H’s birthday is on Easter. In the afternoon, after church, we have tickets to see a play, and we have dinner reservations following the play. I offered to make dinner but he wants to eat out.
However, I need to figure out what to serve 5 people for breakfast, and for lunch following church. Have a range of eaters (one somewhat picky, one is lactose intolerant) but none are vegetarian. Usually it’s just the two of us.
I don’t want lunch to be too heavy since dinner will be substantial (H picked a steak house) but we need something after church/before we leave for the play.
Ideas/suggestions? I thought of a breakfast casserole, but that would exclude both the picky eater and lactose intolerant eater.
I don’t want anything too labor intensive; thinking of perhaps having stuff on hand to make nice sandwiches for lunch?
To complicate things even more, both H and I are trying to be careful about the number of calories we consume. Since dinner will be high in calories, would prefer breakfast and lunch to be less so.
I feel like I have a mental block. Please inspire me!
Easter here calls for a spiral sliced ham (could be served with little biscuits or croissants), mac n’ cheese made with Lactaid milk (2 of us are lactose intolerant), green beans with almonds, Silver Queen corn, plus whatever else is requested. Those first four items are unchanging. Strawberries in Cointreau is usual, too, with or without a lemon pound cake. For the past few years, we’ve also had a cheese platter after dinner for those who don’t eat sweets. Simple & easy.
Fruit salad - always a winner
mini-muffins (easier to control the calories than regular muffins or other baked goods)
egg casserole in a crock pot (egg beaters, turkey sausage crumbles, tomatoes, spinach, mix of reg and low fat cheese). Can be made the night before, and re-heated in the crock pot when you are out at church)
And of course, DS reminds me that Easter Baskets mean lots of candy for breakfast
For breakfast, I’d have some bagels and a couple of varieties of cereal available. For lunch, I think sandwiches are a great idea - maybe with a choice of hard rolls or wraps. Add a green salad, possibly a potato salad, and fruit. Everything can be made (or purchased!) in advance.
We are hosting a late breakfast. I am making a veggie crustless quiche and a sausage crustless quiche, fruit, Parmesan Reggiano hashbrowns and scones. We have two young people with Type 1 Diabetes so we try to go low carb so they pick and choose from what is there. Perhaps the lactose intolerant guest could have fruit and lox and bagels? Avocado toast is big right now. What does the picky eater like? We have had a yogurt bar in the past but that would not work for your LI family member.
For breakfast if you want something a little more special I think quiche with or without crust would be nice. We usually do a big scrambled eggs and bacon and figure we don’t need sweet rolls because we eat too much candy. For lunch I like the idea of a big salad. Maybe an egg salad, or chicken salad as well as a green salad. I’d do a Salade Nicoise, but your picky eater might be picking stuff out of it. In Germany we were often served something called a Russian salad which had a mayonnaise dressing and lots of vegetables and ham. Sort of a fancified potato salad. Here’ a recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/234949/authentic-russian-salad-olivye/ There are lots of variations on line.
How about nice green or fruit salad and french bread with a variety of cold cuts and cheese? I always like an array of pickles and olives with that too.
I would imagine a true quiche would be hard for someone lactose intolerant as it is really a savory custard based on dairy.
For only 5 people and for something easy and light, I’d do a fruit platter which included a lot of fresh berries, hard boiled and dyed easter eggs (hey, it’s Easter!), and some sort breakfast bread/bakery assortment (could include bagels, cream cheese, and smoked salmon if interested). Picky eater can choose what they want, no problems for lactose intolerant, and those watching calories/carbs can skip the bakery items. Good coffee, juices, maybe a bellini, mimosa, or bloody mary. If you want to be more decadent, make some candied bacon.
I would do a carb (bagels, low fat muffins, scones) and some fruit like berries. For lunch I’d do a salad (chopped, cobb, wedge or whatever is your specialty) - or a big bowl of greens + a few sides to top it (cheese, shredded chicken, veggies) as people like and and you could do soup (if it’s not too hot where you are ) - buy a local soup prepared!
In his defense, picky eater (S) will make do - he has his whole life. When we used to live near family, most of his holiday meals at the grandparents were pretty scant. He doesn’t make a fuss. He learned to cook his own meals when he was little. He eats beef, chicken, and fish/seafood; doesn’t care for pork (including ham and bacon) or eggs.
I’m thinking I won’t fuss about breakfast. H has to be at church earlier than the rest of us (he’s the pastor). I’ll have stuff available and everyone can have/make whatever they want. For lunch, will have cold cuts, cheese, bread, etc. available and let everyone assemble their own lunch. Or just eat Easter candy.
For lunch, I would suggest cold poached salmon with a cucumber dill sauce or the like, which you can prepare at least one day ahead. An accompaniment of cold asparagus, blanched and shocked in ice water, is lovely and delicious.
