Fuss-free and tasty Christmas buffet ideas for a menopausal brain?

[LaGrandeJatte]

Being a long-time food lover and avid cook I'm not used to hitting the wall when it comes to entertaining, but I've a housefull coming Fri evening for a festive buffet and I can't be arsed. My menopausal brain is saying no on a daily basis, I'm tired and really struggling to get my shit together. I so want it to be nice.

I'm trying to think of fuss-free, festive and delicious buffet food, possibly a warm/hot buffet, that's easy to serve, that isn't too expensive, doesn't take forever to prep and that doesn't leave you with 100s of bits at the end of the evning needing to sort and store in tiny boxes in the fridge?

I'd be really grateful if you helped me look like Nigella on uppers for Friday night. Thanks in advance for saving me from bowls of Wotsits and wrinkly cocktail sausages. 🙏

Get .some Giant Wotsits instead, I've just finished a packet, their super size makes them feel really special.

You're welcome

Very nice brown bread (marks and Spencer granary sourdough, you know, the one with the irritating actress on the ad)

Slice
Cut slices in half
Warm in oven
Butter
Smoked salmon slice, sour cream and chive on top
Or parma ham and a big of fig on top

(or blinis if you can't be arsed slicing)..

Much cremant

Chipolata sausages
Roll in honey
Cook
Serve in a big bowl (there will not be a faster snack eaten)

Truffle crisps/posh crisps

Cheese and pineapple on sticks (or fig and blue cheese etc) for the retro humour/talking point

Hope you have a lovely do OP.

You either go to the supermarkets and buy all the bung in the oven snacks and just serve tons of that with some crisps and dips.

Or you make something amazing and don't supplement with loads of crap. So a massive biryani and a curry. Or a quiche, a couple of salads and crusty bread.

Or buy the foot long pigs in blankets I saw advertised at Lidl and do hot dogs!

This is what my head is saying... 🤣

Thank you! You had me at chipolata sausages. 😉

Jacket potatoes in the oven
chilli in the slow cooker
veggie chilli or baked beans on the hob
nachos, grated cheese, quacamole and salsa.

Slow roast a massive joint of meat. Couple of salsas, really nice pudding. Christmas cake. Wine coffee sorted

Simplest:

Massive cheddar, massive stilton, massive brie : several nice kinds of bread
Possibly a large pate and a rocket salad. Push the boat out - large plate of charcuterie too

One layer up but only just
Bagels (ready sliced!)
cream cheese, salmon, pastrami, american mustard, horseradish
People build their own.

With lots of crisps / giant wotsits.

Pulled pork or a pile of sausages
Lots of fried onion
Assorted condiments
French stick
Green salad

Yule log

This is a great idea.

Or the pigs in blanket hot dogs 😊

I know what you mean OP. I have struggled through brain fog this year. I've opted to buy loads of party food this year.

Either make or buy pizza dough. Roll out to large rectangle, spread thinly with caramelised onion chutney. Next place on some sliced figs and then sprinkle over some blue cheese. Bake until dough is cooked through, remove from oven and sprinkle over a little rocket and a drizzle of honey.

Do another topped with Brie, cranberry and pancetta

M&S have 4 for 3 offer on party food at the moment...

French bread, a selection of cheese, a selection of meats like ham, salami etc, bowls of olives, grapes, (make sure people know which is which 😂) crisps and dips.

That should do the job.

@AtleastitsnotMonday is there a non fruit version of that? DH doesn't eat fruit but I love that idea as a canapé!!

Should say am also peri menopausal so can't think of a non fruit option myself 😳

OMG you guys are good! Thank you so much for all these suggestions. I can already feel my Nigella coming on.

I like the jacket potatoes option also the sausages. I'm thinking cook loads of sausages in honey and fresh cranberries? Have a ham, jacket pots, loads of garlic bread and some roast parsnips? A huge plate of mince pies, some panatone, mulled wine and after eights?

Whaddya think?

Ooh yes sausages and jacket potatoes would be good! 😋

Sounds great. Platter of lovely fruit as well? Cheese, some sort of salad or carrot batons etc?

Sounds amazing. 😋