In a few days, we'll be hosting a small 40th birthday party for a formerly-estranged family member who has recently emerged from a long, abusive relationship and is just now returning to the family circles. I'm trying to balance the "keep it casual" calmness with "Hey, she's 40. Let's make it nice."
And it's going to be 90 degrees for the next 3 days. So standing over a hot grill isn't going to work, and neither is heating the kitchen excessively with the oven.
I can do a salad bar, plus cold cuts and stuff like potato salad that I pick up at the supermarket, but it seems more "picnic" than "party and we're so glad you're back with us." Veggies & hummus seem sort of ordinary, and more like an appetizer vs. a main course.
What are your other favorites? This would be for a small group (probably 6 people, possibly including an 11 year old and also an 18 year old with IBS). I have a microwave and a crockpot which wouldn't heat the house a lot.
I'm going to grill some chicken tenders tonight since it's not oppressively hot at this moment, and I imagine those would keep well enough. They could be a topping for a salad, or maybe used for something else. Ideas??
Instead of a cake (which won't get finished), I was thinking of getting some gourmet brownies from a cute woman-run bakery in town. They make an assortment of flavors - they have about 20 - and cut them into quarters, sort of like petits fours in size. They can be arranged on a plate with candles in them. We've done that before for other birthdays and it's a big hit. I also have some of those phyllo mini-shells that can be used for appetizers and desserts - there's a cheesecake-type recipe I've done before, with a cream cheese/sugar filling, 15 minutes of baking time, and then a little topping with a fresh berry or two. So I think dessert would be set.
Thanks for your input!! I love to cook and prep, but somehow, 3 days of 90-degree temps aren't conducive to elaborate cooking.
ETA I should have included that we don't do pork or shrimp - but the recipes do sound good!
ETA: I'm in New England, folks. Most houses are just not air conditioned because it used to be oppressively hot only a few days per summer. That has all changed now, so when we are facing a week or more of 90-degree heat, cooking is a problem. Thanks for trying to talk me into grilling even though I said I didn't want to do it (!), but the birthday woman doesn't love the heat and I don't want to spend precious visiting time running from grill to kitchen to living room instead of being with her!
B - thanks, never ever thought to put the crock pot outside on the porch! Now, what to cook in it??
Elena - thanks for the Israeli couscous ideas. At first I thought you were posting my recipe since I've put it on Mamapedia many times!! But the pomegranate seeds and pom juice in the dressing are new touches that sound great. We make it more traditionally with cucumbers, onions, celery, parsley, sometimes mint with oil and rice wine vinegar; I've also done it as a non-mayo type of pasta salad with the usual peppers, carrots, etc.
TF - salad on a stick sounds cute and a festive change from basic salad. Caprese is a favorite of ours anyway. My pot of basil has exploded in this sun/heat, our many farm stands and farmers market will have good tomatoes, and the FM also has a cheese vendor with fresh mozzarella. Some version of the antipasto would be nice too. The kale salad sounds great.
Julie - thanks for adding that you are "obsessed"! And yes, I know you mean it in reference to grilling/smoking! I love to grill (don't have a smoker) but after a while, it's a pain. Plus it takes me away from the family, and in this situation it would not be good.
Several people suggested fruit - yes, we'll do that. I often do fruit kabobs stuck in a watermelon half, but that may be too much for this small group, so maybe just kabobs on a plate. Watermelon is definitely a good hot-weather option.
London broil with spinach and strawberries sounds great too.
Several suggested corn on the cob - we have local farms and can easily get corn that was picked an hour ago, so thanks for that suggestion. It doesn't take that long to cook so it won't totally heat the place up.
Anne L. - cold soups! Don't know why I forgot about gazpacho! A great use for a variety of veggies without having to worry too much about exact quantities and ratios!. Thanks!
I cook chicken breasts in the crockpot with taco seasoning and make chicken taco's and quesadilla's.
How about making pulled chicken sandwiches. Same as pulled pork recipes but with chicken breasts or thighs (or a combo). You can then serve it with crusty rolls and coleslaw for the top and a hearty mustard.
Greek salad is yummy, too! You can add chicken or not.
Perhaps make a pasta salad - tri color pasta with shredded carrots, cord, olives, broccoli - you name it - and toss is with a light Caesar dressing (or Neuman's Own brand).
Corn and avacado salads (I'll let you Google a recipe) are super yummy in hot weather!
I have a BBQ to go to on Sunday here in NY. I'm dreading it!! Have a great party!
It is 95 out, I just made steaks. It isn't like you have to hover to grill. Don't want to grill, lower the temperature, use some wood chips and smoke a pork butt. Make sure your tank is filled set it low, smoke it for 6 hours. Pull it and make different barbecue sauces.
A lot of our butcher shops will smoke meats for you for a small charge.
Feeling brave do a brisket. Pork is more forgiving because of the fat but I think a good brisket is so much better.
Personally I make whatever I want because we can cook, bake, grill and smoke outside without much fuss but we are a little obsessed
Per your what happened, obsessed means we have a smoker. My husband puts the meat on at 10 at night, goes to bed, gets up to yummy meat. It is a little harder if you don't have the equipment.
My go to's are salad on a stick, caprese salad, antipasta platter, fruit platter.
Next time I have friends over, I will make this new kale salad I just made and LOVE. It is kale strips, chopped broccoli in a dressing which is (olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and salt/pepper to taste). Mix together, let sit a couple of hours for flavors to blend, serve with dried cherries and nuts mixed with the salad. Yummy and I do not like kale!
My grocery sells premade food that is fantastic. Since I live alone, I get it a lot. It is by the deli and the options are flank steak, salmon, chicken, etc and roasted veggies, beans, potatoes, asparagus, etc. I get a plate with 1 meat and 2 veggies for $8 and that makes 2 meals for me.. I don't eat much at one sitting.
Enjoy!
chicken tacos. cook the chicken and then shred it (all in the crockpot) add some taco seasonings,toss that onto a tortilla with the sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and anyother thing you can think of for tacos. you could even do walking tacos and use bags of doritos
I have a recipe (not too exact - very adaptable) that I created for an event, and I've made it several times since. People seem to really like it. It's colorful, healthy and easy.
It starts with Israeli (sometimes called Pearl) couscous. For those who aren't familiar with it, it's more like small pearls than regular couscous and is beautiful when cooked. You pretty much just bring two parts water to a boil, add one part pearl couscous, simmer covered for about 10 minutes and then fluff with a fork. Let cool.
Then combine the following ingredients in a large salad bowl (the quantities may be adapted according to your likes and dislikes, but the desired end result is a colorful, vibrant, salad mix):
Fresh baby spinach leaves (or your favorite bright salad greens)
Mandarin orange segments (either fresh or from a container sweetened only with juice)
Dried cranberries
The cooked couscous
Chopped nuts, such as shelled pistachios, walnuts, cashews (one kind or a variety)
Golden raisins
Pomegranate seeds
Shelled cooked edamame (they add a beautiful bright green to the mix)
Then make a basic vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar and pomegranate juice (1 part olive oil, 1/4 part vinegar, 1/4 part juice), a tablespoon of honey. There are plenty of fresh pomegranate vinaigrette recipes online if you want something more particular.
Lightly spritz on the dressing and toss well. Serve chilled.
Another idea is a shrimp salad sandwich. Yes, you'll have to cook the shrimp but you can do that in the evening. Either roast it (Ina Garten's online recipe is awesome and super fast), or you can grill them quickly. Then cool them, chop them coarsely, and combine with chopped celery, mayo, a little lemon juice, some tarragon and chives, salt to taste. Make sure it's not got so much mayo that it's soupy. You can combine everything ahead of time except the mayo and just add that right before the party. Place the shrimp salad in a big bowl (over a larger bowl filled with ice) and put out a platter of fresh butter lettuce leaves and beautiful soft rolls and let people build their own sandwiches. The shrimp salad can be made a couple of days in advance. This kind of sandwich looks luxurious and beautiful.
Hope that helps.
I made London broil tonight. I served it with a spinach/strawberry salad and corn on the cob. If I was having a dinner party for 6 people I would have added fresh rolls, and fruit salad.
If I wanted it more casual I would get a small hoagie tray or croissant tray, potato salad, fruit salad and chips. I would also serve a few appetizers like cheese and crackers and bruschetta.
Your desserts sound good. Have fun!
EDIT - I cook corn in the husk in the microwave. Peel the husk off once it is cooked. So much easier than the old way.
Also, here is a recipe for French dip sandwiches that I've made for dinner 3 weeks in a row in my crockpot...so easy and good. BTW...the cheese makes it. http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2016/03/21/french-dip-sandwich/
There's nothing wrong with a birthday picnic.
Buy a cake - store bought is just fine.
If you have freezer space - make it an ice cream cake.
Watermelon is a great dessert too.
Crockpot is great and you can put it outside if you have a covered porch so even that heat can stay outside.
Don't over think this otherwise you're going to overwhelm your long lost newly re found family member.
We don't let anything but lightning stop us from grilling.
If you don't want to grill? Taco and/or Burrito bar. The meat can be done in a crock-pot so it stays hot. Make sure your condiments like sour cream and cheese are in a bed of ice so they don't spoil.
Pulled BBQ Pork or chicken is great in a crock pot as well.
we have used kabob sticks and put veggies on them - cheese, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, etc. you can put fruit on them as well. HUGE success!! Keeps it easy to eat while standing around talking and cuts back on the mess!!
Cupcake cakes are great - people pull apart the cupcakes - no cutting, no plates, no mess.
I'd grill. That's us though. Not sure why you think it will be too hot. You are standing over it all the time.
We always run the grill - heat, rain, snow, dead of winter, whatever. We just had a birthday party for our boys and my husband grilled 20 burgers and 16 hot dogs. It was 95 that day. My husband grilled chicken breasts last night as well - in the 95 degree heat. I am not the one doing it, but he never seems miserable. Do you not have AC inside?? We didn't when we lived on Hanscom AFB, so I know a lot of places there don't. If there is not AC, I would NOT cook ever in the summer!!
To add to that we made cupcakes the day before, I cut up tons of fresh veggies, made two dips, salsa, and opened 4 bags of chips. It fed the 10 kids and 6 adults we had perfectly.
I also agree with something like taco's...that's a great meal to feed a lot of people cheaply!
My favorite go it is meatball grinders. I put frozen meatballs in a crock pot along with sauce and plug it in (outside if its hot so it doesn't heat up the kitchen). Its ready in a couple hours so I just put out grinder bread, cheese and a tossed salad and its good to go.
I'm also a big fan of a taco bar. Ground beef cooks fast and if you want to do chicken you can pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and shred the meat for chicken tacos. You just put out the meat with all the fixings and let people do their own. Add rice and refried beans and you are set.
since you are unwilling to grill? Crock pots are the way to go!
The heat and humidity down here in Georgia make it hard to have a party outside, but we do it! We have a pool so that helps a lot. We also have a screened in gazebo that we have fans in and use that for the food.
We have the large colorful tubs filled with ice and drinks. We have several of these
https://www.amazon.com/GGI-Inflatable-Serving-Drain-Plug/...
to keep the cold food cold.
What do we serve?
We grill. Hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, chicken.
do chicken kabobs. chicken, pineapple, bell peppers and onions. You can put them on a stove top griddle. Not as fun as a grill, but it still works.
Fruit kabobs. strawberries, watermelon, and honeydew melon, cantaloupe, other fruits that you like.
Veggie kabobs. cherry or grape tomatoes, celery, carrots (they are hard to stick on sometimes, Tyler makes a hole for me!), cucumbers, bell peppers, other veggies you like.
You can boil chicken, let it cool, then shred it put it in a crock pot and add your favorite BBQ sauce. Serve with slider rolls.
Deviled eggs. Those always are the first to go at our cook outs.
Potato salad
Pasta salad
I can't tell you how much those inflatables keep food cold!
Cold soups and caprese (fresh basil leaves, fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes) salad could be very elegant and nice. How about a yogurt-cucumber-mint soup?
Taco bar (ground beef and chicken as options) along with all the toppings.
Bruschetta! Corn on the cob, fresh sliced tomatoes.
Quiche
Sesame noodles
Watermelon feta olive salad with Spanish onions and balsamic
Panninis
I would pay my local grocery store to make fried chicken, and pick up a tray right before the event as the main dish (serve hot or cold). Then, salads, fruit, etc. I wouldn't do anything with mayo in this heat (no potato salad), because it goes bad so quickly.
If you go with the crock pot, you could be really simple, and do a crock pot of pasta with sauce (of course, you still need to do the cooking of the pasta in advance, so some heat-generation is involved). Or meatballs and sauce with buns for sanwiches.
There is a great hack for corn on the cob at a picnic: get a medium to large cooler (preferably one with a drain spout on the bottom), and put the shucked corn in it. Boil water on the stove, and dump it over the corn in the cooler. After about 10 minutes, drain the cooler, and leave it closed with the corn inside. It stays hot for a long time, and people can just get a piece out when they are ready to eat it.
Welcome to life in South Florida, where it's like this almost year round! Some of the things I have seen at birthday parties: salads, tabbouleh, chips and salsa, chicken wings, a vegetable dip platter, chicken tenders, wraps (lettuce and chicken for example wrapped, in a pita wrap), sandwich bites (similar concept as the wraps, but with sandwich bread and cut in halves), tacos with a DIY concept where you get to put the ingredients you want, hot dogs, casseroles, almond cookies, sugar cookies, spinach pies, cheese pies, shepherd's pie, watermelon, and grapes. I've seen people order pizzas, or they bring KFC or Popeye's chicken for their parties. You can pretty much bring anything, even cake and cupcakes, just bring a cooler and some ice to keep the frosting from melting and becoming an awful mess. Also, try Costco, a lot of people seem to get these pre-made trays from there that contain some of the things I mentioned, and that includes dessert platter trays, or your local grocery store's deli department may be able to give some suggestions. Hope some of these helped!
