Party Food - need ideas?

Question

I have three parties to organise in the next month and I'm struggling with food. All 3 parties will be finger food only but I need some suggestions Please

The first party is my daughters 4th birthday party. The theme is Barbie and so far this is what I have;

cheese, biccies, dip, cabanossi, sausage rolls, party pies, fruit kebab stix, a couple of bowls of potato chips. I'm desperate for ideas for this one.

Second party is my daughters naming day/ 1st birthday. We will have all the above with sandwiches also.

Third party is my sisters 21st. So far mum and her have suggested a cold lunch; deli meats and salads but again we are all struggling.

Please help - I have numerous cook books but still can't find anything.

Help Help Help

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

why dont you ask everyone to bring something that way you get all diffrent thnigs its ok to do this i do just tell them what you have

Answer 2

Hi proud mommy, You could try just basic 'finger food',Chicken drumsticks vol-a-vents or other types of small filled pastries, open sandwiches made from slices of french loaf topped with whatever takes your fancy they are small bite sized and a couple of french stick loafs will go a long way and will look good when garnished. Egg mayonnaise - hard boil some eggs slice them in half length ways and top with some bought mayonnaise thinned down with a little lemon juice and a pinch of paprika, although these will need a fork potato salad coleslaw, toast some sliced bread cut it into shapes and top with pate - you could also have a cheese board with a few cheese biscuits and some crudities basic sliced raw vegetables with dips fruit salad for something sweet. I hope that there are some ideas there that you can use. All the best - do as much preparation the day before if you can and don't forget to enjoy yourself too! Rab

Answer 3

for the sisters 21st I'd suggest an Asian theme with the 4 wishes banners and lots of red and gold for good luck. Won-tons and leechie nuts, and carry-out give you wonderful flavorful options. The decor is good luck dragons and red lanterns and fans and kites. The chinese have invented so many of our everyday "necessities" like ice cream, paper and fabrics that we need to appriciate the culture and rich history of their people even if we do not always approve of their recent political decisions.



Regarding the Barbie theme for the older girl I would think if you dressed Barb and Ken in a kimono's many of these same decorations could cross over. Dont forget the fortune cookies and have fun with the chop sticks. Your local chinese resterant will be a great help and might even sell you some unused carry out boxes to use as gift bags for the children to decorate.



For the babies nameing day I would go with a Fairy Godmother theme. Or remember the story where every fairy brought the child a gift of talent. Ask your guests to bestoe a talent or winning characteristic (written on a card enclosed in the invitation) These cards would go into a scrap book of the day. Have fairy Godmother hats, (and Godfather hats too I guess) for the guests to wear at the party. The pointy ones with scarves attatched to the tips. The food would be light and fairy-like. Tiny Angel food party cakes and little hot wings which you could call toad legs (so as not to offend the fairys sensibilities about frying anyone's wings) Any thing with a middle ages sound to it.

Answer 4

Puppy Chow (haha watch how much they eat or the lil oneswill be bouncing off the walls this is also a sweet snack for adults to munch on and a hit whenever drinking is involved lol)



What you need

1 box of Chex Rice Cereal

1 Bag Of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup of peanut butter of your choice just not the chunky kind

1 bag of powdered sugar

1 paper bag



To make:

Put the entire bag of chocolate chips and the 1/2 of peanut butter into a sauce pan and melt on low heat until all the chocolate chips or melted

Then in a large pot or mixing bowl (or if the pan you used to melt the peanut butter and chips is big enough) add the chex rice cereal,mix well so that all the cereal is coated try and mix softly to prevent breaking the cereal.

Next,get a large paper bag and dump about two cups of the powdered sugar on the bottom of the bag then add your chocolaty peanut buttery chex mix to the bag,then add more powder sugar then shake the bag (i usually use about a half of a bag of powdered sugar or more you can add as much as you want just make sure that your chex cereal is getting coated on every single piece)

This is what i use to disguard the extra powder sugar thats in the bag i use just a regualr noodle strainer Dump some of the mixture into the strainer and shke the excess off then put the chex into the serving bowl you'll be using repeat process until all your ceral is in your serving bowl then let it all cool before eating around 2 hours.this is very tasty,easy and cheap to make ! kids really like it and love the puppy chow name !



you should also check out www.allrecipes.com im sure they have all kinds of party ideas

Answer 5

from my past experience kids love colour so as long as its colour full they will enjoy it .

As an old saying goes if it looks good it taste good,

or people eat 1st with their eyes not with their mouth.

Fruit salad is a good colour full idea ,fairy bread,cup cakes

Answer 6

Try epicurious.com. It's the single-best recipe site I've found

Answer 7

Cup cakes are always good.

Answer 8

fairy cup cakes, pink fairy bread, chocolate, bbq, fizz, lollies, CAKE!, icecream, i hope that has helped you

Answer 9

KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES TREATS



1/4 cup butter

1 (10 oz., about 40) pkg. regular marshmallows or 3 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal



In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Remove from heat.

Stir in the Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal coating them well with the melted marshmallow mixture.



Using a buttered or silicone spatula, press the mixture evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan which has been buttered or sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with wax paper.



Cut into squares when the mixture cools.



Makes 24 squares.





MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:



Microwave butter with marshmallows on high setting for 2 minutes in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Stir together when melted. Microwave again on high for 1 additional minute. Stir in cereal, mixing until well coated. Press into pan as above.



JELLO SHOTS



3 packages of Jello containing sugar

2 1/2 cups vodka

3 1/3 cups water



Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat. Slowly stir in the Jello until dissolved. Wait 3 minutes, then stir in the vodka.

Pour into individual shot-size cups and freeze.





BAKED BRIE IN PUFF PASTRY



1 sheet Pepperidge Farm puff pastry - thawed

1 Brie - about 1 lb. in size

1 egg yolk mixed with

1 tsp. water



Set out frozen puff pastry about 20 to 30 minutes before ready to use.

Roll out pastry to 1/8" thickness. Cut off a 4" strip and set aside to use as decoration.



Place Brie in center of puff pastry and bring up edges and crimp edges together around Brie, sealing completely. Turn Brie - crimped dough side down on a baking sheet. With remaining 4" of dough left cut out leaf design or anything you may want to use as a decoration. Place on top of dough covered Brie. Refrigerate until ready to bake. This can be kept overnight for your convenience. Just cover with plastic wrap.



When ready to bake - remove plastic wrap. Mix egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water and brush entire dough covered Brie.



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let set 20-25 minutes before serving.



PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES



2 c. brown sugar

1 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. pumpkin

3 c. flour

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves



Cream oil and sugar. Add pumpkin, eggs and dry ingredients. Drop by large tablespoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.



FILLING:



1 1/2 c. Crisco

2 egg whites

4 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. milk

4 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla



Mix together and beat. Spread on one side. Make sandwich effect with other half. Wrap, freeze, thaw as you need (they thaw in minutes).



PARTY PITA WEDGES



2 regular sized pita pockets (6 inch)

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

16 slices pepperoni

4 round slices provolone cheese

1/3 cup medium chunky salsa



In a heatproof cup or bowl heat olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper in microwave on high for 40 seconds. Remove and add butter. Stir and set aside.

Using kitchen scissors, cut pita pockets into 4 pizza slice shaped wedges (slice in half, then slice each half again to make the wedges). Cut again along curved outer edge to separate into 2. Brush both sides of the pita wedges with warm olive oil mixture, coating well.



Place wedges crust side down on a baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of salsa to top each wedge. Cut provolone slices into 4 wedge shapes and place one on top of each. Top with a slice of pepperoni, if desired. Drizzle with any remaining olive oil and sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.



Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Serve while still warm.



Makes 16 wedges.



Variation: Cut pita into 4 wedge shaped pockets. Fill the same way as above (but only half as much cheese wedges and pepperoni slices will be needed if making pockets instead of crusts



MINIATURE PARTY PIZZAS



1 lb. sausage, uncooked, broken up

12 oz. (medium) can tomato paste

16 oz. spaghetti sauce (prego, ex.)

4 oz. can chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp. ground oregano

2 loaves Pepperidge "Hot n Crusty" French bread, or club rolls



Chop canned mushrooms into smaller bits, crumble sausage into small pieces, mixing all ingredients except bread.

Cut Pepperidge Farm Hot N Crusty French Bread rolls, or Pepperidge Farm Hot N Crusty Club Rolls into small slices.



Arrange bread slices onto nonstick cookie sheet. Spread pizza mixture on top of bread slices, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.



Bake at 400°F for 9-12 minutes.