Menu ideas for different eaters for the holiday weekend coming up?
Family will be visiting us over the holiday weekend with a range of food preferences including 2 people on a high protein Atkins-like diet; 1 who dislikes most veggies except potatoes and broccoli; 3 kids ranging from 3 - 7 years old who are not happy with food outside of chicken nuggies, hot dogs, burgers, pasta and pizza. Oh, and I'm mostly vegetarian. I generally have been making 2-3 different dinners when they visit and wondering what ideas this creative community might have?? Maybe some things that could be made ahead on Friday?
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The shrimp your see at most supermarkets on ice in the display cases is frozen shrimp defrosted on the ice---it could have been languishing there for a couple of days.
You're better off getting the bagged frozen stuff..or ask them to go in the back and get a bag of the flash frozen stuff they put on ice for display. Which in some cases is the same sold in the frozen seafood section.
Cheese sauces made from just heavy cream and cheddar cheese are super good and can be put on just about anything. I'd cook up a variety of veggies, potatoes, some meat and rice or noodles and let people put together their own cheesy bowls.
Put a beer or two in the stock pot, and a couple of lemons cut in half, salt, water to fill.
Let it simmer to extract flavoring then start adding stuff (sausage first, wait, potatoes, wait, corn, wait, and finally shrimp when the potatoes are tender).
Drain and dump out on a table with newspaper. With more lemon wedges, cocktail sauce and butter for the corn and potatoes. The news paper on the picnic table (or a big salad bowl lined with news paper) looks great and every one can choose something they like. (well, except those that might object to meat/shrimp boiled with their veggies).
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The kids, the person who doesn't like veggies and the Atkins people could all eat the same thing and it would be easy to prep the night before; for example pigs in a blanket, using beef tenderloin. Chicken nuggest are easy to make ahead of time. You could make pasta sauce ahead. And a salad can be made a day early and tossed with dressing at the last minute for you.
Your family is coming to be with you and each other. The food will be great and that is not what people will remember when they look back. They (we) remember the love and respect and celebration of family which is the source of your question.
and this link (which didn't work in the question) http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/walnut-mushroom-pate.html,
and I think you'll get some great ideas.
Lightly sautee with oil and a veggi stock, a touch of cumin. Don't over cook it!! Just or it might get stinky--just lightly heated to take off the rawness.
Use as a base for a tagine---done two ways, One with lamb stew, preserved lemons, one with just veggies with the same base. (Even veggie haters don't mind the couscous, as it does taste like pasta couscous). The stew portion can be made ahead.
But make a baked potato or two for the picky eater.
Add: Stuffed grape leaves.(Humm, you could use some of the veggie couscous for the atkins folks).
For the kids: Get some Boboli Pizza crust and sauce packs..chop up some toppings and let them create their own pizzas.
Greek nacho's would good too...but use regular corn chips for gluten free people. (IMHO, I think they're better on those chips instead of pita bread). The lamb from the couscous could be ground finely to do double duty. http://www.macheesmo.com/2010/01/greek-nachos/)
For make ahead for high protein folks: A quinqua tabouli salad (subing the quinqua for bulgar wheat). Again the same pre-prep; chopping tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, and feta cheese can serve double with the greek nachos.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/12040_fried_asparagus_pizza_with_aoili It could satisfy the pizza and low vegetable content people happy.
As for the high-protein people, scroll through the current contest submissions. There are lots of good fish ideas. These aren't all make-ahead-able, but are certainly quick, especially if you enlist lots of idle guests' hands.
Have fun with your company and all your foods!