This week crept up on me and now tomorrow, there is an office party. Bringing something is optional but i want to, just dont know what. They are having a ham delivered and people are bringing such things as green bean casserole, potato salad and pumpkin pie. I dont have alot of food in the house. Do you have any quick easy suggestions for putting something together? I was thinking about instaed of food, to get different drinks like cider or spritzers. We will have 10 people there. I will have a refrigerator and microwave available until the lunch .
We had one of these last week...I didn't want to play since I have a real chef as a laboratory sales rep!!
We absolutely needed drinks!! Something fancy if you like but some waters would have been great as well!
You could go with apple cider and some cranberry clear soda (ginger ale I think has a cranberry variety) or stop and pick up some turkey-shaped cookies!
Many grocery stores have pre-made relish trays, fruit trays, ect. A cookie tray is always good as is a selection of beverages. For 10 people I would pick up a 2 liter bottle of Coke, Sprite and one more flavor, some cups and ice.
You could also pick up some sparling grape juice or cider. And the plastic wine glasses, to look more festive. It looks like champagne but is alcohol free.
Do you have Costco in Florida? They have great ready made trays and little dishes. I always bring their ready made shrimp salad. So good! Good luck!
Drinks sound great! Margaritas, tequila shots even better. :)
If ya have an extra few dollars, you could call Edible Arrangements in the morning and see if they deliver by lunchtime.
Or just go to the store and pick up a fruit tray (with all that filing food, it's nice to have some healthy raw foods to make ya feel better about all the junk you just ate).
or a jar of salsa and a bag of chips. Easy!
Get on the phone and order a meat and cheese platter from your local grocery store! I hate these things because I am always so self conscious about my cooking...
I think cider is a nice idea.
I love to make a fresh fruit salad. "Fresh" but with some shortcuts. I include
1 lg apple
1 lg banana
grapes
halved strawberries
! med can mandarin orange slices
1 med can chunked pineapple
precut cantelope
lemon juice to prevent browning
Add anything you want. It's light and fresh and a good side or dessert.
Alternatively, buy a frozen pound cake or a grocery angelfood cake with cool whip and sliced strawberries.
I love to cook and bake, but for a group thing like this, easy is better.
You can do a side dish like some vegetables or bake beans in a crock pot. Prepare at home and cook at work. The drinks would be a good, quick option as would chips and dip.
P/u an appetizer: block of cream cheese w/jalapeno jelly over it &
crackers
A Dessert: small iced brownies (avail in deli section of your store)
Drinks: bottle water, one of each: 2-Liter bottle of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi & 7up
Have fun & happy holidays!
A bottle of Baileys? I'm sure you guys have a coffee maker :) if you cant drink low dose alcohol on the job well... Other than that, the times I didnt have the gumption to cook something I would bring plates, napkins, toothpics, etc. Drinks sound fine tho, maybe a bag of ice too?.. and some cups.... or a carton of pumpkin ice cream? Baskin and Robbins has cool ice cream cakes that would be a festive number to bring... and I'm sure eaten.
My go-to side dish for potluck occasions is a salsa cream cheese platter with chips. It is so easy and always a hit with everyone. Just put a block of cream cheese on a serving platter or large plate. Pour salsa over the top and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Put chips all around it to cover the rest of the plate. It looks nice and is so yummy!
HTH,
A.
