Need food suggestions on a casual get together

[TN Traveler]

Boy, I need some ideas and help!!

DH & I hosted an exchange student from Italy school year 1986-87. We have stayed in touch w/"our son" through the years and he is FINALLY getting to come back for a visit!! He will be here next weekend and I have SO much to do before he gets here. I got this wild hair to totally remodel my den and have taken down my curtains (which are 15 + yrs old!)
and want to start all over. I've found some curtains I like and hope to get them this weekend. I'm also going to buy some pictures and different things to change it around in here. In between all of this we have soccer for 2 kids on Tues & Thurs nights, church on Wed night, soccer games on Saturday w/pictures before AND I have my job (home based travel agent!!) In addition, he has asked me to track down some of his old friends and let them know he is going to be in town and would like to see them. SO now I have decided to have a little get together at my house for him and whoever wants to come over can. CALL ME CRAZY!! So now, I'm trying to figure out what to prepare as snacks to have for people to eat. This is where I need your help. I'm thinking about chips, french onion dip, chips w/salsa, veggie tray, maybe a fruit tray, cheese and crackers, maybe a meat tray w/misc crackers as well, and I've thought about some pigs N blankets, sausage cheese balls or something like that. Problem is I won't have time to make anything that afternoon since the girls have soccer games until 2!! I need this to be Q & D!! Instead of pigs n blankets, I thought about some of those little smokies in the sauce that stay in the crock pot....can someone tell me how to make those? I know it's super easy but never made it. Also any other suggestions for quick and easy foods? I thought about hot wings or fresh shrimp w/cocktail sauce but both are very expensive and I need to keep this easy on the budget as much as possible. I can buy a cheeseball at my local grocery, prepare the veggies the day before and buy a fruit tray that morning or make it the afternoon before guests arrive. Cheese tray should be pretty easy. What about wine? I know NOTHING about wine but considering he's from Italy I think we should have some here but don't know what to buy. Maybe I should let him make that call and he and DH can buy some that afternoon if he wants to.

Any suggestions and ideas will be more than welcome as I'm at a total loss on what to do!!

TIA,
Karen

 

[MImom]

Hi, I am not the "cooking" type, but I entertain often. My advice (which is just my personal opinion), is to make it easy on yourself. Not sure how often you have short notice get togethers, so some of this may be too simple or basic for you.

The chips and dip, salsa/chips, veggie tray, fruit, cheese and crackers all sound great. You had mentioned a meat/cheese tray. If you get a few loaves of bread, some mustards, lettuce and sliced tomatoes, then people could make sandwiches or even easier, forget the sandwich idea and just add pepperoni and/or summer sausage to the cheese tray. Other suggestions are hummus and pita bread, mini egg rolls, mini quiches, pasta salad and hot cheese dip or meatballs/smokeys(in the crock pot). I am also not above asking others to bring something, especially when they offer. I always take them up on their offer to bring something - even just chips and dip or soda. One less thing for me to worry about. I would skip the shrimp or anything else you feel is too expensive. It will be a great get together without it.

As far as the wine goes, I would delegate that to your DH and guest. Have them buy both red and white, dry and sweet - IMHO you can't go wrong with a variety. Sounds like you will be busy that day and are trying to do as much ahead as possible, and I totally agree with that. I set up the tables ahead of time, get out serving bowls and platters, silverware, plates cups...basically almost everything except the food, the day before. Also, you don't want to spend all your time preparing and fussing with food and not visiting with your guest of honor.


I think the host/hostess sets the tone of the party and if you are relaxed and enjoying yourself, your guests will follow suit. Have a great party and don't sweat the small stuff - have fun and enjoy it as much as you can.

 

[mrp4352]

Honestly, you can't beat the selection of frozen appetizers/individual desserts at Sam's! Their frozen meatballs, sandwich roll-ups and creme puffs have been a staple at our large get-togethers for years!

 

[MeanLaureen]

This is totally easy and always gets such praise (if they only knew how little work I do..lol)

Go to Sam's (or Costco, etc) and get a bag of their frozen meatballs and a bag of the little Smokies. Throw the meatballs in the oven to cook them per direction (something like throw them on a cookie tray and heat for about 30 minutes). Dump the meatballs and the smokies in the crockpot and cover the whole thing with a jumbo sized jar of Ragu sauce. Heat it on medium until it starts to simmer and then throw it on low and just stir occasionally.

Whenever I put a crockpot of these out at family or other functions, people go nuts for the stuff.

 

[TN Traveler]

Hey Everyone...Thanks for all the great suggestions.
Trying to respond to some of the questions .....no, I don't entertain much at all b/c of the size of my house--and the fact I hate cleaning!! I would like to but just feel I don't have the space. We have Birthday parties for the girls but thankfully all 3 of them have summer birthdays so we usually have games outside for them to play and can set up tables & chairs to open presents and then cake & ice cream afterwards. Sometimes I'll grill hamburgers and have grandparents, aunts, uncles and other extended family members over as well as friends of the girls but most of the time i just go w/cake and ice cream.

I think I'm going to stick w/quick and easy ideas which would be veggie and fruit trays, chips and dip and things like that. I remembered a dip that I always get nice comments on and it's SOOO easy. Brown a lb of sausage...med, mild or hot whichever is preferred. Drain the grease, put into small crock pot, add a jar of cheese whiz and stir until mixed together. Serve w/assortment of crackers. It's really good!! I don't have a Sam's card but I bet my Super Wal-Mart would have the meatballs. You pour Ragu sauce over them? Over the little sausages too? I thought you used A-1 Sauce or Worchester (sp?) sauce???

Unfortunately no one has offered to bring anything but I'm hoping I'll get an offer this week. I'd gladly take anything!! Since I have no idea how many people will come over, I don't know what to plan for. How far in advance can you cut up broccalli, cauliflower, carrots and celery before it starts turning brown? I'm thinking if I could get some of this done as early as Wed or Thurs, that'd be better! I know apples turn quickly and don't think I could slice any before Sat morning but what other fruit would be good? Not sure I want to do that but trying to get ideas.

Keep the suggestions and ideas coming!! I need all the help I can get!!

Karen

 

[mommytotwo]

Why not get one of those presliced veggie trays from your super Walmart.

Fruits-grapes, cherries, strawberries, or get a big watermelon or some cantelopes and slice those and put them on a platter.

 

[clh2]

For carrots - if you get the bags of the "mini-carrots" you are good to go with a quick rinse.

For celery - I personally would cut them up the day before and then store them in water. Drain them well before serving and blot them dry with paper towel, and you are good to go. The celery ends up really crisp this way.

Sorry - I can't help with the broccoli.

 

[TN Traveler]

The mini carrots in the bag are WONDERFUL!! I use them all the time. Thanks for the suggestion on the celery. I guess the cauliflower and broccalli will have to wait until Friday night to prepare.
I think I'm going to ask a couple people that I know fairly well to bring chips, drinks or something like that to help me out.
Keep the suggestions coming.
I REALLY appreciate all your help and ideas!!
Karen

 

[TN Traveler]

Hi Ya'll....I thought I'd post an update on how our get together for Lorenzo went. I'm sure if you've had CNN or Headline News on you've seen the tornados that went through TN Friday. Well, I live in Gallatin....where the tornados hit and did so much damage. I live about 3 miles from the college and car dealerships that were hit so badly. The Woodhaven subdivision that has been on the news so much is about 2 miles away. One of my dearest friends suffered major damage to her home while others I know in the same subdivision are w/o homes. It's really bad here. We had been home less than an hour when the weather started getting bad and then lost power. Power was not restored until 3:00 or so Saturday afternoon. So needless to say w/company coming at 5, I didn't ahve a chance to prepare much. Thankfully one of the other host moms brought of 2 pizzas and some Mexican dip for chips that was really good.
I think the party turned out pretty good considering how bad things were around here. Didn't try anything extra special but we had fun anyway.
Thanks again,
Karen

 

[EeyoreFan1]

I'm super glad you had a great time!