Anonymous wrote:There must be copious amounts of black olives for children to stick on all of their fingers.

Yes! We did this.

We also always do shrimp cocktail (not that nasty looking atrocity!)

Anonymous wrote:I've made dates stuffed with cheese wrapped in bacon for several recent gatherings and they are a HUGE hit. And super easy. I used goat cheese the first time but the second time, I used manchego which was way easier to stuff into the dates because they are harder.

These are so damn GOOD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) Veggies and french onion dip (one package of lipton, one container of sour cream, stir).
2)Cheese and crackers (I would do a cheddar, a blue, and a goat, and serve with table water crackers and triscuits).
3) Cream cheese shrimp dip (layer one block of cream cheese, one package of baby shrimp, one jar of cocktail sauce, serve with triscuits)

Easy-peasy

Cream cheese shrimp dip sounds disgusting. Do people actually eat this?

OMG, I dated a guy in college whose mom served this at every family get-together. I had to turn my back to it to keep from gagging.

Barf.

I always do mini-caprese and they seem super simple but everyone always eats them up!

Grape Tomatoes
Mozzarella balls
Chopped basil

1. Put the tomatoes and mozzarella balls on toothpicks, thread a few strips of basil in between or on top of mozzarella (I usually get the mozzarella balls from trader joes and halve them)
2. When ready to serve, drizzle balsamic reduction or glaze on top. I usually make my own but trader joes has a bottled one that is awesome! http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/631

I would also make spinach and artichoke dip, gorgonzola and pear tarts (phyllo shells, chopped pears, gorgonzola cheese, baked in oven) and pigs in a blanket.

P.S. Making your own crostini is so easy and they taste much better than pre-made store bought. Just slice up a baguette, spray with Pam, and bake in the oven at 350.

I would have one option as crudites with dip of some kind and one option as some kind of crostini/brushetta. The third option could be cheese, seafood, or meat, depending on what you put on the crostini.

I've made these smoked salmon crostini several times and people love them. I often omit the fennel. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/smoked-salmon-crostini-50400000117203/

I also will spread fig jam (can buy at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's) on a crostino and top with a layer of manchego. Yum!

Baked brie is always a hit. There are tons of variations with different toppings, or you can simply wrap it in Pillsbury crescent dough or phyllo dough.

You could do a plate of meat and cheeses: pick three cheeses and add slices of prosciutto, jamon serrano, and the like.

Classic Bisquick Sausage Ball Recipe.

Sage sausage (or turkey sausage), bisquick, cheddar, tobacco sauce (we use this instead of pepper). Roll into balls. Bake. I don't make any dip for them.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/sausage-balls-recipe.html



Cheese Plate - just keep it easy and kid friendly and forego the stinky or soft cheeses.

A cheddar, a nice swiss, a nice pepper jack or spicy cheese. You can even cut into cubes before hand. Cheese is excellent when not cold so it'll warm up when you travel.

Put it on a big ass plate with water crackers, Triscuits or Wheat Thins, dried apricots and dried cherries, and if no one is allergic some candied pecans or marcona almonds.

Figs stuffed with cream cheese wrapped in bacon.

Cheeseball.

Anonymous wrote:Sweet potato biscuits with ham. Last year we made from scratch, but this year Trader Joe's has frozen sweet potato biscuits that are actually quite good. Bake, split in half, put on some ham. Make a few with apple butter for non-ham eaters. Can be served room temp.

I'm the PP who is doing oysters etc--my snobby virginia horse country relatives will adore this! What a great TJs tip. Thank you!

Sweet potato biscuits with ham. Last year we made from scratch, but this year Trader Joe's has frozen sweet potato biscuits that are actually quite good. Bake, split in half, put on some ham. Make a few with apple butter for non-ham eaters. Can be served room temp.

Pigs in blankets - I make my own. One roll of croissants makes 40, one small supermarket package of Hillshire Farms beef l'il smokies is about 35. If you have a Sam's club membership they have big packages of the L'il smokies that have 80 per package, just right for two rolls of croissants. Take two triangle croissants, pinch the diagonal together and cut into 10 pieces, 5x2. Roll each precooked lil smokie in a piece, bake according to croissant wrapper. When taking them somewhere, I bake them for about 10-12 minutes. Just before serving, I put them in a 375 oven for about 5 minutes to warm up and serve. They heat up well in a toaster oven.

Chorizo bites - I take chorizo sausage, take it out of the casings, brown the meat breaking it up into small crumbles. I put a small spoonful into a Scoops corn chip, a sprinkle of finely grated cheddar cheese and bake until the cheese melts. If taking somewhere, make the meat mixture, cool in the fridge. Then put into the scoops and add the cheese. Transport. When you get there, put them in the toaster oven or oven for just a few minutes until the cheese melts and the sausage heats and serve.

Bagel Chips with lox - These don't last long, so you have to assemble on site. Precut salmon lox (smoked salmon) into chip-size pieces. When you arrive, put bagel chips onto a plate, smear a small amount of whipped cream cheese on each chip, put one bite of salmon lox onto the chip. Serve. It takes about 2-4 minutes to prep these when you arrive.

I have a mini 2-cup crock pot. I make a crab dip, heat and put in the crock pot with a little finely shredded cheddar cheese on top . When I arrive, I plug the crock pot in and put a dish/plate of crackers or crostini next to it. My recipe makes about 2-2.5 times what will fit in the crock pot. When I need to refill, I just warm up the crab dip in the microwave, scoop into the crock pot and add a little more cheese on top. I can make the crab dip the night before while the kids are sleeping and just heat in the microwave before leaving.

I'd be happy with just cheese, good crackers (meaning not just Saltines), and some cured meats.

My mom has been makin deviled eggs for a few years now and it is always a hit.

I can't stop laughing at that disgusting shrimp/cream cheese picture.