Hello! My sister and I are throwing a surprise 60 th birthday party for my mom. So far our menu is this: chicken salad on croissant , chicken soup and that's it!! We need one more item I think. The party starts at 2. We will serve quiche as an appetizer(another of mom's favorites) while guests are waiting for the birthday girl. My mom likes chicken salad and loves my soup so that is why we chose it.My sister and I aren't sure what to serve with it.. A salad? The drinks are coffee, iced tea, and lemon aid . My mother has no clue and will be soo excited so any suggestions would be welcomed!! Thanks!
***I will have crackers on the table and bread for the soup. Soup is not hard to serve I have done it before. It's a small party only 28 people. I hadn't thought about the men not liking chicken salad my dad approved the menu and since he is paying and we are organizing ;) it never occurred to me. ( he just loves to make my mom happy). It's lunch so I will do a sandwich ring for whoever doesn't like chicken salad. I will do a green salad and a cheese/pepperoni tray. Thank you ladies. I am glad I posted!
I think a salad is a great idea. I make one that is mixed greens, Granny Smith apple slices, dried cranberries, candied pecans, feta cheese and a raspberry vinegariette, it's is so delicious and pairs well with chicken and will offset the savory (it's almost like a dessert)
My family's broccoli salad is a hit at every gathering we bring it to. That might work well....I think.....I don't know, I'm not the best at this stuff.
Broccoli Salad
Bunch broccoli chopped
Medium onion or 4 green onions chopped fine
strips of bacon cut fine and fried crisp
½ C Raisins (soak in hot water while frying bacon)
1C Mayonnaise
2T Vinegar
½ C Sugar
Directions:
Cut bacon crosswise into ½ inch pieces, fry crisp, drain.
Soak ½ Cup raisins in hot water while bacon is cooking.
Cut broccoli into bite sized pieces or smaller.
Finely chop onions.
Place broccoli, drained raisins, onion and bacon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar together until blended for the dressing. **Pour the dressing over broccoli mixture and stir well. Refrigerate 1 hour and serve.
**My husband and I tend to pour the dressing and stir right before serving. If you pour it on, then refrigerate for an hour a lot of the dressing winds up at the bottom of the bowl.
Are there going to be any guys there? Because so far, it's chick food. I love every bit of it but you might want to throw the guys a bone, literally!
I would go with a pasta salad and a veggie tray. are you doing little individual quiche? you can make them in a mini muffin pan they are super cute on a pretty platter. also you don't say it but I would have either crackers or some sort of bread to go with the soup.
How about some different salads....brown rice salad, broccoli salad, pasta salad, beet salad, bean salad, etc.
Or how about crusty bread, mixed greens salad, and a veggie tray.
I would add a cheese platter, a veggie platter and a fruit platter. How many people are coming?
Instead of crackers, make some delicious cornbread and cut it in small squares. (I did this for my grandmother's 75th and made the cornbread its own event, as I wanted to present it hot from the oven.) Set out cornbread first with drinks. Bring out the soup once they are seated. The sandwiches will be the entree. Oh, but you said that you have quiche, too. Hmm, you can work that out. Just add some cornbread for substance. More than what crackers would do.
Happy birthday to your mother!!
Cheese platter, meatballs, penne, sausage and peppers, Italian bread. People can make sandwiches with meatballs or sausage. Green salad. Pulled pork. Chicken wings. Fruit platter. While awaiting Mom put out some chips and dips, maybe some sliced pepperoni on Ritz crackers. Cake and coffee.
You might want to make the soup for her to take home. Very hard to serve at a party. Personally, I would not serve it.
