Lazy Christmas party ideas

[Olpa]

My neighbours are hosting a small Christmas party. Everyone is bringing something to contribute to the buffet. It starts at 6pm, so needs to be relatively substantial.

Various neighbours are bringing smoked salmon pinwheels, cheese and crackers, crudites and dips, cake and mini desserts. Crisps/ nuts etc are provided.

I‘m currently quite stressed, studying a masters whilst working and have two young kids. I don’t want to bring anything ready made from a packet, but also want something I can make with little effort.

The only idea I have so far is mini pizzas 😂

May I also add I‘m not a particularly good cook.

Any ideas?

Must it be home made? Real or pretend homemade? Will the guests judge?!

Or can you just go to Iceland etc and see what takes your fancy?

Snazzy bread, butter and good ham or roast chicken. A bit of lettuce, chutney or something- mix and match your extras.

Just buy it in. Why add to the stress?

That said, i just made a delicious dip as a trial for Christmas day canapés

Roast 1 red pepper, 2 large carrots and about 4 cloves of garlic(wrap in foil) until the skin comes off the pepper.

Blend with 1/2 a can of white beans, half a tub of soft cheese. Add water if you need to loosen it. Serve with seeds scattered on top, with a drizzle of honey. Buy suitable dipping stuff like pittascit into soldiers) , cheese straws, crisps, veg.

Tip a couple of tubs of bought hummus into a ‘nice’ bowl, pour on a tiny bit of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika, it will look homemade. Put bowl in the centre of a board and surround with bought salad stuff and small bread sticks.

Homemade, bite-sized sausage rolls (made with ready-made puff pastry) would be perfect. They don’t take much preparation at all, and are always so popular. I use Delia Smith’s recipe for Ettie’s Sausage Rolls.

I was also going to suggest sausage rolls but buy ready made puff pastry rather than make your own.

Thanks for the suggestions. I love the idea of a dip but unfortunately another neighbour will be bringing dips. I‘ll definitely be adding the red pepper and beans dip to my boxing day buffet, it sounds amazing and easy enough for me to make!

Sorry for the drip feed and sounding really difficult- but I live very rurally and not in the UK. Ready made stuff is hard to come by and they will know immediately if it is one of the 3 things our shop sells.

That also means that, as much as I love sausage rolls, I don’t think I‘d find the right sausage meat at the right price.

How about a cheeseboard and baguette? Or Macarons?

@Olpa you don't actually need 'sausage meat' for sausage rolls, you can just squeeze sausages out of their skins. If you want to up the flavour, add some chutney or sliced apple before rolling the pastry.
That would be my suggestion - never fails for me!

If you can get ready-rolled puff pastry, you could do cheese and bacon puff pastry tartlets... just cut the pastry into small rectangles/squares and fold in two opposite corners to give a fancy shape. Could add chutney or brie/cranberry to these as well.

Or puff pastry pizza pinwheels - tomato paste, grated cheese, (and ham if you like), roll up like a swiss roll and cut into rounds. Bake cut side up. Also another winner in our house! (Anything with cheese and pastry is as you can tell!)

Cheese scones?

Or a big platter of feta salad, with some pomegranate seeds scattered over for that festive touch, a la Nigella?

Or could you make a few pitchers of a cocktail instead of food?

Or a cheese and pineapple hedgehog and your best cheesy smile.