What foods do you usually bring to parties?

[Jessica]

My office is having its annual *bring lots of food* party & I have a few ideas - pepperoni rolls, cheese ball, mexican cream cheese roll-ups. I get bored with bringing the same stuff each year, so I was wondering if anyone has some original, creative, not-so-boring recipes/ideas for an office party.

Thanks in advance ... :hi:

[wryter2000]

1. Chopped chicken liver

Easy to make and unusual and yummy.

[eleny]

2. Chicken wings

I dip them in egg then shake in a bag with Italian bread crumbs and oven fry them in a big pan. Always a big hit with questions about how to make them. The thing is they aren't hot or sweet. Just tasty.

Edit: If the whole wing is too fatty, the drumette portion is very meaty. They also come in packages by themselves.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Very old fashioned .... deviled eggs

Sparkly makes 'em and they never fail to please. We have yet to have a leftover, even when we make several dozens at a time.

[merci_me]

6. I was just thinking of deviled eggs today

we just got a notice for our 3 times a year block party. Jim always makes one of the briskets, plus we take another dish. I was thinking of deviled eggs, but wondering if maybe everyone is egged out right now. I'm vacillating between that and just some great strawberries and a dip, but I think letting the little guys do double dipping, fingers included is not a good idea either.

We have several toddlers on the street and it's something they can handle. A few years back we didn't have any and I use to do the tortellini kabobs or a fruit kabob, but with all the babies running around, the skewers are not a good idea. Last fall, I made a tray of pb&j sandwiches cut in finger strips and the little ones really took to those, over the brisket. They pretty much just ate those, chips, brownies and cookies. LOL

Does Sparkly have a favorite ingredient list? I use the same ingredients that I use for my egg salad and add some sweet paprika and an olive on top.

Mary

[Sparkly]

17. Deviled Eggs

H2S suggested I post my ingredients (aw, shucks...)

In whatever proportions you like:

Mayo
Worcestershire Sauce
Lemon Juice
Dijon Mustard
Dry mustard
Salt
Tabasco
A little milk if they're dry
Paprika on top

(H2S insists on putting the filling through a pasty bag so they come out nice and pretty, like rosettes!)

[merci_me]

18. Thanks, I'll make note of it

I've always used my egg salad ingredients. Like you, I make a lot and guess at the measurements. I always do at least 2 dozen or 3 dozen eggs.

I mince dried onion flakes REALLY fine, add enough milk to re-hydrate and then add that, dill weed, pepper and a bit of sugar to Hellman's mayo. Mix that in and add some of the brine from the jar of Spanish olives.

After stuffing the whites, I sprinkle sweet paprika and add a small olive on top of each, some stuffed Spanish and some small Greek (in place of the "rose petals").LOL

My husband doesn't help me cook. He has a "spot" where he stands at the sink and he keeps everything washed/dried and ready to keep moving. When he cooks, I curl up with a book and music.

During the holidays he's a wild man making several different varieties of tassies, yum. He use to make them for the general election and take them to the polls for all the nice Republican ladies who worked with him. Then the wingnuts took over running the polls, so now he takes his own sandwich and thermos and questions everything! BTW, the Republican ladies who worked with us for years, now vote absentee, rather than even go to the polling place and deal with the wingnuts.

Mary

[merci_me]

4. I posted this a couple of months ago

and it's on the demopedia now, but I'll copy it again here. It always goes over well and looks nice.

Tortellini kabobs for pot luck or appetizers
merci_me

* cheese tortellini
* pepperoni slices folded in half or quarters
* pitted black olives
* grape tomatoes
* balls of fresh mozzarella (about the size of the tomatoes)
* bell peppers cut in chunks
* Italian dressing
* wooden skewers (I use 10 inch size)

Cook the tortellini al dente and cool. Then just start stringing it on the skewers. I start with a tortellini and end with one to cap. Generally I do:

* tortellini
* black olive
* pepperoni
* green pepper
* tortellini
* mozzarella
* pepperoni
* grape tomato
* tortellini

I do these the night before and marinate the kabobs in Italian dressing. They fit best in a 9x13 pyrex pan. To take, I take them out of the pan, pour out the dressing and line it with large green leaves (I like to use bok choy because of the size)and pile the kabobs in.

[Jessica]

5. That sounds wonderful ...

Thanks for posting ... :9

[politicat]

7. Depends on a lot of factors:

Season - I take cold salads in the summer, warm dishes in winter; finger food or sit-down; formality, numbers, etc. I'll post spring and summer stuff only.

Pita and hummus with olives on the side is the very quick, oh-shit-I-forgot-the-party dish, and is usually a hit. Cut the pita in strips, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs and sesame seeds and toast in oven. Hummus is 2 cans of cooked garbanzos, olive oil,
1/4 sundried tomatoes in oil, garlic, salt, pepper. I usually serve kalamata olives.

I sometimes take my great-grandmother's chicken salad, rolled into butter or boston lettuce leaves or - if I'm really feeling ambitious - wrapped in rice paper, with a honey mustard dipping sauce. Her chicken salad is chicken, celery, drained pineapple tidbits, halved red seedless grapes (for color, my preference. She used green Thompson), and toasted, slivered almonds.

If there are plates available, a big spinach and romaine salad with sliced mushrooms, slivered nuts, grape tomatoes, mandarin orange or tangerine sections (the former being far more reliable in the summer) and basalmic-orange vinaigrette works. I'd put the nuts on the side, but that's me. The vinaigrette I usually leave on the side, as well.

My aunt always (and I mean ALWAYS) takes Bloody Marys on a stick. She blanches cherry tomatoes, slips off the skin, chills, then just before serving mixes 1/4 c. vodka and 1/4 c. cooled beef broth and pours over the tomatoes, then serves with celery salt for dipping. They lose nothing by not using vodka.

Vegetarian sushi works well.

Kid friendlies I've used come mostly out of my older cookbooks. I find that kids like ribbon sandwiches or pinwheel sandwiches, with lots of different fillings. Strawberry jam and cream-cheese, PBJ, chicken spread or salad, egg salad, cream cheese mixed with just about anything.... the old Fannie Farmer says to make these by spreading compatible fillings on single slices of bread, then stacking, topping with another slice, and cutting the whole mega sandwich into slices. (Chilling may be appropriate.) Peanut butter, kam, banana ribbons go really well. Pinwheels require unsliced bread. Cut the long way on the loaf, lay in filling, then roll up tightly and wrap in plastic or wax paper. Slice before serving.

My sister's thing is taquitos; she makes them herself. Basically, they're shredded, seasoned chicken, refritos, and corn tortillas. mix the chicken and the beans, spread a thin layer in the tortilla, roll up, brush with oil and bake until crispy on the outside. They serve cold well with guacamole, salsa and cheese (cut in half to prevent double dipping).

Have fun!!

[Jessica]

24. Thanks for all the great ideas!

The chicken salad & taquitos sound great. I would've never thought of doing taquitos myself, but those sound pretty easy.

[trotsky]

8. Grape jelly meatballs

Just get a big bag of those little frozen meatballs, a jar of grape jelly, and a jar of Heinz chili sauce.

Mix, heat in the crockpot, and serve. The crockpot part makes it easy for potlucks.

[eleny]

11. Wow!

Looks easy and sounds pretty good, too! I never would have thought to combne chili sauce and jelly. But what the heck, I have to try this.

[trotsky]

12. They are delicious.

It ends up being like a tangy barbeque sauce. Just stir occasionally while they're cooking, it's really easy.

[Jessica]

22. Ooo ... Those sound great!

And I can do that ... just got my first crockpot - my mom's old one. Thanks so much!

[trotsky]

27. You're welcome - and for a variation, try using little smokies

instead of the meatballs. Also very good.

[merci_me]

30. A variation of the smokies

I do those with a jar of apricot jam and a small jar of mustard.

[NMDemDist2]

9. i like pigs in a blanket for office potlucks and they are always gone

the deviled egg idea is good too

pigs in a blanket

Lil Smokie sausages
Pillsbury crescent rolls


cut each crescent square in half diagonally to make a triangle, wrap a smokie in it and cook according to roll directions

serve with fancy mustards and voila!

[bleedingheart]

10. that is not a pig in a blanket!!!! The outrage!!!

Pigs in a blanket are ground beef mixed with cooked rice and rolled in cabbage...then cooked in tomato sauce...

geezzz...

:silly:

[Beaverhausen]

13. but beef is from cows so how can it be a pig in a blanket?

unless you were kidding of course...

[NMDemDist2]

14. if you have read any of my recipes, you know I'm no purist

:rofl:

but your's sound good too (except the cabbage part, I'm allergic)

[The empressof all]

15. A big Apple Crisp

I make a big apple crisp in a lasagna pan. Folks love it because they think it's healthy even though it's sweet.

[housewolf]

19. Apple Crisp recipe?

Hey Empress,

I LOVE apple crisp and don't have a good recipe for one. Would you share yours?

Yuuummmm...

[The empressof all]

20. Oh no...I was afraid someone would ask

I'm a dump and run apple crisp maker. I don't follow a recipe. Here's what I pretty much do though.

I peel,core and slice apples (I have one of those nifty apple peeler thingies which makes it real easy). I use whatever apples are reasonably priced but always try to use a few Granny Smiths because they cut the sweetness of the other kinds of apples.

I add sugar (brown and white), cinnamon, vanilla, a little melted butter and a generous dusting of flour. (I vary the amounts of these based on the kinds of apples I'm using--ie: sweeter apples need less sugar) Sometimes I will add raisins and and a splash of apple brandy.

I bake at 350 for about a half an hour while I make the topping.

In the food processor, I combine flour, sugar (brown and white), cinnamon and then add butter in small pieces-process until mixture is consistency of small peas.

I then add chopped nuts and instant oatmeal (don't process that just stir in.

I put the topping on the cooking apples pour melted butter over the top and bake until the topping is brown and crunchy looking.


I'm sorry I can't give you measurements--but I do it by feel. I also tend to make sweeter richer crisps in winter and lighter tarter crisps in the summer.

[Jessica]

23. Yummm ... I'm saving that one!

I have a really great blackberry cobbler recipe - I'll post it sometime. Warm weather always calls for this stuff! Thanks for posting ...

[housewolf]

32. Oh thanks, that sounds great

I wish I had a food processor for stuff like that, I just don't do a good job of cutting butter into flour and having it come out the right size - I must over-work it because it always comes out real fine.

Thanks, Empress, this really sounds good.

[bearfan454]

16. Take some pasta salad

Dice green peppers, onions, black olives, and hard boiled egg whites only. Use as much of these ingredients as you like. Boilpasta. I like ziti or salad shells. Drain and cool. Add everything together with Hellmann's mayo(again as much as you like). Add salt to taste, a little garlic powder, and some pepper. Form into whatever dish shape you like. Top with Kraft parmesan cheese, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate over night. It tastes better the next day. Serve cold.

[Jessica]

26. Always a favorite ... thanks :)

And thanks for using real mayo & not Miracle Whip ... x( :hi:

[bearfan454]

28. Miracle Whip sucks

It's mayo with sugar in it.

[grasswire]

21. Isn't it funny how "personal" deviled egg recipes are?

Here's mine: a bit of finely minced sweet onion, some really good curry powder, a dash of yellow mustard, and a pinch of sugar with the Hellman's mayo.

Now to the party ideas:

Homemade breadsticks made with herbs & garlic

A big basket of homemade warm fat soft pretzels with a pot of some interesting mustard. (I have a recipe if anyone's interested.)

Tuna-cheese buns -- basically the stuff used in tuna melts (tuna, mayo, pickle relish, celery salt, cheese slice), but in hamburger buns and then wrapped in foil individually. Heat in oven on site or keep warm until party time.

A block of cream cheese with some kind of ginger sauce poured over it and sprinkled with some chopped fresh mint, to put on crackers. (Safeway makes a wonderful ginger sauce.)

Homemade spiced pecans or other nuts. Lots of savory recipes available on the Internet.

[Jessica]

25. That pretzel idea sounds great ...

Is it easy?

[grasswire]

33. making soft pretzels...

...isn't harder than making yeast bread.

The only real trick with this recipe is experimenting with your pan to keep the pretzels from sticking, because you put them on the baking pan while they are wet from the water dip, and tend to fuse to the pan. I finally settled on sprinkling coarse cornmeal on the pan to keep them loose. These pretzels are very similar to the ones the shopping malls feature. They smell heavenly when baking and are mighty tasty.

[eyesroll]

29. I have brought the following to various potlucks:

1. Vegetarian sushi rolls (a big hit, but a bit labor intensive) -- Sushi rice, seaweed, cut-up carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, diakon, whatever. Serve with wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.
2. If you have access to an oven at the party place -- Tartlet shells (you can get these pre-made in the freezer case) filled with a tiny bit each of gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, carmelized onions and sauteed pears. Top with a little walnut oil and ground black pepper. When you get to the party place, pop them into the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. (Follow instructions on the tartlet shell package.)
3. Chipotle deviled eggs -- Use chipotle mustard and mayo to make the filling, garnish with a little ground chipotle pepper. I've used extra yolk filling to stuff cherry tomatoes or snow-pea shells.
4. Stuffed mushrooms -- bake mushroom caps brushed with olive oil, 350 for about 10 minutes, until partially cooked. Remove from oven, drain off any mushroom liquid. Fill caps with a mixture of cream cheese and crab meat, top with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, bake 10 minutes more. If you want, you can run the cooked mushrooms under a broiler for a minute to brown the tops, but it's not necessary.
5. Red, white and blue Napoleons -- Puff pastry (cut into triangles, baked according to directions, then the triangles split into halves or thirds, across, like you would to make a sandwich). Let the pastry cool. Layer the following: Bottom pastry, sweetened whipped cream, sliced strawberries, middle pastry, sweetened whipped cream, blueberries, top pastry. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
6. Tenderloin, pounded thin, marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, chile paste. Thread onto skewers and grill or broil. Can be served cold.
7. Asparagus, blanched and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest, wrapped completely in puff pastry, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with sesame seeds, baked according to puff-pastry directions. These are good hot or at room temperature.

Good luck!

[NMDemDist2]

31. wow! all of those sound easy and very tasty! thanks n/t