# Menu 2014!



## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

At the request of Stochey, I am starting a Menu 2014 thread. Stochey- you read my mind! I came onto the forum tonight to get menu ideas and wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for their menu this year. 

I'll start w/ some of my thoughts/tried and true ideas from last year:

What went well...
-Devils Tongues (Mini sweet peppers halved, filled w/ cream cheese, wrapped in thin bacon strips and baked until brown)
-Bat Balls (oreos ground up and mixed with a can of sweetened conduced milk and then formed into balls and rolled in sprinkles)
-Halloween cupcakes (no special design, just halloween colors, maybe brighter greens and purples this year)
-Anti-vampire Dip (homemade garlic hummus)
-Brains (meatballs in BBQ sauce, served out of a hot crockpot)
-Ghost Barf (spinach artichoke dip from Costco, heated, served out of a crockpot)

Drinks: Beer and wine (both with special bottle labels of course), Dragons Blood Punch was a HUGE hit!! I added berry vodka. Here is the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/dragons-blood-punch-non-alcoholic-recipe.html

What didn't go over well….
-Veggie dip w/ carrots/celery (I think that's because we already had the hummus out)
-Sliced meat and cheese tray (seriously, nobody touched it  and it had good cheese on it)
-Mini keg of Hofbrau beer (I don't think our friends know good beer when they see it)


As far as posting my menu at the party…..check it out! This is my latest Pinterest craft.









I bought an old picture frame for $1 at a yard sale, painted it and found a chalkboard at Home Depot. Obviously, I used it for a Mojito bar recently, but I can easily erase and add our Boo-fet Menu for the guests to see!

I can't wait to see everyone's ideas!


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

Love that menu board!! good job on that!

The Devil's Tongues sound really good!

So the spinach dip you got from Costco... is it just the Costco store brand or what? We are considering getting a Costco card.


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

Sounds awesome!
Yeah, our meat tray wasn't a hit either so I'll be using my meat head with my ribs and sausages again this year.


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Stochey- Yes, the Devil's Tongues were great, we do them for almost every party (even non-Halloween). Here is a similar pic (we do ours w/ sweet peppers and a little less bacon). The only mistake I made last year was not making them ahead. I was assembling them while guests were arriving...not good. This year, I will make them ahead of time and cook them while guests arrive so they are hot. 









I think I have only seen the dip in this size at Costco:









I would highly suggest getting a membership, even at the lowest level. Usually things like this dip and bulk coffee make up the membership price for us within a few months 


PMTT-Yeah, no meat and cheese tray this year  Ribs sound like a great idea!


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)




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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

PMTT-Your meat tray is fantastic! Sooo creepy! I especially love the sausages. Also, I had no idea that shrimp could look somewhat gruesome in a big mound. Maybe I will add shrimp to this year's menu....

I was just browsing through my Pinterest to pull off some of my favorite Halloween food. These are not my photos, but photos of things I have made before or want to try. Enjoy!


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

Yeah, I loved how it turned out! Will definitely be doing it again this year.
I want to do a blood fountain as well just gonna see if I can find one used for cheap!


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

PMTT-Mine was used when I got it. Much cheaper that way. Try Craigslist or garage sales. Since peak wedding season is almost over, you might find one that someone is trying to get rid of.


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

Thanks for the tips!!


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## Rasmirin (Jul 16, 2014)

I picked up a Wilton skull baking pan from Jo-Ann's on sale, and later that day found this recipe. I can't wait to try making these! I love the idea of cutting open the mouth or eyes so the red sauce oozes out. 

http://www.hungryhappenings.com/2013/10/Halloween-recipe-stuffed-pizza-skulls.html


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Rasmirin- That skeleton mold looks great! Good find!


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## Rasmirin (Jul 16, 2014)

QueenHalloween said:


> Rasmirin- That skeleton mold looks great! Good find!


Thanks!  I saw it and just had to have it. My second favorite thing after Halloween is kitchen gadgets...so it was love at first sight, lol!


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## Nataliexx (Sep 25, 2014)

These are some amazing food and drink ideas you can serve!! https://www.hubub.com/213674


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## marigolddesigns (Sep 5, 2010)

This is our 9th party...every year I set up 2 8ft banquet tables for the spread. Although I prepare some true and tried recipes, there is also room for all those who like to make something.
This year I think I'm trying something different......a taco/nacho bar
I think I will prep some ground beef, and have all sorts of fixings for tacos or nachos....and just keep refilling it as the night goes. 
I am making a version of this to put near the "ground meat"









Also doing a dip bar...with the dips being in blenders...to go with my retirement asylum/nursing home theme. Can add a taco dip, guacomole dip...etc


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Nataliexx-Great find! That website has tons of good food/drink ideas. Thanks!

Marigolddesigns- Taco bar sounds like a great idea! I am always looking for foods that are a bit "heavier" than a bunch of appys. I just might have to incorporate this! Any ideas of how you are going to do the Nacho Bar if you decide to do it? What ingredients, etc? I have never done one


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## Tiffany78 (Sep 17, 2014)

I posted this elswhere but this is my menu for this year:

I make stomboli (frozen bread dough, thawed. rolled out, topped, then rolled up and baked) instead of pizza it is really quick to make (make ahead and refrigerate till ready to bake) and you can make it all veggie, or all meat etc. I serve it with marinara dipping sauce kept warm in a mini crock pot.

This year we are doing a spider web 7 layer dip as well http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/10/spooky-halloween-7-layer-dip-recipe.html
Chips, pretzels, veggies served with the salsa (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/01/restaurant-style-salsa/) , dip and hummus. flavored and roasted pumpkin seeds (saved from carving)
We also either do a big pot of chili or bbq beef or chicken (shredded and cooked in a crock pot to keep warm) served on buns because that is filling and easy and cheap. 
For dessert I am making a family recipe called "Gobs" (also called whoopie pies sometimes) and we always have candy(because it is super fun to get candy even though you no longer trick or treat!) .


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

marigolddesigns said:


> This is our 9th party...every year I set up 2 8ft banquet tables for the spread. Although I prepare some true and tried recipes, there is also room for all those who like to make something.
> This year I think I'm trying something different......a taco/nacho bar
> I think I will prep some ground beef, and have all sorts of fixings for tacos or nachos....and just keep refilling it as the night goes.
> I am making a version of this to put near the "ground meat"
> ...


So cool! I'm going to do this next year!!


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

My vision this year to to have a "morgue" set up on my table. Conjoined twins. I'll have meat head plus my 3d skull cake, then my ribs and sausages and stuffed pastry cut as ribs. I think they will be bodybagged from there and I will just have other gross food plus my blood chocolate fountain!


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

I am so excited to see how your blood fountain turns out PMTT!


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## pacman (Oct 18, 2009)

Great now i,m drooling like a fool , some really great ideas here ..... and i am feeling very hungry , i will have to ration my visits to this thread else it could be bad for my health lol.


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Pacman-You're not kidding! I had to completely re-do my menu this year because I realized it was a 4:1 ratio of treats to actual food  I'm really glad that there have been some good ideas posted with regard to "food of substance" like tacos, nachos, meats, chilis, etc.


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

QueenHalloween said:


> I am so excited to see how your blood fountain turns out PMTT!


Me too!! LOL! I'll have to be sure to take photos of my guests when they first see it!


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## pacman (Oct 18, 2009)

Tacos , Nachos ...... you guys are killing me , i am ssoooooo hungry now , lol QueenHalloween i know what you mean though the treat section always seems to outweigh the mains when it comes to the overall looks especially with Halloween themes , it all looks good to me though .... mmmmmmm sorry in homer mode now ......


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## marigolddesigns (Sep 5, 2010)

QueenHalloween
As far as the nacho bar...I am going to set up all the fixings for nachos to include seasoned ground beef (in a chafing dish) other side of chafing dish with be an espinaca dip...both need to keep warm...of course tortilla chips!
In bowls on the side - diced scallions, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sliced jalepenos, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, a variety of hot sauces
Also, there will be soft flour tortillas for an option 
With my dip bar, I will have a blender top filled with a cold taco dip....and qucaomole of course. I haven't had much luck finding the tops of blenders at the GW....I might just do the puking pumpkin with the quacaomole instead....sorry about the spelling!






QueenHalloween said:


> Nataliexx-Great find! That website has tons of good food/drink ideas. Thanks!
> 
> Marigolddesigns- Taco bar sounds like a great idea! I am always looking for foods that are a bit "heavier" than a bunch of appys. I just might have to incorporate this! Any ideas of how you are going to do the Nacho Bar if you decide to do it? What ingredients, etc? I have never done one


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## marigolddesigns (Sep 5, 2010)

Is it something you can rent at a local rental place? I rent a 3 tiered fountain every year for the house drink at Taylor Rental....





PMTT said:


> Yeah, I loved how it turned out! Will definitely be doing it again this year.
> I want to do a blood fountain as well just gonna see if I can find one used for cheap!


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## PMTT (Oct 13, 2013)

marigolddesigns said:


> Is it something you can rent at a local rental place? I rent a 3 tiered fountain every year for the house drink at Taylor Rental....


I actually did find one! That same day, I posted an ISO on my facebook. 25 minutes later I came across a posting on a pay it forward group on facebook, where a girl was gifting one! It couldn't have come at a better time!! It was brand new as well!


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Good find PMTT!

marigolddesigns-I know you can rent them, though, they tend to be a bit pricier than just buying a small one. I think Bed Bath and Beyond and Walmart have them for cheap!


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## Raquel Dodd (Aug 18, 2014)

All this food sounds amazing! All I ever find are appetizers, like this dip. Though the pictures are great!

http://joandsue.blogspot.com/2012/11/graveyard-dip-and-brain-dip.html

I especially love it in the brain mold!


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

We're doing a pirate theme....my first option was going authentic with Salimungdi and Hardtack (but my teen guests won't eat stew and we just did chili last year) our 2nd option was a big feast complete with turkey, rolls, fruit, etc (but that's planned for our next theme Harry Potter)....So I think I'm going
with appetizers. ..and because pirates had no way to keep their food fresh.....

maggot infested meats (buffalo bites and sweet meatballs with rice or orzo tossed in to look like maggots)
Moldy fruit tray w/dip (smear a little cream cheese on the fruit and dust with food coloring or colored sugars)
Spinach artichoke dip
Quest dip (cause my son loves it)
Maggot cupcakes
Chips 
moldy bread
We will serve grog out of a barrel as well as sweet tea...and make sure to have plenty of orange jello shots to ward off scurvy. 

We will be serving everything on silver platters (dollar tree)


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)




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## pacman (Oct 18, 2009)

ITS OFFICIAL .... this is my favorite thread ..... those maggot cupcakes are excellent , does anyone know what the maggots are made of ? pumpkinpie your menu sounds amazing although being a Limey , i don't know what buffalo bites are , but you had me at cupcakes anyway , we are only just catching on with the themed Halloween food in the U.K. , some of our supermarkets have started doing some themed ideas so if there any good ones i will post them , but i am sure they wont be anywhere nears as good as what has been mentioned already .


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

You can make them from marzipan or marshmallow fondant...here's a recipe for the fondant
http://cookiesandcups.com/how-to-make-marshmallow-fondant-2-0/

as for the Buffalo bites...it's just boneless hot wings, it's not very piratey (flavor wise) but I know everyone loves them...


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## pacman (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks for the link my daughter came in earlier and she wanted to try to make some of those cakes for Halloween i said craftily you will need to do a test run at least once before Halloween night so you can be sure you nailed the recipe , by the way i volunteered as food test man , thanks again .

P.S. buffalo wings sound marvelous as well .


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Pumpkinpie-Your menu looks amazing! We were going to do an orzo "maggot" salad as well, haha! 

I also have a recipe for buggy pasta that ended up tasting and looking great. I wish I had a picture, but I can't find one online. I will post one once I find one. It's pretty "tame" as far as Halloween dishes go, but with all of the almonds, olives, pea pods and twisted spaghetti, it looks weird! I might try to do this but dye the spaghetti green for an extra touch. 


BUGGY PASTA

Recipe Ingredients:

4-ounces fussili (twisted spaghetti) 
4-ounces spaghetti 
1 medium yellow squash and/or zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 
1 cup small cherry tomatoes 
1 cup fresh pea pods, tips and strings removed 
1 cup pitted ripe olives 
1 cup pimiento stuffed olives 
1 cup cubed smoked cheddar cheese or cheddar cheese 
1 cup unblanched whole almonds, toasted 
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions 
1 (8-ounce) bottle regular or nonfat Italian salad dressing

Cooking Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water and drain again.
In a large bowl combine pasta and remaining ingredients except dressing. Add dressing to pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours.
To serve the pasta Halloween-style, place it in a clean plastic cauldrin embellished with well-secured plastic spiders.
Makes 12 side-dish servings.


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

That sounds fabulous (and I can totally see how that might look like bugs lol)...thanks for sharing. I just might have to add that one this year...or I might save it for our luau


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## Jenn&MattFromPA (Sep 4, 2013)

So many fun - and creepy - ideas here! We don't have a "party" for Halloween, more like an open house kind of thing. We set up a fire pit in our driveway, set some food in the house and then people pop by as they walk their kids around the neighborhood, or they hang out here for a little while - it really varies. 

Anyway, we make some crock pots full of hearty soups, and people can take cups or bowls outside by the fire or they can even eat them as they walk around TOT'ing. We do White Chicken Chili and Potato Cheddar Soup with cornbread muffins on the side. Then we have some fruit, veggies, crackers & dips as well as candy and typically some cupcakes or other cake-type dessert. Depending on when people drop by, you could make dinner out of our menu or you could just consider it as second-dinner. LOL!

I did a taco bar for my daughter's 2nd birthday - it was HUGE hit! We did ground beef in one dish and seasoned chicken (slightly shredded/chunked) in another so people could choose their meat. Then we had hard or soft taco shells, taco sauces, different cheeses, black beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes, limes, onions, lettuce, sour cream, avocado/guacamole, salsa (and probably a few other things that I'm forgetting) as sides. Do as much chopping/prepping in advance as you can so you can refill bowls, and if you have a warming tray for the meat that's really helpful too. 

I don't know if you've already seen it, but the Jello worms that can be made with straws are really creepy & would fit into a lot of these menus, even if you placed food on top of them as a display - 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/151715081166810450/

These "snakes on sticks" are really cool too - 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/311944711659191513/

And here's a neat way to display your food in creeped-out dolls - 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/17803360999889373/


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Jenn&Mattfrom PA- Great pics! I am going to try Jello worms this year. 

Your Open House sounds like a lot of fun!


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## seattlerags (Aug 15, 2013)

We will be doing the shrimp brain again this year (Martha Stewart). It was a huge hit last year, even the kids were eating it once a few brave folks got it started. I made the head to put the brain on (it was surprisingly easy) and it was a show stopper as people walked into the kitchen. I can't find my photos, but here's the link if anyone is interested. http://www.marthastewart.com/339018/bloody-brain

For the main dish, we are doing baked ziti. It is easy to make ahead of time and looks kind of like bloody finger pieces in candlelight. 
We are also doing pimento cheese with crackers, which is my new-found favorite! Delicious and orange to boot.
We will have some sriracha roasted cashews and probably a sweet version of coated nuts for snacking to balance it out.
We always do at least a small veggie tray as folks always eat it. It may be old style, but we did French onion dip with the veggies last year and our guests killed it. (ha ha)
For treats we will have mini cupcakes, yellow cake, chocolate frosting with black and orange sprinkles.
Also, scotcheroos, which are also new for me this year but extremely delicious and easy to make.
Lemon sugar cookies which aren't particularly spooky, but are really good, easy to eat, and a nice counter to the chocolate items.
I like the idea of the oreo eyeballs on one of the links someone posted so I think we will do some of those too. They probably taste gross and will only appeal to the kiddos, but they look super cool.
And finally...lots of candy!

The only thing I still need to decide is a specialty cocktail. I was thinking of doing a beachcomber and calling it "The Creature" but so far my attempts to make them have only been so/so. I want something fun that will appeal to the majority. I'd love suggestions if anyone has any!


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

Great ideas seattlerags! I especially love the shrimp brain one!

For your drink, are you looking for a cocktail only or are you open to a punch? The only reason why I advise self-serve punch is because it frees the host/hostess up from serving the drink.


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## seattlerags (Aug 15, 2013)

We actually hire a bartender for the party so we can keep refreshments flowing and still enjoy our own party ) Although last year he photo bombed all of the pictures  So we are looking for a fun cocktail to keep him busy. In the past we've done a caramel apple martini; "bloody bubbles" with blood orange juice, vodka and prosecco; and last year was a Spellbinder with blue curacao, coconut rum and pineapple juice.


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## QueenHalloween (Oct 9, 2013)

seattlerags-Your drinks sound amazing! 

Here's a few that I had pinned throughout the years:

Candy Corn Cocktail
http://www.tammileetips.com/2013/10/perfect-halloween-candy-corn-cocktail-recipe/#_a5y_p=1015346








Nightcap, MarGOREita, Pumpkin Mojito
http://blog.hwtm.com/2011/10/halloween-cocktails-from-jeanne-benedict/








Witches Brew Cocktail
http://ahealthylifeforme.com/witchs-brew-cocktail/








Purple Dragon Martini
http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/384740204/purple-dragon-martini/








Another Witches Brew (blue)
http://blog.vegas.com/las-vegas-nig...curdling-bites-this-halloween-in-vegas-16823/








Black Vodka Cocktails
http://www.marthastewart.com/267780/spooky-halloween-spirits








Hallow-Rita
http://shop.limetreecove.com/blogs/...72-halloween-cocktails-the-spooky-hallow-rita








Hope these help!


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## seattlerags (Aug 15, 2013)

ambil said:


> great sounds like it


Wow, those look great! I love the colors. I might try a batch of hallo-ritas tonight just to test them out! Thanks!


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## Wonderland_Brownies (Aug 14, 2014)

Cotton Candy Martini 
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Best-Cotton-Candy-Martini-Recipe








It isn't necessarily Halloween themed, but it does taste like candy. The presentation is great too. When you pour the liquid into the glass, all the cotton candy melts! There are a ton of different recipes for these, but the one above is my favorite. (I use whipped cream vodka instead of cotton candy vodka)

...It might work for a carnival/clown themed Halloween party?


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## a_granger (Oct 21, 2012)

Just came across these on Pinterest and they looked like raw meat one might feed a pet werewolf.
So this is a must for our next spooky get together.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

QueenHalloween said:


> Stochey- Yes, the Devil's Tongues were great, we do them for almost every party (even non-Halloween). Here is a similar pic (we do ours w/ sweet peppers and a little less bacon). The only mistake I made last year was not making them ahead. I was assembling them while guests were arriving...not good. This year, I will make them ahead of time and cook them while guests arrive so they are hot.
> 
> View attachment 216095


I love this idea! I was wanting something new to replace the "bloody baked brie" I've done in the past (people like it but it's expensive and it seems like overkill with the awesome cheese plate my friend brings every year.


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## tinafromidaho (May 8, 2008)

I am planning
Meatballs w/grape jelly and chili sauce (kept in crockpot)
Chicken strips boneless skinless thigh strips seasoned with Franks buffalo wing sauce (kept in crockpot)
(note on this, I've done wings in the past and noone touches them, I assume because their messy. I'll see how this works)
Little smokies (friend is bringing)
Deviled Eggs
Spinach artichoke dip from Costco
Cheescake 
Brownies


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## UniqueLexique (Oct 13, 2014)

mmmmm these all look so good!!


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