Appetizer help please...for Book club

[clh2]

While I am "mostly" able to figure out an appetizer/salad or dessert for most book clubs - I am just a little perplexed for Monday's book club.

The hostess is having a mac & cheese bar. Sounds scrumptious! I LOVE mac and cheese!

So - here is my problem - since we are just coming up on the holidays - am preferring to do something that is a little "lighter".

Any ideas on what would "compliment" the Mac and Cheese bar, that isn't "too heavy". Could be either an appetizer, dessert or salad.

Thanks much!
clh2

 

[low-key]

Mozzarella sticks are consider reading food

 

[powellrj]

Since I have noticed restaurants serving deviled eggs on their appetizer menu, I am taking a couple of dozen of different fillings.

 

[jenben8426]

What about fruit kabobs? Buy the wooden skewers and then cut up a bunch of different fruits and voila! I just did this for a dessert because a bunch of the guests are going without white sugar. It was a hit!

Next suggestion--try pinterest!

 

[goofinoff]

Caprese is very easy! Slice tomatoes thick, add a fresh basil leaf and then sliced fresh mozzarella and salt and pepper. You can either drizzle it with a balsamic or olive oil. So yummy and light.

 

[clh2]

What about fruit kabobs? Buy the wooden skewers and then cut up a bunch of different fruits and voila! I just did this for a dessert because a bunch of the guests are going without white sugar. It was a hit!

Next suggestion--try pinterest!

Well - DUH to the pinterest idea. I've been on that all night - but looking at cards not recipes. Not sure why I didn't go there first. I feel like the V-8 commercial!

I'm liking the "salad-on-a stick" idea. Something different, but would be easy to eat! Could be put together with a bunch of different ingredients

Thanks everyone!

 

[jen73]

Caprese is very easy! Slice tomatoes thick, add a fresh basil leaf and then sliced fresh mozzarella and salt and pepper. You can either drizzle it with a balsamic or olive oil. So yummy and light.

This! Is yummy..and first thing I thought of...

Mac and cheese bar?? Sounds yummy...can you let us know what toppings she has?? Sounds like something I might wanna do over the xmas break for my mommy friends. TIA

 

[etoiles]

How about a platter of roasted vegetables or if you want an appetizer/dessert of fruit salsa with cinnamon chips. The recipe on Allrecipes is delicious.

Love the mac and cheese bar idea!

 

[clh2]

I cannot wait to see the Mac n cheese bar either. If it is set up pretty, I'll try to get a pic, so I can get a full report to all of you!

Speaking of Pinterest, this hostess gets a lot of her ideas there, so I wonder if that is where she got this idea.

 

[lisaviolet]

I have a simple one. Easy yet popular.

Cucumber slices - topped with thin layer of cream cheese - the CC acts as the glue - then add dried cranberries and slivered almonds on top.

It's light.

Have fun.

 

[mommytotwo]

Bruschetta? If you add tomotoes, basil, and cheese it could look very festive.

 

[meajuly5]

I have seen a caprese salad on toothpicks that looks adorable. Pinterest

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Sounds interesting and full of calories. I had to go to Pinterest and see what is under Mac and Cheese bar.

What about Dollar Roll sandwiches?

 

[powellrj]

What about Dollar Roll sandwiches?

I had to google to see what a dollar roll sandwich was, I make these all the time and had no idea they had a name!

 

[clh2]

I have a simple one. Easy yet popular.

Cucumber slices - topped with thin layer of cream cheese - the CC acts as the glue - then add dried cranberries and slivered almonds on top.

It's light.

Have fun.

This sounds great, I may need to leave the salad on a stick for another book club!

Everyone, thanks for sharing your ideas! Book club meets monthly, so I now have some great ideas for all of 2014!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I had to google to see what a dollar roll sandwich was, I make these all the time and had no idea they had a name!

 

[Tink888]

Not sure how "light" this is but I made it for my last book club meeting and it was a hit. Also super easy to make

BLT Dip
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
2 tomatoes, diced
Shredded lettuce

Mix sour cream & mayo. Mix in crumbled bacon and diced tomatoes. Top with shredded lettuce and serve with tortilla chips. Tastes just like a BLT.

 

[funhouse8]

Not sure how "light" this is but I made it for my last book club meeting and it was a hit. Also super easy to make

BLT Dip
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
2 tomatoes, diced
Shredded lettuce

Mix sour cream & mayo. Mix in crumbled bacon and diced tomatoes. Top with shredded lettuce and serve with tortilla chips. Tastes just like a BLT.

I make this dip all the time. Everyone loves it and it would go great with Mac and cheese. Yummy.

 

[lisaviolet]

This sounds great, I may need to leave the salad on a stick for another book club!

Everyone, thanks for sharing your ideas! Book club meets monthly, so I now have some great ideas for all of 2014!

They do taste both delicious and fresh. And easy and last minute ability is a win-win. Napkins needed as the dried cranberries stick but some slivered almonds can get cagey.

Me too with all the ideas. Going to try a few.

 

[clh2]

So-the Mac n cheese bar had the following toppings: broccoli, cauliflower, bacon and diced tomatoes.

The cucumber/cream cheese/almond/dried cranberry things where very successful. DH sampled one before book club, and he liked it, but thought the cream cheese should have been seasoned a little bit. My book club pals thought it was fine just plain. I only put one or two cranberries on each cucumber, and about a tablespoon of almonds (that I toasted). These looked really festive, and I am going to make these Thursday too!

The clear "winner" at book club was a cucumber salsa. It was awesome, and I will be bringing that to any function this winter where I need to bring something.

Again thanks for all your great suggestions!