Recipes for 80Th Birthday Luncheon

My MIL is 80 and when we go there she always makes egg salad, tuna and some times ham salad sandwiches. She uses a thin firm bread and cuts them into 4s. My girls 2 & 4 love them. They also do this for their New Years Day Party. Desserts are pecan cookies, brownies and thumbprint cookies. They also do the cheese and cracker tray for parties. Oh cucumber sandwiches are good to and easy.

M. ~

Finger sandwiches are always great for luncheons, and most cookbooks or sites have simple recipes for those. Try www.allrecipes.com for your research.
One of my favorite and easy ways to make little sandwiches is with fresh-baked slim baguettes from the grocery. You can use store-bought chicken salad or make your own. I prepare these the night before and then slice and garnish before serving. Here's how: Take a long, slim baguette and cut into 3 equal sections; cut the ends off as well. Using a bread knife, carefully hollow out the center of the bread sections leaving an edge of white bread and crust of about an inch. Using soft butter at room temp and a spatula scraper, line the inside of the baguette sections with a thin coating of butter. (This helps keep the bread from getting soggy). Spoon the chicken salad inside each of the baguette sections, firmly BUT GENTLY packing the mixture in to avoid gaps. Wrap each section tightly in foil and refrigerate overnight. Shortly before serving, unwrap the baguette sections and using a very sharp knife, slice the filled baguette sections into rounds about 2 inches thick. You will have a round of bread with the chicken salad filling in the middle. Arrange on a platter and garnish with parsley or pimiento. I love this recipe because you can use just about any variation of salad mixture: tuna, turkey, chicken or egg salad all work well. Just be mindful that you want a salad that is not dripping in mayo! I have also varied the flavor of the baguette when I have found some different ones at bakeries. This recipe will allow you to make a lot of little sandwiches in a short time depending on the quantity of your salad recipe.
Enjoy your celebration!
C.

Hi M.,

You could make a spinach dip (the recipe is on the back of the dry vegetable soup mix box). You could also hit your local Costco or Sam's club. They usually stock a lot of different gourmet style appetizers in the freezer section that you would only have to thaw out or in some cases toss in the oven for a little while. Their selection includes things like mini-quiches, mini-pigs in a blanket, tortilla vegetable rolls cut into bite sized pieces etc.. the list goes on and on. I suggest this instead of recipes because you have two small children and I am sure that you are very busy with them and with planning this luncheon so this is a good way to save time but still put out an impressive looking finger food buffet.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Head to Costco or Sams Club. They have all sorts of finger foods that are just pop in the oven...mini quiche, wings, little sandwich spirals, etc....

Cheese and crackers is easy. If you don't want to cut the cheeses yourself, get some presliced Cracker Barrel ones or mini cheeses.

Do you have any desserts? Cupcakes and cookies are easy.

Trader Joes sells delicious, easy to bake, frozen appetizers. Have fun.

I have a great recipe for a fab. blue cheese dip. If you're interested let me know and I'll send it to you. It is very easy to make and It's served warm. Not low cal. though. ;-)
Good luck!
M.

I was also going to say Costco's - the mini quiches are SO good! You can also do a tray of their prosciutto with some various cheeses, olives, or triscuits....even pita wedges with hummus or chips with salsa/guacamole....Also, you can ask guests to bring one of their favorite desserts or foods and I'm sure many ladies would be more than happy to accommodate. Another idea my husband REALLY wanted to try out was a Subway sandwich - they have 3 ft and 6 ft sandwiches (3 ft is long enough because that bread is much wider than usual) and that way people can have a slice of sandwich without you having to make it....we ended up getting the 6 ft and had lots of leftovers.

Ladies of that age appreciate devilled eggs. Easy to make--and to eat, if any have dental issues--and most likely associated with fond memories of 'the good old days'.
Have fun!
R.

Hambiscuits-you can get the deli to slice the ham (traditionally country or Smithfield ham) into very thin slices, usually they're made with a small bit of ham tucked into a roll--prepacked Parker house are good, any little soft dinner roll; they can be made a day or two ahead; no mayo or anything.
Cookies. Mini scones. An assortment of crackers with an assortment of spreads (chicken salad, crab salad, etc.) all from BJ's, Sam's, Costco, also have mini quiches that are great and little eggrolls, things like that. Oh, my gang loves the mini eclairs and creampuffs, they come 72 to a tub, frozen, just thaw.
My family always has a cold cut platter with rolls and condiments so people can build a sandwich if they'd like, or you can order a sandwich ring from Sam's that's really nice and feeds quite a few people. Cupcakes are really messy at a buffet type lunch, crumbly and papers all over the floor, better to slice a cake and serve it. Mini muffins are good, too. Someone suggested deviled eggs, that is a staple in this area and they go quickly.

There's a cheese ball made with cream cheese, chives, and rolled in chipped beef that is wonderful. Serve with assorted crackers. I also like the triangle sandwiches made with thinly sliced cucumbers and cream cheese. They are alsways a hit. You can find both reciped on-line. Good luck!

Sams & BJs have some great thaw and serve little sandwich rounds as well as a bunch of elegant heat & eat hors d'ourves. Baked Brie is easy and special too. Good luck.