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Election party food help!
So, we are having an election returns party. Probably about 30-ish people, starting at 6:30. I am trying to keep it to finger foods, and things that won't involve me having to be in the kitchen all night. But, since it starts at 6:30, I'd like food that is substantial enough for a dinner.
The problem I am having, as usual, is that everything feels very bread/carb-focused. So, if you've got any thoughts on what to add/change, let me know.
So far, here's what I've got:
Lipstick on a pig sandwiches (ham and cranberry chutney on bagettes)
Bill O'Reilly's falafels with rogue nation pita bread
Some sort of tzatziki-type dip to go with it and cut vegetables.
Amnesty dip (guacamole with red, white, and blue corn chips)
Sugar cookies in the shape of swing states
Other things I want to work in:
Something with arugula. I'm thinking something with arugula pesto...like with goat cheese on crostinis, but that is just more bread.
I'd like to make a dish called October Surprise. I was trying to find an appetizer that involved pumpkin or butternut squash, but didn't see anything. So, then I was thinking I'd make Jamie Oliver's butternut squash cupcakes, which look amazing, and I need another dessert. But, maybe I should have a chocolate dessert? (LMW's mexican brownies, perhaps?)
I'd love to figure out a way to work Bill Ayers in. Or something to do with Russia.
My husband has vetoed two ideas (Tim Russert Memorial Buffalo Wings because he thinks they'll be too messy, and Real Virginia Peanuts because he doesn't think people will get the joke...I don't think people will get the falafel joke either, so I don't think that's a good enough reason not to do it, so I'll probably ignore him on that one and do it anyway, since it's not like it requires any work).
Any other ideas, suggestions, etc?
Re: Election party food help!
Hmm....youv'e got me stumped on Bill Ayers!
Are there any foods that are a play on the Weather Underground? Like Weather Undergroundbeef patties? That's silly, but you know where I am going! Any Chicago foods? Deep dish pizza would be too many carbs!
Let me give this some thought!
You could make a salad with arugula; it's not finger food, but I've seen plenty of salads at a similar buffet. It would definitely help lighten it up.
I could swear I've seen dip in a hollowed out squash - Martha Stewart maybe? I wanna say it was humus, maybe squash flavored humus or something? With crudites instead of bread.
Here we go: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/winter-squash-dip?autonomy_kw=squash%20dip&rsc=header_1
I'm so sad the TR memorial buffalo wings were vetoed. Those were my favorite ;-)
Slinging the Mud Pie
They were my favorite too. I think there's a buffalo chicken dip that appears on the What's Cooking board every superbowl season, but that sounds too repulsive.
I have that squash dip recipe in my pile of recipes I've ripped out of magazines, I forgot about it though. Hmmm....I'll have to think about that, that might work, but it's still involves more bread.
Here are some Elitist Arugula/Prosciutto wraps (so good!)
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1585285These are really easy and you can make them ahead. I recommend using toothpicks to secure them. Oh, and I did half a thing of prosciutto b/c we bought too little by accident. It worked out fine.
I love your party ideas! So creative. I think you can roll with the Real Virginia peanuts, although outside of the DC area, people will prob be more familiar with the Real America / Fake America bit. The best I can come up with for that is Real American Apple Pie.
Page me if you want an amazing spiced apple pie recipe!
LMAO! That could be good. I may need to work with this, and it will solve my chocolate dessert issue.
I'm no real help. Your menu sounds delicious to me. I'm a big fan of carbs.
A friend of mine makes a lot of Russian food, she recommends this website. Also, I think there are a couple of Russian bakeries in the city. Maybe their menus would give you some ideas.
You can usually swap veggies instead of bread for lots of dips if needed.
You realize you're obligated to take lots of pictures for us?
Sounds delicious to me!
And I am generally completely replused by WC recipes, but the buffalo chicken dip is actually pretty freaking good.
Those proscuitto/arugula wraps look good. Hmmm...I'll add them to my list of possibilities. No bread! I'm worrying about assembling all of them though.
Interesting on the buffalo chicken dip. Of course, that involves more bread.
Gah....
ESF, I made a ton of them for my annual tree-trimming party last year. i usually have ~30-40 peeps, so i think i made around 40 of them. It really wasn't as time-consuming as it sounds, but of course, it depends how much time -- and how many helpers -- you have!
I also have a great arugula salad with bacon and curry vinaigrette. It's pretty darn fast, esp if you cook the bacon and make the dressing ahead of time.
What an awesome menu! I so want to hop a plane and crash your party.
I think you should sign an executive order and veto-proof the Tim Russert Wings. That is a perfect idea! And wings aren't really that messy. Just have some wet-naps on standby.
Wait, how about doing some sort of boneless chicken nuggets in buffalo sauce, and serve them on a skewer? Or serve them in little plastic cups. Or you can play off the "appetizer on a spoon" idea and stick a plastic fork in each one. Not messy at all! (Can you see I'm really hip on this idea?)
For the arugula, what about using the leaves in place of basil in a caprese salad? Red, White and Arugula!
Oooooh!
Dates wrapped in bacon = Pork Barrels!!!!
I'd like to do a salad, but I'm concerned about the logistics. There really isn't any place to sit and eat something with a fork other than our dining room table, which will have all the food on it. We've got our couch and dining room chairs, but with 30 people, I think it will be hard.
Besides, I don't have a big enough salad bowl, and I already bought mini-sized paper plates.
I'll put out lots of cut veggies with my dip. I'll call it them the Green Party.
I will work on convinvincing my husband of the wings. I wonder if there's a place around here we can order them from, that might make him a little more willing to go for it.
Exactly what I was thinking!!
I don't think I've ever heard of elephant ears before...I just google imaged them... interesting, I've never seen them before.
Really??? OMG I love them! We used to get them a lot when I was a kid. It doesn't really help your carb/bread problem, but they're very tasty.
I'm very curious. They look delicious.