Late night party catering

Nix143

Okguys, you lot are brilliant at this kind of thing

Scenario
Nixy's 39th birthday party - 20+ people back to mine after a few drinks elsewhere
Want to feed them really nice food as there will be more drinks and dancing and party-ness going on
Don't want to spend great deal of time prepping on the night - I can manage sticking stuff in the oven but I *may* have had a few of the finest wines and ales by then so nothing too complicated please. Quite happy to prep and freeze beforehand. And happy to spend about an hour during the day to get stuff ready - but don't want to fall into trap I have before of having houseguests and then not spending time with them
No red meat

So any ideas for tasty food - in this instance I don't mind prepping something a bit special beforehand as long as it tastes a bit special and it doesn't have to be cheap as chips either - I'd ideally like a guaranteed knock them off their feet recipe that will make everyone think I am just the most perfect sooper dooper hostess.

Any ideas?

hermoine_2

Have a lovely party Nix.

How about stuffed eggs - hard boil them, scoop out the yolk and mash with a little mayo or salad cream and some spicy stuff - cayenne or curry powder what ever you have got.

You could do some prawn toast - just bread spread with mashed up prawns and butter sprinkled with sesame seeds. Just put in the oven to toast.

You could do something hot and filling like jacket potatoes. Cook the day before and then scoop out the potato from the skin and mash with anything you have handy - cheese, onion, tuna, cottage cheese, baked beans, chicken and sweetcorn - whatever you fancy. Then just stuff it back in the skin and cook it in the oven until it is warmed through.

Salad is good or bread sticks and dips.

I am sure no one will mind what it is they will just be having a good time.

H :beer:

betheebee

How about chicken drumsticks, you could do them in a BBQ sauce the day before and serve hot or cold, sausages, quiches, pizza, all are ok cold. When I have to cook for loads at night I make a huge pan of chilli or curry the day before, it's quick to reheat and serve with french bread.
Sorry can't think of much am a bit wooly headed today. Enjoy yah Birthday.

parsonswife8

Individual quiches, smoked salmon and cream cheese triangle sandwiches, prawn triangle sandwiches, individual toads in the hole, peeled king prawns and a marie rose dip, good quality small sausage rolls, small stuffed eggs, small vegetable samoosas, pakoras, indian bajis.

Small profiteroles or cream eclairs, strawberries and a warm chocolate dip,
small meringues.

sandy2_2

How about a chilli or curry done in the slow cooker while you're out

Nix143

sandy2 wrote: »

How about a chilli or curry done in the slow cooker while you're out

Well normally I'd make a kick-butt chili but no red meat see! And I suppose I could make a veg chili but would this freeze? Turkey chili?

It's got to be show stopping! I am out to impress . And I magically want to do that with minimum effort on the night - but am happy to spend hours before that as long as it can be frozen

I'm going to trawl through my cookbooks tonight but I kinda hoped someone out there would have a tried and tested recipe that would earn me mucho brownie points and unending admiration from my guests - I don't want much do I?

betheebee

NIXY, I have at the moment 23 people staying for a long w/end in November some for 5 days, there are vegetarians amongst the group, so I tend to make a veg curry. It can be prept and left to fuse for 2 days in the fridge or even outside if it's cold. I'm lucky to have a stone barn to store in. Cook it on the morning of your party then just re-heat. I can pm you a recipe tomorrow if needed. A bowl of curry and a chunck of frenck bread goes down well especially if it's a cold night.

Just think, Booze and curry go hand in hand.

PS Turkey or chick curry great, haven't done a chilli with them though. There's always veggie mince but don't have a recipe, try Google.

lightisfading

Veggie chilli w/ beans, veg (carrots work well, so does corn, sweet peppers), and if you like quorn mince.

This could be eaten with rice, tortillas or just nice crusty bread dunked in... and then you could use it as a topping for nachos (tortilla chips, salsa, cheese, sour cream/dip/guacamole chucked on after cooking. these can be done in the oven or for a far quicker faster option n the microwave for a minute or two.. just til the cheese melts, keep checking.

That way you've got a 'proper' meal for those that are starving, and 'snacks' for those that aren't. Chilli can be left in the fridge quite happily for a day or two and reheated. (sounds weird but adding a wee bit of dark chocolate or cocoa to chilli makes it rich and lovely... just a BIT though!)

mini pizzas (slices of french stick, you could easily make loads of varieties of this very easily), mini spring rolls/samosas... both are actually surprisingly easy to make - get the special pastry from chinese supermarket, samosas can be basically veggies (potato, carrot, peas) cooked til soft and quickly fried off with spices before wrapping/oven cooking. And people would be dead impressed Serve them with some dip... sweet chilli for spring rolls, maybe a nice cooling raita for samosas.

lightisfading

oh and if you've got veggies coming i'm sure they'd really appreciate veg stuff being labelled as such (just a little 'V' on a piece of card would do).... buffets are a nightmare if you don't eat meat... 'thats veg.... ohhh no its not its got prawns' (after youve taken a bite of course)

tinkerbell84

Fondue? Lots of yummy things to dip?

One cheese and one chocolate :drool:

Debt_Free_Chick

Nix143 wrote: »

Well normally I'd make a kick-butt chili but no red meat see! And I suppose I could make a veg chili but would this freeze? Turkey chili?

It's got to be show stopping! I am out to impress .

Won't be difficult if all your guests have had a skinful :rolleyes:

Yes - veg chilli will freeze, but what about Coq au Vin?

Offer with a choice of rice, baked pots, garlic bread and a simple salad.

Spotted !!!!!! & custard for pud