Gluten free entertaining ideas.......

[{sarah}]

Hey Lucy

There are lots of yummy dessert ideas in this thread, I'm not sure about mains though.

[Rouge]

Pav's are especially gluten free, I made a banoffee pav this past weekend which was a rectangle sized pav topped with whipped cream, banana, grated chocolate and orange toffee sauce. Everyone was absolutely delighted and it looked so pretty on the platter I served it with the yummy toffee sauce oozing down the sides. It was from SFI two months ago. You could also do one of those cakes that is made from layers of meringue filled with hazelnut choc cream I have a few of them... will try and find the recipes for you.

There is a great website I use for conversions for gluten free, I shall post it for you. Also check out the Orgran range in coles for inspiration.

Gluten free alternatives - Better Health Channel.

ETA:I'm a nong I just realised you want mains too... will let you know (my gf does gluten free at xmas and we still manage to have all the trimmings as her DH's aunt has coeliacs).
Most things main wise are really easy to make gluten free, and you'd probably be surprised at what dishes you already make that are gluten free. Just remember that if you are using cornflour for thickening be sure its not wheat cornflour (I know sounds dodgy but some of the homebrands are made from corn) otherwise anything with rice, or polenta, potato is fine, just stay away from pasta. You could do a lovely roast pork with potato rosti's (using potato flour) and a nice mushroom cream sauce (served with some garlic fried baby spinach) looks fancy and is fairly easy to do.

[Roryrory]

Pav jumped to mind straight away, and you could go "retro '80's" and do a "stack" - baked slices of potato and sweet potato stacked and topped with sliced kangaroo fillets. Surprisingly, many recipes in mags like Gourmet Traveller are GF.

[feeb]

U can do a gluten free lasagna or other pasta dish as lots of gluten free pastsa available

[Lucy]

Girls, you are amazing: thank you so much: this is just exactly what I need to get my creative cooking juices flowing!

With my 3 littlies, it has been a LONG time since we entertained and I went all out........I mean, we entertain all the time, but it is usually friends and kids over for a BBQ....but I used to go "all out" really regularly & I MISS IT!!!!

So next weekend is probably the first time I am going "all out" for about 3 years.........so KEEP THESE IDEAS COMING!!!

Thank you so much all.........you are inspiring me and I am enthusiastic!

[Roryrory]

I used to go "all out" really regularly & I MISS IT!!!!

Me too!!! I was looking at my lovely set of fish knives the other day, and dreaming about using my little individual souffle dishes - all such a blurr now! I have even dropped my subscriptions to Gourmet Traveller and Vouge Entertaining

Make sure you tell us what you end up cooking so we can live vicariously through your dinner party

[Rouge]

Awww you guys You should have date night once a week and go all out, or do what we do and have some friends over once a week. We have the kids godparents over on a Sunday and I get to go crazy!

[Lucy]

We have the kids godparents over on a Sunday and I get to go crazy!

Similar...we have close friends over at least once a week...BUT my problem is that Olivia and Charlie and Lexie want to "help"..argghhhhh! The are actually pretty good, and I have trained them well in the kitchen......BUT, you know what it's liek when you just want to spend allday preparing, zoning out whilst you chop serenly, with some lovely chilled out music on, and maybe a glass of wine as you prepare?!

My world is SO removed from that at the monent!

Make sure you tell us what you end up cooking so we can live vicariously through your dinner party

Rory, I will.......I have ideas bubbling & evolving.....and recipe books around my feet......I will post my menu when I make the final decision, and maybe even post snaps once I am done!