The word ‘gourmet’ does not loosely translate into ‘expensive and really hard to make’ in fact, by its definition, gourmet just refers to finer cuisine. You know, a little more upscale than the local burger dive. (And we always love a good local burger dive!) But sometimes, whether it’s for a holiday, a special guest, or just to trick people into thinking you’re fancy, there’s a reason you may find yourself scouring the web for fine, gourmet if you will, dishes to serve others. And just because you’re looking at these recipes doesn’t mean you’ll have to cough up a bunch of money or even time to serve those you care about a nice meal. We’ve listed a few of our favorite otherwise gourmet dishes that are actually ridiculously easy to prepare. Let’s get started!
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
(image via: dinner at the zoo)
Pork tenderloin is absolutely *chefs kiss* when cooked properly; the issue at hand is that overcooking makes it dry and frankly, it’s not hard to overcook a tenderloin. Luckily we have a bit of a hack that is not only delicious but makes the whole dish appear a big more ~gourmet~. Wrap your pork tenderloin in bacon so that not only do you have delicious flavors marrying, but the bacon works to keep the pork tender and juicy! Toward the end of its cook time, brush a little maple syrup (or apricot glaze!) over it to give it some sweetness and you’re done! We love this served with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus.
Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
(image via: cafe delites)
There is something about a dish being both sweet and savory that just makes it taste fancy. Not only are chicken thighs a cheap nab at the grocery store, but this honey garlic glaze is full of flavor, guaranteed to leave everyone feeling satisfied. We love to garnish this dish with a bit of fresh parsley and serve it with a side of rice and maybe a crisp side salad loaded with veggies.
Braised Short Ribs
(image via: cooking with cocktail rings)
Braised short ribs are one of our all-time favorite dishes and a go-to at many nice restaurants, but we feel obligated to tell you that there is actually nothing to cooking these. You simply sear your meat on all sides, then cook it low and slow in your broth and veggies to ensure it’s jam-packed with flavor; there are also a ton of recipes out there that involve making braised short ribs in the slow cooker. You can’t beat a hearty helping of braised short ribs atop a giant mountain of mashed potatoes.