Need Help With Party Food

[snapple]

Hello all,

I am planning an anniversary party and would like to be able to serve only gluten-free food. Does anyone have any ideas for appatizer type foods and such? I really want to be able to pull this off so that I don't have to 'decontaminate" my house afterwards, and I don't want to have to worry about CC. Any ideas would be great.

Kate

[StrongerToday]

I've got a great layered mexican dip that can be customized to meet all tastes!

Spread one can of Frito Lay bean dip on a large plate (not regular re-fried beans!!). Spread 1/4 - 1/2 bottle of taco sauce, then spread sour cream over that. Sprinkle on cheese. I top with big pieces (so they can be removed by picky eaters) of tomato, olive, peppers, onion... etc. Make this ahead of time, wrap tight and keep in the fridge. Serve w/ corn chips.

Yum!!

[CarlaB]

Meat and cheese roll ups held together with fancy toothpicks (maybe ham with cream cheese, too)

veggie tray with dip

rice crackers with a spread (cheese, or something else you like)

hummus and Nini's flatbread

olives

chips and chili con queso (Velveeta, sausage, tomatoes with green chilis)

[angel-jd1]

Meatballs with a sweet n sour sauce ........stick toothpicks in the top and they become appetizers

Lil' smokies drenched in bbq sauce serve with toothpicks for easy finger foodability

Cheese cut into cubes and toothpicks on the side

fruit tray with a fruit dip (1 brick of cream cheese and 1 jar of marshmellow fluff, cream together)

Veggie tray with dip

salsa and chips

rotel cheese dip and chips

lunchmeat roll ups

shrimp and shrimp sauce (last time I checked Kraft cocktail sauce was gluten-free)

-Jessica

[NicoleAJ]

Also guacamole always goes over well at parties--just make sure to add enough lime juice so that it doesn't turn brown, and make it right before the party, as it doesn't stay that well without preservatives--if you need a recipe, I make a mean guacamole. In addition, spinach and artichoke dip goes over really well, and it's cooked, so you don't have to worry about the e coli scare.

1 1/2 packages of frozen spinach

1 small package of Philly cream cheese

1 8 oz package of sour cream

3 green onions finely chopped

8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 can artichokes chopped up

divide the cheese into two portions, and put one portion aside. Combine all other ingredients in a casserole dish, and put in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes. Stir the mixture and then put the extra cheese over the top. Cook another 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

[GFBetsy]

Here are some of the world's best dip recipes, too:

Veggie Dip

1 c. sour cream

1 c. Mayonnaise

1 tsp. dried dill weed

1 tsp. Beau Monde seasoning (Schilling, I think, but I think McCormick makes something similar . . . anyone know what it's called?)

some dryed diced onions

Mix it all up and let it sit in the fridge.

Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese

1 small jar marshmallow cream

Beat the cream cheese well. Add marshmallow cream and beat well. Store in Fridge. Very good with bananas, apples, pineapple, kiwi, grapes, oranges, strawberries, etc. (To keep bananas and apples from browning, dip them in Sprite - it works as well as lemon juice, but the flavor isn't quite as strong.)

I'm going to go double check the spice amounts for the veggie dip. I'll chime back in if I had 'em wrong.

Betsy

Edited to say: Yep! I got the amounts right. I wasn't sure because I haven't made it in so long, but now that I'm thinking about it I WANT it!

[TriticusToxicum]

If you can tolerate beans (and lots of them) this recipe always goes over well. I bring it anytime I go to a "dish to pass". It's safe, easy and filling if you're not sure about whatelse is going to be available. (Obviously not the case here) It goes well with tortilla chips too.

BBQ Beans

1 lb. lean ground meat (beef/turkey)

5 strips bacon – diced

1 large onion – chopped

16 oz . kidney beans – (drained & rinsed)

16 oz. butter beans – (drained & rinsed)

32 oz. Bush's baked beans

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

¼ c. granulated sugar

¼ c. Heinz ketchup

¼ c. Cattlemen’s BBQ sauce

2 T molasses

2 T yellow (French’s) mustard

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. salt

Brown ground meat, cook bacon, sauté onions. Drain fat from all. Dump everything into the crock pot. Stir. Cook on low for about 2-4 hours (stirring occasionally) or until warmed through to your liking.

Oh yeah, and open the windows!

[dionnek]

I just hosted a 2yr old's birthday party and did EVERYTHING gluten-free (just like you, I didn't want to have to worry about cc). I had: gluten-free chocolate cake and cupcakes (I used Really Great Food Co. mix and make my own cream cheese frosting); fruit dip and fruit; pickle wraps (ham and/or turkey lunchmeat, cream cheese, and dill pickles - can do green onions instead of pickles but might need mints handy!); bean dip (just a can of refried beans mixed with some chili powder and cumin, spread with sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, black olives, tomatoes, and lettuce - serve with tostitos or whatever chips you want). I was planning to make a spinach artichoke dip with fritos, and gluten-free sugar cookies, but ran out of time. We had enough food anyway.

You could also do the 3 ingredient peanutbutter cookies (yum!).

[JenKuz]

You can make delicious goat-cheese appetizers by beating together goat chevre and a touch of cream cheese, with a dash of heavy cream. Roll the stuff into balls, and then roll in a variety of chopped herbs or nuts. I've found that basil, mint and thyme mixed together are wonderful with this, as are fine-chopped pistachios. Do some rolled in crushed mixed peppercorns. Some in toasted caraway seed mixed with sea salt.

These are good served with simple diced tomato with basil, salt and olive oil.

You can also make a tapenade that is sinfully cheap and easy. Drain a can of pitted black olives. Throw them in a food processor. Add in a handful of fancier olives for flavor if you like, such as moroccan oil-cured olives, drizzle a nice olive oil over the top, add chopped garlic, and buzz up in a food processor.

Serve with parmesan crisps--just sprinkle grated parmesan in little rounds onto a greased baking sheet (line with parchment, it's easier to remove them) and bake at 300 for 5 or 6 minutes. You can sprinkle these with spices, too, if you want; fresh ground pepper, paprika, caraway seed, poppy seed, maybe nutmeg....

Buy a jar of pimento, and mix it in your food processor with olive oil, garlic, salt, and feta cheese. That makes a wonderful dip for veggies, chips or parmesan crisps.

Those are my standbys. You can also get a lot of milage with some spiced candied nuts for snacking, there are plenty of recipes for that online.

[jkmunchkin]

I've used this recipe for spinach dip and it's great. I just substitute the flour for gluten-free flour.

Open Original Shared Link

[snapple]

Thank you everybody for all of your ideas and suggestions! Everything sounds so yummy, and there was a lot of stuff I didn't think of. Too many choices, too many choices...that doesn't happen often Anyway, if anyone thinks of anything else, please let me know. I am actually excited about making the food now! Thanks again everyone.

Kate