Party food dilemma! What is clean, easy to eat, yet fancy?!
Answers: I am having a dress up party for middle schoolers. They will have sparkling white grape juice for a drink, or sprite. I need ideas for "clean" foods to make that are very easy to eat. I don't want a disastrous mess in my house or on the fancy clothing of the tweens. But...it must look and seem "fancy"... any ideas appreciated, and bonus if it is cheap, LOL
The key for fancy is all in the presentation, especially for tweens, most don't like fancy food.
The first suggestion would be finger sandwiches. It's a bit of a waste generally, but since it's holiday time you can save the edges for stuffing. Use a cookie cutter and cut out white bread. Cheap, cheap, cheap! Then fill with a variation of things. A schmear of cream cheese and a slice of ham, tomato and mayo with S & P, and chicken salad are all pretty benign tastes that they would like. Arrange them on plates that you have placed on top of different sized bowls for height differences with a garnish of kale and cherry tomatoes.
Another good idea is stuffed celery. Again serve a variety. Some with peanut butter that you have sprinkled some toasted sesame seeds on, honey walnut cream cheese with chopped walnuts or cream cheese with some sliced olives laid on top. Serve with a garnish of the celery tops.
Another is fruit and yogurt kebabs. Put one or two pieces of fruit on cocktail toothpicks. Sprinkle the fruit with a little bit of lemon juice to keep the fruit from browning. Serve with a vanilla yogurt dip. I actually like to make my own. Pour a container of plain yogurt in a coffee filter and let it drain for about an hour. It get's a lot thicker. Then mix in your own flavorings. I generally use a few packs of splenda, vanilla and a little bit of lemon juice.
This is a great recipe, that I can't take credit for. It's a veggie "pizza". I use the word pizza very loosely. Check out this recipe, it's really good, even my 6 year old will eat it. http://recipes.kaboose.com/vegetable-piz...
And of course a cheese and cracker tray, perhaps with some pepperoni and a veggie tray with dip.
devilled eggs mmmmmm
Pinwheels with cream cheese and jalapenos are always a hit. As is a meat and cheese tray.
how about little triangle sandwiches
or cheese cubes
Quiche and a plus is you can buy it premade
I would do cellary and peanutbutter and then maybe some cheese with crackers and maybe like salamii and creame cheese, and little sqaure or rolled up meat slices.. Good luck..
I would go with a classic Ritz cracker with a rose petal cheese whiz pattern.
I guess pizza is cliche......but how about pasta? I guess that could be messy too, but it is sort of fancy. Maybe you could do like a simple penne pasta with parmesan cheese or olive oil and garlic or something like that - it doesn't have to be red sauce - which would definitely guarantee a mess
get tottia shells or wraps. spread on low fat cream cheese. on 2/3's put a few slices of lunch meat, some lettus and cheese. role up and cut into 1 inch slices. serve with honey mustar. easy to make, easy finger foods. and fairly healthy.
fruits.
u can make a fruit pizza
I suggest buying ritz crackers and spray the top with cheese(out of the can)...maybe adding an olive for decoration...disgusting ..I KNOW...but it adds color...and kids that age dont really care what they eat ...just as long as its FUN TO EAT... they could be "H'orderv's"(sp?)...Other than that...just makes sandwiches and cut them in triangles...simple!
little sandwiches, pinwheels, triscuit crackers with cream cheese and toppings on them, fruit tray, a big pound cake with no frosting, keesh?(those little tarts with cheese in it), cheese cubes with veggies, pasta salad!!!, cole slaw...
Also, arrange everything on fancy looking trays and plates.
White Chocolate Cereal Clusters
INGREDIENTS
* 4 cups honey graham cereal
* 1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts
* 2 cups vanilla or white chips
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the cereal and peanuts. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips at 30% power for 3 minutes, stirring every minute until smooth. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until well coated. Spread onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Let stand until chocolate is set. Break into small pieces.
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Farmhouse Barbecue Muffins
INGREDIENTS
* 1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Separate dough into 10 biscuits; flatten into 5-in. circles. Press each into the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin cup; set aside. In a skillet, brown ground beef; drain. In a small bowl, mix ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and chili powder; stir until smooth. Add to meat and mix well. Divide the meat mixture among biscuit-lined muffins cups, using about 1/4 cup for each. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin and serving.
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Egg Rolls
INGREDIENTS
* 1 (16 ounce) package wonton wrappers
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 1 pound shrimp - peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped
* 5 tablespoons soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
* 1 pound bean sprouts
* 2 green onions
* 3 stalks celery, chopped
* 1 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
* 1 cup vegetable oil
1. Place cabbage, bean sprouts, celery, and green onions in a large wok and stir fry over a high heat until vegetables cook down (add a little water if necessary). Mix in shrimp, stir fry until cooked.
2. In a large skillet, brown ground meat. Drain grease and add the meat to the vegetable and shrimp mixture. Continue to fry over a high heat; add oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and MSG. When well blended, remove mixture from heat.
3. Place a tablespoon of the meat and seafood mixture (or more, depending on how large your wonton skins are) into the center of each wonton skin. Fold the wonton skin over to make a package of the meat mixture inside, and seal the skin closed by dipping your finger in a little water and pressing the ends together.
4. Fry the wontons in 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until golden brown.
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Taco Roll-Ups
INGREDIENTS
* 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sour cream
* 2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1/2 cup picante sauce
* 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped ripe olives, drained
* 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
* 1 tablespoon onion soup mix
* 8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth; stir in the cheddar cheese, picante sauce, olives, taco seasoning and soup mix. Spread over tortillas; roll up jelly-roll style. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, cut into 1-in. pieces.
My suggestion is where you prepare the stuffed chicken breast up in foil....serve to each of your guests and they unfold the chicken on their plates. The recipe is simply. A piece of foil slightly larger than the thin chicken breast. I spray oil one side. Salt and pepper the chicken breast. In a saucepan I prepare the stuffing which could be any stuffing of your choice. I usually do a rice one which includes using ground hamburger, pine nuts, sliced almonds and spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Place chicken breast on greased foil. Place stuffing mixture in the middle. Grab both ends of the foil to cradle the chicken and roll the foil till the chicken and stuffing is snug inside the foil and sealed. Place in a pyrex or (if there are a large amount of guests) in a cooking sheet and place in the hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with cold plain yogurt. Or gravy. Serve with a salad.
Anything can be made "wrap" style; just take a tomato basil or spinach tortilla, spread with a low fat herbed cream cheese, and top with your choice of deli meats and cheeses, wrap up and slice.... those will look pretty.
Another idea is to bake won tons in muffin pans for a few minutes, until browned, and then fill with chinese chicken salad, or Caesar salad.... these are hand held, un-messy snacks that taste REALLY good....
make pizzas out of english muffins, and top with something a little nicer than typical pepperoni (basil and fresh mozzarella, perhaps?) then slice into wedges....
If you're looking for visual, here's another suggestion: what I do around the holidays is go to Michaels Crafts store and get a Styrofoam block (they're like 2 bucks), well then you get some assorted cheese cubes, olives, salami (folded in half ,then in half again) cocktail onions, cherry tomatoes, etc.... using a colorful toothpick, skewer your food item of choice and stick it into the Styrofoam.... once your done it will look like a colorful and yummy display of snacks!! You can also use this idea to do a fruit and cheese appetizer instead... same concept but use fresh fruits instead.
Have fun with your party!!
Pillsbury crescent dough, cut the triangles in half and put a portion of a hot dog in them close the edge with a fork brush with a little margarine & bake according to directions. They are a wonderful "fancy" clean snack that looks like it took real effort. I also love to do develed eggs on the spoon. You place half the egg on the spoon hold it in place with a bit of the yolk mixture, then top with the mixed yolk I use mayo and a little mustard, then I garnish it and put about 15 in the frige with the spoons -colored ones are a BIG hit and zero clean up if you really want to impress...stick a little dill or parsley under the egg on the spoon too right before you put them out! The spoon adds a color punch acts as the holder and there is no mess. What a fancy little no effort treat it makes. Cheeses cut into shapes with cookie cutters are cool and for show they can be cut and frozen long before your party then present them on a plate you have wisked across a little mustard or catsup or mayo on before you place them that you also froze, like be creative with the empty syrup bottle or whatever you have on hand to stripe the plate with and that makes it look so UPtown :) keep it thin & light and it won't make a mess on the cheese. Any type of lunchmeat filled with cream cheese and rolled up on that plate is just yummy and it looks elegant. You grab and eat...A few bright fruits and veggies here and there a few drops of food color or cool aid in the sprite-for color and you have an fancy, low cost-low effort upscale party. Have fun~~
I am assuming that by party food you are just doing appetizers and not intending to feed these pre-teens a finger food meal.
I suggest these treats:
1) Mix one package of cream cheese with a small can of chopped olives. Spread about a teaspoon of this mix on each of an assortment of different crackers. Then take a spoonful of Apricot-Pineapple Perserves and dab a bit on top of the cream cheese mix. Combines sweet and salty, is bite size for easy of eating and the cream cheese holds it together so not messy, and it looks fancy.
2) Get a jar of honey roasted nuts and fill a few bowls with nuts to be nibbled. They look fancier than plain nuts and are less oily, easy to eat, kid friendly and not too pricey.
3) Warm some burrito sized tortillas just so they are pliable and not cold. One at a time spread a small amount of canned refried beans over the entire tortilla. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of grated cheese on top of the beans. Cover with a layer of thinly sliced turkey or chicken lunch meat leaving about an inch of the beans exposed all the way around. Place a couple of slices of avocado down the center so that the avocado is cutting across the center of the tortilla. Then begin rolling the tortilla up. The beans will act as glue to hold the roll together. Once you have a roll cut it into one inch rounds and stick a tooth pick through each one. This is clean, tastey, fancy looking and kid friendly! It is fairly cheap as well
4) This last item is really fancy and a bit more pricey but very clean and tastey. It is simple to do as well. Buy frozen cooked shrimp 40-50 per pound size, with tails still on. Place them around the edges of a fancy crystal bowl filled with ice. In the middle of the bowl of ice place a smaller bowl with shrimp cocktail sauce. This makes a nice center piece at the table if you have a really pretty bowl to do it in as well. You do need to have a little bowl on the side for the tails if the kids don't have plates.
5) Shortbread cookies (the type that are about the size of your finger rather than the flat square variety) that have been in the freezer for a couple hours can be dipped on one end in melted chocolate and arranged on a plate with slices of apples and oranges and grapes for an elegant but simple and clean desert treat. If this party is happening in the fall the apples and oranges and grapes work well but would be great with strawberries or other summer fruit.
Ok, one thing you can do is take a brown round bread scoop the middle out and cut the middle into squares. Fill the center of the bread with spinach dip and have them dip into it.
Another thing is, pigs in a blanket. You can buy them in the frozen section and kids love those.
You can make little grilled cheese and tomato sandwhiches and cut them up in triangles.
For dessert, take one big bar of philadelphia creamcheese and mix it with marshmallow fluff add food coloring and mix it up as a dip for strawberries.
You can make rice krispie treats and dip them in chocolate
You can take a marshmallow in an ice cream cone and dip it in chocolate and put it in the freezer to harden the chocolate.