party food ideas

[happyjo]

Hi

I have a 'special' (not) birthday coming up and am having a party to 'celebrate' it. A couple of family members and myself are doing the buffet ourselves, as the venue's menu is a bit nasty. I have thought of some ideas for food but my ideas have dried up , so can any of you add to the list below anything they think might be suitable?? Thanks in advance.

So far this is what we are intending to serve up:-

A ham joint, sliced
A beef joint
Pasta salad
normal salad
feta cheese and cherry tomatoes drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinagar
pate
a selection of continental breads
a selection of chinese dim sum ( prawn toasts, spring rolls etc)
quiche
potatoe salad

Any unusual ideas and recipes would be mucho appreciated

Thanks

J

[Sammy Snake]

Coleslaw
Chicken satay and dip
Rice salad
Couscous with peppers etc

Hmmm... making me hungry now...

[lorri24601]

mini pittas filled with egg mayo. ham.tuna and sweetcorn ect.

You could add some scones,small cakes etc for the sweet toothed guests.

Melon wrapped in parma ham.

Cherry tomatoes scooped out and filled with philadelphia ( primular with chives is easier as can be squited in straight from tube though)

Sandwiches look nice if you first remove the crust from all the bread,spread single slices with a moist filling, pate,cream cheese, tuna mayo ect,then roll like a swiss roll and cut in half.

Mixed fresh friuts with yogurt dip.

[lorri24601]

lol whoops sorry *squirted not squited lol

[CheekyChops]

What's wrong with sausages on a stick and vol au vents, lol.

If you wanted to make it really classy, you could do some cheese and pineapple on sticks as well, these look particularly good when stuck into a potato covered in foil. A bit like a silver hedgehog with yellow spikes ;-)

[LucyThomas5]

Mini Toads in the Hole. These can either be bought or made if you have the necessary cooking skill.

You have already stated pasta salad. Can I give you my recipe that has been tried and tested at dozens of barbecues over the last few years.

1/2 red pepper very finely diced
1/2 green pepper very finely diced
1 small tin of sweetcorn
2 slices of smoked ham very finely diced
250g dried pasta of your choice (bows, spirals, shells or penne)
2 table spoons of creme fraiche
4 table spoons mayonnaise
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the peppers, drain the sweetcorn and chop the ham.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. When cooked immediately cool in cold water. Leave pasta in cold water for about 4 minutes then drain.

In a large bowl mix the creme fraiche with the mayonnaise and add the salt and pepper and lemon juice. Add the red and green peppers, sweetcorn and ham and mix well. Finally add the drained pasta and stir well.

If you are expecting vegetarians (groan) you could leave out the ham.

Depending on your budget you could ask your local Indian restaurant/takeaway to prepare a selection of indian food such as chicken tikka, lamb tikka, onion bhajis and samosas. You may get a discount for buying a large amount.

Mini pizzas always go down well.

I notice that you have no sweets on your list. Again depending on your skill, you could buy something in or you could make trifle which is quite easy, everyone likes that. Or you could make something more impressive such as carrot cake (recipe to follow) or a chocolate torte.

[LucyThomas5]

Carrot Cake.

Ingredients
250g/9oz unsalted butter
375g/13oz caster sugar
rind of 2 oranges, grated
4 eggs
450g/1lb carrots, grated
150g/5oz almonds or pecans, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla essence
juice of 1 orange
250g/9oz plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp salt

For the icing:
225g/8oz full fat soft cheese, at room temperature
65g/2�oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
400g/14oz icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Grease a 23cm/9in spring-form cake tin.
3. Beat the butter, sugar and orange rind until they are light and fluffy.
4. Slowly add the eggs, beating well to incorporate each addition fully before adding more.
5. Fold in the grated carrot and chopped nuts.
6. Add the vanilla essence and orange juice.
7. Finally, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spice and salt together, then fold into the cake mixture.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared spring-form tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 45-60 minutes. The sides of the cake should be coming away from the sides of the cake tin and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
9. To make the icing, cream the cheese and the butter together until smooth.
10. Add the icing sugar and vanilla essence, and beat until smooth. This frosting is rich thick and delicious.
11. Spread the icing generously over the top of the cake.
12. If you wish you could make small carrots coloured with green and orange food colouring and placed on top of the cake.

[woozer]

We like Chicken drumsticks marinaded in anything you like really but soy sauce, lime juice and honey are good - and so is yogurt curry paste and lemon juice. Bake them in the oven and they seem to go down well with everyone - a bit of silver foil wrapped around the bone end makes them cleaner to pick up.

A big cheeseboard and some grapes and celery - or just
a whole brie with the grapes and celery and perhaps some walnuts - stick plate of biscuits or a basket of cut up french bread beside it.

Fairy cakes make a good pud, easy to eat and you can have fun with the decoration.
Happy birthday !

[valerieb1254]

Hi happyjo,
I always do 1 or 2 large trays of bite sized pieces of fresh fruit. Arrange them in neat rows,they look lovely.Hope you have a great time.

[happyjo]

Thanks for all your kind replies.... I will use most of them.... with exception to the silver hedgehog...lol x

[mintymow]

Indian savouries are popular with my friends and family.