Just reporting back to let everyone know how the lunch went. Despite on and off showers, the temp was great so we were able to sit out on the deck, half of which is covered so we were dry and comfortable and enjoying the outdoors. Friend brought a hot appetizer with melted cheese that was delish. I had a Latin salami slices with cucumber slices; roasted red pepper hummus with pita chips, smoke gouda and jarlsburg cheese with crackers, and a dish with celery and carrot sticks. Lunch rec'd all kinds of compliments...grilled chicken breasts marinated in a lemon BBQ sauce and I served it with quinoa pesto (found it at TJs). Lentil salad with carrots and celery. Haricot vert with fennel and toasted pecans in a lemon dijon sauce (Martha Stewart). I sliced up a whole wheat ciabatta bread and had an herb package from which to make a dipping sauce with EVOO. For dessert I made a mixed berry crumble (blue and rasp) with choc chip ice cream from a local creamery. Coffee and tea. The beauty of it was that most of the cooking was done a day ahead so I was able to enjoy the company on the deck and not be a slave to the kitchen in prep.

Over the years, I've learned to keep large luncheons like this simple. Simple to fix, simple to serve, simple for people to eat with plate on their lap (I'm assuming you are not doing a seated luncheon for 40, but I might be wrong on this point). My go-to for years has been Cheese Strata - yes the kind of recipe found in the old Junior League cookbooks. The beauty of this is that you can make multiple flat pyrex pans of it days ahead of time, cover and refrigerate. The night before, pour the cream/egg mixture over the cheese/bread and re-cover. Bring it out early the morning of the party to come up to room temp and bake. I have silver stands for Pyrex dishes so they always look nice on the buffet table - you only need one - just replace with a full Pyrex pan of the stuff. In the spring, I like to serve fresh asparagus (which can be served hot or cold) and a seasonal fruit salad with poppyseed dressing. I've never served this when there was a single crumb left. People love this!!!! That's why the recipe has been around for decades! Over the years, I've further simplified this recipe. I tear the bread into small pieces, and pour melted butter of it, as opposed to all that cutting/buttering. I don't even remove the crusts - I use GOOD bread. I omit the scallions as some people can't eat even a bit of onion (I'm one!). You cannot go wrong with a recipe like this.

I make Ranch Dressing with all fresh ingredients (nothing dried), and it includes homemade mayonnaise, fresh dill, fresh parsley, fresh garlic (you can omit this if you have to avoid alliums), freshly ground black pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Sometimes I add sour cream, but generally not buttermilk, although you could. I have served it as a dip for chips. I also make several types of tartar sauce - most frequently with mayo, fresh dill, minced dill pickle, lemon juice, and black pepper. I also add minced green onion, if I have it, or fresh chives, which I always have in my back yard. I also make Molho Tártaro, a Brazilian tartar sauce that olives, capers, and pickled carrot, but no dill pickles. That harissa recipe is somewhat similar to the smoked chocolate Habanero sauce that I make, but I grill the red bell peppers, chocolate Habanero chilies, and garlic over mesquite, for the smoky flavor.Then I purée this with vinegar and brine, to preserve itThis has to be done outside, while wearing a swim mask and snorkel because of the chili fumes. Then I put it through a food mill, to remove chili skins and seeds. I add this sauce to mayonnaise, which could be a dipping sauce, but I simply use it as an alternative to regular mayo on sandwiches. I use flavorful vinegars (including some sweet Balsamic) when making this sauce, to give it a more complex flavor. I do not use the blender for anything else except for this sauce, and so I store this blender in the garage.

It was long so maybe over a word limit? I'll try breaking it up into 2 posts. Ahhh.... I bet I know. I used the word that's like a nail but you don't use a hammer you use a tool to turn it. I even wrote the word using a 3 instead of the E trying to be clever with filters. part 1 So sorry! Did not mean to ask for help then disappear - had a couple of minor crises to deal with (all is well) and now I'm back reading through all your suggestions. First I want to address what oly said about women who seem trapped in a role - can't speak for anyone else but you're not wrong in my case. I have absolutely been the one in my marriage who is (for the most part) responsible for deciding about food. It was different BK (before kids) but ever since and continuing empty nest, it has been my role. It's neither good nor bad, it's what worked for us but I am well and truly tired of it now! That said, it's not going to change at the moment, maybe at all. DH is not retired, I am the one with more interest in different foods and here we are. It's not about his expectation that I cook because if I say we're having turkey sandwiches for dinner he's perfectly content to make his plain with turkey and mayo while I make mine with tomato, lettuce, aoli etc on toasted sourdough rye. You're correct again that I don't want to make two meals and could leave him to fend for himself but cooking something that's beyond basic food for just me is a hassle and not something I'm going to do regularly if at all. Sometimes I will say "that word" it and make something using an ingredient he doesn't like - he can pick it out - but it still irks me seeing things get pushed aside and thrown out. He is who he is, he is never going to eat asparagus or scallops or raw tomatoes or, or, or. Being the Chief Food Officer is at least 50% mental and I'm mentally depleted, hence looking for ideas but obviously there was more rant inside me. Tina we're in the same boat - we're a team and although the chore division is very much along traditional lines, I have no intention of cleaning the gutters or changing the oil so cooking it is! Tell me about your cooked apples and do you have a specific frittata combo you use? DH always has eggs for breakfast (work is physical, he needs the protein and calories) so egg based dinners are infrequent for us but once in a while it works. Jinx I can't tell you how jealous I am of your cocktails and nibbles! That's my kind of evening. The green beans sound yum. eld I do need a break and DH does like simple which is fine much of the time but I get bored with it. Appetizers are my favorite way to do dinner - little bits of really tasty things. 4kids I have made that cafe delites chicken many times! I have almost stopped buying chicken breasts because they have no flavor and are often dry so will def try that recipe from OUAC - I like her recipes but for some reason never tried that. My sons both cook and love experimenting with different foods - generational for sure but I also had them in the kitchen with me early on.