Party for 40? Easy and mess free foods I can serve?!
Party for 40? Easy and mess free foods I can serve?
For my son's birthday party in a week, and Im starting to stress. The party's at an in-between time (2-5) so if I can get away with it, I'd rather not serve a full meal. Unless you can give me a recipe for a stress-free, fast and easy meal that can serve a lot of peole. Otherwise easy no-mess finger foods. I plan on at least serving chips n quacamole. Hopeing for kinda "summery" foods. Also I got special trays Id like to serve on. One about the size you'd see your turkey on at thanksgiving, and a smaller version on that and a couple big bowls. So yea, please help im losing hair here. eek! And please no more websites, I cannot look at another online cookbook, if you have your own recipes that'd be amazing. OH and I fell in love with a cumcuber sandwich i had years ago, tyed the recipe on foodnetwork n it didnt satisfy, any ideas for that? Please help, and Thank Your so much!
Answers:
Are there going to be kids or adults? If there are going to be adults then you can make this Pimiento Cheese ,1 (8-ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar
1 (8-ounce) package shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos, with juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Mix the shredded cheeses together with the pimientos and their juice. Stir in the mayonnaise until well blended. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and stir. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. It is easier to spread if left on the counter for 30 minutes before serving.
If there are going to be kids then you make Granola Peanut Butter Balls .
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons peanut butter
2 cups granola
2 to 4 tablespoons milk, or as needed
In a large bowl, mix together the honey and peanut butter. Using a spatula, stir in the granola. Add enough milk to just moisten--you want it to stick together. Form into balls. Chill until ready to serve.
Or a Yogurt and Fruit Dessert Cup.
1 single-serve cup fruit flavored custard style low fat yogurt
1/4 cup granola or Grape Nuts
1 cup cut fruit from in store service deli
Layer custard style fruit yogurt with granola or Grape nuts and chunks of cut fruit. The fruit costs more cut than fresh, but when your cooking for 1, whole pineapples and melons can be daunting. Here, it's worth the extra cost to treat your body to some fresh fruit.
How about chicken fingers? Or getting some 2-3 foot long subs and slicing them? You can serve both on your platters. Put a bowl of ranch dip in the middle of the chicken fingers.
How about deli meat on tea rolls, if you can't set it up buffet style, make the sandwiches up using a bit or may or miracle whip.
how about a buffet style dinner? have mini sarnis of all flavours, crisps, chips, sliced meats, mini sausages, mini pizzas, you cant go wrong!
Food isn't messy, messy people make messes.
Do a sandwich buffet. Lay out deli slices of ham, roastbeef and turkey, a deli sliced cheese plate, chedder, american, a plate of shredded lettce and sliced tomato and bowls of mayo, mustard and butter. Use over size dinner rolls bought in bags at the bakery section of the grocery store. Then for the sides a veggie plate with diff veggies and a dip. deviled eggs, onion wraps (greenonions wrapped with ham and creamcheese), and various chips.
Everyone serves themselves and throws their plate away in the trash. Have fun.
sounds like u have a lot of great ideas...lunch meats, cheese slices...may i suggest an edible fruit basket...or just use cookie cutters to cut fruit in fun shapes...buy a pack of skewers, and your favorite fruits. we made these for my friends babyshower, and they were very easy and affordable.
Buffet or food stations are definitely the way to go! Here are a few ideas:
- Make your own Tacos/Nachos (everything for this can be pre-cooked or pre-chopped and stored in the fridge until the day of your party. Keep the meat in a crockpot. Microwave cold meat refill crockpot as needed.) OR, call up your local mexican restaurant (Qdoba, Chipotle or whatever chain you have) and inquire about catering prices. Sometimes you cant cook yourself for what they charge!
- Giant Subs from Subway, store-bought deli salads, chips, etc.
- Hot shredded beef sandwiches, deli salads, chips: Either make in crockpots or roast in oven. Again, this can be done several days in advance. Leftovers can be frozen!
- Sloppy Joes - make in advance
- Chili with toppings and fixin's
- "Build a burger" bar
Good luck!
I've done this strictly with appetizers and finger foods. Mini-empanadas, egg rolls, franks in blankets, mini-quiches, etc. You can buy most of this frozen, then just heat them up. Costco has a great selection, as do the rest of the big box stores. Also crackers with stuff on it, deviled eggs (very summery), brownies and cookies and mini-pastries.