From experience, I have learned that the Dopers are a refined lot who lurve their tucker and their vino. So, on the 30th of this month, I am hosting a party for my SO. It’s a Hollywood/Masquerade theme, and there will be lots of wine, bubbles, beer and punch (and of course lots of non-alcohol varieties too). There will be about 30 people and I thought I might do a lasagne, a pasta salad, a tuna casserole, crusty bread and a chicken pasta bake. When I look over the list, my first thought is Oh La! Lots of pasta there! Can you share a recipe that is quick to pull together on the morning, to be shoved in the oven that night for re-heating, or suggest something simple and yummy for my guests? It will be a self-serve buffet type and because we’re in the middle of an icy winter, something warm? 
Something from the lazy bachelor recipe book.
1 package ham lunch meat
1 container cream cheese spread
spread cream cheese on slice of ham
roll and slice jelly roll style
serve /w crackers and/or toothpicks
Use pineapple cream cheese spread for that high society touch
Instead of pasta with the chicken, how 'bout bread stuffing? An insanely simple yet yummy recipe I like to make is:
Chicken Bake
1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, thawed
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1 bag (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
- Mix soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9-inch baking dish; lay the chicken breasts on top, top with the stuffing. (You can also cut the chicken into pieces and mix it with the veggies and soup, if you like.)
- Bake 30 min or until chicken is cooked through.
Scales up beautifully. If you don’t have Stove Top down there, any packaged or homemade bread or cornbread stuffing works just as well. You can arrange the whole thing the night before, or even the week before and freeze it, and bake the day of (if you refrigerate or freeze it before cooking, make sure you give yourself extra time to bake from cold.)
What about using a rice/wild rice blend as the starch in your tuna casserole instead of pasta? Cook the rice first, then proceed with your normal recipe.
What I’d miss with your menu is veg. I get that it’s winter there, but having pasta salad with a main course of pasta or rice feels like overkill. A simple bowl of hot peas with butter would be superb. (I like to microwave frozen peas with a bit of tarragon sprinkled on them, then add butter, salt and pepper and serve.) Or what about a corn and black bean salad? Still hearty and warming, but less starchy.
**
Corn and Black Bean Salad**
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cooked (from about 2 ears)
1 plum or roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 scallion, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, if desired
- In a bowl whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt to taste.
- Stir in remaining ingredients with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Let salad stand, stirring once or twice, at least15 minutes for flavors to develop. This is actually tastier prepared a day ahead.
- Serve near room temperature, not ice cold. Serves 2 as a main dish or 5 as a side dish.
Roast (or grill) some asparagus. It is ridiculously easy – little oil, some coarse salt, fresh pepper, stick on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. You can make a huge amount with little work and in a short period of time. Other roast veggies would also be quick and easy and go over well.
I’d do a test batch first, though; I’ve found that different ovens and rack positions can really require adjusting the cook time.
The easiest “fix” is instead of chicken & pasta make chicken & broccoli. Or string beans. Or spinach. Basically, whatever people like. Broccoli is yums with creamy/cheesy sauces.
I’d also add a fruit salad. Easy and yummy and nutritious. I know its winter but just chop up whatever looks good, mix, and you’re done.
Two recipes, first an appetizer:
Crab Dip
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 c. mayonaise
1/2 c. sharp cheddar
1 clove garlic crushed
1 can crab meat
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
crushed red pepper or hot sauce to taste
Assorted crackers or vegetables
Use an electric mixer to mix together the cream cheese and mayo until creamy and smooth. Add worcestershire, garlic and pepper or hot sauce if you’re going to use them, mix until combined.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined
This is better if you let it sit a while so making it in the morning is perfect. Serve with crackers and/or veggies.
2nd - Heart Salad
1 can salad cut hearts of palm (or you can buy the whole and cut them yourself)
1 can artichoke hearts, quartered.
1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes
1 lg. cucumber
1/4 c. sliced red onion (you can leave this out if you don’t like raw onion)
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove garlic crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs…parsley, basil and tarragon are all good. I’m especially fond of tarragon in this. You can use dried if you don’t have fresh. You’ll have to go by taste on this one, I just throw in a couple of T. chopped fresh but that’s just a guesstimate.
Quarter the cucumber and then slice into bite sized chunks. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Put these in a serving dish with the hearts of palm and artichoke hearts
Mix together all of the ingredients for the vinegarette and pour it over the veggies. Once again, this is better if it sits so make it in the morning and put it in the refrig until ready to serve.
If you don’t want to make your own vinegarette, pour over your favorite store bought vinegarette, should work fine.
Have fun at the party!
This isn’t warm but it’s dip that everyone LOVES (except those allergic to nuts):
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons liquid from salad olives
½ cup chopped Pecans
1 cup salad (green) olives, chopped
Chop up the pecans and olives in the food processor and then mix with cream cheese, mayo and olive juice. Let it set up overnight in the refrigerator.
I serve with stone wheat thins but any mild cracker will do.
I’m not going to be able to remember the name of these (I know they’re not “rouladen”, but that’s stuck in my head), but I did these once, and tehy got rave reviews.
Chicken Livers
Bacon
WRap the chicken livers in a piece of bacon. Cook until the bacon goes “frizzit”…serve impaled on a toothpick.
If you don’t like livers, try scallops. I’ve also seen bacon-wrapped squash chunks, bacon-wrapped Croutons.
Yum.
-Cem
Pineapple or dates are also delicious made this way, especially when sprinkled with brown sugar. You can wrap them ahead of time and then pop 'em in the broiler. IME, the pineapple gets eaten far more than the dates though.
I do some killer bacon-wrapped asparagus, too - just wrap, sprinkle with lime juice and a little pepper. Broil on a broiling pan. Turn them carefully to get even browning.
Thank you all so much! I think I’ll ditch a couple of mine and go with yours - they fit the bill, quick, easy and warm. I’ll also throw in a smoked salmon fettucine which has 5 ingredients, tastes like a restaurant meal and keeps very well for having on toast the next day. Projammer, my SO loves the sound of your lazy recipe and wants to try it this weekend - and WhyNot and velvetjones, thanks for the trouble you went to! gigi, Cemetary Savior, Queen Bruin, Hello Again and Lightray, you’ve been immortalised into the DellieM (other people’s recipes I can’t help but steal) cookbook!
Now, I was going as Cleopatra, but now I might just dress in black to hide the food and red wine stains! Thanks for the responses, you all rock! (ergh! what an 11 year old response that is!)
A very simple one.
About half a dozen hard boiled eggs.
Small jar of caviar.
Shell the eggs, cut in half and remove the yokes. Mash the yokes with the caviar and spoon back into the egg halves.
They are very tasy- you can add chilli powder if you want a tangy taste.