I need lite appetizer help...(very long and complicated....RP...

Lisa07033

I am In charge of Lite Appetizers for a group that I belong too.... we have 100 members. On any given day we can have from 50 to 100 people. Here's the real problems...

1.The festival is outdoors and I will have no electricity... no access to drinkable water.... no fires allowed and I can't bring in a propane grill. I am provided 1 cube block of ice and 3 bags of ice cubes that we use to keep the drinks we sell....water and gatorade ( to prevent heat exhaustion) and Pickles for quick salt if someone is feeling faint. (these are not part of the food budget they come from someplace else)

2. My budget (from Organization) is only $25. a day so $50 for the weekend the event is on Sat. and Sun. And I can not afford to put my own money in to increase the budget. It runs for 8 weekends including labor day Monday I get an extra $10. that weekend.

3. We also have some members who are Vegan. and one or 2 have gluten allergies.

4. A few people do bake occasionally but I never know what is going to be there in the morning when I arrive. Also some days the President of org. brings in various jarred gourmet dips ( she works at an orchard.)

Here's what I usually do but I'm looking for some new ideas.

I like to do a cheese tray. 3 or 4 cheeses with assorted crackers including gluten free. I also usually make either Salsa or Hummus.

Pretzels of chips are also on that list depending on how much money I have left.

I did get roped into a tastefully simple party a few months ago and got a few dessert dips that I was planning on making one day as well.

Is there anything you can think of that I can make that I have not thought of.

We have a meeting off season at someones house and that is a potluck so there are alot more appetizers... I have done buffalo chicken dip. and various other side dishes. I am just drawing a blank and need some new ideas. We have to leave here at about 745 am and it's an hour drive to the site. So any prep has to be done the day before. Luckily I am off on Fridays but prep for Sundays is non existent by the time we get home on Sat it's usually around 8 pm and by the time we have dinner (if we do) we are exhausted.

If you have read this far.... THANKS. I appreciate any suggestions you have.

amandasw

well, one I can think of would be crostini (baguette cut up, brush each round with olive oil and bake, I think this could be done ahead of time if you put them in an air-tight container) and then top with various things:

- goat cheese and caramelized onions (onions are very cheap and this can be made days in advance or longer if you freeze it)

- tomato/basil(dry or fresh)/garlic bruschetta 

6fsn

This peanut butter dip is really easy and yummy.  I serve with apples (slice and put in a ziploc bag with pineapple juice and they'll be good all weekend), celery sticks (put a wet paper towel in the ziploc to keep fresh) and vanilla wafers or graham crackers.  Your gluten free people will be able to eat it and the vegans can eat the fruit and veggies.  You may even be able to get the person that works at the orchard to get some free apples.

A twist on the chips and salsa would be fruit salsa and cinnamon chips.

Not vegan friendy, but egg salad might be something a little different and still cheap.  Deviled eggs?  I'm just thinking eggs are cheap.

What about muffins?  Not gluten friendly, but zucchini/banana/pumpkin are really easy and cheap.  This is great pumpkin muffin recipe AND they are vegan. I do these in mini muffin tins and freeze for my kid.  Butternut squash can be pureed and used instead of the pumpkin also.  We grow that and I freeze the puree to pull out for these muffins

Lisa07033

Thanks so much for the ideas.