christmas day buffett

[ethanryan]

we always have family over on christmas evening with all the kids. has anyone got any ideas for some cheap and easy buffett foods to suit both adult and kids. we are a normal common family so no fancy foods please as half of my lot wouldnt even know what they were. we normally do the norm, a few sandwiches, sausage rolls pork pie, cakes etc but was looking for some different ideas this year

[dr strange]

Sounds like it's our house on Christmas evening - simple easy food, but really quite nice. Who needs loads more prep & cooking for a buffett. However, something I quite like making are homemade sausage rolls. I buy a good pack of plump pork and herb sausages, about 10 in total, take the skins off and put the meat into a bowl. I only buy fresh/frozen puff pastry (as making the stuff is a bore.) Cut out roughly 12" x 4" rectangles, put some meat along the middle, but I also add cranberry sauce, or brie, or a spicy chutney or anything you think of that goes well with sausage - but which has a wintery/Christmas feel to it. With a little egg brush the edges and wrap up. put a few cuts along the top (picture a normal sausage roll) a little more egg on top then into the oven for 20-25 mins. You can make a whole bunch of different kinds. I chop them up into bite size bits, as it's easier for all. They're very easy, and the smell is wonderful....hope this might help?

[pingping]

mini pizzas: get a baguette and cut into circles each about 2cms thick. spread with tomato puree and you can do lots of different toppings which should suit everyone. mushrooms, pineapple, ham, cheese, pepperoni........

sticky honey and mustard cocktail sausages: grill the sausages (or fry them) and once cooked mix up in a bowl some wholegrain mustard and some runny honey. put sausages in a ovenproof dish, pour on the honey/mustard sauce and warm through until ready to serve.

Cheese bites: mix together 8 ounces flour and 4 ounces of butter and a teaspoon of paprika. Stir in 16 ounces of grated cheddar cheese, roll into bite-size balls and place on greased baking tray for 10-15 mins

[pussnboots]

If you are having any dips buy a packet of frozen hash browns they only take about 20mins in oven and are delicious hot with the dips.

[VillageVicar]

This sounds precisely like us just before we begin to prepare for Midnight services. It needn�t be anything spectacular � as long as family and friends are together. For us, I prepare several plates of sliced meats. On Christmas Eve morning I always fry several dozen chicken legs, that I�ve placed in a shopping bag with flour, lemon pepper and a small amount of garlic salt. Once cooked, they make great mid-day snacks, but best of all, after placing them in the fridge, at night they�re always among the favourites. I also set out slices of ham and turkey.

My daughter arranges on a plate, mayonnaise, cranberry sauce, mustards, and pickle and we add a couple of blocs of cheese along with an assorted cracker box. For a sweet we always make large batches of chocolate chip pecan biscuits, peanut butter �cookies� and �sugar-cookies.� My daughter decorates the sugar-cookies with coloured icings. We have a basket of different fruits, always a pecan pie or lemon meringue � and a large bowl of assorted bread rolls from the bakery.

Finally, at the end of the table is an assortment of soft drinks, large plastic ups and a large bowl of ice. I also keep in the fridge several litres of Egg Nog, that I make a day or so in advance. Teas and coffee are in the kitchen and we ask people to help themselves with hot drinks.

We recognise that this may be the only semblance of Christmas some of our guests may have, so we try to make it as festive as possible. None of this need be fancy. But the display that my daughter does, makes it look like the midnight buffet from the QE2! It makes for a convivial evening and it�s so easy to clean up afterwards.

I wish you a wonderful Christmas season!

Fr Bill

[ethanryan]

thank you all for your ideas sounds like i better start cooking!!!!!

[what..the?]

mmmmm

chocolate fountain for the middle of your dessert table. with varoius dipping stuff on sticks or with sticks on the side so you can kebab what you want. You could kebab:

-various fruits (strawberrys, orange, banana)
-marshmellows
-various 'hard cake pieces (so they dont all crumble in the chocolate fountain)
-waffle
-the odd face of a family member?

I haven't got one but hear they are very good, if you get one online you can read reviews on some websites so to get a recommended one. I think it will produce a WOW factor to the party!

Other foods

Well min sized normal foods like:
-mini roiis
-mini xmas puds
-mini sausage rolls
-mini everything they look cute and are easy to eat, if you know food the guys like mini size it!

ooooo... I ve got a good one buy a 'make you own' kit from your local superstore, or make from scratch a ginger bread house. I have none them the last 2 years from the kit you can buy, it has already baked gingerbread in the box flat packed you get icing and sweets. It so fun to ice together and looks so fun and festive afterwards, worth a look in def!

Xmas themed food, for the kids or big kids:
-meringue snowmen
-mini square cakes iced to look like presents, maybe even with some sweets inside as a surprise
-fairy cakes
-swiss roll made to look like cracker

Other foods
-stuffing balls with cranberry dipping sauce
-combo (onion rings, breaded mushrooms, etc) dipping sauce ( sour cream, ketup)
-mini donuts, flapjack squares
-iced biscuits with kids names on.