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Holiday open house menu
Help me flesh out this menu, please.
~ Holiday open house cocktail party
~ 7-11 on a Friday
~ Pretty formal
~ 30 guests
Items marked "labor" need last minute attention to serve
Tomato-bacon-swiss tartlets (labor)
Spinach dip & bread bowl
Crackers & spread
Shrimp cocktail
Beef & gorgonzola on garlic toasts (labor)
Mini cheesecakes
Cookies (spice and butter)
Thin Mint brownies
Alcoholic punch
Wine
Beer
NA punch
I feel like there aren't enough of the lighter appetizers (the appetizer-appetizers as I think of them lol, as compared to the entree-appetizers). Suggestions?
How would you handle NA drinks? Would you have cans of soda? I can't think of an elegant way to serve soda. I could put out a pitcher of water. I'll have the beer in a silver tub with ice.
I'm considering hiring help. At first I thought I'd have them just to bus and help in the kitchen, but now that I'm reading this, I think I'll need someone just to handle the drinks alone! My kitchen is open to the LR/DR and there's a bar there on the LR/DR side...it might work to have a drink menu displayed and people can order there...WDYT?
Re: Holiday open house menu
I'd add a veg tray and proscuitto wrapped asparagus. Another veg tray that's really nice- blanch some cauliflower and asapargus then maranide in italian dressing. When you plate it add cherry tomatoes. It's an easy make ahead that can sit out all night.
I'm also thinking something in lettuce leaves- maybe mix dried cranberries, blue cheese, red onion, sugared walnuts (or pecans), and chicken, then with sweet vidalia onion dressing.
We always serve a salmon mousse (my mom calls it a salmon log but we're going for formality here) with crackers for the holidays. You can make it in advance and people do their own spreading, no assembly needed from you.
Do you have any vegetarians coming? Even so, it looks like you need more veggie-based apps. A bean salad spooned into endive leaves or toasts with goat cheese and roasted red peppers would be more formal but still veggie-based.
I'd just do NA punch, sweet and non-sweet iced tea and water for those who don't wish to drink alcohol. I agree that sodas are really difficult to turn into upscale beverages. If you want, don't serve it but have it at the bar and if someone wants it they can get it there.
I've never hired help for an in-home party (not because I didn't need it but because I'm cheap) so I'm no help there. If it helps you enjoy your guests and keeps you from worrying that something has run out, do it. As for the bar, I think help is best there if you want to provide true cocktails. People can pour their own wine or make their own rum and coke but a more complicated cocktail menu can't be easily DIY'ed.
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Do you mean like chicken salad? (The mayonnaise kind, not the bed of lettuce kind.)
I've been thinking for several minutes to figure out what you mean with those ingredients so that they'd work for a perching app.
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I'd probably suggest using an endive leave instead of lettuce as a serving vessel for a chicken salad.... or a baked wanton cup. Lettuce will get messy.
If you want to minimize labor, you can skip the tartlets and maybe do a mini quiche instead - prepare ahead, freeze, and then bake straight from the freezer. Minimal prep work involved. Here is the recipe I use, but you can probably adapt it for the ingredients you prefer
Another option is a beef wellington. I'd google that, but I think its freezable and can be mostly prepared ahead of time.
I'd probably suggest using an endive leave instead of lettuce as a serving vessel for a chicken salad.... or a baked wanton cup. Lettuce will get messy.
If you want to minimize labor, you can skip the tartlets and maybe do a mini quiche instead - prepare ahead, freeze, and then bake straight from the freezer. Minimal prep work involved. Here is the recipe I use, but you can probably adapt it for the ingredients you prefer
Another option is a beef wellington. I'd google that, but I think its freezable and can be mostly prepared ahead of time.
I might replace the tartlets with a simpler caprese skewer, which you could always stick under the broiler for a second right before guests arrive and drizzle with balsamic.
I might add some sort of veggie to the app-apps; this is where skewers come in handy again. Since it's formal, instead of having a veggie platter, have cucumbers and carrot coins skewered like canapes so they're easier to pick up and dip. I might even wrap some fruit in prosciutto.
For soda, I would buy some bottles of Izze or Jones Soda and display it similarly to the beer.
I think with enough planning, you won't need to hire help. Just make sure all the drinks are easy to access (punch in beverage servers as opposed to a bowl, etc. to reduce spillage) and have the food placed where there wouldn't be a backup if people were trying to get to it, i.e., in two different places.
Hi! Love the other pp sugestions re: adding veggies or prosciutto wrapped asparagus... might also consider a giant pastry wrapped Brie with Jam instead of the tartlets . The Brie can be prepped in advance.
Also I like warm Artichoke Dip for the holidays - which could also be made the day before. (If you like I can send you recipes for both).
Also re: dessert - could consider adding chocolate dipped strawberries or fruit for some color.
Re: the additional staff person - go for it (I wish we could afford that at our girls' parties) - however double check your RSVP before the party. If for some crazy reason you get 20-25 guests would you still want to hire a third helper?
HTH