September 8 Plant Swap: Food thread

Too funny, Jill!!!

The war of the 2 "balls" in your oven.....Meat balls vs. Crab balls!
AND--The winner is?????????????????

G.

*bumping* because the date is fast approaching!

Chantell, just a thought... I think you've got the only thing so far that needs a fork for eating... can we simplify? Or we could make pesto salad into finger food by serving with a stack of lettuce leaves... ? If we stick with "appetizers" we'll just need small paper plates and napkins for serving...

Anybody else want to jump in? :-)

Hmm, I have a lot of crackers for some reason (they kept going on sale, and I kept thinking I was out), so I'm thinking of putting them out with cream cheese and pepper jam, maybe also goat cheese with roasted pepper spread, or maybe Krab dip... Guess I should put myself down for "crackers and " LOL.

Jill,

You are the hostess and are NOT required to make any food thing! You will have enough to do.

Usually, all the preparation and time spent organizing an event is quite enough. Plus--you would, more or less, provide the set-up and clean your house, and set up the tables and the seating, and all that good stuff. Probably, also, sodas or other beverages.

You wanted this to be an appetizer type of an affair, right? It seems to be turning into another gluttony event. No one has EVER starved for food at a get-together of this sort!

SO! CHILL! All your "guests" will provide enough food for the get-together. If you MUST--you can make ONE dish--your choice, and only to satisfy your inner need to excel as a hostess.

I am a seasoned hostess of large get-togethers and I have NEVER cooked a dish to contribute to my own Pot Luck parties! There has always been more than enough food with leftovers to boot!

I hope you can relax somewhat and enjoy your own get-together. It will be wonderful--I guarantee you.

Do we have anyone else on MY side re this???????
"Anyone else want to jump in"??? (Jill-quoted....)

Gita

ROFL ... I'm too lame to jump

I vote for everyone doing whatever they feel like doing.

Well, with goodies coming in from the garden, I figure I'll have a big container of bruschetta in the fridge anyway... cream cheese and crackers is just a matter or setting it out... krab spread is only if I get inspired... I like to cook, and actually this is just assembling, not cooking. ;-)

No chili! LOL. That would require bowls and spoons... and making the chili... more of a winter event around here!

I'll make iced tea or lemonade, but I'd like people to bring whatever "other beverages" they would like... that way, I don't have to guess what everybody's favorite might be.

If somebody could grab a bag of ice, that would probably be good... just in case our ice maker can't keep up.

Maybe somebody could offer to bring/slice a bunch of baguettes for me, to use with the bruschetta and pesto butter?

Wrightie, just hobble yourself over here on the day... If I need help, I'll put you to work slicing baguettes! :-)

Oh, and Gita... cleaning? LOL I hope nobody has really high expectations. If I catch anyone doing the white glove thing in corners, you will get a Time Out!

I say, everyone can cut their own slice!

:~)

ROFL! You tell 'em!

Sure wish I could be there it sounds like so much fun and I would have loved it. Jill you're something girl!!!

I'll miss you! And I'll miss you double since we were talking about having you come up for a couple of days beforehand... I'd have put you to work, LOL! ;-)

Some how this thread ended up unsaved...ugh!

Agree with Gita !!

Jill - how about if I do the spinach dip w/Hawaiian bread - would that be ok?

Waaaaaah This is my most favorite how about if I do the spinach dip w/Hawaiian bread

I am even more mad at him now. :O)

((Sandy)) Next time you see your DGD's, make them some spinach dip! :-)

Chantell, that sounds awesome! I love spinach dip.

Sally, I'm currently "loaded" with peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes... so if you'd like, just pick up some carrots or something, and when you get here I'll show you where to find 1) the veggie garden, 2) a cutting board, and 3) a nice sharp knife. :-) Hey, maybe I could recruit you to pick up a couple of french baguettes for the bruschetta while you're grabbing carrots?

Becky, I think we're mostly going with finger foods, so we shouldn't need cutlery. A box of "just in case" plastic forks might not be a bad idea, though. Thanks!

Susan had been planning to bring paper goods... I picked up a stack of lunch-sized plates at Sam's yesterday, so we're good there. Maybe somebody could grab a stack of plastic cups? And if the mood grabs you or you see some "cute" napkins for sale, fine... but I've got a bunch of napkins here (somewhere LOL). :-) For that matter, I've probably got a few cups squirreled away too.

Happy, if you want to snag some limes and seltzer (or lime flavored seltzer) for mojitos, I'll bet we'd be able to "sell" a few! I've got some rum (*checks* -- looks like 300 ml or so left in the bottle of Cruzan), and you know I've got spearmint!

I'll post this on the main thread also, but didn't want anybody to miss it... I know you'll all check the food thread, LOL.

BRING BUG REPELLENT. I've got a couple of kinds, but if you have a favorite, toss it in. We finally had rain around here, and the mosquitoes have been fierce the last couple of weeks!

Ok, bringing cutlery, napkins and cups - will also bring some drinks - like "diet stuff" - IF anyone wants me to I make incredible daiquiri's and pina coladas (old, seasoned bartender) - I can bring the makings for that - but, only by request :-)

OK I'll bring baguettes- those crusty things in the long skinny paper?
And cups

Bec,

Do you make margaritas??????...MY fave drink.

Jill. Do you need someone to bring a box of wine? Let me know.
Sometimes that is a good item for a man to bring--as some of them do not cook. Of course, if they are NOT drinkers, that would be unfair.
Since I like wine--and if there is no one else to bring any, I will be glad to. Please let me know.

Made the meatballs tonight and am freezing them. Will thaw them out when I have to do the sauce and bake them.

Got all my plants in trays and labeled. I like to avoid last minute stress.

Gita

I'll bring wine.

And Bec, anything you mix, I'll drink!

This message was edited Sep 2, 2007 11:16 PM

I don't know how well the meatballs freeze before they're cooked, although I think somebody posted on the recipe thread that they had done them that way. I know they freeze just fine after they've been baked with the sauce... but I guess I'm a little too late with that information!

We've had company (my brother's family) this weekend, and the previous week I was up in Pittsburgh, so this week is when my own preparations start in earnest. :-)

Sally, yes, baugettes are those long crusty loaves in the paper sacks. The bakery at Giant makes pretty good ones... basically, we're just looking for a fairly sturdy bread that we can top with juicy bruschetta! And it looks like Becky has cups covered... thanks to both of you!

Becky, I probably still won't be able to indulge (Rx conflicts) by next weekend, but I love "virgin" pina coladas! I've got a "smoothie maker" that we might be able to have fun with... hmm, might have a bag of frozen strawberries also... and I know there are some frozen ripe bananas... :-)

I'm glad we're doing this at a time when I'll have garden "bounty" to add to our repast! With all the goodies people have mentioned, I think that if anyone goes hungry it'll be their own fault!

I will be going hungry :O(

If you like pina coladas...gettin' caught in the rain...if you're not into health food...but have a taste for champagne...

Ummm..Becky...would love some!!!!

Hehe - I can make with and without - I will bring stuff for margaritas - daiquries and pina coladas -

I would enjoy any one o' them fancy dranks, and then 'without' so I can get Gita home safely
Will go to Giant Friday night for baguettes

LOL - I'll even supply little umbrellas :-)

Yes, we definitely don't want anybody being at all unsafe about driving home... so please plan to switch to lemonade or whatever and then just stay longer! That way, our party will be extra festive and will last longer also! :-)

Ok, all set - will bring makings for three different types of non/alcoholic frozen concoctions - I'll bring my blender...frozen fruits are excellent :-) I guess I need to pick up a bag of ice on the way there - my cooler is going to NYC so if anyone has an empty one...

I can bring a blender, ice and a cooler.

This message was edited Sep 4, 2007 4:34 AM

Becky....we can bring mine.

I've got a blender that I think handles ice OK, and the smoothie maker should work also... an extra blender would be fine, of course... I know how these things go, and you almost can't have too many blenders when you're mixing frozen drinks!

I checked the freezer, and somebody ate the strawberries, but I've got 4 or 5 frozen, over-ripe bananas.

I've got a cooler here, if that helps.

Becky, since you and Happy are doing beverages between you, I can just pick up the rest of the paper goods somewhere this week so you have one less thing on your list. I think I've got enough wine glasses that we don't need to drink wine from plastic, but I'm not sure what you need for the other drinks... I've got 16 oz tumblers and a couple of old-fashioned glasses, but I'm not stocked with margarita glasses or any such. (We'll use plastic for other drinks, I think... partly because it's easier to keep track of your glass if you can write your name on it.)

And I wanted to add a big THANK YOU to everybody for bringing all these goodies... what an easy way to throw a party! :-)

I just skimmed through the posts. We've got plenty of fingerfoods, LOTs of drinks :-), but seem to be short on sweets. I can bring my creamcheese pecan bars if you want. Still can be eaten with fingers!

Sounds great on all counts above - sweets and the paper/glass stuff - then all I havta make is one stop for mixers - 16 ozers are perfect for all the drinks - sounds like more than enough blenders then and I'll grab frozen fruits for non/alcoholic drinks - all I need now are directions and Chantell and I am set to go :-)

Hmm, you're right, Miata... I'd planned to bake this weekend, but then my brother said they could come for a visit (and those kids are even sweeter than chocolate chip cookies, LOL). Maybe tonight. :-) I'm going to go post on the other organization thread and mention to any who haven't signed up for food yet that we could use sweets.

I'll get directions out by tomorrow (have to figure out the new DG "blast" Dmail for multiple recipients)... our house is easy to find and very near exits from 270, 20, 15, 340, etc... there's this whole nest of interchanges coming together in Frederick, and we're right about on top of it! :-)

Has anyone else noticed the Food thread is a lot busier than the Plant Trades thread ;-)

ROFL!

Well, I've got a bunch of beautifully ripe tomatoes on the kitchen counter, so I'm off to dice them up for bruschetta. We'll do our best not to eat it all up before Saturday! ;-)

Jill: What did you need by way of paper goods -- no reason for you to buy them -- I can pick them up. I think the drinks will be fine in plastic, and it makes it so much easier to clean up. No reason to make things too complicated. But I'll take you up on the cooler -- it would be great to avoid hauling that.

Jill: No worries re cookies -- personally, I'm happier not being tempted!

Well, we'll have to make sure there are sweets of some description, even if I just grab a bag of oreos or put out a dish of dried fruit and chocolate chips... For those wishing for a lighter option, remind me that I have animal crackers and no-sugar-added popsicles!

I've got a big stack of paper plates (8 inch white "chinette" ones from Sam's), but we could still use some colorful napkins. I just checked, and I've got a big stack of 20 oz paper "cold cups" that will work fine (they have pastel pink, green, and purple on them... in the cloud-like puffs of color that are a standard Dixie pattern... just in case you want to get fancy with matching napkins, LOL).

I'm relieved that we don't need margarita glasses! ;-)

Ok, I'll bring napkins. Can't promise they'll match, though!

LOL, matching is not required! I just figured your next question would be, what color are the cups? ;-)

I've got a big container of bruschetta nearly ready to go.... it still needs about 1/4 cup of minced basil, but I may have to hold off on harvesting that a day or two, as I sent my DB home with a big bag yesterday. I've also got red pesto and butter, so we'll have that to spread on bread also. Looks like there are sufficient cukes out there for dipping, and the peppers just keep rolling in. :-)