Please give me some ideas to make my buffet more interesting

[thatwasfun]

Christmas eve, a selection of friends and family hope to do something outdoors to help kids let off steam and get the adults out of the house.

I have said that they can all come back to mine afterwards for a late lunch/early tea-time buffet.

As everyone will be cold and hungry as soon as we get it in needs to be pretty much something I can leave ready. My staples for this sort of occasion are:

Bread
Cheeseboard
Pizza
cocktail sausages
carrot/cucumber sticks/cherry toms
Pickles
Pork Pie
Quiche
Fruit

Then
Mince pies
Christmassy fairy cakes
trifle

Anyone got any very simple ideas to make it a bit more "special occasion" ?

Could have have some soup on the stove ready to warm up when you get back? Not very festive, but nice and warming in a mug, and good to dip bread into.

If it was me I think I'd rather eat something hot if I'd just come in from the cold outdoors......

Could you have a load of jacket potatoes slowly cooking in the oven to have with a chilli (or whatever) ready to heat up? Or a shepherds pie all ready just needing 20 mins to warm through in oven when you get in?

A lot nicer to eat, less hassle to prepare, and cheaper too IMHO

(by the way - sounds a lovely idea - hope you have fun!)

stovies?

stew in a slow cooker?

home made soup or a big easy pasta dish?

Oh thank you. I could be about 20 people though and I'm not sure how I could get them round a table for hot food? Also, there are some very picky eaters, so I thought a buffet is easier to please everyone?

I like mugs of soup.....

definate buffet just pile up plates and napkins and cutlery in tubs/glasses/mugs and let them help themselves

What about hot dogs, with lots of fried onions, ketchup, American mustard ...

oven chips?

I think your list of food sounds lovely. You could add mugs of hot soup to warm people up, or perhaps offer mulled wine & hot chocolate on arrival while you are sorting the rest of the food?

What about Stollen sliced up (recommend Lidl and Aldi, cheaper and better than other supermarkets IMO) Might make a change from Mince Pies.

A fellow Lidl fan - cheaper and better applies to most of their stuff imo. (excellent pork pie and quiche BTW )

hot chinese pancake rolls/sesame prawn toast etc and hot samosas and bahji's...yum yum

Pesto chicken with garlic dip is really yummy and easy - cut chicken breast into gougon-thingies, stir it around in either red or green pesto (whichever you like best - you're the cook!) then lay them out on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven til they're cooked through and a little bit seared around the edges.
For the dip, whizz up a tub of soft cheese, tub of sour cream , crushed clove or two of garlic (depending on how much garlic you like!) and salt and pepper. It's really nice and looks quite impressive on a big platter.

Morrocan chicken and some couscous to spice it up a bit? and a green salad.

and Irish coffee when you come in from the cold!!! delegate this.

looking for some ideas for my own buffet

I always have savoury rice (either batchelors packet or home made), always goes down well. How about potato skins?

Seeing as most of the major supermarkets are selling mini burgers as their "party food" this year, DH and I are being credit crunchers and have made our own burgers. Currently in freezer waiting for Christmas Eve. Will also make home-made mini rolls to serve them in. Little bit of cheese, ketchup dip and maybe gerkind slices to serve. Maybe not lok as neat and good as shop bought but always taste beter