Critique my menu please.

WA1215

Christmas eve, 10 people plus a few kids.  All ILs, and will be here all day grazing.  We always do heavy apps.  Help me decide what to keep, add or get rid of.

Hot ham & cheese sliders

Chick fil a nugget tray, cole slaw, carrot raisin salad

BBQ meatballs in mini crockpot

Hashbrown casserole or oven fries

Chips and green onion dip (cold)

Skyline Dip (baked chili dip)

Spinach Balls

Various Christmas cookies for dessert.

I saw this punch...wdyt?   http://www.nobiggie.net/2010/07/the-best-party-punch.html 

MIL is bringing a veggie tray and pineapple cheeseball. 

Also...what should I put out in addition to this for when they first arrive? 

6fsn

Just a hmmmm moment- carrot raisin salad, cole slaw, and hash brown casserole/fries aren't really appetizers.  The casserole and fries are really giving me a pause.  Do fries over the casserole and maybe have a dipping sauce, or do a potato cup?

I think you have a decent mix of things though.

vjcjenn1

I would x the hashbrown, carrot raisin salad, and cole slaw as I agree they don't fit and add an veggie tray to go with existing onion dip

vjcjenn1

vjcjenn1:

I would x the hashbrown, carrot raisin salad, and cole slaw as I agree they don't fit and add an veggie tray to go with existing onion dip

never mind, you will be having one

TarHeels&Rebels

Excuse me while I do my usual food groupings

 

Mains

Ham & cheese sandwiches

Chicken nuggets

BBQ meatballs

 

Sides

Potatoes - hashbrowns or oven fries

Veggie tray

Cole slaw

Carrot-raisin salad

Spinach balls (I have no idea what these are - are they a side?)

 

Snacks

Chips & onion dip

Chips & chili dip

Pineapple cheeseball

 

I'd skip the CFA carrot-raisin salad because 1) it's Christmas and it doesn't fit the season and 2) you already have a sweet side covered in the pineapple cheeseball.

I'd keep the hashbrowns because it's a crowd-pleasing hot dish. 

I'd skip the cole slaw unless it's a favorite - another out-of-season thing.

So your revised meal would look like this: choice of protein + hashbrowns + spinach balls + veggie tray + chips/crackers and dip/spread.

 

The punch looks pretty good - just from reading the ingredients, it seems like it'd be hard to go wrong.

 

For when people first arrive, I'd have out the things I have listed under snacks, plus nuts, Hershey's kisses, and maybe some chex mix.

WA1215

Perfect!  Thanks so much

Spinach balls:  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/spinach-cheese-balls/f6e0e5f5-6be8-466c-b0b7-9bdebbe971de?parent={78C08DC3-E31C-4138-8314-D3E3EA8499FE}&gp={08A8B030-1D9F-49D7-8889-036BA68065F1}

Never tried them before, but they were easy to make ahead of time.  All I have to do is pop them in the oven tomorrow  

TarHeels&Rebels

WA1215:

Perfect!  Thanks so much

Spinach balls:  http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/spinach-cheese-balls/f6e0e5f5-6be8-466c-b0b7-9bdebbe971de?parent={78C08DC3-E31C-4138-8314-D3E3EA8499FE}&gp={08A8B030-1D9F-49D7-8889-036BA68065F1}

Never tried them before, but they were easy to make ahead of time.  All I have to do is pop them in the oven tomorrow  

Those sound good - let us know how they turn out!