Communion Lunch - Any Ideas?

TequilaMockingBird

Hi all

I have Communion in two weeks. I'll have about 20 coming for lunch including kids. I will have a house full of guests (including a new-born baby), and others staying in hotels, who will need feeding over the weekend, not just the communion lunch.

I need to figure out a menu for the lunch, which is stress free and can be prepared the day before (as the communion is on early Sat). These are fairly plain eaters, so it should be handy enough. I'm not going to do a bbq as there are too many small kids around, my nerves would be gone watching out for them.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

noby

Plenty of cold dishes, if the weather stays good - salads, breads, potato salad etc. and perhaps a couple of lasagnes, wedges etc. that can be prepared in advance and bunged in the oven to be re-heated. We had a couple of christenings at home and did this kind of thing.

lucylu

I agree a cold buffet is the way to go with say 2 hot options made the day before
Lasagne / meatballs
Chicken a la King / Chicken Curry..
Baked Potatoes or wedges..

Selection of Cold meats : Chicken and Ham
Salads : potato salad , pasta salad , egg mayonaise can be all made the day before..
Then prepare that day lettuce, tomatoes etc that morning..

Don't kill yourself and see if a relation or two can give you a hand..
enjoy the day ...

noby

lucylu wrote: »

Don't kill yourself and see if a relation or two can give you a hand..
enjoy the day ...

This is the best bit of advice. Farm out as much as possible to friends and family.

Dizzyblonde

For a buffet I usually bake a whole ham and cook turkey too. If you buy a couple of skinless turkey breasts, put each one in a new 22c supermarket bag (with no holes), tie the bag off down at the turkey end so there's hardly any air in it, then pop the bags into boiling water and keep it bubbling for 30-40 minutes. If you like you can take the turkey breasts out, brush them with melted butter and put them in a fairly hot oven for 10 minutes to add colour. Turkey done this way is lovely cold and cuts really well - I know it sounds weird but trust me.
If your guests are plain eaters, once you have plenty of cold meat and nice bread you can add any salads you like.

xxdilemmaxx

Dizzyblond, what do the plastic bags do? Would you not just poach them in the water without the bags?

lucylu

xxdilemmaxx wrote: »

Dizzyblond, what do the plastic bags do? Would you not just poach them in the water without the bags?

I Wondered would any dye & chemicals from the bags not affect the meat, that would be my fear - Have you tried roasting bags in the same way?

Minder

lucylu wrote: »

I Wondered would any dye & chemicals from the bags not affect the meat, that would be my fear - Have you tried roasting bags in the same way?

Use clingflim in the same way - food grade, so no risk of contamination.

NextSteps

A quiche or two would be easy and you could even freeze them the week before.

TequilaMockingBird

Many thanks all of you!

I got lots of good ideas! I might make a couple of lasagnes and freeze them so I don't have to hassle of making them the day before. I hadn't thought of turkey breasts, I was thinking of a turkey and ham, but I hate the carcass hanging around.

I might make some chicken dippers (for the kids)from fillets and freeze them beforehand too, then just bung them in the oven.

Hopefully, I'll just have the "heavy" salads to do the day before and regular salads on the day. (Knowing this lot, they'll be looking for the spuds - not salad - tough!)

Cheers all!

Dizzyblonde

xxdilemmaxx wrote: »

Dizzyblond, what do the plastic bags do? Would you not just poach them in the water without the bags?

Being sealed in the bag makes them cook in their own juices and tastes nicer.

lucylu wrote: »

I Wondered would any dye & chemicals from the bags not affect the meat, that would be my fear - Have you tried roasting bags in the same way?

Once the bag isn't inside out the dye won't come in contact with the meat.
I never thought of using roasting bags