Help for Housewarming

I love the brocolli salad from Costco - it is so good and people love it. Costco also has huge containers for salad - spinach and mixed greens. I ususally mix them together and add some tomatoes and cucumbers with dressing on the sides.

Sprouts has some great sales on strawberries, blue berries and blackberries - depending on the date. Last week they had 4 containers for $5!! Sam's usually has good prices on strawberries.

I do like the idea of people bringing appetizers and or dessert for more variety.

Good luck and congratulations!!

What about coffee and bottles of water? YOu can buy those little packets of Crystal Lite, Lemonade, Iced TEa, etc. that can be added to a bottle of water and shaken to provide more of a variety.

I think I would stick to something that does not need to be kept hot or cold since the party is of great length and you don't want to have to worry about food prep while you are hostessing? Maybe a variety of cookies and bars with some mixed nuts and mints? Would you feel comfortable asking friends to bring a snack to share that you could place out on a buffet table?

Costco makes very large cakes for very reasonable prices. If you or a friend have a membership, you could order a few sheet cakes?

Congratulations to you!
A.

My husband and I entertain a LOT. Here's some ideas for feeding lots of folks on the cheap (without looking cheap)

Dill cucumbers:
Go to Sam's and get the entertaining size boc of water crackers.
Get several long individually wrapped english cucumbers.
Get large box of philly cream cheese
1 bunch (or two) or fresh dill
sea salt

Allow the cream cheese to soften, finely chop the dill, mix into the cream cheese well, add a pinch of sea salt.

Peel and slice cucumbers into rounds.
Arrange crackers on a platter - smear each with cream cheese dill mix, top with a slice of cucumber, garnish with a spinkle of dill.

Make a great big salad (use hearts of romaine - they'll last throwugh the day and refresh well). Place the dressing on the side so it won't gunk up over the course of the day.

Pasta salads are also great for all day entertaining. Make a large batch and refill the bowl as the day goes by (store the remainder in the fridge).

Hope this helps...
Good luck!

Have you ever had or heard of Homemade Gourmet? These are inexpensive dry mixes that you add a few things to and it is great tasting & 100% satisfaction guaranteed. You can check it out at www.Homemadegourmet.com I'm an HG distributor in the Rockwall area and would love to help you out if you find you're interested. Not here pushing my business, but that is really what it's all about......helping others! Good luck

I agree with the tortilla soup idea. You could make several soups, which are cheap and very homey. Of course, that won't work for morning, but for morning you could do cinnamon rolls, which would make your home smell wonderful!

D., I've enjoyed reading the responses you received. Please let us know how your party turns out and what you ended up serving. I agree with some of the others that you might ask some of your close friends/relatives to bring something which would help with the expenses. Also, you might see if you can get one or two people to help you with cleaning and re-stocking during the party so it's not a burden on you. I liked the idea of not having it all day as well since that's a long time to entertain. Good Luck!

I think maybe just having tea and lemonade would be an inexpensive idea for so many people since it's all throughout the day.

Congratulations, Doris! Yay for you!

I had to provide snacks a few months ago for an installation that my husband was in and had a very limited budget. I ended up going to Sams and ordering prepared trays that they have. I had to feed 100 people and by the time I ordered all the sandwich trays, bought chips and stuff to make dip(also at Sams) it turned out to be around $140.00 I ordered the sandwich rings and they display very nicely with a dip bowl in the middle and chips around the edge. I found that their cookies were a little expensive I ordered a decorated cake (from Sams) and that served as dessert. Anyway, hope this helps as a starter. Good luck

In the morning, I'd have coffee and tea set up with a nice coffee cake.

Also have a sweets table set up with cookies and cake... very reasonable and delicious at Costco and Sam's.

How 'bout a big pot of chicken tortilla soup on the stove? Inexpensive and can be made ahead of time. Serve with assorted toppings and sides: tortilla chips, shredded cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, green onions, salsa. A big platter of seven layer dip would go well with that, too.

I'm in SW FW if you're nearby and don't have a membership to those stores and would like to plan a shopping trip.

Hi Delores, Congratulations on your new home! How exciting! Why not start out with sliced coffee cake and cookies, and coffee, then by noon, add some tortilla rolls, chips with salsa, and a vegatble tray with dip. Keep the cookies going all day and continue with coffee, iced tea and ice water. Add some fresh flowers and soft music and you've got it made.

when we had our housewarmning we had cake, punch.. and had it after lunch.
others I know has done hotdogs, or hamburgers for lunch.
alot of it would depend on when your time is for this.
but with it being a come and go I would do cookies or cake something along that line with punch,

by the way congrulations on the new house.

Something simple are tortilla roll-ups. There's many different ways to prepare them, and everyone likes them. Also, sausage balls are good. You can make a lot without it costing much. For drinks, service iced tea or a simple punch.

Hi Delores. I would suggest a bowl of punch - use green sherbert and gingerale. Then just buy some cream cheese, picante sauce and mix 1 small jar of the sauce with 2 packages of cream cheese and spread it on large tortillos and roll then cut them up into bite size wraps. One large tortillo will make several bite size snacks and they taste wonderful. Also make one large cake. Or just do vegetable trays and have cupcakes for the sweets.
Have a GREAT housewarming.
V.

Get long sandwiches from somewhere like Subway, then also make your own fruit and veggie trays.......they are always a hit at our parties! :)

If you purchase flat rectangled turkey sandwhich meat from your grocery store, as well as a package of cream cheese, and pickles cut long ways not to thick. you soften up the cream cheese and cut your sandwich meat in half. spread small amount of cream cheese on the turkey meat, and roll a cut pickle in the meat. It does not sound appealing but they are great. you can cut the roll in half when you are finished for bite sized snacks.

Dollar stores have great prices for mints if you want to set them out on the tables, and nuts as well. Vegetable platters are not cheap, but what people would eat. They are cheaper to make them yourself, and not purchase the premade deal....chips and dip, (spinach dip is great). a few quesidillas ( I can not spell sorry). in two pans place your flour tortillas that have been buttered on one side. In one of your pan add mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, and allow cheese to melt. than remove from pan and remove the second tortilla from the other pan placing it on top of the tortilla that has mozzarella cheese and pepperoni, and cut in bite sized snacks.

Chips & Salsa, and brownies are inexpensive and everyone loves them. Then make lemon aide for drink. Sam's has a huge thing of Country Time. Then and the juice of one lemon for one gallon. If you need any Pampered Chef help, give me a call ###-###-####
Congrats on your new house!

Do it as a pot luck and have your guests each bring a dish!! It is amazing how much food you can come up with anf no one person is out all the exspense

I have several easy snack food recipes....spicy crackers, they are yummy and always a big hit and Homemade Gourmet has a dip called chocolate chip cheesecake ball (I think)that is served with graham cracker sticks, it is scrumptuious and inexpensive. If you don't know anyone that sells it, I can give you my friends name and #. Also, sausage balls are easy to make and I have a great recipe for those, too. For dessert, I have 2 wonderful and very easy recipes...Easy apple dumplins and Sopapilla Cheesecake. They are always big hits, too!! Let me know and I can get these to you asap.
Good luck and have fun!
T.

Your housewarming sounds to be an all day affair. One of the ways to cut down on expense is to limit the time. Why not have a House Blessing which last only about three hours. You get your entire house blessed by your pastor or a pastor and you can get some lovely inexpensive treats from Sams that are already prepared and merely need heating.

I have had two house blessings since moving to the Dallas area as I have moved from my original Dallas home to my new home in DeSoto. I had a guest list of about 30 people both times and I knew who would be coming into my home. It was a new experience for those who had never been involved in a house blessing and a great time for exchanging ideas about my home and others who were present.

Hi this is D. ,Finger food's veggies tray's,hot wing's fruit trays roll up ham and cheese tray's would be plenty.If you have some help it would be fun preparing them with a friend.make it less stressful on you girl.enjoy.do'nt forget the punch and cake.

D.,
If you are a member of Sams or Costco, start there. I would think about purchasing fruits and cutting them myself to start the morning...serving coffee. Costco also has a tray of 3 pound cakes that can be cut into MANY pieces......then around noon, I would make a slight switch and add cheese(you cut) crackers and sliced meat(deli sliced, most places will do that for you)....around the same time, your fruit might be gone and you an switch to cut veges(you choose and cut) I would add dips and salsa with the restarant tortilla chips both Costco and Sams have(it is the cheapest by far and not real expensive) Around 5 you might want to add little sausages in barbeque sauce....by 7 you may want to change and put out cookies and your fruit again with coffee. I would change to ice tea around noon and keep it, adding coffee back in between 6-7. Remember, this is an open house, you are not making meals for people, just offering tastes.....you will need to watch how people come by and adjust your table accordingly during your time frame. You also might want to consider an open house from 9-noon, then from 4-7 instead of all day. I remember my Mom's open houses were generally on Sunday afternoon from around 1-4....she always had 150 plus people...she also had me and a friend as I got older, to resupply the table and wash and dry silver and dishes.....today ofcourse you have disposable everything which makes that task much easier! God bless you and happy open house!
KST, laughing all the way

Congratulations!!! We've been in our dream home for 12 years
and it still feels new.

A housewarming usually means gifts. So I would make an effort to reciprocate your friends generousity. Sam's or Cosco has beautiful trays of food for entertaining at very reasonable prices. You could make some coffee cakes and slice
and bake cookies yourself to cut down on some of the cost. (watch for coupons for cake mixes and cookies in the Sunday paper) Lemonade is inexpensive. Purchase one lemon and cut in half circles and add to the glass container for garnish.
Since you have so many guests coming, try and stay away from anything you have to warm. It would be good if you had a good
friend or relative that could overlook the kitchen area (to replenish the trays, pick up dropped food on the counters and
floor) That's what we do, but instead of paying them, give them some of the food to take home. That is also appreciated.
Also, if you have things in your home that aren't child friendly (crystal vase, statues, candles, etc. have someone be
on the outlook for kids that will touch and might break them)

Good Luck, P. S.

You have received alot of good ideas. My opinion is that pinwhheels are easy & inexpensive and you can make many rolls of them ahead of time & keep in refridgeator until needed. Just google pinwheels & there are so many different recipes. Go with an easy one.
Please keep it as simple as possible so you can enjoy the day!
Best of luck.

Flavored tea and coffee. Perhaps some tortilla rolls, chips and dip, fruit and dip in the morning (easy fruit dip: 1 pkg cream cheese, 1 tub Cool Whip, sugar and cinnamon, blend cheese and whip slowly to preferred texture add sugar and cinnamon to taste) I wouldn't go overboard! Let close friends and family each bring an item when they come so there is constantly something new and fresh! People always want to help, so let them!!

A friend of mine does Homemade Gourmet. If this sounds good, she may be willing to cater something for you. You can email me back if you are interested.
J.

First let me say "Congratulations" on your dream coming true. I think that is wonderful! Snacks....drinks....12 hours!!?! Wow, you are in for a long day/night. That's a tough one. Especially keeping snacks fresh for that length of time.

You didn't mention if you will have someone helping you to keep things out and fresh. If not, I would try to keep it very simple....veggie trays,fruit trays, cookies with bottled waters and canned soda. Things that would be OK to sit out for long periods of time while you are busy showing off your beautiful home.

If you are hiring help I might also include small finger sandwiches to be served around meal times. But honestly, as a "come and go" guest, I wouldn't expect to have any more than that served if anything at all.

Have fun and enjoy your day in the spotlight!!
D.

I would go to Costco or Sams and buy bulk!! :D I think the standard crackers, cheese, lunchmeat maybe... Chips, dips, fruit or veggies... All the typical party snacks would be good and fairly inexpensive. Remember- If you go fruit or veggies you'll want to buy it whole and cut it yourself to save $$. It ends up costing about 1/2 as much that way. ;)
Congrats and good luck!!!

Serve a champagne punch-- this way you can use inexpensive champagne and its good for a crowd. throw in some citrus slices to make it pretty-- just google for the different punch recipes.

frozen cream puffs from Sam's club are an easy elegant dessert item. good luck!