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Actually if you type in Sophies Weekends on the home page, she has a recipe for..Salad Nicoise Mega-Sandwich this is another recipe on the same theme but you get the idea...

What about those Italian Breads that are hollowed out rubbed with pesto on the inside and filled with layers of cheeses Italian meats Spinach leaves Mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and green and black olives. They can be made the day before and left in the frig. overnight. Look wonderful sliced into wedges. There is a recipe in this months Sainsbury magazine, and also in the July issue of Delicious magazine.

Probably a bit late.. but the easiest finger food I've made up is Dates stuffed with pineapple cheese, use fresh dates, Medjool or a cheaper alternative (but not those ones you get at Xmas covered in syrup), get the stones out without cutting them in half, stuff them with a pineapple cream cheese that comes in a round, dotted with chopped almonds (available from most supermarkets). I also think that stuffed eggs are delicious, hard boil them, halve them, remove the yolks & mash with a well known cream cheese, season with a little curry powder or herbs or tomato puree, experiment with taste first! I also think bananas wrapped in smoked bacon on skewers, cooked a bit, is lovely.
Soo
Soo

Thanks for your help! It all sounds yummy and I should be able to prepare a feast with your instructions. I had never heard of Eton mess before...

I would think about some things that you can perhaps do in advance and freeze or put in the fridge then make up at the last minute. Another option would be to get some ready made stuff that you can add to so that it's different and to make it your own.

Here are some ideas for you:

Salads - sliced plum tomato, fresh basil, thinly sliced red onion, black olives, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper (you can also include slices of mozzarella or avocado).

Mixed salad leaves (baby spinach, rocket and watercress are nice although most salad bags are fine), sliced ripe nectarines, parma ham slices, mozzarella (get the fresh buffalo mozzarella and pull bits off rather than slice), this can be drizzled with a little olive oil or a kind of vinaigrette dressing if you would like.

Ceasar style salad - cook chicken breast in advance and cut up, cut up some bread and fry in olive oil to make croutons, grill or fry some bacon until crispy and break up, use some gem lettuces (or other leaves if you prefer) and take off the leaves then mix them in a large bowl with the chicken, bacon and some black olives and some bought fresh ceasar salad dressing (a bit of a cheat but makes it easier!) when mixed serve it with the croutons on top and add parmesan shavings if you want.

Roast or grilled vegetable salad - roast or grill a mixture of veg (e.g. peppers, courgette, aubergine, red onion, squash, asparagus) and serve, either warm or cold, mixed together with a dressing made from balsamic vinegar, olive oil and seasoning.

You could serve an Italian or continental style platter with bought ready sliced meats and salamis, antipastis (e.g. marinated olives, roasted peppers, artichokes, etc), tapanades, different breads and cheeses - all you need to do is buy the stuff and put it out.

Skewers or kebabs, that you cook on the grill or can barbecue if you decide to do that and can be made up in advance - you can put lots of different things on, prawns with a thai style marinade (chillies, lime juice, fresh coriander, lemongrass, a little oil), chunks of vegetables marinated in balsamic vinagar, olive oil and herbs, pork and apricot, lamb and aubergine marinated in yoghurt with spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, cloves, etc.

Desserts - Eton mess with either strawberries or raspberries, the fruit can be prepared slightly ahead of time (if using strawberries cut and wash then put in a bowl with some sugar, leave for a couple of hours and you will have a syrup with your fruit) as can the broken meringues (put in airtight container) - before serving, whisk some whipping cream, mix in the broken meringue and strawberries with their syrup and serve in small bowls garnished with a bit of fruit and sprig of mint.

Roasted peaches or nectarines served with crushed amaretti biscuits and creme fraiche or mascarpone.

Hope that helps. There is plenty more you could do!

Helen

Oriental buffet.