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#Post#: 70764--------------------------------------------------
Please help me with my menu
By: jpcher Date: October 11, 2021, 5:15 pm
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We are hosting the Day After Thanksgiving party for my family.
It's a long standing tradition, the family gets together for
traditional Tgiving meal (turkey, stuffing, apps, dessert, etc.)
then the day after someone hosts another hoopla where we all get
together again.
Fortunately both my DDs and Fsam are wonderful in the kitchen
and they all enjoy hosting large parties.
DDs and Fsam put in their thoughts for the menu, which I love,
but I'd like to keep the apps on a lighter side since everyone
will be stuffed from the day before Tgiving meal. I'd also like
to do something outside of the box, something different that we
haven't done before instead of our "usuals".
Our menu so far:
APPS:
Taco cups: 'dipping chips' filled with taco meat, topped with
sour cream
Caprese sticks: Toothpick skewers with tomato, cucumber, basil,
mozzarella
MAIN:
garden salad
coleslaw
Mac n Cheese
Pulled pork sliders
Other thoughts for apps were:
Deviled eggs (which we always do and is a favorite)
Corned beef/cream cheese roll-ups (again, always a favorite)
Pizza croissants (This is new to me)
Buffalo chicken cheese dip (Aunt makes this a lot for her
parties)
Bacon wrapped water chestnuts
Do you have any thoughts on this menu? Any other suggestions?
I'd love to hear your ideas.
#Post#: 70765--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: QueenFaninCA Date: October 11, 2021, 5:24 pm
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Is this a sit-down meal (as in everyone sits at the table and
starts eating the main course together) or is everyone just
grazing?
The one comment on your menu I have is that cucumber does not
belong on caprese.
#Post#: 70768--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: Wanaca Date: October 11, 2021, 8:23 pm
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Since people like cream cheese, how about a fruit salad with a
cream cheese dressing/dipping sauce on the side?
#Post#: 70769--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: Rose Red Date: October 11, 2021, 9:11 pm
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How about a light soup? Small bowls and spoons if there are
tables, or shot glasses/mini cups (the dollar store has plastic
ones) if guests are walking around.
#Post#: 70771--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: Aleko Date: October 12, 2021, 2:10 am
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Back when enough of my family lived within a close enough radius
to make a New Year’s Day lunch practicable, I used to host one,
and on the grounds that by NYD everyone has had it up to here
with turkey, ham, beef etc. I would make it a fish-and-seafood
meal. Most of the things you can do with fish are reasonably
light, and it’s such a complete change from
roast-with-stuffing-potatoes—and-all-the-trimmings that everyone
found it a welcome change. I would start with a soup (not
necessarily a fish soup), followed by a spread of things such as
potted shrimps, stuffed eggs with anchovies, crab tarts, smoked
salmon, etc. These are all traditional British fish dishes, but
I’m sure there will be American equivalents.
#Post#: 70775--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: BeagleMommy Date: October 12, 2021, 7:50 am
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I've taken what was once called "cocktail bread" (those tine
loaves of bread) and made mini grilled cheese sandwiches with
them.
#Post#: 70780--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: lowspark Date: October 12, 2021, 8:31 am
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It feels like you have too many "salad" type items. Caprese
sticks, garden salad, coleslaw. I'd nix the salad or the
coleslaw. If you do the coleslaw, you might add some apples into
the mix, to complement the pork.
I would look at my main dish, in this case, the pork sliders,
and build from there. So... taco cups, I dunno. Doesn't feel
like they fit. But maybe a corn salsa instead. Then you still
have the chips, but not as heavy as the taco meat.
#Post#: 70790--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: jpcher Date: October 12, 2021, 1:03 pm
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[quote author=QueenFaninCA link=topic=2183.msg70765#msg70765
date=1633991072]
Is this a sit-down meal (as in everyone sits at the table and
starts eating the main course together) or is everyone just
grazing?
The one comment on your menu I have is that cucumber does not
belong on caprese.
[/quote]
Basically a grazing event. Apps will be ready when people
arrive, with the sliders, mac&cheese, salads being pulled out
and placed on a buffet an hour or so later but no formal
"Dinner's Ready" time. I will have two tables set up (one
inside, one outside) for people to sit at.
Bold above -- Interesting. DD#2 makes a wonderful caprese salad
with cucumbers. I always thought they belonged!
Wanaca -- Love the fruit salad idea. Cream cheese dip? I'll have
to look that up unless you have a recipe that you can share?
Aleko -- I really like your lighter side thought of fish.
However, I know a few men would look at it and say "That's for
dinner?" LOL! Although all the women I know would love it.
lowspark -- Too many salads? I was actually thinking about
adding a crudite platter. Then, again, the men might say "All
you're serving is rabbit food?" LOL.
The coleslaw will be made with bacon and horseradish which, I
think, will match nicely with the pork. I can see some chopped
apples in there as well. Good thought!
Thanks for all of your suggestions so far . . . please keep them
coming ;D
#Post#: 70797--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: Hmmm Date: October 12, 2021, 3:02 pm
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I made blue cheese Gougeres a few weeks ago and served them room
temp with jalapeno jelly. They were a big hit with the blue
cheese fans.
I'd be adding a seafood item. Bacon wrapped shrimp are always
popular. Or a shrimp or crab dip would add some variety. This
recipe is very similar to the one I got from my mom decades ago
and works well with shrimp, crab or a combo of them.
HTML https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/cheesy-shrimp-dip/
Or more in line with the taco cups, Campechana is always scarfed
up at any gathering we host or attend.
HTML https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/campechana-extra-mexican-seafood-cocktail
#Post#: 70800--------------------------------------------------
Re: Please help me with my menu
By: lowspark Date: October 12, 2021, 3:15 pm
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How many people are you serving?
One lesson I've learned over the years is that it's better to
make fewer dishes and have enough of each rather than to have
too many different items. That's one reason I say, "too many
salads". The people who like fresh veggies will be happy with a
couple of options and don't really need three or four.
Limiting your items reduces prep time and effort, and it reduces
leftovers.
If you're going for variety to please diverse tastes, I would go
with two or three appetizers, one main, and three sides. That's
a lot IF your items are varied enough that if someone doesn't
like one or two things, there are still plenty of options.
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