Regular lunch date ideas

Trow

Hi there

I work four days a week, and on the fifth I now regularly have a friend over for lunch.

So far I have done: a help yourself salad/bread/meat/cheese thing
Felafel and pitta bread
Soup and home made bread
Home made pizza and salad

Now she is not fussy, and would be happy with a cheese sandwich I am sure, but I want to do something nice every time and not repeat myself too much.

Obviously there are a wide variety of soups and salads and bread available, but does anyone have any other ideas to make it interesting? I usually have all morning to prepare. I don't eat meat, but she (and my children) both do, so it'a not a problem to include but not as the main thing, if you see what I mean.

Thanks

phizzimum

ahh what a lovely friend you are! as you said, you can ring the changes to a degree by making diff types of soup or bread, or toasting the sandwiches. you could also try quiche, spanish omlette, baked spuds, hummous even a pate (a veggie one obviously like red lentil, or mackerel if you don't object to fish)

greenbee

It sounds like a great idea... and a great opportunity to try stuff you wouldn't normally do. If you have a whole morning to prepare, which you don't normally, then you can experiment! Get your cookbooks out and start trying all those things you haven't got round to. Explain to your friend that you're taking advantage of her coming over to do some experimenting and use her as a friendly tester. I'm sure she'd love the idea.

ubamother

I have a regular lunch date with some friends - I inspire myself by thinking 'theme' first then finding food to match - Spanish/South American - tapas, tortilla, bean chilli: French - bread, pate, cheese, quiche; Greek - salad, dips, pitta, moussaka; Indian - samosas, onion bhajis; American - wraps, burgers, cornbread, corn on the cob.