Agree with @Ttrockwood whole-heartedly. And also @pilgrim, impressed that you didn’t resort to pizza.
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In all seriousness, i would like to post a warning about attempting deep fried shrimp or chicken or… for a group. It’s a dumb idea to try to feed 6 or 8 people with hot deep fried food. I cooked 7 prawns at a time, took them to table, went back to kitchen to fry another 7 while they scarfed the first batch and continued til they were full. About 5 or so batches. I never sat down but did snatch my share while cooking. Not terrible for a family meal but would have been super dumb for company.
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Stir-fried salt and pepper red squid with red chilli and fresh onion - with Sichuan and Kampot white peppercorns, I used the white and greens of the small fresh onions.
Roughly used this recipe for inspiration.
The remaining sauce, I used it for stir frying some spinach.
As for Sunday dinner, 4-spice roasted chicken with an aubergine pilaf.
Salt, 4 spices and pepper was rubbed on the chicken with olive oil. Roasted 40 minutes in oven at 200ºC, brushed grenadine syrup (instead of pomegranate molasses suggested in the recipe) all over the chicken and 10 more minutes in oven.
Aubergine pilaf was good, rice cooked with onion and chicken broth. Aubergine was cubed and cooked 20 minutes with the chicken mixed into the rice the last minute with chopped mint. I used poached quail eggs instead, because they were in the fridge for a while, 4 for each of us. Served with a dash of yogurt. Quite good to be repeated.
Recipes here
Saturday was a mullet cooked simply with ginger and lots of onion. Drizzled with soy sauce and olive oil.
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Yeah, it’s not the best way to enjoy company. I guess it would be better if you fried everything before the meal started, but still it is a very time consuming process or the food softened. I wonder if there is way to speed this up.
Last time when I was doing tempura, we have an opened kitchen, everybody had their glass and was chatting around and snacking in the salon or the kitchen while I was cooking, it was quite pleasant.
Naf, your chicken couldn’t look more delicious or beautiful! I bet it tasted divine too. You do gorgeous meals almost daily!
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Thanks a lot! That’s a wonderful compliment.
The best part about this chicken, it’s very simple recipe, I think I would be better with the thicker pomegranate molasses which I don’t have at hand. The downside about the meal, I was busy and cooking started late yesterday, the meal was ready at 11pm. Husband was grumbling. 
Chicken with pom molasses is a winner. I particularly enjoy the Iranian dish “fesenjan” (pronounced “fesenjoon”, according to the Iranian co-owner of my favourite Indian restaurant)
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How much did it weigh?
Deep Fried is one category of food I’d never try to cook in advance. It’s joy is the crackling, shattering crust and juicy interior. Try to hold it and you may as well have ordered in from KFC. In the future I’ll reserve it for a kitchen meal of no more than 3-4 people.
I think there is a technique (used probably by restaurants) that you pre-fry and refry a second time just before serving.
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The Red Sox have sent a private plane to bring Big Papi back to Boston. Sounds like he’s stable, although there was enough organ damage to have to remove his gallbladder and part of his colon/intestines. He’ll be coming back to the best hospitals in the world, and with all of the love from Boston and fellow baseball players, he can’t help but get better. He was here for Boston after the Marathon bombing; we’ll be here for him. 
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Too cute!
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Nicely plated, tho…
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About 1.25kg.
The schnitzel sucked! I’d make the meal again 
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Merci!
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Do they have those misters at Tio’s Tacos? If not, Palm Springs isn’t too far away - misters everywhere. 
Pretty hot!
Didn’t want leftovers, plus needed lunch for tomorrow. So pasta to the rescue… Penne and Mushroom Parma-Rosa sauce.
So a quick saute of mushrooms and quartered cherry tomatoes, then crushed tomatoes, basil, parsley and oregano, along with salt & pepper and a pinch of sugar added to simmer while penne cooked. Added a sploosh of white wine, as I didn’t have a red open.
Added some heavy cream and grated Parm-Reg to finish the sauce and tossed it with the penne. A crusty buttered roll alongside. And leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
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