Work Christmas Party Food

[LilyWDW]

I need help!

So in two weeks I have a Christmas Party at work. We are looking at about 50 people to the best of my knowledge. Everyone is supposed to bring a dish to share. It can be anything. Apps, soups, chili, dessert... whatever you want to bring. We have the ability to use a slow cooker and plug it in.

So I need ideas on what to bring... and it has to be EASY. I am working a lot this month. The party is on a Monday. I work all the week before, am off that Saturday, and work on Sunday. Plus the morning of the party I have PT so I won't have the whole day to cook. I am aiming for not a dessert (many people bring cookies and the like).

 

[MIGrandma]

I would take a slow cooker full of meatballs. You could put a sauce on them as well (cream of mushrooms soup, BBQ, sweet & sour, etc.), or a slow cooker full of Little Smoky cocktail weiners with BBQ sauce over them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I need help!

So in two weeks I have a Christmas Party at work. We are looking at about 50 people to the best of my knowledge. Everyone is supposed to bring a dish to share. It can be anything. Apps, soups, chili, dessert... whatever you want to bring. We have the ability to use a slow cooker and plug it in.

So I need ideas on what to bring... and it has to be EASY. I am working a lot this month. The party is on a Monday. I work all the week before, am off that Saturday, and work on Sunday. Plus the morning of the party I have PT so I won't have the whole day to cook. I am aiming for not a dessert (many people bring cookies and the like).

I would go easy and bring shrimp tray. Order it from the store, pick up and done.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Buffalo chicken dip can be made ahead, stored in fridge in your crock pot crock and just warm the day of. I serve with Tostitos scoops.

Baked potato soup is easy, and you can do the same thing with crock pot.

A salad 'bar' can be prepped ahead, and I know I always appreciate a healthy option at a pot luck! I buy the box of baby lettuces, pre-washed. Grape tomatoes. Shredded carrot. Cucumber chunks. Blue cheese. Walnuts. A balsamic vinaigrette, and ranch dressing. Bring a bowl and serving tongs for the lettuce, put out everything else in glad ware containers with plastic spoons for serving. (I bring plastic bowls too.)

 

[soniam]

I like to make pumpkin polenta. It's gluten free and can be vegetarian. I use a recipe off the Epicurious website for butternut squash polenta but use canned pumpkin instead. It reheats very well in a microwave.

I have also made grain salads before. They are especially easy if you have a rice cooker. If they use dried fruit instead of a lot of veggies, then there is minimal prep time.

If your grocery store has a salad bar, then you can make one there with everything prepped. Bread and rolls are always needed and usually forgotten.

 

[McKelly]

I would go easy and bring shrimp tray. Order it from the store, pick up and done.

Second this! Or some type of deli tray, deviled eggs, wraps, etc. Once I ordered a bunch of subs, cut them up in one inch slices, stuck a holiday pick in them to hold them together, threw them on a plate......they were the first thing to go!

 

[mamacatnv]

Crock pot stuffing

2 bags seasoned cubes
2 cups chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cans chicken broth
1 cube butter
2 eggs scrambled

melt the butter
Toss the bread with the celery and onions. Add the broth and melted butter, toss. Add the two scrambled eggs and toss again

Put into crockpot (don't forget to use a bag liner for easy clean up)
1 hour on high then 4-6 hours on low
or all night on low and put it on warm when you get to work.

We had a potluck for Thanksgiving - the weird thing to me was the people who brought things that needed to be heated but did not plan how that was to be done.

Example, there was a tray of homemade mac and cheese, a tray of green bean casserole, a tray of mashed sweet potatoes - all of these items were out of the fridge cold. They were in aluminum trays so putting them in the micro was not an option. People were having to make two plates, the food that needed to be micro'd and then the stuff that was ready to eat.

The stuff that needed to be heated really did not get eaten, it made me feel bad for those who made it but its a reminder, if your going to a potluck your dish needs to be ready to eat and if that means you need to sort out heating it you should do so.

 

[trip]

Lazy way. Fruit and veggie tray from your favorite supermarket.

 

[scrapquitler]

One of the organizations I belong to has a pot luck twice a year, and one of the most popular things that one lady always brings is Chinese take out. She calls the order in and waits to go pick it up close to the time we will eat. She buys a couple of quarts of lo mein or pork fried rice and a couple orders of the spareribs and arranges them on the serving platter and surrounds them with some chopsticks and packets of soy sauce. Always a hit and super simple.

I usually tend to bring either a salad or a veggie and dip platter because veggies usually are kind of lacking at most of the pot lucks I attend, and besides that, there's not much prep and zero cooking involved, which definitely works for me.

 

[StephMK]

It depends on if time or cost is an issue. A fruit or veggie tray takes the absolute least amount of time but is more expensive than making something. I like the crockpot for potlucks. Like PP said, meatballs or little cocktail dogs with BBQ sauce - we like chili sauce & grape jelly, super easy.

Buffalo chicken dip is really good too. I have also brought chicken tortilla soup in the crockpot and that goes over pretty well. Dump in the ingredients & it's ready in a few hours. I do cook the chicken ahead of time - sometimes just the day before in the crock. Then the day of the event, I toss in the cold chicken, cans of beans & corn, and seasoning. By lunch, it's ready to eat.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We had a work party last night. Started around 6 with many people working to 5;30 or so.People brought the following: a huge deli tray of sandwiches, a tray of the homemade melted ham and cheese rolls, several dips and crackers, a jello salad, and sausage ball and TONS of desserts. If money is not a huge issue, I would just pick up something from the deli.

 

[pookybean]

i usually bring roast beef sandwiches for pot lucks. get some deli roast beef and put it in the crock pot with some beef gravy. get a couple of bags of rolls from sams (bjs, costco...) and some cheese on the side. super easy.

 

[PlutoPony]

This may sound odd but I take in fresh green beans for events like this - IF you can get nice looking fresh ones. I cook them whole (just snap off bad ends) until they are barely done i.e. crunchy. Plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking and keep them a nice green. Saute shallot or garlic in olive oil and pour over beans just before you serve (take the oil in small separate container). Sprinkle on freshly grated parm cheese and walla! These are ALWAYS gone.... it s nice change from heavier food and they look nice as well.

They can be stored in the community refrig at work but I'd recommend bringing them to room temp'ish before serving.

 

[mjkacmom]

Order some stuffed breads.

 

[McKelly]

Can you bring beverages? Is there a coffee pot? Could you bring in fun holiday creamers and just make whatever coffee is there?

 

[POOHsie]

One or two batches of original Chex Party Mix will be a sure hit. Home-made snack foods are great for parties, and not many people bring them. We have made Chex Party Mix for many occasions over the years. Get a throw-away foil container at the grocery store to bring it in. Super easy to make and addictive to eat. Cover tightly with foil until served. If you make it on Saturday, it'll be just right by your Monday party. Recipe is right on the Chex Cereal box.

​

 

[Deb & Bill]

I used to bring a tray of frozen cream puffs (Delisa style), mounded up in a pyramid and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was my signature offering for several years where I worked until I retired. Someone else would bring a big tub of banana pudding (that was great). I'd also bring a 12-14 pound turkey to work and give it to one of the guys who deep fried it. Someone else would carve it up so we had a big pan of turkey meat. Someone else would bring a smoked turkey and they would do the same thing. Another person would bring a big bag of dinner rolls to make sandwiches. Some people brought a ham or mashed potatoes. Maybe baked beans. We had a regular dinner out of it.

 

[meajuly5]

One or two batches of original Chex Party Mix will be a sure hit. Home-made snack foods are great for parties, and not many people bring them. We have made Chex Party Mix for many occasions over the years. Get a throw-away foil container at the grocery store to bring it in. Super easy to make and addictive to eat. Cover tightly with foil until served. If you make it on Saturday, it'll be just right by your Monday party. Recipe is right on the Chex Cereal box.

just curious if you have ever tired making it in the crock pot? Saw a recipe and am intrigued

 

[POOHsie]

just curious if you have ever tried making it in the crock pot? Saw a recipe and am intrigued

No, we aren't a crock pot-using family. But you should try it. If it doesn't come out to your expectations, keep that for yourself and make another batch in your usual way. I think each box will make 2 batches (haven't made it since last xmas).

Here are different ways we alter the recipe. Use Cheerios in place of pretzels. Use quartered Triscuit crackers in place of Bagel Chips. Add a cup (or cup-and-a-half) of Crispix cereal (slightly sweet) in place of same amount of Rice or Corn Chex. For every batch, I always use 4-1/2 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce.

Today's Chex cereals are different. They're more dry. If you cook the mix in the usual way, you might slightly overcook the Wheat Chex pieces. We subtract a couple minutes from each cooking segment.

 

[Alice Sr.]

just curious if you have ever tired making it in the crock pot? Saw a recipe and am intrigued

Wow that would be great if it turns out ok. Not sure if I want to experiment but would also like to know if anyone has tried it.