Can you help me with my menu? MNO baby shower...

[PurpleButterfly]

I usually love planning parties, but right now I am just so busy with everything going on in my life/family. Last year I committed to host a baby shower for a longtime friend. We had to reschedule our original Saturday bruncheon when her sister/my co-host got the flu, and the solution I came up with was a MNO (mom's night out) evening dinner party shower at my house. :D

I'll be serving buffet-style from my large kitchen island. The only requests from the honoree are chicken salad and some sort of baked fresh green beans (not in a casserole) - I am still trying to figure out how to keep green beans hot without having a chafing dish. Can you help me figure out something nice/easy/fairly economical to serve with those things? My co-host is bringing a fruit tray and cake.

The shower is next Wednesday night.

:help

[Serafine]

Does she definitely want the green beans hot? B/c if she just wants green beans...I have a FABULOUS cold salad that is very elegant and would go well with chicken salad...(and a FAB curry chicken salad recipe if you don't already have one)?

Just in case...here is the salad recipe:

A mixture of thin green and wax beans (steamed or otherwise cooked until crisp-tender...don't want mushy) - the following amounts are for approximately a lb. of beans - I don't typically measure, so these are approximates.
~8 oz. of crumbled feta cheese
~1/2 red onion, sliced
~1/2-1 cu. chopped pecans or walnuts

dressing:
~dried dill weed
~red or white wine vinegar
~olive oil
~salt and pepper to taste

Make dressing; combine rest of ingredients in large bowl. Toss well with dressing. Refrigerate to marinate 2 hrs to overnight.

As far as the chicken salad...serving them on croissants always amps up the elegance factor...and you make them ahead of time, cut in half and pile on a platter...better for portion (therefore budget) control.

I did cucumber canapes for a shower I held...they seem labor intensive, but not really:

Just cut circles out of bread with a glass or biscuit cutter. Then cut slices of cucumber. Make a mixture of s. cream/mayo/dill/other seasonings. Then assemble in the following order (from bottom to top)...bread, cuke, dollop of dressing. very cute and light. and cheap

bruschetta

buy a loaf of french or italian bread...slice into 1-2 i.c slices. cruch with olive oil and rub with a garlic clove (peeled and smashed)...bake at high heat or broil until slightly browned. Top with whatever you like. Some options are:

mozzarella or parmesan cheese and tomatoes and basil OR
sauteed peppers and onions (You can find bags of these frozen at the grocery for pretty cheap)

spinach dip in a bread bowl

Round loaf of bread - cut off top, pull out core into small pieces.
Spinach Dip (not healthy, but hey...gotta give somewhere, right?) - can be foudn on the back of a Knorr soup/dip package (by the dry ranch dressing pacakges). Make the dip ahead of time and store in fridge. Add to bowl right before party and serve with bread pieces and/or veggie crudites or crackers.

[PurpleButterfly]

Oh, this is all so helpful and highly motivating! Thank you SO SO much!!! :rockon :kiss :hearts Every single suggestion sounds so good! I am definitely going to do the chilled green bean salad, it sounds right up her ally with the feta, onion and nuts! :yes I had thought about croissants because they do seem to take it up a notch...do you think I should add a leaf lettuce/tomato slice or anything? :think For the spinach dip (LOVE the Knorr mixes, btw! :rockon ), would you just serve with crackers and crudite/veggies?

The bruschetta is a fabulous suggestion, everyone usually loves and I can prep a nice tomato/basil spread a few days beforehand, or even pick up a tub at Costco...we tried a sample there that was SO good and tasted totally fresh. :yes They also had a giant bag of bruschetta already prepped and they were pretty impressive, too. Costco is my friend. :grin

Do you think I should add any other desserts? Do the miniature creme puffs and eclairs seem too "brunchy" for an elegant dinner? :think Any and all input and suggestions welcome! I like to have lots on the menu! :smile

:ty3

[RealLifeMama]

I :heart those little cream puffs and eclairs anytime, anywhere! Yum!

This menu sounds lovely. I have had the spinach dip in the bowl served with the inside of the bread bowl. At one shower, the hostess used that Hawaiian bread and cut the inside out and tore that into pieces. There were crackers, too.

[Serafine]

Glad you liked the ideas...as far as extra desserts...I am no help there, since dessert isn't really my thing (I am a savory all they way girl!)...BUT I would think with the fruit tray AND the cake, that would be enough sweet stuff.

As far as the spinach dip, I serve it in a bread bowl that I hollow out - and then serve the bread pieces from the core with it, and (if you want) some celery, carrots, grape tomatoes, etc. or crackers...or a combo of all three.

For the crossaints, I never put a lettuce leaf on them, but I think you could go either way.

Sounds like you are feeling better about the whole thing...

Oh, and I meant to tell you..for easier prep...I make the croissant sandwiches in the AM, cut each one in half. Stack on the serving platter, wrap with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until the start of the party...then just pull it out when you pull everything else out and take the wrap off...

AND, for the green bean salad, make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving, so that the olive oil with liquify again - you know how it congeals at fridge temp?