'Easy but impressive' - Buffet/Party food

ChilliBob

Hey everyone, 

We're about to hit family birthday season which sees us have about 10 birthdays from mid July to start of September.. Which often means we'll do some kind of buffet type thingy.

We've been doing similar sfuff for ages and I think it's time go switch it up!

Sort of things we'd usually do
* Side of salmon - well easy to prep and quick to cook, easy to dress!
* Greek salad
* Tomato, mozzarella, bazil, pesto salad
* No prep stuff like sausages, quiche, cheese, etc
* watermelon, halumi, seeds type salad thingy

You get the idea. We've wheeled out this mind of thing most birthdays and gatherings for about a decade probably. 

So yeah, ideas welcome - you can see the sort of starting point were coming from

ChilliBob

Oh and my lastet thing in this category is a no bake cheesecake - with crushed raspberries, well easy, looks decent and easy to make Gluten free. Still got a lot of legs in this since it's only made one appearance so far 

Brie

1. chicken coujons or chicken legs or the "leg" from the wings.
2. wraps cut into quarters.  some done with lettuce instead of tortilla for the dieters.
3. go retro and do a pineapple hedgehog
4. prawn rings
5. the avocado, refrito, cheese dip bowl  Healthy 7-Layer Dip - This Healthy Table
6. tomato mushroom salad (always a hit at ours)
7. meatballs in a sweet soy dressing (a family favourite from the 60s)
8. veg skewers - cucumber, cherry tomatoes, peppers, mini potatoes
9. lentil cheese bake slices
10. cheese and jalapeno corn muffins (make mini ones as they go further)

Working_Mum

charcuterie boards are really popular at the moment. I did a lovely one for my Mum's 80th last year which included a butter which got rave reviews!!

Take a shallow did and fill it with butter - I used spreadable - top with chopped walnuts & Malden salt and drizzle with honey - serve with fresh bread. It's lovely!!

I also do a stuffed dates dish which is fab too - remove the stone from medjool dates and stuff a chunk of parmesan cheese into it , wrap around with a slither of Parma ham and place in a shallow dish - fill up a shallow dish and bake at 180 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Rosa_Damascena

A middle eastern salad is always a good side dish - start with a grain and a dressing and whatever salad additions you choose, chopped to a manageable size. Top with a protein and you're done (but make lots of it!).

Eg:

ChilliBob

Working_Mum said:

charcuterie boards are really popular at the moment. I did a lovely one for my Mum's 80th last year which included a butter which got rave reviews!!

Take a shallow did and fill it with butter - I used spreadable - top with chopped walnuts & Malden salt and drizzle with honey - serve with fresh bread. It's lovely!!

I also do a stuffed dates dish which is fab too - remove the stone from medjool dates and stuff a chunk of parmesan cheese into it , wrap around with a slither of Parma ham and place in a shallow dish - fill up a shallow dish and bake at 180 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Cheers, the latter sounds a bit like devils on horseback, an interesting one! Which also reminds me of hassle back potatoes, but that's perhaps more wintery.

Platter - yes, now you mention it my brother did one of those for father's day last week (not as elaborate as that) but it was cleared first! 

ChilliBob

Rosa_Damascena said:

A middle eastern salad is always a good side dish - start with a grain and a dressing and whatever salad additions you choose, chopped to a manageable size. Top with a protein and you're done (but make lots of it!).

Eg:

That looks tasty, my wife would love that! 

ChilliBob

Brie said:

1. chicken coujons or chicken legs or the "leg" from the wings.
2. wraps cut into quarters.  some done with lettuce instead of tortilla for the dieters.
3. go retro and do a pineapple hedgehog
4. prawn rings
5. the avocado, refrito, cheese dip bowl  Healthy 7-Layer Dip - This Healthy Table
6. tomato mushroom salad (always a hit at ours)
7. meatballs in a sweet soy dressing (a family favourite from the 60s)
8. veg skewers - cucumber, cherry tomatoes, peppers, mini potatoes
9. lentil cheese bake slices
10. cheese and jalapeno corn muffins (make mini ones as they go further)

That's quite a list! Pineapple hedgehog, class! I still have an original 70s Ladybird cookbook from my older brother with that in!

Definitely some ideas in there to look into more. Can't believe there was nothing with brie!! 

Brie

9 

Lentil and Cheese Wedges  (from Cranks)

Serves 6 

• 225g (8oz) red lentils
• 450ml (3/4pt) water
• 1 large onion
• 25g (1oz) butter or margarine
• 100g (4oz) cheddar cheese – grated
• 5ml (1tsp) mixed herbs
• 1 free-range egg
• 25g (1oz) wholemeal breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook the lentils in the measured water until soft and all the liquid has been absorbed.Chop the onion.Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion until transparent.Combine all the ingredients together and press into an oiled sandwich tin.Bake in the oven at 190°C (375°F/Mark 5) for 30 minutes.Serve hot or cold, in wedges.  (it's great cold, even the vegans like it!!)

6

Mushroom tomato salad  (sorry no measurements, I wing this....)

• cut up a quantity of small tomatoes, if baby plums in half, if slightly larger in quarters
• finely slice some shallots or onions or spring onions
• clean and cut in half a couple of handfuls of mushrooms
• in a bowl mix a small quantity of olive oil and white wine vinegar (or lemon juice) and some salt and pepper. 
• add tomatoes, onions/shallots, mushroom and stir around to get it all mixed.  
• leave for a couple of hours at least, maybe overnight.  
• the salt "cooks" the mushrooms so they'll be fairly soft and lose a lot of water which adds to the "juice"
• serve on it's own or beside a bowl of leaves to be topped as people want.

sorry but having problems extracting my other recipes that got save on my brother's stupid mac.

crazybunnylady4

How about the old school favourite: pineapple and cheese chunks on cocktail sticks? (If you have young kids about probably not a great idea tho....)

Brie

10

Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Muffins

Makes 9 large muffins or 12 small muffins

1 large jalapeño
1 cup corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar (optional, I leave it out)

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 400°F (170C or less for fan assisted). Lightly butter a 12-cup muffin tin — but 9 cups for large muffins or all the cups for smaller muffins. Cut jalapeño in half and scrape out seeds. Then thinly slice the pepper into half-round slivers.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, egg, and melted butter. Fold in cheese and the jalapeño, reserving a few slivers of pepper to garnish the tops.

Divide batter between 9 or 12 muffin tins. Fill any empty muffin tins half-full with water for even baking. Top the muffins with a sliver or two of jalapeño.

Bake the muffins until golden brown, 20 to 24 minutes. A tester should come out clean from one of the center muffins.

Let the muffins cool briefly before removing from the tin and serving.

MEASURES – 1 cup = 250 ml   ¼ cup of butter = 70g

4 ounces of cheese = 100 g and is never enough

AND I use jars of jalapenos rather than fresh.  And I normally don’t add sugar.