Caribbean Dreams

If you haven’t had a chance to get in a beach vacation this summer, you can still enjoy an island vibe with a Caribbean-themed dinner party.

If you have been reading the posts here at The Best-Life Project for a while, you know that I like to cook—but I especially like to have dinner parties. While I cook several times a week, I only have a dinner party once every couple of months. I call my dinner parties Casita Marita—after a restaurant my father had when I was in my early teens (yes, it was named after me). I have found that 6-8 around the table is a good number for conversation, workload, and cost. But, I have more than 3 couple friends. So I have a dinner party lottery (read more about it here). First, I find out who of my friends are available on the date I’ve chosen. Then I put their names in a proverbial hat and select a total of 6 people (if my single friends are available, I either pair them up with another single or have 9 at the table). Those 6, along with my husband and me, make a total of 8.

Earlier this month, I had a Caribbean-themed Casita Marita Dinner Party. I asked everyone to dress as if they were on a Caribbean vacation. People asked for the recipes so I thought I’d share them here—along with a timeline for putting the party together with ease.

Start the Day Before

For this menu plan, there isn’t too much cooking to do the night before, but you should set the table and make the Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Paste and the dressing for the Perfect Caribbean Summer Salad. The Jerk Chicken and Pasta calls for Jerk Paste. I didn’t plan far enough in advance, and I couldn’t find Jerk Seasoning Paste locally. Of course, you can find it on Amazon, but I didn’t have time to get it shipped. Fortunately, I found this paste recipe. It worked perfectly! The only question/problem I had was that it calls for pimento berries. I’d never heard of them. They are simply whole allspice. No worries. Also, I couldn’t find scotch bonnet chiles. I used a habanero, and it worked great. Both the dressing and the paste will be better made in advance.

In the Morning

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Let it cool. Put all of the salad ingredients, except the dressing, into a large bowl and put it in the refrigerator until just ready to serve.

If using frozen chicken, get it out to thaw. For these dinner parties, I find that I prefer to use the thin sliced frozen chicken from Costco. If I purchase a whole chicken breast from my favorite grocery store, they are way to big for one person. Yes, I could cut them in half, but I think the presentation is prettier if I use a whole, thin, breast. Also, if using frozen shrimp, get it out to thaw.

Make the Jamaican Rum Punch. The flavors will meld, and you will have it out of the way. For my group of 8, I doubled the recipe, and every drop was consumed.

In the Afternoon

Rub the Jerk Paste on the chicken breasts. Place them in the 9×13 pans. Note: I doubled the recipe for my guest list of 8. Additionally, the recipe calls for grilling the chicken breasts. I find that to be too much to do just before my guests arrive. I baked the chicken in two 9×13 pans, in a preheated 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to be sure they are done. The thermometer should read 165 degrees.

Once the seasoned chicken is in the refrigerator, you can take a nap and/or shower to get ready for your guests.

About Two Hours Before Your Guests Arrive

Make the Individual Coconut Rum Chocolate Cakes. The recipe says they can be made in 45 minutes or less—which is true. You will serve them at room temperature, but they will be nice and fresh. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the actual recipe online that I have used for years. So, here’s a photo of the old, tired recipe—including my note to add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee powder. Don’t worry if you don’t have instant coffee powder. It will be fine without it.

About one hour Before Your Guests Arrive

Make the pasta part of the Jerk chicken and Pasta—using your homemade Jerk Seasoning. Remember, to serve 8, you need to double the recipe. Additionally, make four times the sauce recipe (you are doubling the recipe, but double the sauce from there) and set half of it aside in a glass measuring cup to use to pour over the chicken when serving. Once the pasta and sauce are combined, turn off the burner until just before you serve. Once you are ready to serve, you may need to add some more liquid. I stirred in about a cup of white wine while it was reheating.

About 30 minutes Before Your Guests Arrive

Preheat the oven to 375 degress.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. It will cook better from room temperature.

Place the frozen bread sticks on a cookie sheet so they are ready to cook and serve hot.

Prepare the Jerk Shrimp and Avocado Bites. They are very easy. I used store-bought, but freshly made guacamole. You don’t want to make these too far in advance or the Tortilla scoops will get soggy. Have these ready to serve when your guests arrive.

When Your Guests Arrive

Serve the Jerk Shrimp & Avocado Bites with Jamaican Rum Punch or whatever beverages you are offering. Allow about 30 minutes for everyone to mingle and munch.

Next mix the salad dressing into the salad. Place each servicing of salad on a plate and top with coconut and sliced almonds.

Unless I have a friend who I already know I want to help me, I ask who wants to serve as my sous chef or assistant. Someone always offers. This guest helps dish up and serve the plates, distributes them when that portion of the meal is served, collects up the dishes to get ready for the next course, and helps serve the next portion of the meal.

When your guests are ready to sit down to eat the salad, put the Chicken breasts in the oven. Turn the burner on med-low to reheat the pasta (add moisture if needed for a good sauce consistency).

Once everyone finishes the salad, the sous chef helps collect up the plates. Meanwhile, you get the chicken out of the oven and begin slicing the chicken breasts diagonally. Give the extra sauce a few minutes in the microwave to heat it back up. Ask the sous chef to begin putting the hot pasta and sauce onto each plate. Top with a sliced Chicken breast, additional sauce, and garnish with a cilantro sprig. Serve the plates. Enjoy!

When you are ready for dessert, place each Individual Coconut Rum Chocolate Cake on a plate and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with coconut. Have the sous chef help you serve.

Bon Appetit!

If you like this meal plan, please check out the others posted here at The Best-Life Project: Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner, Lemon-Themed Dinner Party, and St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Party.

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Marita has spent the majority of her adult life working with women—helping them improve relationships, achieve their speaking and writing dreams, and being the best version of themselves they can possibly be. The author of 20 books, this Living Our Best Life Project is her newest effort—through which she hopes to challenge women to be fulfilled where they are.