Desperately Seeking Suggestions for...

HELP!
I work full time and am exhausted from Pesach AND
I'm having 11 people for lunch this Shabbos ---

[b]AND I AM TOOO TIRED TO THINK OF A MENU.[/b]

People please help me out by posting a Shabbos lunch menu with recipes.I'm in need of easy, trasty dishes that don't require too much preparation and/or clean-up.

Thanks, now I'm going to run and finish my pot of high octane coffee....

Did I tell you lately how much I love and appreciate ALL of you??!!

XOX
Valleymom
_________________
"WORRYING is like sitting in a rocking chair... It gives you something to do but does not get you ANYWHERE!"

Oh Man, and I am too tired to correct my typo, please forgive me... We want TASTY dishes... not tRasty dishes (whatever that means)... THANKS!!

Aside from your fav cholent recipe....

How bout a chicken salad?

Grilled chicken cutlets:
marinade in
Mayo (main base ingredient)
Mustard (a few squirts)
Soy sauce (a few squirts)
red wine vinegar (a few shakes)
sugar (about 2 T but taste to make sure it tastes right as it brings everything else together)
salt
pepper
parsley flakes (for color)

discard marinade and grill on grill pan (you could probably also cook in oven, broil, or any other means of cooking)

For the salad, I use those same ingredients as the dressing (so you can double it from the start) and then use a lot of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion (finely sliced), avocado, etc.

Another alternative marinade is equal parts ketchup, soy sauce, and brown sugar and then use the above recipe for the dressing.

This is the only recipe I have off the top of my head now. I'm sure you'll get some more responses!

Gold Member Joined: Sep 23 2008 Posts: 1261

Mexican food -- big thing of spiced rice (just make regular rice, and throw some salsa in when it's cooking), thing of beans (cut up several onions, fry them, open a few cans of black and other type of beans, plus corn, throw those in, use spices -- salsa, cumin, garlic, chili powder), fajitas (make some type of meat -- we're vegetarian, so we use soy crumbles) and then put out fixings -- guacamole, salsa, fake sour cream if fleishig -- and warm up tortillas all on the plata. This is my go-to menu when I'm just too tired to cook for Shabbat, and it's always well-received.

Gold Member Joined: Jun 08 2007 Posts: 1327

keep it simple!!
I would start with basic gefilte fish, some bought dips, pickles & olives and a big tossed salad.
then for a main a big chulent, simple roasted chicken, deli roll, an easy lukshen kugel and another easy salad.
buy dessert!

Silver Member Joined: Jun 11 2009 Posts: 529

how about gef. fish, chulent a potato or noodle kugel of some form and chicken salad (recipe below) and a fruit crisp and for dessert some fresh fruit and maybe brownies or cookies

Dressing
1 c. oil
� c. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 Tbl minced onions�fresh.
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbl poppy seeds
Put all ingredients except poppy seeds in a hand blender bowl; blend it just till it�s combined, not over-blended. After that, add poppy seeds.

Salad:
Chicken cutlets
Italian dressing
1 bag Romaine lettuce
1 small can mandarin oranges.
Slivered almonds or almond crunch
Craisns, Cucumber (optional, for color)
Take chicken cutlets, marinate it with Italian dressing, and bake on 400 for 20 min. Add lettuce and mandarin oranges. Sprinkle slivered almonds, craisins, and cucumber, if desired. Pour over the dressing.
Personally I usually omit nuts due to the allergies.

Silver Member Joined: Mar 27 2012 Posts: 708

I have some very quick and easy delicious recipes, but unfortunately, I'm TERRIBLE with measurements (I just approximate), so I'm a little bit apprehensive with giving too many.
When I have a stressed Shabbat coming up, honestly -- I just buy as many prepared foods as I can! It's not a big deal to do so!
For ex: buying frozen gefilte fish. All you do is season it and then put it in a pot with boiling water for an hour 1/2 and then let it cool down.
So, I'll suggest a menu based on that quick-fix outlook. If buying dips/salads/quick fixes is not your thing, then just keep this somewhere in the back of your mind for real emergencies Smile

Appetizers:
1. Challah with dips and salads
Chumus, matbucha, babaganush, Israeli salad

Yummy Crunchy Mango-Avocado salad
1 Mango (medium-hard. Not too soft.)
1 One avocado (medium-hard)
Romaine lettuce (iceburg may also be used)
3 Celery (optional)
4 Peeled cucumbers
1/2 cup of honey-glazed pecans
1/2 cup of croutons
Dressing: something creamy. Caesar, ranch, or Italian. Add some garlic powder if and mix!

Corn Salad Recipe
2 Canned Corn
1 Red onion, chopped
1 Red pepper
5 Israeli pickles, diced (you can use more or less. upto you)
Dill (optional)
Dressing: mayo and black pepper

Asian Salad (I'm not the biggest fan, but it's my husband's favorite!)
1 bag of Coleslaw-Cabbage mix
Handful of Craisins
Sesame seeds (optional)
Dressing: 2 tbsp soy sauce.

Yup, it's that easy!

2. Gefilte fish (store bought- frozen brand) served with carrots, horseradish, and mayo
(I like to make the garnish look pretty)

Main meal:
1. Cholent
2. Red Rice (cook the rice regularly and add a lot of paprika to make it red. Salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder are usually enough for it to come out delicious. Optional: add sauted onions)
3. Grilled chicken breasts (marinate the chicken breasts with a store bought sauce. I personally like duck sauce or honey BBQ. Let sit in sauce for at least 3 or 4 hours. Put it oven and check when ready)
If you have some more time - then you can make shnitzels. Dip the chicken breasts in egg and then dip them in breadcrumbs. Fry them in oil. Yum yum.

Dessert:
Duncan Hines cake! You can add chocolate chips and/or nuts into the batter. It comes out delicious.
Fruit salad (bananas, oranges, apples, peaches and raisins are optional. I like to put some lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and bit of wine on top, but the "dressing" is optional.)

B'hatzlacha!

How about some easy yummy throw together dishes that don't make too much mess?

oven crusted gefilte fish
baked lemon garlic salmon
store bought dips
cole slaw
simple lettuce salad
egg salad
cholent (throw into crockpot and turn onto low)
cold cuts platter
store bought sorbet
_________________
Really Awesome Mom!

you people are awesome!
Anyone else?

Gold Member Joined: Jul 07 2009 Posts: 1727

I would do challah w/ dips- homemade or store bought if youre looking for easy
baked gefilta fish- less clean up
green salad (2 types)
cabbage salad
chullent
grilled chicken
deli roll or deli platter
lukshen/potato/sweet potato kugel

dessert- brownies and a store bought ice cream

Gold Member Joined: Sep 22 2009 Posts: 1745

My go to menue is very simple (hope its not to simple foe you)

eggsalad + baked chicken wings+ baught dips

chulent + rice (I like cooking it with tomatoes and onions - it gets a nice color) + cold cuts + lettuce salad

fruit and/or baught icecream for desert.

By the way do you have anything ready in the freezer? Try to use as much as you can of anything you have ready.

Silver Member Joined: Mar 27 2011 Age: 27 Posts: 789

fish and dips and 1 lettuce salad first course
cholent, snitzel and coldcuts maybe a coleslaw
apple crumble and fresh fruit for dessert

Silver Member Joined: Jan 09 2008 Posts: 724

gefilte fish/salmon
dips
egg salad/liver
cholent
deli salad
apple crisp
ice cream and /or cake for dessert or buy sponge cake, whipped cream, and strawberries = strawberry shortcake

easy salmon, mix mayo, garlic, and dill, smear on top, bake 20 min, then broil for 7 min so top gets crispy

easy babaganoush, bake eggplant pierced until soft, add mayo, garlic cloves, salt, pulse with hand blender

easy liver, saute onions, add chicken liver pieces, salt, paprika, drop of sugar, cook for 10 min.

easy salads - cole slaw, green beans fresh with soy sauce, garlic, and salt,