[Impatientmummy]

This year we are going to have a Christmas party for work with a few extras we know to make it a bit bigger of a deal so about 15-20 adults & 6 kids well 4 that will be eating 2 are newbies I have a 10 week old DD & 3.5yr old plus I'm back at work a couple of days so need some easy idea's of some platters/dishes I can throw together to go with a BBQ. I haven't really done the whole host a party very often so get a bit... well ok very lost with all this So hit me with some ideas please

[dogged]

Are your guests bringing their own meat, OP? What kind of party did you have in mind - I am guessing fairly casual?

[pinkelephant]

Appetisers -

if you want something kind of fancy you can slice cucumbers then top with smoked salmon mousse and a caper

OR simply just get nibblies like cheese, cabanosi, olives, potato chips.

Spinach Cob - mix 2 x sour cream + chopped frozen spinach defrosted (use paper towel to squeeze out the water), + packet of french onion soup mix.

Cheese Cob - mix 2 x sour cream, few handfuls of grated cheese, add in some bacon & chopped onion (need to fry the onion and bacon first). Put into cob bread and bake in oven at about 160 degrees for about 20-30 mins or until the mix is really gooey and runny.

The cheese cob is always a MASSIVE hit.

side dishes for BBQ -

- barley salad (cook barley cool in fridge, add in chopped parsley, mint, tomato, red onion then mix oil,lemon & white wine vinegar as dressing)

- Potato Bake

[imamumto3]

I make smoked salmon pikelet thingys that are always popular. get some mini pikelets, mix a tub of Philly cream cheese with a teaspoon of horseradish cream and put a little on each pikelet, top this with a little piece of smoked salmon and some chopped chives.

chicken wingettes that you cook in the oven.

[smultron]

last Christmas we had little chipolata sausages (I got them from a gourmet deli- they were pork and sage) wrapped in very thinly sliced bacon (same deli sliced it paper thin) then just wrap the sausages, into a baking tray in the oven and nothing else to do- they were super salty and delicious! So easy and perfect to go with the homemade pita crisps and dips my mum had made and a glass of champagne before lunch. My sister has requested same this year.

[Impatientmummy]

Yep just going to be a casual thing, kinda a good excuse to let the kids run wild & us adults to have a chat & a few drinks We will be supplying everything but a butcher is coming so hoping he will do us a good deal on meat. Dinner I was thinking just sausages, minute steak, cocktail frankfurts for kids & some chicken kebabs & honey soy chicken wings as one person doesn't eat meat along with salad, potato bake, coleslaw, pasta salad! Thanks for the cob loaf recipes, Ive seen them at so many parties & are always yummy & a big hit. Was think the usual cheese, biscuits, dip & chips & some fairy bread for the kids but that's about all I can think so wanted some not so boring things lol as I said I'm hopeless at this part for someone who did 2 years of chefing apprenticeship you'd think this would be easy! Its also been pretty hot here which made me think I'm probably going to want to stick to food that wont go off or yuk sitting out for a couple of hours. Even any suggestions for side dishes would be welcome to

[lisacat]

Zucchini slice served cold and cut in to smaller pieces

I have a recipe for a really nice salmon dip

1 jar of seafood sauce
1 red onion
1 tin red salmon bones and skin removed
1 block Philly cheese
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

Finely dice red onion and mix with Philly cheese, place in the middle of serving plate in a mound
Cover all over with salmon
Cover salmon with seafood sauce
Cover seafood sauce with parsley

Serve with water crackers

[countrymel]

Someone had brought a tray of Devilled Eggs to the party I went to yesterday.

Can't remember how long it's been since I last had a devilled egg - gosh they were delicious!