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Having a bbq party for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary at my house next week. About 30+ people coming.

I'm doing hotdogs, hamburgers salads, the norm.

Someone is bringing nacho/salsa dip, I'll do a cheese ball that I do...

I want to do some other/different things. Ideas please!

Get togethers at our house always involve spinach dip and sour dough bread.

Homemade ice cream is considered a huge treat also and would go well with your main dishes.

What about the decorations, that plays out huge sometimes too, perhaps think about changing up your presentation of your "norm" foods, to make them not seem so normal but special.

Have fun planning and doing.

Grace

here's a cute dessert idea.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/06/brownie-fruit-kebabs.html

Party Ribbon Jello is easy and fun.

8 small pkgs jello - asst flavors

16 oz sour cream

*Dissolve 1 pkg jello in 1c boiling water. Set aside 1/3 c.

*Pour remaining jello into 9x13 clear glass pan. Chill until set (I put in freezer to speed the process)

*Mix 1/3 c sour cream inot the 1/3 c reserved jello.

*Once the chilled layer is set, pour this on top.

*Repeat steps until all jello is used.

[This message edited by Lucky2HaveMe at 2:34 PM, July 15th (Sunday)]

That is so pretty.

Inconnu...

That website is the BOMB!!! Thanks for sharing it.

Sorry for the t/j.

Fruit kabobs with some dips - always a big hit and you can use whatever fruit you like. For dip, my favorite is honey and cinnamon added to vanilla yogurt. This is a great way to get kids to eat fruit. I swear, as soon as you put food on a stick, it all of a sudden tastes better.

I'm a huge fan of finger foods. Last time I had a party, I did mini desserts - chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting, white cupcakes with mint frosting, mini cheesecakes, mini peanut butter pies, and mini cobblers. None take more than a few hours to prep, and you can freeze them ahead of time and just do the garnishes the day of.

For savory stuff, I would definitely add something like stuffed mushrooms to your list, and crudites and hummus.

With regards to your salads, make sure you have a healthy green salad and a fruit salad instead of just the potato/mac salads.

I also agree with the veggies/dip/hummus.

I always bring a cold corn salad to my best friends fourth of July party and it's a fan Favorite. Super easy:

Two cans of corn

Two diced red or orange bell peppers

One half chopped red onion

Salt, pepper and dress with Italian dressing. Chill before serving.

I have three all time favorites that our friends request for our parties or to bring them to theirs.

They are somewhat time consuming to make, but absolutely delicious.

If you're not oppossed to alot of prep work and having a watching-full eye on the oven for baking times...I'll post them for you

Please do!! Inquiring minds want the recipes!!

My sister and niece went to a little place in Fargo that does different flavours of fudge. One they brought back was called Birthday Cake. It was white, with little coloured sprinkles, and tasted just like the cheap grocery store birthday cakes. (That aren't cheap anymore, just like everything in the grocery store.)

While I know this is no where near gourmet, I always get requests for my deviled eggs. I use horseradish and chopped sweet pickles to spice them up as well as dry mustard and Czech paprika. They are easy to make and easy to eat as finger foods. If you use a pastry bag to pipe the filling in they look awesome as well.

Here are two out of the threee...the third one is at my office, so I'll post it when I have time today

Jalapeno-Chicken Crecents Pinwheels - Yields: 16 servings

4 oz (half of 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken (I use canned chicken)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped sliced jalapeño chiles (from 12-oz jar)

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions (2 medium)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Heat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, mix all ingredients except dough until well blended; set aside.

Unroll dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Place 1 rectangle on long cutting board; press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 2 long rectangles. Place 1 rectangle on long cutting board.

Spread half of cream cheese mixture on dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of edges.

Starting with one long side, roll up rectangle; press seam to seal. Cut roll into 16 slices; place slices, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough rectangle.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Almond Bacon Cheese Crostini's - Yields: 36 Servings.

Ingredients

•1 French bread baguette (1 pound), cut into 36 slices (I always as the bakery to slice it for me)

•2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

•2/3 cup mayonnaise

•1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

•6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

•1 green onion, chopped

•Dash salt

•Additional toasted almonds,

optional

Directions

•Place bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-9 minutes or until lightly browned.

•Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cheese, mayonnaise, almonds, bacon, onion and salt. Spread over bread.

Bake for 7-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with additional almonds if desired. Serve warm.

Peston Basil Blossom

1 ½ lb provolone cheese – thinly sliced

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

20 pistachios, shelled and chopped finely

1 or 2 cloves of garlic

1 10oz jar of pesto sauce

3 ounces oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

Line a medium bowl with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the top. Reserving 3 slices of the provolone, line the bottom and sides of the bowl with the remaining provolone, overlapping the slices. For the cream cheese layer, process the cream cheese, pistachios, and 1 of the garlic cloves in a food processor until blended; scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

For the tomato layer, drain the tomatoes, reserving the oil. Puree the tomatoes with a small amount of the reserved oil in a food processor. Spread some of the cream cheese mixture over the cheese slices lining the bowl. Do another layer of provolone and spread the pesto mixture, another layer of provolone and spread with the sun-dried tomatoes, another layer of provolone and spread cream cheese mixture, pesto and the sun-dried tomato mixture. Cover with the remaining provolone.

Bring the edges of the plastic wrap together over the top and secure with a twist tie. Freeze until firm. Remove the plastic wrap and invert the mold onto a serving platter. Serve with party crackers. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Once you’ve inverted the blossom, the bottom, which now is the top will look like a flower Serve with Water crackers, Club crackers or Triscuits.

NOTE: I always chop the pistachio’s separately before adding them into the food processor with the cream cheese and garlic, otherwise they won’t get chopped up finely.

[This message edited by Deeply Scared at 9:10 AM, July 16th (Monday)]

DS's crostini is the BEST thing I've ever made for a party.

I mixed a double batch up and then kept it in the fridge until I was ready to spread it on the bread.

So yummy!!!!

It's a winner isn't it? I'm so glad you like it!!

Thanks all! Yep, going to do deviled eggs, have thought about stuffed mushrooms, will see how my time goes, DS's recipes look yummy...heck, they all look yummy! Going to try to make that jello too, for some colour! Thurs and Friday I'm going to be a cooking machine!

Shrimp Cocktail or shrimp kabobs are always a hit in my house.

Fruit, this time a year, is a big hit as well.

If you need another salad idea, I made a cold rice salad a few weeks ago and it went in a flash. Everyone was asking for the recipe.