Please come and critique my boxing day buffet menu - feel free to be as harsh (honest) as you like

[LucyEllensmummy]

• Cold meats: Turkey, Ham (cooked in coke)
• mini sausages
• Green salad with advocado and blue cheese
• Rice salad with garlic and tumeric
• Pasta Salad with tomato sauce
• Cheese board
• Various condiments and dressings
• French bread, probably the finish in the oven type
• raw veggies for dips
• houmous
• coleslaw (the one from Asda that looks like you did it yourself)
• Dips (shop bought)
• Potato Salad (home made)

This is for about 10 adults and four children

For sweets

• banoffee pie (home made)
• fruit and custard flan (home constructed - tin of mandarins, tin of custard and some of that minging lovely instant jelly)
• mince pies (home made) with cream or custard (shop bought).

Jelly and blamange for kids and fairy cakes (so DD can contribute).

Does this sound a bit tame and 70s? Also, if they are going to be here for the day is it enough? How do people feel about it all being cold? I was thinking about doing a chilli but my DP doesn't think his family will like it (and considering the party will be mostly made up of his family) so thinks its a waste of time. Maybe a lasagne? But then again, would that be too much on top of everything else?

Is there anything you guys would add to bring it into the Noughties? I think im opting for the safe option, but we as a household have spent the past month in the grips of a demon virus so im short on time.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Sounds sodding delicious.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

I would add breadsticks, crostinis and crackers though. And maybe some spicy cold meats.

No one will expect or indeed want a hot meal, much better to have picky bits.

[stardazzle]

if i was going i'd expect a birthday cake!!!!

seriously sounds lovely

[LucyEllensmummy]

Ah yes Devil, i should have put those Woohooo - i can scrap the actual "cooking" then, apart from the gammon - Piece of piss

Would you want sarnies though? I personally wouldn't but we are talking old folks here.

[LucyEllensmummy]

Happy Birthday star

[biskybat]

sounds lovely but I second the spicy meats suggestion as most people will probably prefer something different to what they had the day before ie turkey and ham... also I would vote for a choccy dessert but thats just a personal preference.

[biskybat]

just put out some butter and people can make their own sandwiches from the bits and pieces

[ThatAngelsGotATreeUpHerArse]

sounds marvellous (except for the blue cheese - just a personal thing, can't stand the stuff)

[moondog]

rice salad vile
pasta salad vile
shop bought coleslaw vile
flan vile

[modthrythu]

It sounds great. at "tame and 70s" buffet. I am delighted if someone else cooks for me - nice food is nice food, i wouldn't care about the decade!

[LucyEllensmummy]

Hey there moondog . So, bearing in mind then that i could well have someone on Boxing day with similar tastes to yourself - what would you like to have? I do have to defend the coleslaw though - the asda thing is just pre chopped veggies with a yummy sauce.

[modthrythu]

Asda coleslaw is surprisingly very nice.

[beaniebaby25]

mmmmmm all sounds lovely. could eat it all right now

although how about some little mini pizzas or something? you could do them hot and might add a bit more interest? or garlic bread?

[LucyEllensmummy]

It is isn't it - I went to a BBQ once where the hostess was being complimented on her home made coleslaw - anyone who chopped cabbage and carrot to that degree would indeed deserve praise. She wispered to me that it came from Asda, and it is delicious -I would personally rather stick forks in my eye that eat that vile stuff from Tesco.

[LucyEllensmummy]

The mini pizzas sound great for the kids

[fishie]

we have cold meat with hot mashed potato and salad. i'm also a bit worried about that rice salad. there should certainly be pickled onions and gherkins.

[moondog]

I don't like shop bought dips either.Yuck.
If you serve them in plastic container in which they were bought, I am arresting you on charges of crimes against food.

Home made is always nicer.Coleslaw takes minutes,with dressing og yoghurt,mayo,mustard,lemon and caraway seeds.

I'd do a chick pea and roasted red pepper salad.

Tabbouleh

Roast beetroots with fetta and walnuts

Very finely sliced oranges, red onions and black olives dressed with parsley and oil

Nice crisps

At least potato salad is home made

No flaccid anaemic part baked 'French sticks'.

[moondog]

Oh and do a trifle, not the flan (see trifle thread for ideas).

[misshardbroom]

The savoury stuff sounds great - would second (or third or fourth!) the suggestion for something with a bit of kick or tang, e.g. salami, or something gherkiny, or some of those Peppadew peppers in the glass jar.

Now puddings.... each sounds really nice in its own right but there's a heavy custardy / creamy theme emerging. Might be tempted personally to go for three things: one creamy, one chocolatey and one fruity.

Hope this is constructive!

[LucyEllensmummy]

moondog - My DPs family will think we are "upmarket" serving dips in those plastic containers!!!! Seriously!

You do realise with a menu like that, you are in danger of me kinapping you sometime on christmas day to do my buffet for me. I do have to bear in mind their limited paletes though. For example, when DD was weaning, i took a sweet potato up with me on a visit to mash up for her, my MIL was aghast and said "isn't that what the blacks eat?" - i kid you not!!! .

Im wanting a recipe for the red pepper salad, that sounds divine and if they don't eat it, i can scoff the lot.

Liking the orange thing too - my DD would love that (addicted to olives) But i am nervous of the oil, wouldnt I have to buy something hideiously expensive ?

I can't do a trifle, it was my Dads favourite and he wont be here So choclatey suggestions anyone? Maybe a fruit salad - oh yes, that woudl "clense the palette" Im getting excited

[LucyEllensmummy]

Why do people have a problem with rice salad - am i missing something? My rice salad is quite nice.

[misshardbroom]

Nigella's chocolate cloud cake is a piece of piss (although in recommending it I do need to slightly retract my earlier comments about not making everything too creamy

[FiveDollarShake]

I think it sounds lovely....there's lots of salady type things though so I would second the suggestion for pizza or quiche.
I would also suggest some nice breads to go with the salads.

[girlywhirly]

What about some mini jacket potatoes, either whole small ones or med/large halves. Guests can have them plain with butter, or put in blue cheese or coleslaw. Should please even the most fussy tastes.

For a glaze for your fruit flan, instead of the instant jelly, use the juice/syrup from the mandarins, stir in some cornflour and bring to the boil, it will clear as it thickens. Much tastier than the instant version, and only takes the same amount of time/effort. Let it cool slightly before pouring onto your flan.

[moondog]

LEM, I have rellies like that too (plastic dips).
Sorry,sound very rude,but just being honest.

All salads can be dressed with a vinaigrette of about 1/5 vinegar or lime or lemon juice, 4/5 oil (pref. olive if sort of European thing) and some mustard or summat.I make a big jar and leave in the fridge (on a plate as when you shake it to mix up it drippled down even through lid seal.)

Roast 5/6 red peppers,Cool, remove skin and slice (or buy in oil if in a hurry)

Tin of chickpeas. Drain (I think tinned better in a salad.Ones boiled and soaked yourself can be a bit hard.)

Mix pepper strips and chip peas (corinader or parsley and very finely sliced red pepper good) Spread onto flat serving dish. Crumble fetta on top.Add more herbs and a drizzle of oil. Voila!