve family-style. Serve Shrimp-Stuffed Mushrooms at the table, or pass them before dinner with White Sangria.

These days, supermarkets also stock a wide selection of cheesecakes and other thaw-and-serve desserts in the freezer case. If you opt for a plain cheesecake, dress up the plate with a pool or drizzle of bottled raspberry or chocolate sauce. Serve dessert with coffee and liqueurs (such as Kahlua or amaretto), and linger at the table as long as you like.

Go Italian

If you want to turn this Southwestern-themed dinner into an Italian menu, it gets even easier.

Instead of preparing the tamale pie filling, sauté crumbled Italian sausage (removed from the casing) until browned. Spread the drained sausage over the first polenta layer and top with a thin layer of bottled marinara sauce; chopped fresh tomatoes or sautéed red and green bell peppers; and grated mozzarella cheese. Top with polenta, and bake according to the recipe instructions.

For the shrimp-stuffed mushrooms, replace the chopped cilantro with 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary.

For the salad, use a creamy Italian dressing or vinaigrette, and use garlic croutons instead of the fried okra.

Desserts to buy

You can buy restaurant-brand cheesecakes in the freezer case at SuperTarget. Dress each slice with bottled sauces.

Individual key lime tarts, chocolate mousses and tiramisu made by Galaxy Desserts: These handsome desserts are available in the freezer case for $3 per serving.

Advantages: They take only 20 minutes to defrost, require no cutting and are more economical than one large dessert if you're having a small dinner party.

Frozen cheesecakes: SuperTarget sells cheesecakes for $7 to $20, depending on size, brand and flavor. Allow several hours' defrosting time to ensure a good, creamy texture.

Advantage: They're so rich, you don't need to cut everyone a large piece.

Tina Danze is a free-lance writer for The Dallas Morning News.

Photo Credit: EVANS CAGLAGE/ DMN Staff Photographer; styling by JAMES FORREST/ DMN Staff Designer; food styling by TINA DANZE/ DMN Special Contributor