GAME PLAN: GAME NIGHT

Saturday Night

4 Weeks Before

Invite guests
Think about Menu
Decide logistics such as where to set up bar, buffet, etc.

3 Weeks Before

Make detailed shopping list for both food and non-food items
Buy non-perishables (Chili Garlic Sauce, Sesame Seeds, etc.)
Buy the Game if you don’t own it
Bake and freeze:
Chocolate Prune Cake
Lemon & Sesame Seed Cookies
Ginger Mascarpone Cheesecake

2 Weeks Before

Review menu
Book support staff if needed
Organize all dishes and glasses and serving platters
Buy all beverages including alcohol
Make Salted Caramel Sauce

1 Week Before

Finalize menu and confirm guest list
Buy and store ice

Monday

Set-up table, dishes, glasses, silverware, serving platters and utensils

Tuesday

Do all grocery shopping except lamb, fish and shrimp
Wash all vegetables.

Wednesday

Make Peanut Sauce, Tahini and Tzatziki Sauce, Guacamole
Make Giant Cornmeal Anise Cookie
Buy flowers
Organize playlist

Thursday

Arrange flowers
Buy and slow cook leg of lamb
Make Tomato Dipping Sauce for Fried Ravioli
Prepare Balsamic Dressing for Mixed Green Salad
Prepare rice noodles for Thai Lettuce Wraps

Friday

Buy pita bread and sweet Hawaiian rolls
Remove fat from lamb and shred lamb
Make Turkish Salad
Make Israeli Salad
Roast beets and carrots for Spicy Walnut, Beet & Carrot Salad
Make Spicy Walnut Dressing
Make Peanut Sauce

Saturday

MORNING:

Buy shrimp and tilapia
Take all prepared food out of refrigerator to come to room temperature

AFTERNOON:

Fry Ravioli and keep in warming oven
Assemble Brie with Rhubarb Jam
Assemble Platter with Fresh Figs, Prosciutto and Crackers
Cook and assemble Mexican Fish Sliders
Assemble Thai Lettuce Wraps
Assemble Pulled Lamb Sandwiches

June 29, 2015

Game Night Menu

Appetizers

* Brie with rhubarb ginger jam
Platter with fresh figs, prosciutto and crackers

Dinner

* Spicy walnut, beet and carrot salad
* Turkish salad (Apple and zucchini slaw)
* Mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Fried ravioli with tomato dipping sauce
Pulled lamb sandwiches on warm pita bread with tzatziki, tahini, Israeli salad & sweet paprika
Mexican fish sliders with jalapeno sour cream and guacamole
Thai lettuce wraps with shrimp, peanut sauce and chili garlic sauce

Desserts

* Ginger mascarpone cheesecake
* Chocolate prune cake with salted butter caramel sauce
* Giant cornmeal anise cookie
* Lemon and sesame seed cookies
* Fresh berries

* Vegetarian

June 29, 2015

March 25, 2015

NEW YEAR’S DAY BRUNCH

GAME PLAN

4 Weeks Before

Invite guests: Send evites early as people may have established New Year’s Day traditions

3 Weeks Before

Plan menu: My menu had some food that needed to be kept warm. Omit this if you don’t have equipment like a chafing dish.
Arrange support staff or kitchen help if you will use it

2 Weeks Before

Finalize menu
Make detailed shopping list
Decide what you will buy readymade

7 Days Ahead

Get out dishes, glasses, silverware, napkins and all serving dishes
Finalize logistics: bar set-up, coffee station set-up

6 Days Ahead

Do grocery shopping: non-perishables, ice, frozen orange juice, blintzes, etc.

4 Days Ahead

Set-up buffet table

3 Days Ahead

Do grocery shopping: perishables, cream cheese, smoked fish, fresh orange juice, eggs, etc.

2 Days Ahead

Prepare and bake Pumpkin Monkey Bread
Roast leg of lamb for Lamb Hash
Bake potatoes for hash
Chop onions for hash
Buy and arrange flowers
Buy bagels, pastries, breads, fish, cream cheese, etc.

1 Day Ahead

Organize playlist
Thaw frozen orange juice for Fresh Fruit Salad
Prepare and refrigerate Blintz Souffle
Prepare Lamb Hash
Clean mushrooms for Chicken Livers Chasseur, rinse livers
Make tomato sauce for Shakshuka
Prepare Apple Fig Crumble
Wash all fruit for Fresh Fruit Salad
Make Fresh Fruit Salad (omit bananas and grapes until the morning of the party)

Morning of Party (My party started at 12:30 p.m.)

9:00 a.m.
Bake Apple Fig Crumble

10:00 a.m.
Prepare fish platters (2 hours ahead)
Slice breads

11:00 a.m.
Bake Blintz Souffle (1 hour and 10 minutes)
Bake Lamb Hash (45 minutes)
Add bananas and grapes to Fresh Fruit Salad
Prepare Shakshuka
Prepare Chicken Livers with Mushrooms
Set-up bar and coffee station
Arrange pastries

Have a drink and wait for your guests to arrive!

January 12, 2015

MOROCCAN FEAST

GAME PLAN

5 Weeks Before

Make preserved lemons or decide if you’re going to purchase them from my Amazon Affiliate Store

4 Weeks Before

Think about menu (see blog entry under Create the Menu)
If necessary, order the special spices

3 Weeks Before

Invite guests
Buy frozen puff pastry and phyllo dough
Make and freeze:
Almond Orange Cake
Almond Cookies
Chocolate Pomegranate Bark
Spinach and Feta Pastries
Bastilla with Chicken

2 Weeks Before

Review menu
Book serving staff if needed

1 Week Before

Finalize menu
Buy wine and beverages
Buy or make Pistachio Ice Cream
Buy and store ice

Monday

Set up table, dishes, glasses, silverware
Get out serving platters with serving utensils

Tuesday

Make Moroccan Olives (This must be made at least 4 days ahead!)

Wednesday

Make Dried Fruit Compote with Grand Marnier (This must be done at least 48 hours ahead!)
Organize playlist

Thursday

Prepare Warm Hummus (Do not cover with pine nuts and bake until Saturday!)
Arrange flowers and candles
Make Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives

Friday

Make Lamb Tagine with Apricots and Prunes
Cut and grill eggplant
Cut and grill zucchini
Chop fennel and carrots
Make Artichoke Salad with Saffron and Preserved Lemons
Prepare grapefruit and orange segments
Chop beets

Saturday

Morning:

Thaw the Almond Orange Cake and Almond Cookies
Take the Lamb Tagine out of refrigerator
Take the Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives out of refrigerator
Make the Fennel Salad with Carrots
Wash the spinach
Make cumin vinaigrette for the Spinach Salad with Grapefruit Segments, Pistachios, Pomegranate Seeds and Cumin Vinaigrette

Afternoon:

Warm Lamb Tagine with Apricots and Prunes
Warm Chicken with Preserved Lemons and Olives
Bake Spinach and Feta Pastries from frozen
Bake Bastilla with Chicken from frozen
Add pine nuts and bake Warm Hummus
Assemble Beet Salad with Oranges and Feta
Saute zucchini and add pomegranate syrup
Prepare Grilled Eggplant with Honey and Spices
Make Basmati Rice
Make Moroccan Couscous

Sunday

Relax and eat any leftover fruit with yoghurt and cake!

October 10, 2014

June 11, 2014
At Home with Friends

5 comments

Create the Menu

When you’re creating a menu, there are several things to consider beyond just the food itself. You have to think about preparing the food. Do you have adequate pots, pans, sheet trays, and whatever else the recipe calls for. If you want to prepare food in advance, do you have adequate freezer space for storage? […]

MEXICAN FIESTA

GAME PLAN

4 Weeks Before

Think about the menu (see blog entry under Create the Party)

3 Weeks Before

Invite the guests

2 Weeks Before

Finalize the menu
Make the MASTER LIST of household items, food, beverages, serving supplies, everything you will need

1 Week Before

Make the Strawberry Creamsicle Pie and freeze it
Make the Corn Cakes and freeze them
Organize the dishes and glasses

Tuesday

Clean the house
Finalize the menu
Make a detailed SHOPPING LIST (food prep, house prep)

Wednesday

Do the shopping
Set up the bar
Puree the chipotles for the Chipotle Sauce

Thursday

Set up the table, dining or buffet
Arrange the flowers
Bake the Cayenne Mexican Brownies and store at room temperature, tightly covered
Resist the TEMPTATION TO TASTE!

Friday

Make the Roasted Tomatillo Sauce
Assemble the Crab Enchiladas (DON’T PUT THE SAUCE ON UNTIL BEFORE BAKING)
Make Pico de Gallo
Make the Fresh Mango Salsa
Make the Chocolate Kahlua Frosting and store it in the fridge

Saturday

Make the Black Beans
Make the Spanish Style Rice
Make the Guacamole
Wash and cut up the fresh fruit and berries, and arrange on a platter
Cover the Crab Enchiladas with the Roasted Tomatillo Sauce and bake them
Reheat the Corn Cakes
Frost the Cayenne Mexican Brownie with the Chocolate Kahlua Frosting
Make the Veggie Tacos Filling
HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!

June 4, 2014