What to make ahead for a First Communion buffet dinner?

Hi All,

I am planning a party with about 10 adults & 6 children (ages 6 to 8 ) in late April. It's my daughter's first Communion on that day, at 1PM, and so I won't have a lot of time on the day of the party to set things up (I will be doing everything by myself, alone, just me ((can you tell I'm a little overwhelmed?)) so I have to start planning far in advance) as I will be getting her ready, me ready, etc. & between taking pictures, arriving early at church etc, won't have any time after 12 Noon to get it all ready to go.

The party will begin around 3:30 PM.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to come home after church, pull out the cold stuff from the fridge, take the hot stuff out of the warmer in the oven, & pop some champagne & enjoy the party.

So - there's my challenge! What do I serve that will hold up in a warmer for almost 4 hours, and what do I serve that will be equally appealing to kids & adults? Oh, and what can I make & freeze ahead of time (I'd like to cook the bulk of it the weekend before - I have a freezer in the basement I can put everything in - but then again I want everything to taste & look fresh).

I plan on setting up the china , the flowers, & buffet tables & everything on Saturday, so that won't be that big of a deal.

Thanks for all of your help!

Liz

When I catered my niece's communion party the main course was sliced beef tenderloin with carmelized red-onions and horseradish cream on the side. We offered rolls and condiments, too. It was a huge hit, not a drop of beef left after an hour. I prepared and prepped everything in advance, with the exception of the beef which was grilled and rested on site prior to slicing. However, the beef could easily be pre-made and sliced in advance. We offered a variety of homemade sides: tossed salad, macaroni salad, and potato salad as well. We may have provided corn dogs for the kids, I just can't remember. Costco and Aldi were were my go-to places for the majority of the food and related supplies.

Baked Mostaccioli and Italian Sausage are always popular. You can lkeave the mostaccioli vegetarian, and the kids like it. Provide rolls for sandwiches and serve the sausage from a crockpot.

There are a lot of things you could do, I guess the question is, how fancy do you want it to be? The ideas given so far have been good ones. Also any sort of shredded beef or pork. You could do italian beef, shredded bbq beef, or bbq pork. You could cook them in the oven the day before, shred it up, add a bit of sauce, and then in the morning throw it in a crock pot and put it on warm. There are a lot of variations you could do with a big piece of beef or pork. I guess I am using the term bbq loosely, you wouldn't have to smoke it or anything, just bbq seasoning with bbq sauce then cooked in the oven.

If you want one warm side, baked or "drunken" beans made the day before and warmed in the crock pot day of would be easy too. Otherwise the cold salads mentioned seem like a good way to go.

I like all of the suggestions. I guess I was thinking maybe a little fancy.

Because its so early, I thought some hot & cold appetizers & then maybe a main dish with sides. The only thing I can't make is anything with fish or seafood because I'm allergic.

I want to "wow" my guests a little, since this is a kind of big deal day for us

What about a hot soup? I guess lobster bisque is out, but you could do cream of asparagus or cream of mushroom with sherry, and serve it in teacups to be fancy. It would be a nice accompaniment to a crudite platter with assorted cured meats and breads. You'd have to be careful that your crock-pot has a really good thermostat, as too high of a heat will break a cream soup.

Lasagna

Braciole

Chicken braciole (roulade, whatever you wanna call it. Italian inspired tho -same stuffing as the braciole)

Caesar salad
Green salad

Antipasto

Baskets of warm italian bread / garlic bread / focaccia

Kids will probably be happy with garlic bread, lasagna, and the fussier ones can make sammiches from your antipasto if you throw some mild hammish/turkey type things on it.

Adults are generally pretty impressed with braciole, and it's easy as pie. I would not skimp on the quality of the marinara sauce.

Will also depend on how many angry parents you want because of the whole kids+red sauce = disaster equation.

Ooo! Maybe a vegetable lasagna in an alfredo sauce instead of red! I could add broccoli, asparagus, red pepper, maybe some sundried tomatoes...that would be pretty & colorful.

And I like the antipasto salad/platter...that & some rolls...

Maybe some kind of chicken dish...

I like the soup idea too....

Keep the ideas coming!

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:Maybe some kind of chicken dish...

Braciole is usually a flank pounded out, and then stuffed with italianish things, rolled up, and braised in marinara. I was thinking you could do the same-ish kind of thing with pounded out chicken breasts (roulades)

Pound, stuff, roll, tie, braise. Pretty darn easy, but it appears to be pretty fancy - especially when sliced

Would it hold in a warmer, you think? Without getting dry? That does sound really good. Maybe stuffed with mushrooms, and ...italian sausage? Would that be weird?

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:Would it hold in a warmer, you think? Without getting dry? That does sound really good. Maybe stuffed with mushrooms, and ...italian sausage? Would that be weird?

Should be fine held in a warmer*** with braising sauce. Spinach, shrooms, sundried tomato, bread crumbs...I was thinking ricotta too, but that would be in the lasagna if you decided to go that route. Snausage would be fine if you know that there would be none that are averse to eating it - what I mean is that keeping the chicken dish "white meat" would be my suggestion unless you know it would be fine otherwise.

Lol - Can you tell I have family members with food aversions?
I'm a no cheese / dairy person (unless it's REALLY good)
Have fam members with bad nut allergies, and a few who do not eat red meat. I just like to cover all the bases when planning for multiple people.
The main thing I try to do is make things that are extremely good, but avoid the "trigger" foods as I call them:

Lasagna I'd do traditional with no meat (aiming to please the kids, + appealing to the adults, and anyone who was not a meat eater. Sorry about the cheese, vegans!)

Braciole + Chicken Roulade This will appeal to all meat eaters, non red meat eaters, and non dairy eaters.

The people who secretly don't eat "this or that" don't have to be left out. I just find that red meat, dairy, and fish are the most common aversions. I try to think of having something for everyone to enjoy fully, and not having one main that will satisfy most but not all. Plus, variety is the spice of life for those that can eat everything, right?

***Warming is much different than cooking, in my book. You really should not have to worry about things drying out too much if you are warming them.

Along with all of the great ideas so far I'd have a crock pot or two 'just for kids'. Maybe one with mini weiners and one with meat balls. The 'just in case' meal. It takes no time to prep and no supervising.

Along with the meals suggested maybe a simple salad of mixed greens, sliced red onion, olives, cheese of choice, roasted mushrooms, etc. with a fancy vinaigrette.

PS: that lasagna alfredo seems like a winner...that entire dish can be made up whenever you'd like, even now and thrown into the freezer. Will you taste the difference? I doubt it...many people get picky over frozen goods but what they don't know cant hurt them. You can also make your soups, sauces, and other dishes well well in advance.

If you have any specific questions about dishes please ask.

If you are looking for a good bechamel sauce lasagne, try this Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105911

You can make the sauce and the filling the day before, assemble it that morning, refrigerate it, then pop it in the oven when you get home. When I made it for a dinner, I assembled it a few hours before baking it and it turned out great. It's very tasty a little more glam than a basic lasagne.

Hellodali wrote:If you are looking for a good bechamel sauce lasagne, try this Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Lasagne
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105911

You can make the sauce and the filling the day before, assemble it that morning, refrigerate it, then pop it in the oven when you get home. When I made it for a dinner, I assembled it a few hours before baking it and it turned out great. It's very tasty a little more glam than a basic lasagne.

If you do go with that make sure you almost 'over flavor' the product. Butternut squash and hazelnut are easily drowned out. Along with that pasta is a flavor sponge...If you go with that I'd add a hint of nutmeg. (fried sage would go nice with it also)

If you can get your hands on the "What Can I Bring? Cookbook" by Anne Byrn, she sets forth whole strategies for parties. There are not only menus relying on make-ahead dishes but tips for how to keep things warm and/or re-heat lat minute for each dish. In other words, not just generic tips but specific tips for every dish.

The lasagna alfredo does sound like a good idea but I wonder if kid will go for it if it has too many adult veggies like broccoli in it.

If you go with an Italian theme, something with white beans would make a nice side dish either room-temp or warm. --Joy

Liz...Having been through both my sons First Communions, I think it is a good idea not to get overly ambitious with the food. I think both Seebee and Food Nut's ideas are good ones. Your game plan is ideal, but take into account having 16 people at your house. Plus, with the ages of the kids, the timing of the afternoon, etc., the kids will just want to see food that is very identifiable and familiar. Is it possible that you can have some of this catered or maybe pick up some pre-prepped dishes the day before? I love to cook as much as the next LTHer, but sometimes it's better to just let your fingers do the walking

May I also suggest a pre-baked ham (i.e. Honey-Baked)? There are a lot of sides that would be easy to do ahead of time, would go great and be things that both the kids and adults would enjoy.

Now I'm thinking maybe we will all go to Red Apple & have the buffet. It would be a little more money, but a whole lot easier.

Would it be crass to have the invitation say "Cash bar"? My budget just won't allow for 10 adults to have drinks on my tab.

I like your lasagna idea. It holds up really well and is filling. I like the ham idea too or you could stick to the Italian theme and go with meatballs or sausages. A couple of "fancy" dishes I made for NYE this year that were also tossed together at the last minute were melon and prosciutto salad and mini mozzarella/cherry tomato/basil salad. You could also toast some Italian bread ahead of time and spoon a made-ahead bruschetta topping on. Combine that with a green salad (bagged - with separate bags of walnuts/dried cherries/etc - and mix) and a side of assorted roasted vegetables at room temp (ala antipasto). Grab a cake and throw on a pot of coffee and you have yourself a meal with very little effort.

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:Would it be crass to have the invitation say "Cash bar"? My budget just won't allow for 10 adults to have drinks on my tab.

Don't put it on the invitation. Just make it clear to the restaurant that people are on their own for alcohol and that the servers should tell those who order any. You might spring for some bottles of wine.

Well, I'm cooking it all myself. I just feel better about that because I have more control this way, and I can serve a higher quality of wine & I can set the ambience better with choice of music, etc. Plus its less expensive & fun to plan!

So far I have these items:

Vegetable Lasagna Alfredo

Italian Herb Roasted Chicken (just cut-up chicken pieces sprinkled with italian seasonings & lemon slices

Mixed Green Salad

Lemon-Raspberry Whipped Cream Cake for dessert (this I am buying)

There will be 5 kids & 9 adults total.

I really want everyone to come in & sit down & eat right away(mainly because I don't have that much seating, and I will have a long table all set up that will run through the dining room to the living room) so I don't want to do a lot of appetizers, althought I do want to start the party with a champagne toast, so I should probably have some little thing to offer to have with that, you think? Cheese platter? Brie en croute?

What else do I need? Should I offer 2 meats? I was thinking prime rib, but only if I could put a frozen one into the oven at 250 degrees right before I leave (1PM) and take it out right away when we come back (3:45) so that it cooks while I am away...do you think that would work to make it rare in the middle? I put a frozen one in at 325 degrees once before & it took about an hour & came out really good.

I would also have the lasagna & chicken already cooked & in the warmer while the meat was cooking....would the temp of the oven affect the warmer?

Also, I think the kids will like the chicken but maybe not the salad...and I don't really want to offer the ubiquitos mac n cheese...maybe mashed potatoes?

Any thought are appreciated!

Depending on how much chicken and how much Lasagna, sounds like you've got a lot of food for what should amount to 13 people. If you want beef to mix it up, maybe a nice braise in the crock-pot would be less risky than a Prime Rib? Epicurious has a bunch of recipes that seem elegant enough for a fancy dinner: Beef braised in Barolo, or maybeBraised Cube Steaks with Orange.

I find that baked red-sauced pastas with cheese work well for most kids and work well on a buffet, though Alfredo is pretty kid-friendly; I know Sparky would go for the lasagna. Fried or toasted cheese ravioli would be kid-friendly and should be easy to do (even more fun if you put them on lollipop sticks ahead of time,) or Family Funmagazine's site is a good resource for kid-friendly food ideas.

I think the Beef in Barolo would pair nicely with the other items. I will be making that. THANK YOU!!

Would you please let us know how your party turns out? Sounds like you have everything under control and your guests will have a wonderful afternoon!

I will definitely do that

I'm taking the day before the event off, to set everything up & do the cooking, so that on the big day all we have to do is get the girl ready.

I just found a great rental place for the tables & chairs - and they deliver too.

I think I'm more excited than my daughter is!

Ok, so now I'm thinking that instead of offering beef, I might try something like a casserole of italian sausage with white beans & something green (kale? broccoli rabe?) instead. I'm trying to keep the items light, and in order to not make the meal too starchy, I was thinking of substituting eggplant or zucchini for the noodles in the lasagna.

Anyone ever make an alfredo lasagna with eggplant or zucchini instead of noodles? Did it come out okay? How can i make sure its not watery?

Anyone have a good recipe for italian sausage & white beans?

I still need one more thing - not sure what though. I have green leafy, I have creamy vegetable, I have hearty beans & sausage, I have savory chickeny...I think I need something zesty or bright. Something citrusy or clean/sharp tasting. Any ideas? All suggestions are welcome.

Should I just back away from the menu & stop obsessing?

Talk about freaky:

I just checked my email after my last post & I get this newsletter from Kraft, subject line: Add Zest With Lemons :

E., liven up your next meal with a hint of lemon.

Whenever I want to add some zest to my meals, I turn to lemons. Since they are so incredibly versatile, it's easy to add them to sweet or savory dishes.

Here are a few tips on selecting, preparing and storing lemons:
Select firm, plump lemons that are heavy for their size.
Refrigerate lemons in a plastic bag for up to 3 weeks.
Scrub lemons thoroughly in warm, soapy water.
To remove lemon peel, use a box-shaped grater, a citrus zesting tool or a vegetable peeler.
To extract juice, bring lemons to room temperature. Roll on counter to break up the juice sacs before cutting them crosswise into halves.
To make squeezing lemons super easy, order a nifty Lemon Squeezer from cooking.com.

.............................

just weird!

Liz in Norwood Park wrote:Something citrusy or clean/sharp tasting. Any ideas? All suggestions are welcome.

If you can still find good oranges, you could make Cynthia's Moroccan orange salad (see LTH recipe index) or fresh-juice orange gelatin (recipe on Knox gelatin box); to fancy up the latter, make it in hollowed out orange shells and then slice into wedges.

Well, I finally have the menu. Now I just have to shop & make it! It shouldn't be too difficult, I think, and none of it requires any last minute prep.

Curried Pumpkin Soup with Crème Fraiche

Roasted Asparagus

Mushrooms Stuffed with Italian Sausage

Spinach & Mandarin Orange Salad

Primavera Lasagna Alfredo

Italian Herb Roasted Chicken

Beef Tenderloin Stuffed with Provolone, Spinach & Red Peppers

Lemon - Raspberry Torte

It's this saturday. I'm taking Friday afternoon off to assemble everything & I will cook what needs cooking on Saturday morning.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful suggestions.

I will report back. Wish me luck!!

Update: The party went very well! I ended up shopping & cooking for everything the day before. Got home from shopping around 1:30 & then proceeded to prepare everything for the next day - it took me until 9PM to get it all ready for the oven the next day.

A funny thing happened on the way to buying the ingredients: The menu changed, mainly because I was inspired by some things I saw at the stores & also because not everything I needed was available/reasonably priced.

I added roasted baby eggplant to the menu, because when I saw them at Jerry's they were so cute & only 99 cents a pound. I just split them in half & roasted them face down for about 10 minutes. A very nice finger food...could be better with some sort of topping on them next time.

I didn't make the beef, instead I opted for pork roast that I made in the crockpot, adding a can of Pastorelli pizza sauce, some garlic gloves & red and green peppers, and a good dose of red pepper flakes. It was yummy & had just the right amount of zip. The sauce was good for dunking bread into.

I also added quartered boiled red potatoes dressed with olive oil. I just wanted something bland, for the kids, and something to soak up the juices from the pork & the roasted chickens.

Also added steamed green beans, for less adventurous palates. The kid seemed to like the chicken/potatoes/bean combination.

The spinach & mandarin salad was a big hit. I took the juice from the canned oranges & reduced it down to a syrup, then added vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, tabasco, salt & pepper, pouring the warm dressing over the spinach/romaine mix. It was very very good & I will be making this often in the summer months to come.

The chickens got kind of dried out - I should have left them whole instead of carving them after roasting...oh well.

The vegetable lasagna went so fast it was unbelievable! Everybody wanted some. The only thing I would do different next time would be to not include peas, as they were a little too starchy for the combination of ingredients. One thing that was especially tasty was that I used a very very ripe red pepper & some fresh red peppers diced...the contrast of the two levels of ripemess was very apparent & made a nice distinction of flavors. There was a small piece of lasagna leftover & I had it the next morning - cold- and it was still very good.

The cake was perfect. I got it from Sweet Connections on Northwest Highway - the entire cake was eaten! Light & lemony & very pretty.

I got wine from Binny's & we had the Segura Viudas rose & white sparkling wines & some Italian reds (& a pinot grigio no one touched, oddly enough!).

I rented 2 8ft tables & 14 chairs from www.jumpguy.com & Nick was very nice & delivered & picked everything up & the total for all of it was only $45.00. He also helped me set up the tables since it was not something 1 person could do alone.

I went to Party City & got white paper tablecloths & some silver circular confetti (looks like sequins) and some little gold crucifix confetti & sprinkled them down the center length of the table, and by the time we sat down to eat, the sun was hitting the table & made it all spakly-magical looking. Fresh flowers from jewel (3 bunches of white Alstromeria & 1 bunch of baby's breath) provided a very pretty touch - I split the flowers into 3 small round glass vases & had 2 cylindrical tiny vases and placed them alternatingly down the center of the table.

All in all, I was very pleased with myself. I pulled it off. I'm like the Little Red Hen: I did it all myself!

Liz-

Sounds like a great success. Congratulations! (to you and your daughter!)