Creative menu ideas please

[momz]

DS high school graduation open house is coming up. We are having an evening event and he has asked me to serve jambalaya. Fine, this is a one pot dish. However, I need ideas on what else to serve along with it. Appetizers, sides, add ons?

Will have a cake which can serve as dessert.

Any and all ideas please.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

Maybe a green salad and cornbread or biscuits?

Edit: Hushpuppies? Greens (like kale or collards with bacon)?

 

[Southernmiss]

DS high school graduation open house is coming up. We are having an evening event and he has asked me to serve jambalaya. Fine, this is a one pot dish. However, I need ideas on what else to serve along with it. Appetizers, sides, add ons?

Will have a cake which can serve as dessert.

Any and all ideas please.

How many people? Is it a come and go or set hours? Do you expect people to sit down to eat or stand and mingle?

Sit down dinner-salad and French bread go well with jambalaya.

Mingle-appetizers-what are his favorites? Eggrolls, lumpia, chicken tenders/chic fila nuggets, meatballs or cocktail smokies. Sliders-pulled pork, beef or chicken or ham on Hawaiian rolls https://www.averiecooks.com/ham-cheese-sliders/ .

 

[momz]

How many people? Is it a come and go or set hours? Do you expect people to sit down to eat or stand and mingle?

Sit down dinner-salad and French bread go well with jambalaya.

Mingle-appetizers-what are his favorites? Eggrolls, lumpia, chicken tenders/chic fila nuggets, meatballs or cocktail smokies. Sliders-pulled pork, beef or chicken or ham on Hawaiian rolls https://www.averiecooks.com/ham-cheese-sliders/ .

It is an open house, people will come and go. I expect 80-100 people in and out. The plan is for 6pm-9pm. But my daughter’s lasted well past midnight…which I wasn’t prepared for, but we made it work. I am making the jambalaya tomorrow and freezing it. The party is May 27, so I can thaw it overnight and throw it in the crockpot, then just refill as needed. I am omitting all shellfish as there are people with allergies.

I thought about beignets but those need to be deep fried and eaten fresh. I don’t want to be standing at the deep fryer all evening.

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you want "able to sit/make ahead" and "goes with jambalya for a theming" and "are worried about allergies" and "don't want to break the bank", I'd do a green salad, corn maque choux, and a rainbow fruit salad (honey lime dressing).

I'd also have the cornbread with a variety of spreads as "the main app", maybe with some sweet tea and homemade lemonade.

For dessert, I'd do cupcakes and have an allergy-friendly one for the known allergies. If you want to go fancy, do either a king's cake version or a pecan praline version...

 

[unrequited23]

I would put out a veggie tray, fruit salad/tray, cheese and crackers, and a dip with some type of chip. Plus cornbread and other desserts unless you want to cut the cake early into the party.

Are you expecting mainly his friends, or extended family? Any vegetarians/vegans? Relatives who don't like "spicy" food? We have some in the family who don't eat rice and others who avoid "spicy" (any seasoning beyond salt, pepper, Lawry's seasoned salt or cinnamon) so I would have to serve an alternate entree.

 

[anniemae]

I would do cornbread (you don't even have to make this, many supermarkets sell cornbread in the bakery dept.) and a salad to go along with the jambalaya. I would also put out a fruit salad.

 

[NotUrsula]

French bread or corn muffins (the sweet kind with green onion bits work best with jambalaya), and maque choux is also a good suggestion. I've seen fresh-made cole slaw served with jambalaya times past counting.

Crawfish King Cake (https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_r...cle_e67333ea-5c52-11eb-a4f1-97cc5ceb6ddd.html) is my favorite pretty appetizer, but won't do if you're avoiding shellfish altogether. Spinach Madeleine in bread cups is a Louisiana classic, and you can make them ahead, freeze, and just warm the tray. https://www.tfrecipes.com/john-folse-spinach-madeline/ (Quick way to make "pastry" cups: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/bread/bread-sweet-bread/sourdough-mini-appetizer-cups.html) Or, if you want even quicker than that and plan to only chill the Madeleine, slice thin baquettes into 1.5" thick rounds, toast them, squish in the centers and then spoon in the Madeleine, before topping them with shredded cheese and warming them under the broiler. (Bread rounds can go soggy if you leave the filling in for a really long time, but work well if you're filling from not that cold and warming quickly.)

For dessert if you want something fun, try Mini King Cakes; you make them out of refrigerated cinnamon roll dough or (if you prefer to fill them) squares of refrigerated crescent dough with some cream cheese, lemon pie, or praline filling in the center; you bake them in muffin tins (pinch the tops shut before baking), pour white icing over, and then sprinkle with decor sugars. They don't freeze all that well, but they are quick to make with pre-made dough. You can put an oven-safe token (or a dry red bean) at the bottom of some of them if you want to give out little prizes.

 

[Turn the Page]

Well, I don't know as it goes with jambalaya but there is a particular hot app I take for pot lucks and such that is always a crowd pleaser.

Blue cheese (feta works well also if you prefer) biscuit bites.
A container of blue cheese crumbles on the bottom of the 9x9 baking dish. Dice a tube of biscuit dough (just about any type but flaky layers will do) and place on top of the cheese. Melt a stick of unsalted butter and pour over the top then bake until the biscuits and bake at 350 degrees until the biscuits are done.

Super easy and everyone loves it.

 

[AustinTink]

All the above sound good. I'll add in maybe a second crockpot with gumbo to go with the jambalaya? With cornbread, veggie and fruit trays you would be in good shape.

I love to do spinach artichoke dip in a sourdough bread bowl. Serve with bits of sourdough from the bread bowl and chips, veggies, etc. Always a crowd pleaser.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Please do plain cornbread. It's the only thing I'd eat. I know I'm picky and I don't expect much but I bank on the bread situation. Please don't do cornbread with anything in it so very difficult people like me can snack on something. The truth is I ate everything until after I had chemo and I can't stand the taste and/or texture of many things. I go to many parties where I eat beforehand but people always feel the need to inquire about another adult's food which I find odd. Which is neither here nor there for you. My point was to please have something plain someone can nibble on if it is at all possible. It is greatly appreciated. I also think what you have planned sounds delicious. I appreciate a great menu even when it's nothing I like! And I wish I could get over my food aversions and eat it!

 

[momz]

So many fantastic ideas!!! Thanks to all of you!