I am having a party for 30-40 people...we are doing an outdoor Tuscan dining theme. We have two long pine tables with chairs and will be draping fabric swaths on poles down the length of the tables. Should look pretty awesome. My problem is that I can't think of any ideas for food. I do so many parties and am sick of all my finger foods. Does anyone have any ideas ? I was going to do grilled prawn skewers and a Basamati rice salad...very good. That's where my ideas have stopped...probably a grilled pizza of some sort too. EEEK party is in two weeks. I need finger/appie type foods that people can pick up and walk around with. Don't want to do a sit down dinner.
Help !
Kim
Comment Guidelines
We welcome your feedback on Houseandhome.com. H&H reserves the right to remove any unsuitable personal remarks made about the bloggers, hosts, homeowners and/or guests we feature. Please keep your comments focused on decorating, design, cooking and other lifestyle topics. Adopt a tone you would be willing to use in person and do not make slanderous remarks or use denigrating language. If you see a comment that you believe violates any of the guidelines outlined above, please click “Alert a Moderator.” Thank you.
i didn't even think of dessert ideas, but just incase...
you can make some really nice freezer gelatos with sparkling wine. great if it is a hot evening. they melt very quickly though!
or tiramisu (i have a great recipe from epicurious website)
or ricotta cheese, honey and chocolate chips - it is really yummy!
i love polenta. it is the perfect base for everything!
i buy ready made tubes, slice, brush with oil and grill on the bbq.
another good topping for it is sundried tomato tapenade:
soak a bunch of sundried tomatoes in boiling water - @ 30 mins.
drain & save water
in food processor, pulse kalamata olives, garlic, sundried tomatoes and fresh parsley. add the reserved water to make the mixture soft enough to spread.
to serve, place a spoonful on cooked polenta round, put into oven or on bbq, heat for a minute or two, then add a slice of fontina cheese and heat for another minute.
i just play around with amounts. this recipe has always gotten great reviews from friends & family :)
Those are some great Italian food ideas. I like the idea of the polenta rounds. We have some amazing Italian deli's in Vancouver....all fresh wonderful foods. Now you've got me thinking again. It is hard when you get stuck in a rut about food/entertaining. Everyone always expects so much from one of our parties that it gets hard to live up to the reputation sometimes !!
Kim
here is a link for some great antipasto recipes from epicurious.
http://www.epicurious.com/s97is.vts?action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-fi...
i love food and i love food from italy!
big chunks of cheese
piles of grapes
fresh bread
olives
antipasto
flavoured olive oil for dipping bread into
plates of procutto, pancetta...
grilled artichoke hearts
a nice and unusual cheese plate is slivers of good parmesan cheese fanned out with ripe pear slices inbetween, drizzled with balsamic vinegar
mini pizzas, or polenta rounds - roast a pile of roma tomatoes and smash them up. put a spoonful of the roasted tomato, a piece of monzarella or boccino cheese and bake. when done, place a leaf of fresh basil on top and a splash of balsamic vinegar
procutto wrapped around slices of fresh melon
fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, monzarella - drizzle with olive oil and i like a bit of fresh garlic in there too.
buy your ingredients from an italian deli for the best tastes
oh and lots of good italian wine!