Take a DIP!

dips

don't forget "French Dips"...that being said, 8 oz. (by weight) total, per "teenage" guest should be plenty, even for those ravenous appetites. In other words, if you have 12 dips and 30 guests, that's about 1 and 1/2 lb. of each dip, and so on, to include:
"Classics" (boring, but people will be confused unless you have them)French Onion
Guacamole
Salsas (up to three)
Ranch
Bean...
That's seven right there!

Asian skewers with peanut or chicken chili sauce

chocolate fountain, cream puffs, marshmallows, dried fruit, fresh fruit, cookies

Crab rangoons with sweet /sour sauce...use real crab claws

dips are so versatile

a tangy yogurt dip with fresh veges
a good hummis
acheese dip
chimichunga
a bean dip
guacomole most definatly
some funky salsas and pestos
i can give you some easy recipes too if you would like them,and as for quantities i would say heaps :)
have big bowls non breakable ones , for both dips and dippers
and have lots of raw veges, crackers, chips and chunks of bread , your freinds will love it and it will fill them up
maybe if you want some more substantial food have things on sticks that can be eaten hot or cold , so your not having to fuss too much

have a great birthday and remember to enjoy playing with your food and being with your freinds

Gado-gado is really tasty with veges.

Hummus

If you haven't tried Ak-mak crackers, you "need" to :smiles:

Here's an Alton Brown recipe for guacamole. I've tried it, it's good.
Recipes : Guacamole : Food Network

I have others, but this one was handy. I'll digup at least one more for you.

Be sure to use Haas avacados, and be sure they are ripe but not mushy.

Here's a spinach artichoke dip:
Recipes : Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip : Food Network

shel

Gummy Bear, at 15 years old--you're definitely a natural for culinary arts:D

here goes,

8oz of cream cheese
4 oz of crab claw (can in the fridge dept, or depending on where you are fresh)
4 scallions thinnly sliced
1/2 tsp granulated garlic from Penzeys or 2 cloves minced fresh garlic
salt to taste
wonton skins

nothing fancy, just put a small amount in the middle, wet the edges and fold over into a triangle.....do not overfill or your goo will leak into the oil

Fry until brown, I turn them.....

can be reheated in the oven....eaten at room temp.....etc....
good with chicken chili sauce.

Gummy-Bear, I hope you have a wonderful birthday!! You are only 16 once, and it looks like yours will be very memorable. I do not have any ideas that weren't already shared, but I know you will do great. Good luck in solving the 98 degree problem. Don't forget to tell us how it went.

Hey you can make carrot and celery tray with non-fat dressing and call it the skinny dip! :D

I did my own rehearsal dinner. :D

Don't forget fruit and dip. Watkins makes a great mandarin orange powder you add to sour cream and it is wonderful. Or you can make one from scratch with by whipping cream cheese, powdered sugar and add pineapple juice until it is thinned down. You could have a 13x9 filled with ice and put the bowls of fruit and dip in the ice to keep.

Spinach artichoke cheese dip is always a hit.

A heavier dip like queso fundido with chorizo won't go uneaten.

I prefer dipping my veggies in an Italian / vinagrette dressing rather than Ranch - it feels healthier, so you could have both options.

Have fun!

Ak-Mak crackers are a kind of vaguely Lebanese cracker with sesame. The closest analogs are Ry-Krisp sesame and Trader Joe's "Hawaiian" Sesame Crackers -- do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? Other thoughts for dipping chips besides the regular chips and crackers include pita chips, bagel chips, and sourdough bread chips. You might also want to think about some flat breads. Pita of course, and then there's a richer flat bread some bakeries call "Arab Flat Bread," it's real name is pita but it doesn't have a pocket and it's not as dry.

To keep you dairy and mayo based dips safe -- let alone palatable, you'll need to keep them on ice. You can use disposable aluminum roasting pans -- or you can buy a few "hotel pans." These are stainless, shallow pans that fit in steam tables. They're very useful for a lot of purposes, and very inexpensive. Well under $20 each a no. 1 size (very big) pan.

Your salsas should be fine in the heat.

You don't have a hummus yet?

Here's a running recipe: Mix 3 tbs of tahina paste with the juice of a lemon, three crushed garlic cloves and 1-1/2 cups of water in a blender or processor (this is tahina sauce -- very useful for pita sandwiches). Set aside 3/4 cup and reserve the rest for another time. Drain 2 cans of chick peas (garbanzo beans) and reserve the water. Add the 3/4 cup of tahina sauce to the chick peas in a blender or processor and puree until not quite smooth. If the puree is too thick add a little of the reserved water. Taste, and adjust for salt (it won't need any). Plate the hummus by spreading it on a dish (not in a bowl). Use a fork to draw a spiral pattern of grooves from the center to the edge (or vice versa). Pour a little extra virgin olive oil on the hummus so it fills the fork grooves. Dust it with paprika. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and lots of chopped parsley.

How about baba ganoush? That's a middle-eastern eggplant dip. Seriously good.

Start with 2 to 3 pounds of eggplant. If using small Asian type eggplant, put them directly in the oven, skin and all. If using large Italian types, split them first. Bake the living heck out of them at 350. You want them mushy. 30 minutes for small, and up to 90 for very large. Allow the eggplant to cool. Open them and scoop out most of the seeds and discard. Scoop out the meat and drain them in a colander. Use your hands to press some of the moisture out of the flesh. Put the drained eggplant in a processor or blender with 3/4 cup of tahina, the juice of a lemon, 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil, and 2 smashed garlic cloves (sensing a lemon garlic theme here?) and puree until very smooth. If the dip is too loose, add a little tahina paste to stiffen it up. Taste and adjust for salt (it will need a lot!).

These both stand up well to the heat of a Texas sun.

Here's a "serve cold" spinach and artichoke dip:

(Make the night before so it ripens) Thaw 2 bags of chopped frozen spinach completely. Steam until tender with a little water or in the nuke. Let cool. Drain thoroughly by squeezing all of the water out, several times. Leave in a colander to continue draining. Meanwhile cook a package of frozen artichoke hearts until tender either by steaming or steaming in the nuke. Drain and let cool. Cut the hearts into medium dice (3/8" x 3/8" 3/8"). Mince 1/4 cup of onion (about 1/2 a small onion), and 4 (or more!) garlic cloves. Sweat them in a little extra virgin olive oil until the onions are tender, and the raw is cooked off the garlic. Combine the onion/garlic with the spinach and artichoke. Add 1-1/2 cups of plain whole milk yogurt (greek style if possible). Add 1 tsp table salt. Grate a little nutmeg in. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of grated Romano or (better) cotijo cheese. Taste and adjust for salt (spinach likes a lot of salt). Optional: Add a tsp (or more!) of chipotle hot sauce.

BDL

My favorite crackers.

Gummy Bear
I wish you - and I'm sure we all do - a most happy birthday.

You will be busy as the guest of honor (to say nothing about you as chief caterer,) but could you possibly arrange for pictures, not only of the dips and your presentations, but of the party participants?

I for one would really like to be a vicarious participant. :bounce:

Again, many happy returns.

Mike

Creepy lol... Good luck and have fun!

Kuan, you are total nuts for catering your own wedding reception.

Disaster...


Ummm... could you explain the "creepy" part?

Mike :confused:

I like shrimp dip.....shrimp boil with LA. spices/lemons/salt....chilled, celery, scallions, mayo or crema, dillweed, lemon juice, cayene or chipotle, garlic, lemon zest, maybe parsley, cream cheese.

hummos, hold the cumin add dillweed

fresh buttermilk herb.....nothing like the bottled ranch

roasted red pepper with a cream cheese, orange, chipotle, herbal mix....grind to puree

I like queso, spinach and fresh baby artichoke dip....garlic, mayo or creama or sour cream, cream cheese, parmesan, scallions
Bacon and onion dip
spicy peanut butter
nutella
rooster sweet chili sauce

those are the ones that come to mind....oh yeah cuke with greek yogurt, garlic, scallions....dolmas to dip.

let us know what you decide to make

Rehearsal dinner, rehearsal dinner. :D

Do you have a list of the dips you've got so far? I do a lot of dips and what-not for work, church, family, and neighborhood gatherings but after reading the thread I can't figure out if my suggestions have already been suggested (a lot to sort through here).