What for serve guests before Christmas lunch

[Plump82]

We're hosting my MIL & FIL who will come over here late morning. We'll open presents first and then plan to eat about 2.30pm

I had planned on making mini puff pastry mince pie Christmas trees with shop bought gluten free pastry as my FIL is coeliac along with mulled wine but I can't get GF pastry for love nor money. I really don't have time to be making anything elaborate but can't think what I could give them that's not too filling but nice to have before hand.

I wouldn’t go sweet personally

I’m doing homemade guacamole and tortilla chips as is DS’s request, plus smoked salmon on brown bread.

posh crisps, crudités and dips
mini crostinis with a couple of different toppings

Gluten free crackers or similar with a nice selection of toppings. Serve yourself kind of thing.

We just crack open a couple of tubs of Pringles and maybe a tub of chocolates but I’m guessing that’s not your vibe.

I wouldn’t tbh. If you were eating at 5 then I would ‘serve something’. 2:30 is not late to eat.

I’d have my usual mince pies, nuts, box of quality street out if they were peckish. And lots of drinks in.

I’m not usually a lazy host but if you are going to eat a massive dinner at 2ish this seems OTT?

It's definitely my vibe and tbh what I'll probably do! Just thought it's be nice to do something a bit different seeing as my FIL misses out on so much because of his dietary requirements.

Surely that's just the same as the thing I was planning on making? It's these wee things www.jusrol.co.uk/pastry-recipes/christmas-tree-treats so just the equivalent of a mince pie.

Thanksgiving style artichoke dip is delicious and would be nice with gluten free bread or crostini

very easy to make. so good

www.cookingclassy.com/spinach-artichoke-dip/

add Gruyère!!

Gluten free crackers and mackerel pate (shop ready to eat smoked mackerel mashed up with creme fraiche, chopped chives and a squeeze of lemon) plus crisps/chips and hummus

Make a 1960s style cheese ball. Very festive and people seem to love them for some reason. Ridiculously easy to make. Serve with regular and gluten free crackers.

Yeah but what I was getting at is that I wouldn’t make mince pies I’d just have a box of them out

it’s just surplus effort when there is already a million pans and roasters on the go

you can get GF mince pies in the freefrom aisle

Aaah I see what you mean. Yeah it probably is just something else I don't need to do.

Had a look and there was none in the free from aisle. The shelves were actually really bare in that section.

Smoked salmon & cream cheese (&lemon, black pepper), on small crackers? My preference is Ritz crackers but am planning to do some on oatcakes for my gluten free brother. Only take a couple of minutes to assemble although admittedly not best made far ahead

I've bought a tonne of cheese for later on in the night so will save the cheesey goodness for then!

I'd do blinis with salmon and cream cheese or crostini with smoked salmon and olive oil and lemon. Tesco have a gluten free blinis recipe on their website ans I've seen gluten free crostini to buy, or even just the bread to toast.

Olives, smoked salmon blinis, devils on horseback - depends whether you are doing starters? If you are I'd keep it to a few "nibbles" whatever you like & zero effort beyond opening a packet. I wouldn't do mince pies ( unless it's the mini ones)

We have smoked salmon parcels, lovely light brunch

Sorry, missed the GF bit. But devils on horseback should work as no gluten in those! Roasted nuts - you can make your own and serve warm should you be bothered!

We always serve blinis and salmon with champagne but I guess you might struggle to find GF ones..

Just to complicate things further, my husband and I are vegetarian.
Quality streets and champagne it is then!!

We have a few coeliac in our family. Some ideas. Slice aubergine into fairly thin slices (0.5cm thick), spread with pesto and too worn goats cheese or mozzarella. Bake for about 30 mins.

Mini baked potatoes, scrape out the inside when cooked and mix with cheese and bacon or cheese and spring onion, put back in the skins and bake again until melted.

Large mushrooms (forgotten their names) stuffed with cheese and anything else you like. You can buy these pre-done in the veg section of morrisons.

Macaroons are a good GF option available in the shops for sweet snacks

GF flour is out of stock all over at the moment. You can often get coconut flour or rice flour in the normal bakery section.

That would have been a great idea. Not sure I'd get them from anywhere near where I live unfortunately.