Last-minute brunch party -- HELP!

wanderinglight

Hi Everyone! Turns out my whole family is coming over today. I need help with the menu! I'm looking for a few dishes, light and healthy of course, that I can throw together. Would be great if they could be the type that could sit on the table that people could sort of pick at all day.

I was thinking:
Grilled summer fruits
Orzo salad with cherry tomatoes
...maybe some kind of salad?
...sandwiches?
...maybe some kind of egg bake or other casserole?

Ack!

I only have a tiny George Foreman grill, so BBQ is not really an option. Any suggestions/ recipes appreciated!

wanderinglight

Hi Everyone! Turns out my whole family is coming over today. I need help with the menu! I'm looking for a few dishes, light and healthy of course, that I can throw together. Would be great if they could be the type that could sit on the table that people could sort of pick at all day.

I was thinking:
Grilled summer fruits
Orzo salad with cherry tomatoes
...maybe some kind of salad?
...sandwiches?
...maybe some kind of egg bake or other casserole?

Ack!

I only have a tiny George Foreman grill, so BBQ is not really an option. Any suggestions/ recipes appreciated!

Eve23

OOhhh I had that happen last night. Anyway how about an asian chicken salad. I like to use a bag of coleslaw mix, pine nuts or sesame seeds, I like to add extra carrots, boiled chicken, and an asian type dressing. My favorite is the Annies Asian Sesame Dressing.

A wrap might be easy and good. Lots of different ones out there but the one I enjoy is turkey, plain yogurt as the spread, some hers of your choice if you like, spinach or other greens, and a bit of cheese. Roll up and cut.

You could do a quiche too those aren't to bad.


Enjoy the day with your family.

wanderinglight

love the Asian salad idea!

Sprinting off to Trader Joe's now....

Any other ideas??

LokiFae

There was a recipe in the WW recipes thread that had bread and eggs and meat and cheese and veggies. That would be good to serve. And a deli platter is ALWAYS an option. Everybody likes a deli platter. It will be fun no matter what you serve, so just figure out what sounds good. Have fun!!!

AJCM

Here's some of my standards that are FAST!
:flowerforyou:

Prosciutto & Melon (doesn't have to be elaborate - just cube cateloupe, wrap it, and skewer it with a tooth pick)

Quick salad for carb watchers- mini bocconcini, salami (get a small whole one, and cut into similar sizes to the cheese), grape tomatoes, basil, EVOO, balsamic vinegar, S&P to taste

Dip tray - hummus, baba ganoush, tapenades - BUY THESE - DONT MAKE!!! (olive, aritchocke is always popular) and put out a variety of flatbreads, pita chips, and cut veg)

Easy & fast salad - spinach, goat cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries, and a vinagrette (I usally do a lemon vinagrette or even use one from a bottle if you are rushed! a pear one is also good) or subsitute fig for cranberries

wanderinglight

SUCCESS!!!!

Thanks to those of you with suggestions!!!! Lots of good ideas for next time around. AJCM, I love that salad, and make it all the time.

Yesterday's menu could not have been easier and it was soooo yummy:

~ Chicken salad (per Eve23)
~ Pasta salad -- used Trader Joe's Harvest Blend (orzo, couscous and garbanzo beans) tossed with ready-made TJ's sundried tomato & pesto sauce. Threw in some fresh basil and cherry tomatoes
~ Egg puff -- eggs mixed with cottage cheese, flour, baking powder, scalions and mushrooms, baked for 30 minutes
~ Berries pavlova -- combination of fresh and frozen berries with whipped cream and mini meringues
~ Blueberry iced tea

DELICIOUS!!!!

Eve23

I was wondering how it went, when I finally got home last night lol. Anyway I am glad all went well.

AJCM

That sounds GREAT!!!! Glad it was a success!
:flowerforyou:

How do you make the blueberry iced tea? (flavoured herbal tea? fresh blueberries? is Grand Marnier involved?...)

AJCM

That sounds GREAT!!!! Glad it was a success!
:flowerforyou:

How do you make the blueberry iced tea? (flavoured herbal tea? fresh blueberries? is Grand Marnier involved?...)

wanderinglight

Mmmmm...I wish Grand Marnier was involved!

I just brewed 4 teabags of Trader Joe's Blueberry Green tea in 2 cups hot water (so it's extra strong), then added 2 cups cold water and kept in the fridge.

I like it without any sweetener but my guests put in splenda. It's so fresh and delish!

AJCM

Hahaha.... I got fixated on "Blueberry Tea"...

Sounds great, I will try it!
:flowerforyou: