ISO quick luncheon ideas for guests...

[Darienne]

ISO quick, but neighborly, luncheon ideas.

 

Our country neighbors are very busy people.  Many work all week, have no children but have chickens and/or dogs, and do homestead type chores all weekend.  And are all much younger than we are.

 

OK.  I'd like to invite them, probably couple by couple, for a quick Saturday or Sunday lunch.  Nothing which compels them to stay for 4 hours, or makes them feel obligated to have us for lunch in return.  Most everyone stops for a short period for lunch, and it's probably more convenient than a mid-afternoon session which breaks up a useful time slot. 

 

I thought of grilled cheese sandwiches...which Ed makes...but it's labor intensive at the last minute and that's a problem.  Ed said he'd rather serve spaghetti.  The sauce is already frozen and one has only the noodles to cook.  And Parmesan to shred...which can be done ahead of time... I could easily add a garlic loaf from frozen bread....

 

Dessert can always be ice cream, because I am always making it anyway and have various flavors on hand in the freezer.

 

Other ideas for the non-obligating mostly make-ahead-of-time luncheon please.  (No cold cuts please or seafood ingredients.)  Thanks

[lindag]

7 minutes ago, Darienne said:

ISO quick, but neighborly, luncheon ideas.

 

Our country neighbors are very busy people.  Many work all week, have no children but have chickens and/or dogs, and do homestead type chores all weekend.  And are all much younger than we are.

 

OK

How about the Risotto recipe I just posted about in the Instant Pot thread?  Add a salad and you're done.

Edited August 31, 2018 by lindag (log)

[blue_dolphin]

@Darienne, I think you mentioned that one of your regular meals was a selection of salads.  Would something like that, maybe with some nice breads work?

 

Quiche or a frittata or a hearty soup or chili plus salad, bread and fruit are my go-to lunch/brunch items for friends. 

 

 

[Darienne]

32 minutes ago, lindag said:

How about the Risotto recipe I just posted about in the Instant Pot thread?  Add a salad and you're done.

 

Never in my life made a Risotto and I don't own an Instant Pot...but thanks for trying...

[Darienne]

3 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

@Darienne, I think you mentioned that one of your regular meals was a selection of salads.  Would something like that, maybe with some nice breads work?

 

Quiche or a frittata or a hearty soup or chili plus salad, bread and fruit are my go-to lunch/brunch items for friends. 

 

 

Good thoughts, blue_dolphin cat.    I make and freeze soups constantly.  Bread is a go (in the bread maker...really I HAVE to learn to make bread one of these years...).  Fruit is good.  And as noted, I have ice cream. 

Actually Ed makes a potato soup which is to die for and simply adds diced cooked potatoes at the last minute.  This appeals to me.  Thanks.  

[gfweb]

Pulled pork, potato salad, coleslaw.

All make-ahead and quick to serve

[lindag]

A good corn chowder would be good with all the nice fresh corn that's available now.

Lots of good recipes around...Ill post my favorite if you need one.

Edited August 31, 2018 by lindag (log)

[Darienne]

18 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Pulled pork, potato salad, coleslaw.

All make-ahead and quick to serve

Aha!  Good one.  And I always have pulled pork and coleslaw on hand, and recently an endless supply of potato salad.  Thanks. 

[Darienne]

12 minutes ago, lindag said:

A good corn chowder would be good with all the nice fresh corn that's available now.

Lots of good recipes around...Ill post my favorite if you need one.

 

I've never made corn chowder, and alas! right now I cannot tolerate corn it appears.  It's a long story...aren't they all?...and I hope it's not forever....  Thanks.

[Lisa Shock]

What about a pasta casserole like baked ziti or a simple lasagna (maybe with some vegetables in it) and a tomato salad? Or a retro lunch of sloppy joes and Waldorf salad?

Here's more:

Chicken & Dumplings

 

Chicken Adobo

Arroz con Pollo -not spicy and always a big hit at the catering place I used to work at

Country Captain Chicken

Pizza Gaina

Enchiladas

Quiche

Pot Pies

Ratatouille -it's that time of year!

[Lisa Shock]

BTW, let us know how the lunches go!

[Darienne]

30 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

BTW, let us know how the lunches go!

Will do.  Right now it's in the back of my mind.  As I noted in my first post, this has to be very casual so that there is no question of being invited to their homes.   So while all the suggestions are worthy, some are just too leaning towards the formal, especially if you are dealing with basically non-cooking folks.  This is more like a coffee break, only at lunch.   Thanks again. 

[Auspicious]

I'm going to chime in to support blue_dolphins idea of soup. It's hard to be more casual than soup and bread. Super easy to prep ahead and you can pick and choose based on the weather - something warm and hearty on a cold weekend when people are facing an afternoon working outside and something cooler when the weather is hot.

 

Potato soup, chicken soup, gazpacho, tomato soup, boeuf bourguignon (okay it's a stew), bouillabaisse, ... lunch with you would have a consistent casual theme and you might find yourself known as the "soup lady" around the neighborhood. There are worse nicknames. I was the "snow plow guy" in a previous neighborhood, which worked out pretty well. *grin*

 

[Shelby]

I don't know if this fits your criteria, but you said you usually have pulled pork--an easy make ahead dish would be pork enchiladas.  Pop them in the oven like 30-40 mins before your guests.  Chips and store bought salsa....or guacamole or both.  Canned refried beans for a side if wanted.

[Darienne]

44 minutes ago, Auspicious said:

I'm going to chime in to support blue_dolphins idea of soup. It's hard to be more casual than soup and bread. Super easy to prep ahead and you can pick and choose based on the weather - something warm and hearty on a cold weekend when people are facing an afternoon working outside and something cooler when the weather is hot.

 

Potato soup, chicken soup, gazpacho, tomato soup, boeuf bourguignon (okay it's a stew), bouillabaisse, ... lunch with you would have a consistent casual theme and you might find yourself known as the "soup lady" around the neighborhood. There are worse nicknames. I was the "snow plow guy" in a previous neighborhood, which worked out pretty well. *grin*

 

Well, we do eat a lot of homemade soups in the winter.  I'll think about adding a couple of new ones to the repertoire and there's NOTHING like fresh homemade bread...even if it's made in a breadmaker.   

 

The times we spent in Moab, I always made lollipops and other confections for the kids in the Multicultural Center and was the "Candy Lady".  

[Darienne]

9 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I don't know if this fits your criteria, but you said you usually have pulled pork--an easy make ahead dish would be pork enchiladas.  Pop them in the oven like 30-40 mins before your guests.  Chips and store bought salsa....or guacamole or both.  Canned refried beans for a side if wanted.

Hi Shelby... I don't know if we can even buy refried beans where I live (and frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.)  I do make enchiladas, but so far only in a casserole format...which means "we have to be invited back".  Pulled pork on a bun with a couple of sauces with potato salad and cole slaw (Ed makes the cole slaw and it lasts for half of forever without going bad.)  Hmmm...could use your chips and salsa idea here.  

 

ps.  In case it wasn't clear...I loathe refried beans...at least the ones I've eaten to date.   And I do love beans.

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Darienne (log)

[kayb]

Cubanos. Some of your pulled pork, sliced ham, mustard, Swiss, dill pickles. Make them, then right before service, grill them just enough to melt the cheese a little and warm them up. I like to grill mine in a skillet with another skillet on top.

 

You can have "Moros y Cristianos" (black beans and rice) made and warm to go with it, or just serve chips.

 

[Auspicious]

I'm on a roll here:

 

vegetable soup, French onion (doesn't freeze well - see below), lentil, mushroom, minestrone, split pea, barley soup (with chicken or sausage), cabbage, black bean, fennel carrot, ....

 

The nice thing about soup and bread is you can feed people real homemade love-laden food and honestly say "we just pulled this out of the freezer." That's the problem with French onion - it doesn't freeze well.

 

Now if you send them all home with homemade lollipops (impressive by the way) you'll really be something in the neighborhood.

 

The Candy Lady IS the Soup Lady. *grin*

 

My wife and I each stopped at the grocery today while running work errands and we find ourselves with a LOT of carrots. I was going to pickle some tomorrow anyway. I'm thinking a good batch of carrot soup as well since the canner will be out. I'm going to need more jars. *grin*

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I have to ask, what is the meaning of ISO in context?  I know ISO only as the abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization.  A worthy cause.  However I infer your luncheon is only for Canadians?

 

As far as ideas go I second (or third) the thought of quiche.

 

[Kerry Beal]

In Search of?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, Kerry Beal said:

In Search of?

 

Possibly but Wikipedia disambiguation didn't help.  Maybe Icelandic Symphony Orchestra or Imamia Students Organization.

 

[chromedome]

10 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I have to ask, what is the meaning of ISO in context?  I know ISO only as the abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization.  A worthy cause.  However I infer your luncheon is only for Canadians?

 

As far as ideas go I second (or third) the thought of quiche.

 

Kerry's right. In this context, it means In Search Of.

[Darienne]

12 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Possibly but Wikipedia disambiguation didn't help.  Maybe Icelandic Symphony Orchestra or Imamia Students Organization.

 

Sorry, but I learned this one on eGullet some years ago when I too had no idea what it meant.  It's part of many topic subject headings.    

[Darienne]

14 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I have to ask, what is the meaning of ISO in context?  I know ISO only as the abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization.  A worthy cause.  However I infer your luncheon is only for Canadians?

 

As far as ideas go I second (or third) the thought of quiche.

 

Any and all Americans are invited to.  For that matter, pretty much all nationalities are invited also.  

 

Quiche does sound good...and it's within the considered time and work frame.  I have a really nice Cauliflower Cake with Romesco Sauce that I got off an eGullet topic last year.  Not quite a quiche...but not far from it.  Actually we're having the second third of it tonight for supper.

[Darienne]

19 hours ago, Auspicious said:

I'm on a roll here:

 

vegetable soup, French onion (doesn't freeze well - see below), lentil, mushroom, minestrone, split pea, barley soup (with chicken or sausage), cabbage, black bean, fennel carrot, ....

 

The nice thing about soup and bread is you can feed people real homemade love-laden food and honestly say "we just pulled this out of the freezer." That's the problem with French onion - it doesn't freeze well.

 

Now if you send them all home with homemade lollipops (impressive by the way) you'll really be something in the neighborhood.

 

The Candy Lady IS the Soup Lady. *grin*

 

My wife and I each stopped at the grocery today while running work errands and we find ourselves with a LOT of carrots. I was going to pickle some tomorrow anyway. I'm thinking a good batch of carrot soup as well since the canner will be out. I'm going to need more jars. *grin*

I would love to have your favorite recipe for cabbage soup and carrot soup.  They would be new additions to my soup repertoire. Thanks.