SMALL BITES … adventures in downsizing

By Jan Kinzel

Two roads diverged … begins a famous poem by Robert Frost.  In it, he speaks of choices.  When downsizing must occur, there are many choices to be made.  One of the most urgent is where to live next.  Two choices may be involved – a temporary place for the interim and a permanent one for the future.  But the most important thing to decide is how you want to live from where you are forward.

As we age, the choices become clearer.  How much space do I want?  What activities would I like to pursue?  Would I sacrifice daily living space for shared amenities?  Ask yourself many of these kinds of questions.  There are no right or wrong answers.  The important thing is to be pro-active in this important decision and take the path that suits you.

It’s difficult to ‘let go’ of the ‘stuff’ of our lives, but there does come a time when it’s the best choice.

Once the decision is made, pursue it with gusto!  Moving forward with happy plans is the best antidote for lamenting the change that must happen.  Remember, denial is just a big river in Egypt!

I love resorts!  So, that’s where I started.  I went to the web and looked under luxury condos in my area.  The first listing is what we ended up choosing.  I like new construction and that meant not moving to immediate permanency.  We chose to live in a hotel in our interim.  The hotel has a “resort style living’ feel.  I’m in training for condo living!  This is the choice that is most comfortable for us.  What about you?  Hotel, apartment, condo, senior living complex, house, leaving the area, living with kids…There are numerous excellent choices for your next move.  What will you choose?  Will it be the road less traveled?

BUFFETS GALORE!

Breakfast Buffet

Juices: orange, tomato, cranberry, grape, sparkling water

Breads: scones, toast, muffins, pastries, pancakes, waffles

Eggs: Benedict, scrambled, soft-boiled, strata casserole

Meats: sausage, bacon (cut calories & fat and use turkey), ham

Fresh fruit platter: melon, mango, black– blue- rasp- and straw-berries, additional seasonal treats

Freshly brewed coffee

Fresh Fruit & Smoothie Bar

Fresh fruits & berries

Plain and flavored low fat yoghurts, sorbets, ice cream

Juices and nectars

Honey

Round up 3 or 4 blenders and blend away!  Serve in tall glasses with tall straws.

Seafood Buffet

Roasted Shrimp

Pickled Shrimp

Sushi from Costco with yummy dipping sauces

Crab Cakes

Steamed Alaskan King Crab Legs with garlic and butter

Crispy Fish Tacos with coleslaw

Clam Chowder

Clam Linguini with olive oil, lemon and garlic sauce and snipped fresh herbs

Pasta Buffet

Cooked varieties of whole wheat pastas tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and garlic held warm in crock pots or steamer.  Offer a selection of red or white sauces and additions such as turkey meatballs, sautéed mushrooms,

roasted garlic, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese brick and a grater and chopped fresh parsley.  Accompany with Caesar style green salad with home-baked parmesan/ garlic/ fresh herb croutons.

Kabob Buffet

Instead of plates, use Chinese take-out boxes.  Begin the buffet line with steamed brown rice placed in the bottom of the take-out box.  Have a variety of meat, veggie and fresh fruit kabobs.  As the guests move down the line, kabobs are added to their box.  This is a very fun and casual eating style.  Include a brightly colored plastic fork at the end of the line.  The food does not need to be Asian inspired to be enjoyed this way.

Memories Buffet

Prepare favorite family recipes for a family get-together.  Assign specialties accordingly.  Decorate with family photos.  Give each family a mini-photo album of shared memories.

Potato Bar

A baked potato with all the trimmings is delicious and comforting. Even more so is a martini glass filled with mashed potatoes and trimmings such as caramelized onions, garlic sauce, sautéed mushrooms, etc.!

Build Your Own Pizza Bar

Purchase stretched pizza dough circles from a pizza restaurant. Present a variety of toppings: red sauce, white sauce, fresh veggies, sautéed veggies, fresh spinach and arugula, sliced mushrooms, onions, pineapple chunks, ham, cooked sausage, cooked chicken.  You can even theme the ingredients ethnically.  Allow the guests to construct their own pizzas.  They can share ‘dough surface’.  Have a 4000 oven ready and cook as they bring them to you.

Salad Bar

Set a large metal bowl in another bowl of ice.  Fill with basic fresh greens. Offer spinach, arugula, field greens and the like.  Have a variety of crunchy fresh veggies, some cheeses and 3 or 4 choices of dressings. For more flavor and interest add fresh or dried fruit and candied or spiced nuts. Have everything, including serve-ware, thoroughly chilled.

Drink Bar

Sparkling water, diet ginger ale, fruit flavored drink syrups, fresh fruit juices, canned fruit nectars, fresh fruit and mint leaves, container of party ice, variety of glasses, glass charms for stemware, swizzle sticks, stirrers, fancy straws, blender to make frozen drinks

Dessert Buffet

Offer desserts in categories of chocolate, fruit, creams such as cheesecake, pots d’ crème, puddings

Accompany with freshly brewed coffee.

Coffee/Espresso Bar

Latte cups, clear glass coffee mugs and tiny espresso cups & saucers should be on the bar.  Brew espresso or extra-strong coffee for the tiny cups.  Place a twist of lemon rind and a sugar cube or rock candy swizzle stick alongside the cup.  Have whipped cream and regular cream, sweeteners and flavored syrups for coffees available.

I think by now you get my drift. The ideas are endless.  Make some of the dishes and purchase others – you choose.  Enter any dish you can think of on the internet and press search.  You will be rewarded with ‘tons’ of tasty recipes.  Mix and match.  Above are some of my ideas, but you are the designer of your buffet.  You choose!

Tip:  Be proactive. Make positive and Godly choices.

Joshua 24:15 …choose this day whom you will serve….