To ask for inspiration on what food to make for a crowd on New Years Eve

[beingabanana1]

I've just cooked the works for Christmas dinner. It was delicious and well received but took a while. We are having a New Year Eve party for 5 other couples and their dc and want to feed them but I don't want to spend all day cooking, but at the same time I want it to be lovely. My mind is blank so I'm really asking for ideas please.

Is it a sit down dinner or more of a buffet?

Chilli or beef stew type thing that can be make in advance and left happily in a slow cooker/on the hob would be my suggestion. With jacket pots and/or rice. Salad if you can be bothered. If you're hosting the last thing you want to do is to be tied to the kitchen while everyone else is relaxing!

As a starter or substantial canape, buy some of that oblong rye/pumpernickel bread, a pack of Philadelphia, some smoked salmon, a lemon and a bunch of fresh dill. Spread the Philly on the bread, cover it with the salmon, squeeze over the lemon and sprinkle chopped dill over each slice, then cut each slice into 6 squares and arrange on a platter.

More buffet I think. We don't really have space for everyone to sit down at the table.

I was about to post the same thread! I'm planning a beef in tomato sauce casserole which i can bung in the oven at lunchtime and forget about, but i wasn't sure about a second dish. And I'm debating rice vs mash vs crusty bread.

Jacket potatoes
Coleslaw
Tuna mayo
Chopped bacon and cheese
Chilli in the slow cooker
Cold pasta salad (mayo cucumber peppers)
Add dips bread sticks salad crusty bread

And Eton Mess for pudding means that you can buy every single bit of it in (meringues, cream, berries).

Or make a black forest trifle - chocolate muffins sprinkled with some form of fruity alcohol , then cherry compote (Sainsburys do a good one - you'd need 2 jars for that many people), then chocolate custard made by melting about 50-100g of dark chocolate and then stirring in a bit of a tub of posh custard, then mixing it all into the rest of the tub, then whipped cream on top and grated chocolate and maybe glace or maraschino cherries on top of that. Takes about 20 mins to put together.

Dsis is hosting a party on NYE and has asked everyone to bring a dish - might be an idea?

Chilli con carne in the slow cooker with a buffet of toppings: onions, cheese, soured cream etc. Plus it doesn’t require a knife and fork.

I’m doing the hosting for New Years Eve this year. I’m doing curry with the Christmas left over meat (Turkey, pork and beef), jacket spuds and salad. I have some variety packs of Indian and Chinese bits like samosas, pakora, shrimp parcels and spring rolls which I can bung in oven if need be.

For dessert I have Tesco’s Strawberry gateau, Black Forest gateau and a cheesecakes. With squirty cream or single cream.

Don’t stress. Make it easy on yourself. Good Luck! X

Fantastic thanks. Chilli it is with garlic bread, soured cream, cheese. Need to decide if to do jacket potatoes. Might do a couple of pizzas too for the dc if they fancy that instead/as well.

Actually curry sounds great too.....

Do the jackets and a big chilli. Bake some good sausages and get those crusty french sticks. Hot dogs for the the kids and option of chilli dogs for grown ups who don't want with jackets.
Very easy and filling.
Enjoy

Dont do jackets if people can't easily sit because you need to use a knife. I've been to a couple of parties with chilli rice and all the toppings and it is perfect.

If you don't have table and chairs for everyone, then you may find fork/ finger food is easier to manage. Jacket potatoes tend to need knife and fork so are harder to consume as lap food.

I love the idea of Chilli in fact you have inspired me to do something similar.

Get a bag of frozen drumsticks and thighs and marinade in a sauce of your choice and then roast.

A few big bowls of different salads (green, rice, couscous & pasta etc)

Samosas (big bags from the global food aisle in Tescos, ASDA)

Spring rolls

Cheese board and crackers

Couple of trays of party food (Iceland do them for a £1 a tray)

Trifles

One large gateaux

One large lemon tart

Mincepies

We're doing chilli, wraps, wedges, nachos, chips and dips. Filling, tasty and cheap

Go to Iceland or asda or tesco and buy a few party platters and make a few sandwiches.

In Asda I got a garlic and herb packet mix to make potato wedges. It was one of the easiest yet tastiest things I've ever made. Think it was by Swartz or whatever that company that makes all the mixes is called. This would match nicely what you're planning to cook (chilli and other picky bits)