Frugal nibbles for social distancing

-taff

I kind of used her dough as a starting point, split it into two, rolled one piece out and put the bits on, pesto, tomato, mozarella, then rolled the other one, put that on top and baked. She said something about it being used as a basic pizza dough so I took that idea and ran with it. You can usually tell by eye or by smell when something is ready. I do tend to cook most things in the oven at gas 4 [ or in my current oven anyway] Seems ot give the right amount of cook before it burns.

I do like looking at recipes for something I fancy and when I can't find something I want, I go through four or five of the best ones I can find then make it up as I go along. That's how I came up with the gram flour sticky toffee pudding, because one of my friends doesn't do gluten so I had to find some other way of making a pudding she could eat.

RAS

Toonie, I'll start with a few question instead of answers.

When you and your friends meet what type of food do you enjoy eating? Would you go for a curry or a pizza, fort example? Or share a packet of crisps in the pub? No point in a special effort to make something that you would not all enjoy. Normally nibbles would be buffet style so you choose what you want but you may have to make up separate portions.

Secondly, how are you going to serve things? Are you all sitting down with a table? Or balancing a glass in one hand and reaching for finger food with the other? Do you actually have a range of small dishes for something tapas style or do you need to plate up, or stash each persons share in a "takeaway" box?

It matters most that you and your friends enjoy yourselves. It could be something as basic as thinly cut baguette (ficelle if you want to make it easier to eat), spread with a range of pate, hummus and softer cheese?  Or even spread with mayonnaise and sliced egg? Add a few decorative bits if you like tomato, cucumber, chives, herbs or anchovies?

Individual pizzas, bunged in the oven when your guests arrive would also work but the aim is for you to relax not stress over the food.

Toonie

Thanks for all the suggestions, and for the questions to make me think.

I've got a couple of folding tables which we had planned to put outside, one for me and DP and one for our friends (who are a couple so fine for sharing), so I'm planning on serving up a dish for each couple.

I've decided on home made cheese straws (had puff pastry in the freezer), nuts, and little sandwiches. So, the only effort is the cheese straws and they are really simple.

It's really strange to be thinking about having people over for a visit. I've already thought about putting out an extra towel in the loo, plus we have hand gel.

FatherTireseus

Not a serious suggestion, but I couldn’t resist one of my favourite Simpsons quotes:

Homer S:  Ah, finally a little quiet time to read some of my old favorites. "Honey-roasted peanuts. Ingredients: Salt, artificial honey-roasting agents, pressed peanut sweepings". Mmmmm........

Rosa_Damascena

-taff said:

I kind of used her dough as a starting point, split it into two, rolled one piece out and put the bits on, pesto, tomato, mozarella, then rolled the other one, put that on top and baked. She said something about it being used as a basic pizza dough so I took that idea and ran with it. You can usually tell by eye or by smell when something is ready. I do tend to cook most things in the oven at gas 4 [ or in my current oven anyway] Seems ot give the right amount of cook before it burns.

I do like looking at recipes for something I fancy and when I can't find something I want, I go through four or five of the best ones I can find then make it up as I go along. That's how I came up with the gram flour sticky toffee pudding, because one of my friends doesn't do gluten so I had to find some other way of making a pudding she could eat.

How did that turn out? Gram flour concoctions can get very claggy and dense.

-taff

It comes out really well, I've done it twice now in a square dish and a loaf tin. I would say the square dish was better than the loaf tin and it had a spot in the  very middle which sunk a bit. I think that was down to the size of the dish, a slightly smaller one would have worked better. This was quite a luxurious recipe though and quite sloppy before cooking so that may also have contributed to it.

Toonie

FatherTireseus said:

Not a serious suggestion, but I couldn’t resist one of my favourite Simpsons quotes:

Homer S:  Ah, finally a little quiet time to read some of my old favorites. "Honey-roasted peanuts. Ingredients: Salt, artificial honey-roasting agents, pressed peanut sweepings". Mmmmm........

There is always a place for a bowl of nuts

Rosa_Damascena

Toonie said:

FatherTireseus said:

Not a serious suggestion, but I couldn’t resist one of my favourite Simpsons quotes:

Homer S:  Ah, finally a little quiet time to read some of my old favorites. "Honey-roasted peanuts. Ingredients: Salt, artificial honey-roasting agents, pressed peanut sweepings". Mmmmm........

There is always a place for a bowl of nuts

Not when you are distancing. Multiple small bowls will have to do.

BrassicWoman

it's still cold out so I'd make potato wedges with a smoky paprika coating. wrap portions in tin foil and keep warm in the slow cooker on an extension lead. 

Savetowin

If you want a little bit of a cooking challenge but relatively cheap, try making a Spanish Omlette. Only a few ingredients that are cheap cheap, potatoes, onions, olive oil, eggs ands salt and pepper. Delicious, warming and something a little impressive!