Food Idea's Needed!

2 come to mind-
1) salsa dip with tortilla chips-mix in a kitchen aid mixer or use a hand mixer to combine 1 jar mediium salsa to 2 bricks of cream cheese you can add taco seasoning or hot sauce or even some diced green chili's to taste and serve with chips. this is cheap and always a hit!
2)get slices of hard salami or Buddig packaged beef slices and cover one side with cream cheese then roll around a green onion. again-always a hit! good luck!

I always do some sort of a dip. Bean dip is easy to make and others are pretty cheap to buy. Add crackers or chips and you are all set.

How about meat balls in a crock pot. Buy a bag of premade meatballs( sams meijer aldi gordons) For the sauce I use equal amounts of grape jelly and chilli sauce (store brand is fine) put in a dash of spicy mustand and everyone raves about how good they are. This makes a lot too.

Good Luck!

Costco also has large bowls of spinach dip, artichoke jalapeno dip (yummy, and not too spicy) and another artichoke dip. IF you have a crock pot you can do velveeta with Rotel tomatoes melted together for a dip for tortilla chips. layered mexican dip is good, too. (Beans and salsa mixed together for bottom layer, mix cream cheese and sour cream for next layer, cover with shredded cheese and top with veggies- olives, tomatoes, jalapenos, green chilis, etc.

I have an easy (cheap) cheeseball recipe. 16 oz. cream cheese, 1 dried ranch packet, 1 cup shredded cheese, bacon bits. Mix first three ingredients, form into a ball, roll in the bacon bits. Chill in fridge for 10 minutes and serve with crackers.

Taco Salad, fresh fruit
or you could do various meatballs with different sauces
in a crock pot to keep warm.

pulled pork in a crock pot.

Good Luck

I just saw another poster suggested meatballs in a crockpot with grape jelly/chili sauce - I want to second that one. I konw the combo may sound weird (everyone cringes when I tell them how it's made) but I make it all the time for our office parties and it's always the first to go! Just put everything in the crock pot on your desk when you get in in the morning and it'll be nice and toasty partway through the day. You can also susbstitute the meatballs for cocktail weinies (Oscar Meyer makes them and they usually have packages at any grocery store near the lunch meat and/or hot dog area).

I'd make something with pumpkin that doesn't need to be heated or chilled - cookies, bread, mini-muffins etc. - because of the season. Or you can probably buy them. Raw veggies and dip are always good. Also fruit - melon balls, strawberries, grapes etc. with a sweet dip. You can cut apple slices and dip them in lemon juice to keep them from going brown and have a caramel dip you can buy in the produce section. Apple cider is great this time of year, maybe with mini cake or cinnamon donuts. Little sausages or meat balls in a crockpot with BBQ sauce are great and you can use pretty toothpicks with those. In fact, there are lots of things you can do in a crockpot. That's how you can get something hot. Marinated mushrooms, olives and other stuff you can buy in jars would be good - with toothpicks. Cheese spreads and crackers. Pretzels and honey-mustard. You can stuff cherry tomatoes with seafood or chicken salad but it's a bit time-consuming. You can bring cut celery pieces and use the cheese in a can or any cheese spread to fill them at the last minute and lay them out on a plate. My grandmother, who was no great cook, always did things on fancy crackers and celery with cheese whiz, and everyone loved them. Good luck!

Cheese & Crackers, Fruit Kabobs and Veggies and Dip are always easy and favorites. You could do Shrimp Cocktail...I know you said cheap, but Meijer always has buy 1 bag, get one free and they are about $12 a bag for the bigger shrimp and less (I think) for the smaller shrimp...looks fancy and not too expensive & super easy on your part-just thaw & serve.

I know you said hot is out, but if you have a crock pot, you could buy frozen meatballs, dump some BBQ sauce on them and call it a dish.

I say go with a chips and dip or salsa and chips- super easy- hardly any prep for you- there are some great recipes for salsa- I have one I make that is a black bean, corn and avacado salsa- it makes a TON super cheap!

How about tortilla rollups? Spread different flavored cream cheese onto tortillas, and add thin slices of ham or turkey, sprinkle with shredded cheese or place a green onion on each and roll up and slice.

Hi A., Ham rolls are the way to go, it's simple. Get some sandwich sliced ham, cut them into 1/4s, spread on some cream cheese, chop up some green onion and roll them up. They go really quick when I make them.. Also, veggie tray, cracker and cheese tray.. Good Luck

Cream Cheese dessert

Use 9 x 13 pan

Roll out crescent rolls into large rectangle.
Mix together
2 packages of softened cream cheese (8oz each)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup sugar
Spread mixture onto crescent roll.
Roll out 2nd package of crescent rolls and place on top.
350 degrees, 20 minutes
Cool before cutting.
Variation: add pie filling on top of cream cheese mixture.
Great to prepare a day early and refrigerate.
Yo Saladin
www.Travelwithyo.com

Sandwich wraps are always a great idea. After wrapping them, just slice them in small slices. This will feed alot of people for pretty cheap. Also, chips with taco or queso dip is a nice idea. Fresh fruit with dip is great too!! Good luck!

That sounds like fun, you could bring a crock pot with meatballs and those tiny sausages with bbq sauce, just plug it in when you get to work and it should be done by the time the baby shower starts, just be sure to make a sign 'For Baby Shower' to keep away nibblers. Also, you could make a veggie tray and dip, or meats and cheeses, a nice fruit bowl would be nice. Have a great time, let us know how it went.

I agree with Dianna Z..those are always a hit!

One of our family favorites is to put Little Smokies (or meatballs) in a crockpot, mix Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce (equal amounts) and heat until all the flavors are mixed together. Sounds strange but you get the spicy and sweet and people are usually surprised to hear what is in the sauce.

I have this one its quick and easy.

You need 2 pks. of cresent rolls
2 eggs
2 buddig packet of meat your choice (I use corn beef and ham)
2 pks of shredded cheese again your choice ( I use Mozzallara and cheddar)
1 tablespoon of Mustard
1 small onion chopped
1 mini muffin pan

Take cresent out and roll into little squares to fit into the mini muffin pans.

In a bowl shred one of the meat into the bowl with you cheese flavor, add egg, mustard and 2 tbsp on onion mixed together.

Put mixture into the cresents in the mini muffin pan back about 10 mins. remove and do again with next batch.

These are a big hit at all the parties I go to, and very good cold.

If I am making them I have to hide them from my kids.

If you have any question feel free to email me ____@____.com

Hope you try them and enjoy.

I take quesadillas a lot--always go home with an empty plate. no mess foods are always good and they are EASY and cheap!

you need bag of flour tortillas, 3 cups bag of shreded mex cheese, 1 can blk beans (rinsed and drained) and a scallion or 2. add a jar of salsa and a side of sour cream or guacamole, and its a great hit!

basically--I add cheese, beans and sliced scallions on 1 tortilla thats in a frying pan (no oil or grease) top with another tortilla, and cook over med heat until lightly "toasted" or just browned.

NOTE:for speedy production--mix the cheese, beans and scallions into a bowl, and just add the mixture as you make each quesadilla.

Cut in half, then cut them into 1/4's then again into 1/8's (think mini pizza triangles.

arrange on a plate/platter, add side dished of your salsa and guac, or sour cream, and you are good to go. you can take off the condiments at the office and re-heat just until warm if you like. garnish with a healthy spring of cilantro.

good luck!

Are you a member at Costco? I always go there for things like this and get hummus and pita chips, they have a great pasta salad with chicken that all you have to do is put the dressing on and serve. They have great salads that are alread pre-packaged with lettuce, feta, cranberries & dressing...very easy and people love it.

One of our favorites is Ham and pickle roll ups. You need:
pkg. of sliced ham/the rectangular kind
jar of kosher dill pickles/spears draind and patted dry w/ paper towel
whipped cream cheese
toothpicks

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on a piece of ham
put on a slice of pickle (it should JUST fit the short way)
roll it up
put toothpicks in at intervals (you should be able to get about 5 or 6 in each
slice in between toothpicks

Chill
makes alot
mmmmmmm!

Should only be about $10-$12

I make these cucumber toasties and they are always a big hit, you need a loaf of french bread, small and skinny, so the slice is big enough for a couple bites. then buy one 8oz package of cream cheese (i get the less fat one) 1/4 cup of mayo and 1 package of the dry italian dressing package, mix the cream cheese, mayo and italian mix together and that is your spread for the bread, then cut up a couple cucumbers and you put 1 slice on each piece to top, very yummy!!

I just bought some deli spirals out of the frozen food section at Target. You can thaw them on a plate in the frig overnight or at room temperature in 30-45 mins. They were pretty good. I can't remember the name but one kind had meat and the other was veggie. Good choice if you don't feel like making it yourself!

Forgot to mention, they come in a package of 40 for $9.99 :)

If it's guys, you might want to think about salsa and chips. Easy and they'd like it. I suppose beer and pretzels would be out? LOL

S.

A quick easy, yet fancy looking chip dip.... 3pkgs cream cheese, one bottle Ortega Taco sauce. Mix with a blender and spread on a platter. Top with cheese, tomato, red pepper, olives, green onion, really whatever you want. You can make it plain or fancy. Serve with tortilla chips.

I think that mexican dips (beans, cheese, etc) work great with a bowl of torilla chips.