Making party food

TraceyB_2

We are having a party on Saturday for my DDs first birthday and I am on catering duties!

I'd like to do pasta and rice salads but when I've done them in the past - I have always ended up with a bowl full of stodge!

Does anyone have any tips on what I'm doing wrong or what else to try? Have all the usual suspects, sarnies, sausage rolls, chicken, quiches and nibbles but need more to 'pack it out'!

Any ideas on what other stuff I can cook, preferably stuff that can be cooked in advance and eaten cold! Will have other stuff in the oven and on the hob so wont have loads of room.

I'm looking for minimum effort but maximum effect :rotfl: :rotfl:

Thanks in advance

elona

What about home made potato salad and coleslaw - they always popular and easy.

lynzpower

what about a couscous salad?

thats still quite impressive as its still quite * fancy*

stevenshell

I've had the same prob with rice salad in the past, I've now learnt to soak my rice first for 1/2 hour and rinse it off well - it gets rid of the starch! Then bring to the boil, cover and turn off the heat - it will steam. Then rinse it again to get rid of more starch - and hopefully you'll have stodgless rice for your salad!

We catered my 30th birthday back in September, so I know about the min for max thing Anything you can do the day before and store in the fridge is good! Be prepared as well not to eat anything, as I found that I didn't want a thing after preparing all the food the day before!!

You can make the sandwich fillings the day before and make them on the day in the morning - but don't cut them up till just before you need to or they go all dry! How bout crudites - don't take long to chop up a few carrots and cucumber, I also add peppers, baby corn, baby tomatoes and radishes - along with some dips - houmus, salsa, guacamole etc

How many people have you got coming? How many children? Sounds like you probably have plenty - we REALLY over-catered for my party - we ate for a week on left overs :rotfl: :rotfl:

Bambam

A tip somebody gave me ages ago when doing rice salad was to add a vinaigrette dressing (olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper - shake together in a jam jar) while the rice was still warm. The warm rice soaked up the flavours of the dressing. When cooled add finely diced peppers, sweetcorn, onion, cucumber, tomatoes.

When making pasta salad, prepare all the above salad veg while pasta is cooking. Don't overcook the pasta. When done drain in a colander and rinse pasta under cold running water. Shake off excess, put into a bowl and stir through the salad ingredients. At this stage you can separate the pasta salad into 2 or 3 bowls. In one you could add tinned tuna with mayonnaise as the dressing. In the second bowl you could add cooked diced chicken and for the dressing stir through pasta sauce from a jar. In the third you could add grated cheese and chopped cooked bacon with mayonnaise again as the dressing.

When cooking the chicken or bacon you could add spices to taste. Its just nice to have a different twist on pasta salad.

Have a lovely time - don't spend too much time in the kitchen

magnolia65

When I have ever had a get together I have always found it much cheaper to make big pots of chilli and rice/pasta dish/salad /crusty bread and something like saute potatoes then just add a few nibble bits to the table.

As for the rice I tend to boil the water add rice bring back to the boil and then turn off the gas with the lid on and leave for 15/20 minutes....keep checking if unsure until down then sieve the rice and gently fork it into a serving bowl. It tends not to go stodgy then. Saves gas/leccy this way too

shell2001

Sorry to post-jack but a quick question on a similar subject. If I make HM quiche will it freeze well? Do I wrap it in foil? and how is the best way to defrost it???

Bambam

I know you can buy frozen quiche, so that won't be a problem. Just place on a plate until defrosted and then heat through thoroughly in the oven. Maybe you could even heat it from frozen? Have a look on the back of a frozen quiche pack.

Addiscomber

I make several at a time and freeze the extras. I just let them get quite cold, remove them from the tin (I use loose base ones) and put them one to a plastic bag. To thaw I put them on a plate with a large plastic bowl or box over to keep them clean. I don't reheat them if we want them cold. I have been doing this for years and we haven't suffered any ill effects.

I make mini ones in bun tins (36 or 72 per session!) for my sons to have in packed lunches. They are layered in boxes with a cut open plastic bag between layers. We just take out however many are required for that day.

loopylass

hi

can you please tell me how you make your quiches
My children love cheese/bacon or onion quiche but i have always bought it they would love small ones in their lunch box if i knew how to make them lol

Addiscomber

Have seen - will be back later. I do it from memory/by looks but need to check a book, which is downstairs, for exact quantities of egg/milk (always best before you start "winging it" )

You should be aware that these can be addictive - I struggle to keep up with demand as DSs have 3 each every college/uni day - but they are over 6ft tall now with hollow legs :eek: