What buffet food would you do for ...

[DippyDora]

dd's first birthday that is mainly a party for adults with very few children?

anyone any ideas?

anyone?

Chilli/Hot Pot for the grown ups
Sarnies for the kids

Plus usual snacky nibbles

What time of day? How many people? What budget?

Cold Meats
Salads
new potatoes
bread & butter
chopped veg and dips
Sausage rolls
crisps
and a few cakes.

Saturday 5pm onwards, 15-20 people roughly

I would do:

marinated chicken drumsticks or lasange (spinach and ricotta version for veggies)
potato / pasta and green salad
jacket potatos
french bread
cheese/fruit platter

I love buffet food....

Rislip -

What would marinate the chicken in?

Do you know a good potato salad recipe?

Would you do jackets and then wrap them and put them on the table for people to help themselves?

Don't do jackets people won't bother with them.

Do a really good cheeseboard, olives, pickles and crackers, bread, etc

A cous cous salad, rice salad, greek salad.

Pizzas and garlic and cheese flatbread

Triangle sandihes with cheese, egg etc for the children

A big bowl of cherry tomoatoes

Mini toad in the hole with chutney

Jelly and icecream

And then make a big chilli on the hob which the adults can have with the cold rice salad which noone will have touched and nachos?

potato salad - use good new potatoes, chopped spring onion, bit salt and pepper, mayonniase and some of the juice from gherkins it's really, really lovely!! I find it very bland otherwise.

Would you make your own pizzas?

Potato salad I use mini new potatoes, boiled then halved with mayo, white wine vinegar, spring onion, corainder, seasoning and sometimes fried pancetta cubes.

No! but buy good ones, supermarket fresh ones are usually good, but I sometimes add extra toppings.

Potato salad which is really yummy is one done with baby pots, caramlised onion, crispy bacon and chives. The creamy bit was part sour cream and part full fat mayo. Delish - if you like I can dig out the recipe.

Also I have done that gordon ramsey marinade for chicken drummers before - easy and spicy,(it's a bbq chicken recipe, but I just cooked it in hot hot oven) or I have done a more mild one with lemon juice, dijon mustard and some other bits - can't get book out of kitchen as have just mopped floor. The ramsey one is one here somewhere, or if you like the other one I can post up recipe.

I'll search for the Ramsey spicy recipe but I woiuld love the potato salad recipe.

Good idea about the pizza womanwhoatetraffic

I marinade chicken drumsticks in sweet chilli sauce with some fresh rosemary and tablespoon soy sauce, a bit random but gives it a nice (not too spicy) flavour. Take at least an hr in the oven maybe 1hr 30.

Desserts (if you are doing dessert) a cheesecake or bannoffee pie never fails. i have a nice very easy lime cheesecake recipe if you want it.Plus these can be made the day before.

Would love your cheesecake recipe and that marinade sounds delish

Found this when I searched:

[[For the marinade
3 garlic cloves, crushed
6 tbsp tomato purée
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp dark brown sugar
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1 tbsp chilli powder
olive oil, to drizzle
8 free-range chicken legs, trimmed of excess fat

1 In a bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Spread over the chicken and leave to marinate for at least an hour or overnight.

2 Scrape off any excess marinade from the chicken pieces and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place on a hot barbecue or grill and cook for about 25 minutes, turning occasionally. When browned, brush the chicken with the marinade and cook for another 10-15 minutes, turning and basting frequently, until cooked through. To test if the meat is done, insert a small knife into the thickest part of a chicken leg ? the meat should no longer be pink at the bone.

If you want to cook this in the oven, bake the chicken legs at 200C/Gas 6 for 30-40 minutes until cooked. Baste with the marinade 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Is that the one?

this is the link if it works!

Success with my first link post! Anyway, i use either all ginger nut biscuits for the base or a mix of ginger nut biscuits and digestives. I find ginger nuts make the base more firm.

it looks time consuming to make but its really easy and also you worry its not going to set but then magically it does! the condensed milk makes it quite sweet so you definitely want the full amount of lime juice and zest to counteract the sweetness.

Looks lovely and its great that I can make it the day before, thanks for the tips!

And congratulations on your first link

Right - caramalised onion potato salad -

5 small to med red onions
2 pounds baby pots
4 rashers bacon
2/3 cup chives, snipped

3/4 cup whole egg mayo
1 heaped tablespoon dijon mustard
1 heaped tablespoon lemon juice
2 heaped tablespoons sour cream

Caramalise onion in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil- large pan - about 45 mins
Steam or boil potatos until just tender
Grill bacon until crispy, drain on paper towel and chop coarsely
Put potato onion and chives in large bowl - reserve some chives for garnish
Make up the mayo mix with remaining ingredients
Mix through salad and sprinkle bacon and remaining chives over top

Yes, that's the GR chicken recipe, anything along that line of tomato puree, balsamic vingear, dark brown sugar etc is lovely.

Sounds Tasty! Thank you