Choose menu options that are easy to prep, but are likely not something your guests eat every day.
The holidays are here and that means impromptu get-togethers with friends and family. When you’re short on time but would like to make a nice impression on your guests, there is no need to stress. Just hit up your local grocery store to find simple yet appealing items that not only complement one another, but also suit a range of tastes. I like to explore my local Wegmans to discover unusual and exotic foods that are not typically on one’s grocery list. After all, it’s a special time of year and therefore I think the foods you serve should be special as well.
We just hosted a last-minute holiday get-together last night, giving me only a day to select a menu and shop. I had to take into consideration that one guest was arriving from a late evening flight and another has a gluten allergy. Therefore the menu had to be on the lighter side and GF.
Once I got to the store, I headed straight to the international foods department, followed by the cheese and produce departments, and lastly the GF grocery area. My mission was to find interesting foods that would be quick to prepare and also satisfy a variety of palates. I chose foods from the following categories to balance out the menu: savory, sweet, substantial, and fresh. Luckily, I already had some protein options at home.
I decided to go with a spread of chicken skewers, shrimp cocktail, borsellino salami, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grapes, marcona almonds, caprese salad, sea salt crackers with goat cheese and fig jam, and a store-bought GF coffee cake. Below is a snapshot of what I did to quickly prepare the food.
Chicken skewers – Marinate in lemon, olive oil, garlic, and rosemary for at least an hour. Skewer and grill. (Full recipe below). I did this first so the chicken would have time to marinate.
Caprese salad – Slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella about ¼ inch thick, then alternately layer on platter with whole basil leaves. Drizzle with a balsamic and olive oil dressing (about 2 TBS olive oil and 1 TBS balsamic vinegar, salt, and fresh ground pepper).
Crackers with goat Cheese and fig – Spread the goat cheese on the cracker (I used Crunchmaster brand) and then add a dollop of fig jam.
Borsellino salami – Slice and place on platter with the chunk of cheese. I prefer to keep my cheeses in whole form and allow guests to cut their desired portions.
Shrimp cocktail – If you purchased the cooked shrimp frozen, the fastest way to thaw is to place the bagged shrimp in a bowl of cold water. Then remove shrimp from the bag and place on the platter with the cocktail sauce.
As for the grapes, marcona almonds, and coffee cake, I just had to remove from the packaging and plate them (plus the additional rinsing of grapes, but that hardly counts as extra work!)
There are a myriad of other options that could be served as well to keep the menu gluten free and light. These include mixed olives, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, or even popcorn with a little sea salt. The idea is to keep it simple and delicious so that even you as the host can enjoy your time with your guests. Happy Holidays!
Lemon & Rosemary Grilled Chicken Skewers (pictured above in bottom right corner)
20 chicken tenderloins, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus sliced rind from 1/2 lemon
6 TBS olive oil
1.5 TBS dried rosemary
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Salt and pepper to taste
20 – 8 inch skewers
Optional: Sriracha sauce for garnish or dipping
Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a rectangular pyrex dish and incorporate well. Add the chicken and turn well to coat on all sides. Add the lemon rind, which will help intensify the flavor of the marinade. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least an hour, turning the chicken at least once.
Skewer the chicken by placing one piece on each stick. Grill on medium heat about 5 minutes per side. Place on serving platter and drizzle with the sriracha sauce if desired.
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