Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[Lavenders_Blue]

It's my 3-0 in May and I'll be having a party to celebrate - yippee!

I'm going to be having the party at home (bad idea? probably ) and would like some ideas for what kind of food I can provide. I don't like people to come to my home and leave hungry!

I don't want to actually feed people a meal (so nothing along the lines of a chilli pot and potatoes etc) but would like to be able to offer people some substantial nibbles to help soak up the booze and stave off the pangs. A friend who works in catering will be organising the food for me, and has given me some sample menus for ideas, but has basically said I can have whatever I like... well, that has stumped me, I don't know what I would like! My only two ideas so far are potato wedges with dips and a fabulous cheese board with biccies.

The only stipulation is that I would like everything to be vegetarian. Whilst I will probably be the only veggie there, it's MY party and I'd like to be able to eat everything!

So, wise Omleteers, what else could I serve? Don't mind if it's hot/cold but gotta be finger-foody, vegetarian and tasty!

[ClaireG]

Mini veg tartlets/quiches?

Fruit kebabs for a health pud like thing?

[superkitty]

Houmous! I can eat VATS of that stuff

[Lavenders_Blue]

There will definitely be houmous - I can also eat vats of the stuff! I might even make that myself as I can whip up some pretty decent houmous if I do say so myself

 

Tartlets/quiche is a great suggestion. I will add that to the list (might even be able to donate the eggs?) and really love the fruit kebabs idea too as I hadn't really thought about sweet other than birthday cake of course

 

Keep 'em coming!

[Cinnamon]

If i were you I would theme it....Indian,Mexican etc.

It just sort of works better that way (Mexican especially,you can do drinks to match!)

Big bowls of Guacamole with toasted Pitta to dip, potato wedges with Chilli seasoning, lime chicken skewers.....

[Olly]

Well, Mexican would work well with what I was going to suggest - a favourite for parties with my friends, tortilla wraps. Buy tortillas, spread them with cream cheese/guacamole/anything fairly moist, add some salad, roll them up and then cut the rolls into diagonal slices.

 

Another one of my friends does large ravioli on cocktail sticks, so you can just eat them one at a time.

[superkitty]

Re. The fruit kebabs thing....I can vouch for grilled pineapple..it's delicious; gets sort of caramelised

[Duncan08]

We do a lot of entertaining, I tend to do easy things that are quick to serve up so you don't spend too much time away from your guests.

I also tend to theme things.

My sugestion would be a veggie curry, (I have a recipe for a very tasty spinach and chickpea one which goes down well with non veggies) Served up in portions with rice in those cardboard soup cups, you can get them at catering supply shops. Try cater4you. Makes the clearing up much easier, you can then serve a variety of accompanying nibbles, samosas, bajees are easy to heat up on a few baking trays. With breads and dips as appetisers.

Let me know if you would like a look at the recipe and I will dig it out for you.

 

Some cobra beer and a good punch or even colonial pims will help set the scene. You can even find some great themed party decorations online, try party delights.

 

Good luck!

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Surely you should have jelly, ice cream and cake at a birthday party!

 

How about some of those mini spring rolls and samosas.

[craftyhunnypie]

Not being boring, but curly fries & ketchup go down well at these sort of do's. You can make your own cones to put them in. Could also do fish goujons. Adults when tipsy like a bit of what we refer to as ' junk' food.

Other than that - Indian snacks, pizza, quiche or you could have a fajita party. Bits of peppers, onions, chicken, beef, quorn, tomato, salad. Then a pile of wraps & all the dips - sour cream, guacamole, salsa. Could even put out tortilla chips & Tacos. Your guests just come along & make up their own fajitas etc. You could have mexican hats & Spanish music.

 

Emma.x

[Cinnamon]

..........................and a Pinata!!!!!

[Daphne]

I like the Mexican idea - all the food is hearty so it soaks up the alcohol and it can be fun making things up yourself as a guest

 

Some other ideas off the top of my head - pizza (you could make different ones, including pizza bianchi (sp?) which is a white pizza made with onion topping), frittata, dolmades, anything yummy in puff or filo pastry like vol-au-vents/roasted tomato and goat cheese squares/cheesy straws, fried halloumi, crudites, veggie pate on toasts, mini cheese on toasts, fondue and bread for dipping (I'm beginning to realise there's a cheese theme here!), boiled quails eggs, or your eggs, halved, lots of bread and butter, piles of fresh fruit, lots of cakes, lots of homemade jellies (these could be very grown up flavours, I love making jelly) although they need spoons to eat them with, barbecued bananas, cold chocolate tart or fruit tarts.

 

One of the poshest puds I've seen recently was a raspberry and cream roulade, but if you have a sweet tooth I'd ask your friend to make up mini-versions of whatever your favourite is and everyone can toast your health all over again

 

Now.....when is it

[craftyhunnypie]

Vodka jelly!!!

Emma.x

[loumabel]

Jamie Olivers Vodka Watermelon. Just make a small hole in a whole water melon and feed it with Vodka for a few days then slice it up and give it to your guests goes great after mexican food!!! Have a fab birthday!!!

[Lavenders_Blue]

Wow, great suggestions everyone! Thank you so much, I feel I should invite you all now! Actually a theme is a very sensible idea, Mexican is good and I do love it (liking the Pinata idea too ) but I also really like Middle Eastern food too.... hmmmm, what to do

Actually, Mexican could be quite fun, could get people to come in Sombreros and stick on moustaches!

Right, now got lots of thinking to do!

[Duncan08]

We have done a Mexican / Caribean night. It is great fun and really easy.

You can get quite a lot of veggie options too for bean chillis, guacamole, nachos wraps.

 

I got a bit carried away with the party decorations, we got a pinata, and a blow up palm tree drinks cooler thingy. Cardboard cactus and palm trees, even a mariachi man, and have you seen the "scene setters". Its a plastic roll that you can blue tack up on your walls to help create an atmosphere. We had a beach scene one for the caribbean night, and have also had a night at the Oscars one. You can get themed tableware, we also bought some maraccas and almost everyone made an effort to get dressed up.

Lots of Corona beers and tequila cocktails. (Don't recommend Caipirinha, lovely drink but managed to see off a couple of our guests early!)

Have fun, I love planning a themed party.