Hello, I was wanting some advice on food for my daughter's upcoming birthday. It is a Halloween, pumkin patch theme. I am having pizza for the kids and adults, but I know some of the adults are staying and there are a couple that i know of that don't like pizza. I was going to serve a few other little appetizers as well. I was wondering if anyone has any other good recipes or food ideas that I can serve for the adults or for the ones that don't like pizza. I prefer something that I can make ahead and not worry too much about- I didn't know if a chicken tortilla soup in the crockpot was a good idea. Let me know what you think or what you may have done in the past. Thanks a bunch.
You are good to cater to the parents staying. I really wouldn't worry too much though as most parents do not expect to be fed at a childs party. If they are close family or friends then that is different.
The soup sounds good or even something like veggie trays and fruit trays out, dips and chips.
A big batch of spaghetti goes with pizza too and you can premake it all the day before and just warm it up.
lots of great ideas... considering your theme I had to suggest this fun simple appetizer I saw recently
http://gourmetmomonthego.blogspot.com/2008/09/cheesy-mini...
the whole website is a ton of fun
Good Luck!
I LOVE the tortilla soup in the crockpot idea!!!
I've found this to be easy and super yummy:
Cook a whole chicken in your crockpot.
Shred the chicken up and mix it with bbq sauce (and a little hot sauce, too, if it is just for adults).
Serve the bbq chicken on fresh, yummy buns.
Sides could be potato salad or sweet potato chips.
Good luck, and have fun!
Unless the adults that are staying and don't like pizza medically need to eat, don't worry about it!!!! Really, parents can go a while without eating and not get cranky. They know that there will be pizza at the party and if they are hungary they can eat before comming. If this was your party then yes you need to make them something, but it's not. It is your child's party.
If you are really concerned about it, make sure you get the breadsticks and some veggie trays so they can munch, but don't make a whole other meal for a few adults.
Mmmm, chicken tortilla soup sounds delicious. Anything in the crock pot would work well. My mom also used to make beef stew and bake it inside of a pumpkin shell. It was delicious, and so pretty to serve. I would say that anything you can prepare ahead of time that can be put out for guests to serve themselves would be great. Just make sure it isn't something you have to fuss with when you have a house full of guests.
Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Best of Luck,
S.
Hi K.,
Have you tried stew in a pumpkin? You make a hearty beef style stew ahead of time, clean out a pumpkin and put the stew in, put the pumpkin on a cookie sheet on the bottom rack of your oven for a few hours, and you have stew in a pumpkin. when your guests dip themselves some stew, they can take chunks of the pumpkin with it. My sister-in-law did it last year, and it was a big hit. Have fun with fall vegetables too, or even fondu. Good luck.
I think the dinner in a pumpkin idea is fitting. I would do the stove prep the day before, if poss, and then cook it/heat it in the oven before the party. Or I would do it all on the stove the day before, and just reheat it and serve it in the pumpkin for the party. Any soup would be nice for Halloween. If you want it to work with a theme you could just rename it Great-Aunt Edna's Veggie Brew or something)
You could also do chicken salad sandwiches, and make the chicken salad part before, and slice the rolls, and then have people make their own. And that would go nicely with fruit/veggie trays and be filling for an adult. If they make their own sandwiches it's an easy leftover meal. Since you can make fresh sandwiches with the salad later. (I use small chicken slices or shredded chicken, red or green grapes sliced, almond slivers, a little chopped celery, salt and pepper, mayonnaise, and craisons are a nice touch if you have some.)
I recently went to a child's b-day w/ pizza for the adults and it was great; there were a few appetizers (mostly candy) and then there was cake and ice cream, and it went well. If she had prepared more adult food it would have been excessive, because the pizza was a good brand and there were so many different choices.
Good luck!
Finger sandwiches - they're healthy, affordable and liked by most!
Just a few other ideas I have come across that would go with your theme . . . from Rachael Ray - hollow out a small pumpkin, carve ventilation holes through the rind, rub the inside with cinnamon and put a candle inside. For a cake, bake two bunt cakes and put them bottom sides together to look like a pumpkin. Use a green ice cream cone or celery for the stalk. I am thinking of doing something with pumpkins for my daughter's birthday party in Nov. What else are you doing with this theme?
How about ham, turkey or bologna and cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut them in 4's "+" making them into squares or "X" making triangles or use crackers in place of bread like lunchables and put them on a tray for finger food.
Who doesn't like pizza?! That's crazy!
I have a great recipe for homemade chili. It can be made to your liking (spice-wise) and you can make it with or without meat. I always make it with corn muffins and top it with shredded cheese. It's so yummy and filling...and believe it or not it's actually pretty good for you. It's really as simple as opening some cans into a crockpot and letting it simmer as long as you need. Let me know if you'd like the recipe and I can email it to you.
Good luck!
