Menu suggestions -- very informal party

Wow, I'm still drooling over Thomas' omelettoid and salmon. Sounds yummy.

So glad you ignored Dys. ;>)

Let us know how the dinner went and what you served. Good luck!

BTW, isn't it a little tacky to say you are on a diet? I can understand if you are allergic to certain foods, but can't they eat something off diet for one night??

Hey, Soz... if you haven't picked anything yet, check out this The Thirty-Minute Cook

I was watching the show yesterday and she had some great ideas for Atkins snacks... slices of cucumber with a bit of Boursin cheese, wrapped in thin slices of ham. She also had some great meals for hot evenings. My daughter and I love to watch her... she's so darn perky and does make everything sound easy.

There's a show on TV called Entertainment 911 where the host helps out a friend who is throwing a party. Wouldn't THAT be nice?

Here's another menu idea:
Atkins type hors d'eouvres like the cucumber thing above, plus some chunks of a really good cheese, crudites and a good dip

I'd marinate and then saute frozen shrimp in a spicy ginger and soy sauce and then steam spinach over the top. I'd offer a good Basmati rice along with some sauteed mixed veg. A few pieces of really wonderful fresh fruit for dessert with cookies for the kids... and I'd offer them popsicles later, too, while the parents are presumably drinking wine. I never liked having separate food for the kids and the adults -- a lot of trouble and what is it teaching the kids?

Soz -- I've been on South Beach for several months, so I think I can give you some good tips for Atkins as well.

First...no pasta, no honey, no fruit. All no-nos on Atkins.

Try fajitas...they're quick, easy and the kids will probably eat them, too.

Marinate the meat (beef or chicken or both) ahead of time. Slice onions, red & green bell peppers, and you might even try some portobello mushrooms, too, if that's not too exotic for them. Grate the cheese ahead of time, or buy shredded cheese. If you're a guacamole fan, bring it on. Salsa is a must. (Buy the stuff in jars or make your own.) But no tortilla chips. (Sorry.) Buy whole wheat tortillas or low-carb flour wraps. Black beans with melted cheese on top makes a great side dish with this.

Everything I've described is both yummy and perfectly legal. The kids will probably just put meat & cheese in theirs, and they'll be just as happy.

Fruit is a no-no on Atkins? Really?

Diane, they didn't volunteer it, they said oh by the way Atkins when we asked if they had any dietary restrictions. (We were thinking allergies, veggie, etc. but Atkins is fine.) They also said that they are "about due" to go off of it for just one meal, so I think I can cook just about anything, but if I can get something that fits all of the parameters AND is Atkins, groovy.

Thanks Piffka and Eva!!

A plan is brewing, need to decide pretty soon so I can shop for it. Will let you know what I end up with.

Oh and thanks Thomas! Does sound yummy, and I believe you have contributed the word "omelettoid" to the English language. :-D

Dang Thomas, yes, not only does that recipe make sense, it's been a staple in my family for years, except we use cream cheese instead of cottage cheese.

And Tyler Florence's chicken! Thanks! I love that it's one that you prepare ahead of time and then merely take out of the oven with a flourish.

Fruit is a no no on Atkins???!!! And they say that diet is healthy
You rbody needs sugar to maintain certain chemicals in the brain that control muscle control and bone density.... but dont get me started on a health kick! I am a tofu eat'n, granola crunchin', soy milk drinkin' chick! Oh yeah.. tree huggin too.

A few other ideas I had for ya Soz..
Atkins friendly Taco salad.

Ground beef
Worst-tish-ire suace.. heheh
sweet onion
yellow/red bell peppers
romaine lettuce
seasoning salt
cheese
baby tomatoes
Avacado
and some low carb tortilla chips. ( they are out there somewhere. )

Brown the ground beef with about 1/3 cup worst sauce,
In seperate pan blister the peppers and onions with seasoning salt
Add peppers and meat into the same pan when the meat is completely brown and drained. Put on LOW heat for about 10 minutes.
On each plate, cove the bottom heavly with romaine lettuce and spread avacado over the lettuce.
Dice up baby tomatoes and place them in a ring around the avacado.
Put the meat mixture in the center and top with cheese.
Serve the chips in a big dish in the middle of the table. That way your guests can add/not add chips if they so desire and if they do decide to use chips, they are LOW carb so there is no guilt. :-)

Quick sandwich wrapps ( atkins )

Large leaf romaine lettuce
Sandwich meat , preferrably sweet ham
Muenster cheese
Toothpicks
Mayonaise
Relish

Take your mayonnaise and rrelish ( about 1/2 cup of each ) and combine in seperate bowl
Lay out your lettuce leafs Maybe 2 or 3 on top of each other and then your ham and cheese on the lettuce.
Roll up and use toothpicks to hpold them together.
The mayonnaise and relish serves as a dip .
Serve well chilled.

Steamed broccoli salad.

Abuot 2-3 cups ( depending on how many people you have )
Garlic
Vinegar or Lemon juice

Put your broccoli in a BIG pan with only 1/2-3/4 cup of water on the bottom.
Take some lemon juice and sprinkle over the broccoli
Cover and let simmer on MED heat for about 30-40 minutes until broccoli is crisp but not soggy.
In seperate pan, take fresh garlic cloves, dice and saute in small amount of lemon juice. ( smaller pieces of garlic the better )
When broccoli is done, place in big bowl, pour garlic over the broccoli, mix together and sprinkle a little more lemon juice on top . CCan be served cold or hot.

OR... you can just have me over and I will cook! HAHHAHA
These recipies of mine have been published in Veggie times mag. Of course altered for vegans or vegitarians. They should work fine for you too. :-)

Oh yeah.. and dont forget... have fun!

C'mon over, shewolfnm!! :-D

Published, congrats!

Sorry, my mistake. Most fruits are okay on Atkins as long as there's no sugar added. A lot depends on which phase of the plan they're on.

So it went really well!

<wipes brow>

I think I must be a grown-up now. I had a family over to MY own house and their kids played with my kid and I served an actual meal with my actual silver at my actual dining room table in my actual living room. (I've been lacking dining room or dining room table 'til now -- a friend gave us a totally excellent dining room set from the 60's that he'd grown up with and wasn't his style [though it is ours!! wood, beautiful] and he didn't want to put it on the curb...)

Made "Broiled Salmon with Zesty Lime Mustard" -- lime zest (2 tbsp, took forever), lime juice, coarse grain mustard, freshly ground black pepper, salt. Thassit. Brush on top of salmon fillets, broil. It was delish!! I was so happy!

Then a bean side (thanks Jes and Linkat) and salad. Also pizza for the kids, cherry pie, french vanilla ice cream, homemade choc chip cookies.

I was running around like a maniac for a while there but it worked out fine in the end.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!!

Hooray!

Yay for the Soz!! If the company was good, it must have been a lovely evening all round.

Your recipe sounds yummy. Dys and I should try it.

The company was good too, yep. The girls love each other. The family also just moved here and the girls both left best friends behind who they miss, and they have a great time together. So the rest is pretty much gravy, but the gravy was pretty good too. Exhausting -- the guy has a beard and mustache, the gal is smiley which is nice but a bear to lipread (words coming through a grin, teeth aren't the most useful aspect of lipreading), and just the fact of 4-way discussion that occasionally went 7-way -- but worth it.

Glad you lived through it, Sozobe. I forget, knowing you only through your posted words, that you have to make a much bigger effort than most any of us in order to carry on a F2F conversation. I had to laugh though, thinking how hard it would be to see someone's lips in between his moustache and beard (Mr. P would be a trial for ya!).

I hope that the Sozlet and you and your husband find a lot of happiness and some very good friends in your new home.

Congratulations on a successful dinnah party!