Anonymous wrote:OP again. Thanks for helping me brainstorm!! Here's the current evolution in my thinking. It will all be served family style and at the same time.

Two shared sourdough bread bowls--one with spinach-artichoke type dip and one with butternut squash hummus; served with cut up veggies

A new kind of soup (since there's now squash in the hummus)--maybe curried carrot or cauliflower?; Sourdough bread

Cannellini bean fritters--though I may need a better name for these; they are probably 4 inches in diameter and pan fried; they're more substantive than I think people are assuming

Roasted root vegetables

Dipping sauces (again, dill-horseradish and still thinking about the other)

Fennel-orange-arugula salad

Apple tartlets


I still haven't ruled out a lentil "meatloaf" or a savory tart. I just really want to have sourdough bread and that seems absurd with a tart. And I make lentil loaf for my kids all the time, so it just doesn't seem special enough for a dinner party.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a vegetarian and I don’t love this menu. It feels very light and appetizer-y. There is a delicious lentil bolognese on Rainbow Plant Life that is very filling and feeds a crowd. I’d also consider a salad that has nuts in it (if no one’s allergic) as well some sweetness. If you wanted to do a soup, you could do a lentil soup topped with a creamy/cheesy broiled polenta. For dessert perhaps something with dairy and something with fruit.

So interesting. OP here, and I love all the things you mention—made a lentil stroganoff just tonight, for instance. But I always assume that the heavy bean and nut dishes are more challenging for the meat eaters. I thought the other options (e.g. butternut squash soup or pasta) were more accessible to a wider range of palates. I’d gladly make a lentil “meatloaf,” but I figured that was more of an acquired taste.

Also, it’s funny that you say it seems too light because it feels like my middle aged mom friends never eat anything, so I was trying to put together a bird-like menu, but maybe I went too far?

PP here. Challenging in what way? Like, because they feel like meat substitutes? I have never eaten meat so I don’t know about that. I just like to eat hearty, filling foods if I’m sitting down to eat a meal. (To me, a nut loaf, which I’ve never eaten, feels more like a meat substitute than a pasta.) If I’m roaming around a party eating cocktail food, then that’s when I’ll eat fritters or endive or whatnot.

I know there is the school of thought that whoever is hosting the party decides the menu together, but I prefer to cook what I know people like. Can you ask your friends what they enjoy or want to eat more of? You could ask about specific vegetables or ingredients and then make a menu from there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a vegetarian and I don’t love this menu. It feels very light and appetizer-y. There is a delicious lentil bolognese on Rainbow Plant Life that is very filling and feeds a crowd. I’d also consider a salad that has nuts in it (if no one’s allergic) as well some sweetness. If you wanted to do a soup, you could do a lentil soup topped with a creamy/cheesy broiled polenta. For dessert perhaps something with dairy and something with fruit.

So interesting. OP here, and I love all the things you mention—made a lentil stroganoff just tonight, for instance. But I always assume that the heavy bean and nut dishes are more challenging for the meat eaters. I thought the other options (e.g. butternut squash soup or pasta) were more accessible to a wider range of palates. I’d gladly make a lentil “meatloaf,” but I figured that was more of an acquired taste.

Also, it’s funny that you say it seems too light because it feels like my middle aged mom friends never eat anything, so I was trying to put together a bird-like menu, but maybe I went too far?

Anonymous wrote:I’m a vegetarian and I don’t love this menu. It feels very light and appetizer-y. There is a delicious lentil bolognese on Rainbow Plant Life that is very filling and feeds a crowd. I’d also consider a salad that has nuts in it (if no one’s allergic) as well some sweetness. If you wanted to do a soup, you could do a lentil soup topped with a creamy/cheesy broiled polenta. For dessert perhaps something with dairy and something with fruit.

Anonymous wrote:I’m vegetarian and love your menu. Maybe a green salad instead of the fruit salad and creamed greens. You could add roasted chickpeas to the salad or nuts.

Anonymous wrote:On Thanksgiving I made a butternut squash hummus from Ina Garten. It does have chickpeas in it so there's protein. It wasn't difficult to make and everyone seemed to like it. I toasted some naan to serve it, but jicama, red/orange/yellow bell peppers could work too.