I started to go through some of the e-mails I received over the last couple of weeks last night, and I had a lot of requests for food items which could be put on a buffet table that won’t break the budget and would have some staying power. When you choose items for a buffet, you want to choose items your guests can serve themselves relatively easily and which will give you good portion control. Keep those two things in mind and you should do just fine when planning a menu.
For years my house was the place to be on Christmas day for a variety of reasons. This meant not only having a house full of people but, in my family, that meant having food out all day long. Starting off with the cold antipasto platter which stayed on the dining room table for most of the day followed up by the hot food later on in the afternoon. So I always had to make sure the food not only stayed hot but also looked fantastic. This was not an easy task with my family who are huge foodies.
When I am setting up a buffet I always make sure to have a few backup portions in the kitchen of whatever I am putting on the buffet table just in case there is a run on my entrée and someone takes more than one portion. I never leave myself short because it could be a disaster to run out of food. If the extra food in the kitchen is not used, don’t worry, it will not go to waste. I am sure one of your guests will appreciate a goodie bag to take home with them.
Another tip - and this is huge - make sure to keep extra gravy or sauce in the kitchen for your dishes. Keeping food warm in a chafing dish or sitting on a buffet table for any length of time tends to dry food out, and dry food does not look pleasant. With the extra sauce or gravy you can always freshen food items up. Nothing is more unappealing than a buffet table with dried up food items on it. Remember, guests will eat with their eyes first and your dishes should be eye catching and appealing.
Make sure to have serving utensils readily available for guests to serve themselves; dishes and cutlery should be close to the food along with napkins. I always found it better to separate the beverages from the food. I found that guests who have to juggle plates of food while trying to get something to drink is not a good combination. You want to make it as easy as possible for your guests, and having people running all over the place for cutlery and other items will only promote mass confusion. I also liked to spend time with my family, not running back and forth to the kitchen, so I make sure everything my guests will need is right at hand.
Portobello lasagna rollups will give you a lot of bang for your buck. Adding the mushrooms to the rollups will give you that rich meaty taste without the cost involved using meat; it will also satisfy for your guests who do not eat meat. The mushrooms are a new addition for me, I always made these rollups with spinach and cheese, but the last couple of times I made them, I added the mushrooms for the added depth and flavor and they were a huge hit.
Portobello Lasagna Rollups
Ingredients
· 12 whole wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
· 2 teaspoons olive oil
· 12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped (about 4 portobello mushrooms, make sure to clean the insides of the mushrooms out the gills )
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 4 cups easy tomato sauce, recipe follows
· 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
· 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
· 1 egg, lightly beaten
· Freshly ground black pepper
· Pinch ground nutmeg
· ½ cup grated parmesan
· ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)
·
Easy Tomato Sauce:
· 1 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 medium onion, finely chopped
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained, tomatoes chopped
· Fresh chopped basil
· 3 tablespoons tomato paste
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· Salt and pepper
·
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.
Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. When the noodles are used, cover with remaining sauce and top with mozzarella.
Bake until golden brown and bubble, when the rollups come out of the over, add some chopped basil to the top for some add flavor.
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