Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee Season 5 Episode 18 Inside/Outside Dinner Party

Inside/Outside Dinner Party is the 18th episode of the fifth season of Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee. In this episode, Sandra Lee invites her friends over for a dinner party that features a mix of indoor and outdoor entertaining. With her signature semi-homemade approach, Sandra shows viewers how to create delicious and visually appealing dishes without spending too much time in the kitchen.

The episode begins with Sandra demonstrating how to make a refreshing cocktail, Watermelon Spritzer, that is perfect for a summer evening. For this drink, Sandra uses fresh watermelon puree, lemon lime soda, and white wine. She mixes these ingredients together and serves the drink in chilled glasses garnished with mint. The Watermelon Spritzer is a crowd-pleaser and the perfect way to kick off the dinner party.

Next, Sandra moves on to the appetizer, which is Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Tart. This dish is easy to make and looks impressive. Sandra takes puff pastry and rolls it out into a rectangular shape. She then sautés onions and mushrooms and adds a mixture of cream cheese, thyme, and parmesan cheese. After spreading this mixture onto the puff pastry, Sandra bakes it in the oven until golden brown. The combination of caramelized onions and mushrooms with creamy cheese is simply irresistible.

For the main course, Sandra opts for Grilled Lamb Chops with Chimichurri Sauce. This dish is perfect for an outdoor dinner party, and Sandra shows viewers how to cook the lamb chops to perfection on a grill. She then prepares the Chimichurri sauce, which is a blend of parsley, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. This sauce adds a tangy and herbaceous flavor to the lamb chops and is the perfect complement to this hearty dish.

For the sides, Sandra serves two dishes that can be made ahead of time: Summer Vegetable Salad and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. The Summer Vegetable Salad is a mixture of grilled zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. It is fresh, colorful, and easy to make. The Roasted Fingerling Potatoes are seasoned with rosemary and garlic and roasted in the oven until crispy. These two sides are great additions to the lamb chops and add pops of color to the plate.

For dessert, Sandra makes a delicious and easy-to-make Mixed Berry Crisp. She combines fresh berries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch and places this mixture in a baking dish. For the topping, Sandra uses store-bought granola and mixes it with flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. She then spreads this mixture on top of the berry mixture and bakes it in the oven until golden brown and bubbly. The Mixed Berry Crisp is served with a dollop of whipped cream and is the perfect end to a perfect meal.

Overall, Inside/Outside Dinner Party is a great episode that showcases Sandra Lee's ability to create delicious and visually appealing dishes while keeping things simple and easy. The mix of indoor and outdoor entertaining is a great idea for a summer dinner party, and the Watermelon Spritzer and Mixed Berry Crisp are two recipes that viewers will want to make again and again.