Graduation Open House/party food?

[NMAmy]

For those of you hosting graduation open houses or parties this year, what are you serving? I was going to be lazy and just have it catered but I was out of the country for awhile and didn't get it set up in time. Now I'm trying to remember what kinds of foods are popular and easy to make for a crowd.

If you're not hosting, what are your favorite foods at these kinds of events?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My nephews party we got Bandanas ribs and sides.

For my dd's I made mostaccoli and had a crockpot of sauce with meatballs (the simmering made it taste homemade ), garlic bread, and we grilled with corn, sides.

 

[powellrj]

If you really want it catered, many restaurants will do it with only a few days notice.

We are having ours in 2 days and I have changed the menu a couple of times. Now we are having a joint party with his cousin and are having:

pulled pork
turkey
ham
ham salad
chicken salad
meatballs
cocktail wieners
bean dip with tortilla chips
potato chips and dip
veggie tray
fruit salad

I am doing a candy buffet for favors too.

 

[dreamn_Disney]

My nephews party we got Bandanas ribs and sides.

For my dd's I made mostaccoli and had a crockpot of sauce with meatballs (the simmering made it taste homemade ), garlic bread, and we grilled with corn, sides.

Wow, for my dd's this June we are having ribs at her request and since my mom feels any party needs two meats, I decided to make my favorite...mostaccoli. I don't serve the meatballs though. I do add meat to the sauce. We are also having a chocolate fountain with fruit and pretzels, potato salad, and fruit salad.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Wow, for my dd's this June we are having ribs at her request and since my mom feels any party needs two meats, I decided to make my favorite...mostaccoli. I don't serve the meatballs though. I do add meat to the sauce. We are also having a chocolate fountain with fruit and pretzels, potato salad, and fruit salad.

I figured people that want meat can grab the meatballs and people that just want the sauce can avoid the meat.

Of course it was left seperate because we have alot of butter and noodles people.

The sauce turned out really good in the crockpot.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Here's a really easy bit w/ lots of WOW appeal:

Phyllo Pastry cups filled w/ 1 Tablespoon of Cream cheese and garnished with 1/2 teaspoon of jalopeno jelly. Pretty garnished with a little sprig of dill or parsley.

--you need an icing gun (they're less than $20, makes fillling eclairs, icing cupcakes, etc a breeze!)... you could just use a couple of spoons, but the icing gun makes it soooo easy and sooo fast.

BUY:
-pkgs of pre-made/already baked Phyllo pastry cups (from fancy pkgd biscuit section of your supermarket)
-Cream cheese (let soften first. Really approximate: 1 tub for 36 cups)
-Jalopeno pepper jelly (or any other savoury jelly-horseradish was a surprising hit!). 1 jar is enough.
-Dill or Parsley or other for small garnish.

Fill the icing gun with cream cheese, use the large star tip.
Just fill each pastry cup w/ about 1 T. You'll quickly get the knack of it.
Put a dab of jalapeno jelly on top (I use the back of my teaspoon to get just enough to flavour). It has a nice bite, with out being really hot.
And then a small bit of herb to garnish if you want
You can prepare a hundred of these in a snap! And they are snapped up!
Don't fill too far in advance - you don't want the shells to soften... but I've had some leftover the next day and still delicious, just the shell doesn't have that dry crispness.

I make my own phyllo shells, because when I first started making these you couldn't buy premade, but I do buy the premade phyllo dough. The dough keeps in the freezer so well, and I can use it for these, or strudels or wraps, little turnovers (filled w/ cheese or apple or anything).

I've also filled these with sauteed shrimp (small ones) added about 2 teaspoons of cream/lemon juice/beaten eggs/parmesan cheese (mixed together), broiled a few mins and had "better than regular quiche" (the lemon and shrimp took it to a whole new level).


Salads...don't do a traditional Caesar..raw egg and buffets don't belong together..... but you can buy big containers of prewashed mixed greens, and also tinned mandarin oranges and pkgs of toasted almonds. Just add some thinly sliced red onion rings, and toss w/ white balsamic vinegar or other plain vinegarette.


Like another poster mentioned, a crockpot is an amazing tool, get it started and then forget about it!- I only have one, but my mother has had parties with 4 crockpots in use!
Scalloped potatoes, fried rice, Steamed veggies (watch they don't get soggy), RIBS!!!, MEATBALLS IN SAUCE!!!!, Pulled meat.


We always look for fresh buns and butter (my sis uses breadmaker to make dough for cornmeal buns, and bakes them in a big terracotta dish...there's usually 6 or 7 gone before she officially presents them to the crowd!).


And raw veggies are always there, especially for those who would like to snack but don't really want to eat much!



dang, now I'm hungry!.

 

[slo]

I would serve.....

Fried chicken
beef sandwiches (keep in crock pot_
mostacholli
baked beans (keep in crock pot)
salads (that don't have to refrigerated)
chips (a couple varieties)
desserts

 

[NMAmy]

If you really want it catered, many restaurants will do it with only a few days notice.

I have a friend who does catering as a side business and that was who I'd hoped to use but, unfortunately, she has something else going that weekend. She's a fantastic cook.

Thanks, everyone, for all the great ideas. I'm trying to keep it pretty simple. Keep the ideas coming!

Here's what I had planned on so far:

cold sandwich meat & cheeses (turkey, ham, roast beef)
rolls
veggie trays
cole slaw
salad
mac & cheese

I was thinking of sloppy joes in a crock pot and meatballs in another one.

cake

I'm going to Sam's Club and Gorton's for some more ideas.

Three weeks to get my house cleaned and the yard done and all the food made. Yikes.

 

[Hedy]

I have a friend who does catering as a side business and that was who I'd hoped to use but, unfortunately, she has something else going that weekend. She's a fantastic cook.

Thanks, everyone, for all the great ideas. I'm trying to keep it pretty simple. Keep the ideas coming!

Here's what I had planned on so far:

cold sandwich meat & cheeses (turkey, ham, roast beef)
rolls
veggie trays
cole slaw
salad
mac & cheese

I was thinking of sloppy joes in a crock pot and meatballs in another one.

cake

I'm going to Sam's Club and Gorton's for some more ideas.

Three weeks to get my house cleaned and the yard done and all the food made. Yikes.

At my HS grad party, we did something similar, but we made up pbj "pinwheels" for the kidlets-they were a shocking hit with all ages.

 

[Rora]

I graduated from high school a couple of years ago but this is what we had:
-Pulled pork
-Ribs
-Baked Beans
-Potato Salad
-Pasta Salad
-Corn
-Salad
-Cake

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm LOLing about the mostacolli - I've never heard of it! I live in NE NJ, everyone is 2nd or 3rd generation Italian, every party has sausage and peppers, eggplant parm, pasta vodka, lasagna, etc. It is unheard of to serve jarred sauce (many people grow their own plum tomatoes in the summer, and can them for the winter gravy). It appears to be like baked ziti with sausage? One recipe I googled called for cottage cheese! Very interesting - it does sound yummy! Sometimes folks here add meatballs (and hard boiled eggs) to the lasagna.

 

[Disney Doll]

DSIL just did a
pasta salads ( 2kinds)
potato salad
Uncle Terry's chicken
barbecued ribs
hot dogs & hamburgers
coleslaw
baked beans
chips/dip
cheese/crackers
antipasto

It was delish!

 

[Bren's Mom]

The menu for dss's 8th grade grad party (mostly family):

Chips/pretzels and ranch dip
Doritos (grad's fave)
Veggies and spinach/herb dip
Taco dip
Maybe another app or two
Gigantic tray of buffalo wings
6 foot sub
pasta, potato salad and cole slaw
Cake and fruit salad

We're making everything except the wings (from a takeout place) and the sub (from local grocery store).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I'm LOLing about the mostacolli - I've never heard of it! I live in NE NJ, everyone is 2nd or 3rd generation Italian, every party has sausage and peppers, eggplant parm, pasta vodka, lasagna, etc. It is unheard of to serve jarred sauce (many people grow their own plum tomatoes in the summer, and can them for the winter gravy). It appears to be like baked ziti with sausage? One recipe I googled called for cottage cheese! Very interesting - it does sound yummy! Sometimes folks here add meatballs (and hard boiled eggs) to the lasagna.

Are you Sicilian? Our relatives are Sicilian. Of course they do better pasta than my Slavic self.

 

[MoniqueU]

No party around here is complete without guacamole!!!.
We do mini tacos or Taquitos cut in half with it.

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

This past weekend was my son's HS graduation party. I did it with three of his closest friends. We had pulled pork, brisket, baked beans, cut up fruit, cole slaw and chips and also cake. We bought lots of drinks (soda, water) for the kids and beer and wine for the adults since there are so many parties going on that lots of people just get a drink and some munchies as they go from party to party. It was so much fun!

All I can say is Thank God for Costco! We had lots of drinks, cake, and chips left over but the meats, beans, and fruit were mostly all gone.

Enjoy!

 

[NMAmy]

At my HS grad party, we did something similar, but we made up pbj "pinwheels" for the kidlets-they were a shocking hit with all ages.

That sounds like a good idea, Hedy!

Thanks for the reminders about pasta salad, everyone. I'll also get chips and dip and pita and hummus. Sheesh, I need to write this stuff down.

 

[swald91]

I knew someone who's daughter graduated in the evening...she saved $$ by having a dessert only party after the actual ceremony. Most of the graduates were having parties during the weekend b/c the time of the graduation.

 

[becjlek]

A few years ago for my oldest we did it mid afternoon and had everyone make their own sudaes. It was a lot of fun and super easy.