Summer Party appetizer and misc. help needed!

[njsweetP]

Hi everyone!

We are having a 50th birthday party for my husband in July. While the main meal is being catered I need help with appetizers and desserts. I need some different ideas in addition to the chips and salsa we always have. The party will be outside under tents, which leads me to my next question - how can I keep things like potato/macaroni salad cold? I read on another thread someone had mentioned blow up pools filled with water and ice. For some reason I am coming up blank on how to keep this stuff cold. Any other ideas/tips/hints/games to make this party fun (not that it won't be ) would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[reagan75]

Ice chests for drinks. They make freezable containers you can put food in. There are also blow up things similar to kiddie pools made for keeping foods cold.

Appetizers-fruit kabobs, fruit salad, chicken wings, quesadillas, candies pecans, ham and cream wheels wheels, 7 layer dip, meat balls, meat/cheese tray, shrimp cocktail, pigs in a blanket, guacamole, stuffed mushrooms, various salads.

 

[darthspud]

I'm going to a Lost Finale party tonight and its pot luck and... I love to make meatballs cooked in the crockpot with cocktail sauce and cranberry sauce... they are wonderfully awesome and go over very well...

something else i love to make is chocolate covered grapes those are heavenly...

but yes blow up pools work you can prob. pick them up at the dollar store

 

[Mom2Ben02]

My fave sides/desserts:

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Best-Grape-Salad-35450 - sounds odd but OMG soooo yummy.

I made a sweet & sour cucumber salad for a picnic today. I can't find the recipe link, but all it is - take cucumbers, peel & slice thinly. Salt & pepper to taste, then add equal parts apple cider vinegar and white sugar. I used 1.5 cups of each for 10 cukes today. Refrigerate overnight.

 

[buzz5985]

This was a HUGE success at several parties last year we attended. Very easy to make. Found the recipe on the food network. I used a green apple.

Grilled Apple and Brie Quesadilla with Strawberry Apple Dipping Sauce
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee, 2008

Show: Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra LeeEpisode: Discount Dinner

Cook Time:6 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 quesadilla
CloseTimesrep10 min Inactive Prep2 min Cook6 min Total:18 min Recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup cream cheese
8 soft taco size flour tortillas
1/2 pound brie, cut into thin strips
1 apple sliced thin
Strawberry Apple Dipping Sauce:
1 (8-ounce) jar strawberry jam
1/4 cup applesauce
1 pinch ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat grill pan over medium heat. Spray pan with nonstick spray when ready to start cooking.

Spread the cream cheese evenly over 4 of the tortillas. Evenly divide Brie strips on top of the cream cheese. Divide apple slices on top of Brie. Place remaining tortillas on top to make 4 quesadillas.

Place each quesadilla on grill pan and grill 3 minutes per side or until tortilla is browned with grill marks. Use spatula to flip tortilla. Once grilled, remove from heat and let cool for about 2 minutes before slicing.

Cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces and serve warm. Serve with dipping sauce.

For Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and microwaves for 1 to 2 minutes until hot.

Next Recipe

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs, so easy and sooooo good.
Cut up raw chicken and place it in a bowl with teriyaki sauce. make a few fork marks in the chicken cubes so it will sink it. Refrigerate for about an hour. Take pineapple chunks from a can of pineapple and alternate chicken and pineapple on a skewer. Then pour some teriyaki sauce on the whole thing before you put them on the grill. It's best to prepare the chicken/pineapple skewers ahead of time all at once. Place them on the grill until the chicken is done. SO good and SO easy.