Personally, I would serve white rice to guest and keep it traditional. Leftovers, if you have any, can have the brown rice.

For desert, what about a pecan pie or pecan praline pie?

I was thinking pecan pie or hummingbird cake but they have a son who is allergic to nuts. So it has to be nut-free.

I would do white rice and have a bread pudding for dessert.

Ok, now I see you will have cornbread, so I wouldn't do bread pudding, although I would rather have bread pudding than cornbread.
Pecan or Key Lime pie would be good.

What kind of gumbo? Seafood, meat only, combo, file, okra?

With okra, definitely white rice. Others, brown would be okay. Gumbo as a main course would not call for any sides except garlic bread. So, heavy on good appetizers. Crab mornay, steak tidbits, artichoke & parmesan toasts, fresh fruit skewers. BB's suggestion of breadpudding (with a good rum sauce) or bananas foster, coffee & chicory. What time should we arrive?

Chess pie! Lemon or chocolate.

Sushipup, I forgot all about Chess pie! I have a recipe for a tangerine chess pie from an old Southern Living magazine.

With fresh fruit.

Abundantblessings, dinner is at 7. Please bring appetizers ;)

It's a chicken file gumbo. I've made it before. It's really good.

So how does this sound

Chicken Gumbo with white rice
Snow Peas, Jicama, Pear and Spinach salad with vinaigrette
Corn Bread

Tangerine Chess Pie
Lemon Souffle
Fresh fruit salad
Coffee

I'm passing on appetizers because there will be lots of bread.

I think you need something as an appetizer, even if it is just some mixed nuts and cheese and crackers. And I'm not sure I would want a snow pea, jicama and pear salad with gumbo, there are a ton of better options out there.

Alexa

First off, you really don't need two desserts. If their son is young, you might want to have some ice cream on hand just in case he doesn't eat pie. I would only have one dessert - no fruit salad, instead, have fruit on a green salad instead. I will leave you with a recipe.

I agree, white rice with gumbo. And you need an appetizer or two. Something with cheese or maybe a warm spread with crackers. I will leave a link to the Popper Spread that is tried and true.

Fresh, Light Salad with Fruit

1 head leaf lettuce (sometimes I combine green and red)
1 cup halved red seedless grapes
1 11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained and chilled
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 avocado, sliced [optional]
2 TB chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:

2/3 cup oil (I use half light olive oil and half canola oil)
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
3 TB red wine vinegar
salt to taste
dash dry mustard
1 t. celery seeds

Wash lettuce well, spin dry, tear into bit size pieces. Combine lettuce, orange sections, grapes, onion, avocado if using and half of the almonds in a large serving bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl, whisking really well. Pour some of the dressing on the salad when ready to serve. Toss well. Pour on a little more dressing, but don't over do the dressing. Sprinkle with the parsley and the rest of the almonds and serve right away. I use individual glass salad bowls and take to the table when all are seated.

Teresa

Here is a link that might be useful: Jalapeno Popper Spread

I don't even remember where I got this recipe, but I think Pimento Cheese would be a very traditional Southern starter. Of course I wouldn't do this AND the Popper Spread that Teresa posted, one or the other.

Alexa

****************************************************

WORLDS BEST PIMENTO CHEESE
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 3-oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cloves of garlic
Handful of fresh parsley
Several vigorous shots of Tabasco and Pickapepper sauces
1 cup pecans
1 4-oz. jar sliced pimentos with the juice
12 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated.

Puree until smooth in food processor the mayonnaise, cream cheese, garlic, parsley and sauces. Turn into a bowl.
Coarsely chop pecans. Add pecans and pimentos with juice to the mayo mixture. Add grated cheese. Stir well to combine.

***Note - I often pack the cheese spread into a crock and top it with some reserved pecans, I think it looks pretty that way.

Store in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving. The spread is even better the next day. Serve on bread, crackers or with vegetables.
Makes about 2.5 cups.

Is there any reason you don't want to add any seafood?
I think the meal could use it.
And if you do have two desserts, I would have more contrast, not two citrus desserts. Perhaps one chocolate.

Chess pie definitely...but maybe just regular...not citrus, since you're planning on the lemon souffle. Southerners like their sweet sweets!

You said you'd have lots of bread and that's why you're skipping apps. If you want to bring the bread out first, how about some different spreads, like Vidalia Onion Dip, Garlic-Herb Butter, or pimento cheese, for example.

I also think a warm wilted lettuce salad would go well with your gumbo, too, if you change your mind on the salad you have...which also sounds good!!

And of course, serve Sweet Tea! LOL!

I think having two desserts is fine because it's good to plan your leftovers~ :) Wouldn't do both citrus, as already mentioned. You could leave the nuts off of the Hummingbird cake and add them to individual servings. Or, since it's a large recipe, have the layers as individual cakes, one w/ nuts, the other w/o.

I think pecan pralines are more New Orleans (as is gumbo) than other desserts. What about mushrooms stuffed with crab as an appetizer?

Thanks for all the suggestions

I am going to make the popper spread with bread and crackers for appetizers.

Gumbo/white rice and a salad for the main dish with cornbread muffins.

Chocolate chess pie (I have a good recipe for that as well), lemon souffles (hubby's request) and fruit salad. (I've got to have fruit as the wife is on WW and mentioned it)

Coffee.

It's way too cold for iced tea.

And no nuts on the table at all. I don't want to even see what an allergic reaction to a piece of nut looks like :)

Sounds good to me! Chocolate Chess pie is wonderful, but lemon is still my favorite.

Teresa

It's a very good idea to keep the nuts away. Sensitivities vary, but why try it.

I've seen nut allergic reactions. They ruined my childhood since I love nuts. We couldn't even have them in the garage or my brother's lungs would start to close. Darn that boy! Cross contamination from serving utensils at pot lucks would invariably lead to the ER.

That looks like a great menu (unless you're on WW!). :)

Sorry I missed there is a nut allergy! Sure don't want pralines with that happneing.

Love your menu... it all sounds great.

A comment about pimento cheese. It would never be an appetizer. It was a sandwich spread, nothing fancy, nothing you would serve at a dinner party! Of course, times change, and I'm sure there are more upscale versions of pimento cheese available, or make your own. But it was a choice of sandwiches my mother gave me for lunch: PBJ, bologna or pimento cheese. And that's where I think it fits into the grand scheme of things!

Looks great! I must say though, it's never too cold for sweet tea. I have a big glass next to me now. I don't drink coffee.
Smiles. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Great looking menu; I hope y'all (not to be confused with "you all") have a great time.

It's way too cold for iced tea. That reminds me of the time we took a trip to visit family in New Hampshire. My DD didn't see breakfast (as she knows it) on the menu; so she asked the waitress for iced tea and grits. The waitress looked puzzled and responded "ice tea is out of season and I don't know what grits are". DD thought that was the dumbest thing she ever heard.

Sounds like a good menu except I take exception with the "it's way to cold for iced tea." I keep a glass of it in my hands all winter. ;)

If I were eating this meal I would prefer garlic bread to cornbread muffins. That's just me.

Desserts sounds delicious as well as the salad and Gumbo.

Would you care to share your gumbo recipe since it is for chicken? I don't go in for the seafood gumbos.

Here's the feedback.

The meal was a HUGE success.

Appetizers: Jalapeno popper cheese, modified a bit cause I couldn't find canned diced jalapeno's so I used hot pickled ones. I made half the recipe, everyone had one or two crackers and a slice of bread and loved it. He brought the dip to the table and finished it all by himself.

Main course: Salad with jicama, pear, mandarin oranges, avocado and baby bib and sweet lettuces. I made a quick vinaigrette that was delicious. Their kids ate bread while the adults and my kids had salad. Gumbo was delish!!! Everyone licked their bowls (figuratively of course) and went back for seconds. I made cspitells corn bread but baked it as muffins. Perfectly moist corn bread. I attribute that to fresh ground cornmeal which I ground from organic popcorn. I made 20 muffins. NONE left. He ate at least 6.

Dessert: Chocolate chess pie. Well it was a good thing I made two even though I only did it because I misread the ingredients and put in a large can of evaporated milk instead of the 5oz called for. To correct that mistake I quickly doubled everything else, threw in an extra egg and grabbed another pastry shell out the freezer. They vanished. I mean he was sitting there licking crumbs off his fingers and the bottom of the pie plate :)

I was exhausted by the time dinner was almost ready so didn't make the souffles. No-one except hubby missed them and he got them the next day :)

The fruit salad went down well and was the only dish I had leftovers from.

Everyone had a great time, tons of compliments on the food. For that reason alone, they can come back anytime :)

Your dinner sounds like it was a success and delicious.

Just wondering if you would post your Chocolate Chess Pie recipe. TIA