Yikes! need food ideas!

[catnapper]

Donna, LOVE the idea about cheese and nachos! (maybe because I love to eat them ) but my biggest fear about something like fondue or chips, is people crowding around the pot, and when they turn around, they'll bump into somebody, and there goes gooey hot stuff all over someone else and my carpet. It is my worst nightmare. Thank goodness I have a steam cleaner on loan!

As far as macaroni or chicken salad, or anything of the like, the party might very well be on a hot day. Yesterday here was pretty hot, and as it gets closer to June, its goning to get much hotter. Anyway, I worry about it spoiling. I can't have 20 or so people digging into food that might trigger food poisoning while we only have one bathroom! LOL ~ I'm not terribly worried about the bathroom situation because last year when we had 30 people here for my son's graduation, it was never in demand. Most people weren't here long enough to use it.

But salad-wise, a pasta salad mixed with itallian dressing and lots of veggies would make a wonderful addition to the menu!

Please, keep the ideas coming!

I would like to move the location of the shower, but at this point we can't for two reasons: finances, and I don't want to re-send out 30-ish invitations with a change of address! Besides, I really don't want to load up the car with 50 presents!

This shower is taking on a life of its own. Lots of people pretty much saying, "can I come?" and lots of people asking, "can I bring so-and-so?" I have not turned anyone down yet and won't turn anyone away.

[Laura's Babies]

Yea girl, don't turn anyone down who asks if they can bring something! Why not cover your floor (and furniture) with some plastic sheeting so that would not be a worry and you could relax and enjoy the shower.

As for the chicken salad sandwiches, only put out a plate of them at a time and keep the rest refridgerated? I wouldn't set everything out all at once anyway. We did a wedding with the cheese squares and meat roll ups and we didn't set it all out because it was summertime in Florida and the coolness of the freshest set out stuff made it really appealing to everyone. We also did this at my grand daughters wedding recpetion.

I am SO excited over this for you, I hope you take pleanty of pictures and post them here for us to see...

[Samantha Puppy]

Why don't you get a platter of chicken nuggets or chicken fingers from Chick-Fil-A? That's what my mom had at my shower and they were SO popular!

[king2005]

baked cheese fingers are great!!!, so are chicken balls, eggrolls, stuffed mushrooms, stuffed peppers, cheese cheese & more cheese

There is a really good KD bake! It has a box of KD, bacon & tomatos in it. If you go to the kraft website, they have all sorts of great recipes & with KD being cheap, its easy on the posket book

[catnapper]

Hmmm... I hadn't thought about fried foods! We do have a fryer and it would so simple to just toss breaded chicken into it for a few minutes and put them out. Only problem with that is it makes the house smell like McDonalds But, the chicken fingers from Sams Club are So Yummy! Decisions, decisions!

I have already spent waaaayyy over my budgeted amount on this party, so anything now would have to be very inexpensive -- sigh. We could have so many more options if I had more money

Laura, a bunch of people are bringing food (thank goodness) but they asked me what they could bring, I would never dream of asking anyone else to bring something unless they volunteered.

[king2005]

Hmmm... I hadn't thought about fried foods! We do have a fryer and it would so simple to just toss breaded chicken into it for a few minutes and put them out. Only problem with that is it makes the house smell like McDonalds But, the chicken fingers from Sams Club are So Yummy! Decisions, decisions!

I have already spent waaaayyy over my budgeted amount on this party, so anything now would have to be very inexpensive -- sigh. We could have so many more options if I had more money

Laura, a bunch of people are bringing food (thank goodness) but they asked me what they could bring, I would never dream of asking anyone else to bring something unless they volunteered.

Put the deep frier outside or in the garage
You can fry anything!! Bananas, cheese, anything as long as you put batter on it

[ramanth]

Why oh why did I read this thread? Now I'm STARVING!

Sounds like you've got some great suggestions and great menu list started!

[jenluckenbach]

Yes, have her open any cards without packages. You can't simply ignore them. But don't be saying "WOW! $100.....woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" LOL

its harder to determine what somebody paid - a onsie can be $5 or it could have been $10, etc.

Or it could be $.50 (I love thrift stores. )

[catnapper]

Or it could be $.50 (I love thrift stores. )

Yes, so do I! You saw me get that gorgeous white outfit that still had its tags on for $3. That would have been at least $20 in the store!

Ok so she'll open the cards and politely say "oh, Jan, thank you for your generousity!" Instead of "Woo-hooooo, you gave me $150!!! Oh la la!"

[Lobodeb]

Do you have access to flour tortillas in your area? A good (and very inexpensive) finger food is stuffed tortilla pinwheels. We made these for one of my showers.

All you do is get some cream cheese, mix it with minced black olives and chile. You don't have to use chile, however. We rolled the tortillas up and sliced them into pinwheels. Have you ever tried the veggie cream cheese at Dunkin Donuts? That would be wonderful in this.

[jenluckenbach]

I'm gettin hungry

I was thinking about pigs in a blanket. Can anyone tell me (exactly) how to make them?? (cooking delinquent here)

I have decided to make the deviled eggs, if for no other reason than I LOVE them too (and so does Charlie). And if Grant likes them maybe he won't get grouchy! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[catnapper]

Jen, are you suggesting that hubby might occaionally act grumpy? *gasp* Who'd have thunkit!? Its a good thing you're not here today -- he's driving me NUTS! He woke up with a migraine and he's utterly monsterous!

Ok, so now w'll have deviled eggs. Hubby said he'd gladly play fry-chef making chicken fingers and fried cheese. Oh I hear arteries clogging already!

On another note: we're making a box so people who are giving her money and gift cards can slide the envelope into the box and all the cards can be together (kind of like a money bag at weddings) Now, my question is: does she open the card in front of people like she does all the gifts or does she save that for later so nobody is hurt to see they "only" gave $20 while someone else gave $50? With gifts, its harder to determine what somebody aid - a onsie can be $5 or it could have been $10, etc.

[Karen]

I think she should still open the gift cards/cards with everyone there, but she needn't reveal the amount.

"Oh, Mrs. So-and-So, money! Thank you so much, I know just what to do with it, thank you."

[sirrahbed]

I'm gettin hungry

I was thinking about pigs in a blanket. Can anyone tell me (exactly) how to make them?? (cooking delinquent here)

I make the pigs with a package of mini dog - I like the smoky links best - and a couple tubes of fridge biscuits. Cut each biscuit into halves or even quarters and wrap around the "pigs" - cook according to the biscuit tube directions. Oh, and overlap the biscuit after you warp it and put them on the cookie sheet with the seam down.

People seem to love these - and Kim - folks could dip them into the same sauces as your pretzels.