Urgent food inspiration ideas needed!

[Staycalm]

It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday to bring
morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow. The big problem
is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our boss with a humongous
morning tea with heaps of food. With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.

Liz

[Chookie]

Post by Staycalm
With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.

Good quality fruit at this time of year is ALWAYS yummy -- anyone who is tired
of cherries can send them to me!

[Horace Wachope .]

Post by Chookie

Post by Staycalm
With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.

Good quality fruit at this time of year is ALWAYS yummy -- anyone who is tired
of cherries can send them to me!

I'm tired of cherry seeds. May I also send them to you? :)

[Chookie]

Post by Horace Wachope .
I'm tired of cherry seeds. May I also send them to you? :)

Not if you're spitting them!

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Post by Staycalm
It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday to bring
morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow. The big problem
is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our boss with a humongous
morning tea with heaps of food. With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.
Liz

Fruit and cheese tray. :-)

Sliced or chunked cheese, 3 varieties would be enough.
Whole grapes, canned chunk pineapple and canned mandarin oranges work
well, along with maybe some fresh berries and/or cherries.

Put a container of fruit dip in the middle.

Cheers!

[jmcquown]

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet

Post by Staycalm
It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday
to bring morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow.
The big problem is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our
boss with a humongous morning tea with heaps of food. With this
coming after the overindulgence of Christmas food, everyone is a
little over the usual sweet concoctions or cheese/dips.

Fruit and cheese tray. :-)
Sliced or chunked cheese, 3 varieties would be enough.

(snippage)

Why am I reminded of the time years back - we were doing a pot-luck at the
office (definitely lunch time, not early AM.) I usually brought something
in a crock pot, teriyaki chicken thighs, chili, etc., so people could have
something warm for lunch. For some reason I didn't have time, or maybe it
was sort of a last-minute thing. That morning a couple of folks were going
to run to the store so I gave them money and asked them to buy two or three
nice cheeses and some crackers. This gal returned with individually wrapped
processed "cheese food" slices, in "Swiss" and "American" and saltines. I
don't know why they let *her* pick out the cheeses; obviously her taste was
all in her mouth.

As she returned my considerable change, I asked why she didn't pick up a
couple or three blocks of cheeses and at *least* Ritz crackers. She said
she didn't want to waste my money. I didn't know it at the time, but she
would never have eaten gouda, real swiss, fontina or (heaven forbid!) brie
to save her life. Live and learn :)

Jill

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Post by jmcquown

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet

Post by Staycalm
It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday
to bring morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow.
The big problem is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our
boss with a humongous morning tea with heaps of food. With this
coming after the overindulgence of Christmas food, everyone is a
little over the usual sweet concoctions or cheese/dips.

Fruit and cheese tray. :-)
Sliced or chunked cheese, 3 varieties would be enough.

(snippage)
Why am I reminded of the time years back - we were doing a pot-luck at the
office (definitely lunch time, not early AM.) I usually brought something
in a crock pot, teriyaki chicken thighs, chili, etc., so people could have
something warm for lunch. For some reason I didn't have time, or maybe it
was sort of a last-minute thing. That morning a couple of folks were going
to run to the store so I gave them money and asked them to buy two or three
nice cheeses and some crackers. This gal returned with individually wrapped
processed "cheese food" slices, in "Swiss" and "American" and saltines. I
don't know why they let *her* pick out the cheeses; obviously her taste was
all in her mouth.

Oh gag! Just gag! <lol>

Post by jmcquown
As she returned my considerable change, I asked why she didn't pick up a
couple or three blocks of cheeses and at *least* Ritz crackers. She said
she didn't want to waste my money. I didn't know it at the time, but she
would never have eaten gouda, real swiss, fontina or (heaven forbid!) brie
to save her life. Live and learn :)
Jill

Heh!
I took an extra little jar of Caviar to the party on New Years eve.
My host was grateful for the caviar coated cheese log as they had
forgotten to buy it.

He stashed the unopened jar rather than putting it on the table, and
changed the subject when I asked about it later. <G> I took the hint.

I later found out from his housemate that he has a real love of caviar
and intened to eat it by himself later...

with brie.

OH yeah!!!!!!! ;-d

[Kathy in NZ]

On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 12:45:41 -0600, OmManiPadmeOmelet

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet
I took an extra little jar of Caviar to the party on New Years eve.
My host was grateful for the caviar coated cheese log as they had
forgotten to buy it.
He stashed the unopened jar rather than putting it on the table, and
changed the subject when I asked about it later. <G> I took the hint.
I later found out from his housemate that he has a real love of caviar
and intened to eat it by himself later...
with brie.
OH yeah!!!!!!! ;-d
Om.

You should have kept that jar. This week the UN banned all exports of
caviar, so once shops run out it could be off your menu for years,
until sturgeon stocks recover.

Kathy in NZ

[zxcvbob]

Post by Staycalm
It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday to bring
morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow. The big problem
is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our boss with a humongous
morning tea with heaps of food. With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.
Liz

Here's a couple of recipes that are not too sweet and are easy to cook.
If you made the pineapple cake, do not frost it; just dust lightly
with powdered sugar and serve while still a little warm if possible.
(But if you tell folks it has no fat and no dairy, they won't eat it.
Don't ask me how I know) I never have figured out what's Swedish or
Mexican about the cake, but it's good anyway.


Also have an assortment of good-quality fresh fruit available.
Here in Minnesota, some people bring pickled herring to these sorts of
things. :-/


Swedish Pineapple cake (a.k.a. Mexican Wedding Cake)

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

Grease a 13x9x2” baking dish. In large mixing bowl, combine all
ingredients and mix well by hand. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35
minutes at 350°F, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes
out clean. Cool, then frost with cream cheese frosting. For Mexican
Wedding Cake, add 1 cup chopped pecans to cake batter, and 1/2 cup each
chopped pecans and flaked coconut to frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup
butter or margarine, 2 cups powdered sugar

* * *

Raisin Applesauce Snack Cake

1 C whole-wheat flour
1 C unbleached AP flour
1 C sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/4 C canola oil
1 1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1 C raisins


Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking
spray and set aside.
Combine flours, sugar, spices, soda, and salt. In separate bowl,
combine the vanilla, egg, oil, and applesauce and mix well. Add the
applesauce mixture to the dry mixture all at once and beat at medium
speed to combine. Stir in the raisins. Pour the batter into prepared
pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of oven for 30 minutes, or
until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool
in the pan; cut into 1 x 1 1/2 inch bars. Makes 36.

* * *

Best regards,
Bob

[Michael "Dog3" Lonergan]

Post by Staycalm
It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday to
bring morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow. The
big problem is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our boss
with a humongous morning tea with heaps of food. With this coming
after the overindulgence of Christmas food, everyone is a little over
the usual sweet concoctions or cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a
suggestion for something I could take? The catch is that I have a
strained calf and am off my feet. It will probably need to be
something I can buy and quickly put together sitting down. I was
thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just seems
a bit boring is all.
Liz

A mini platter comes to mind, from a deli or something like that. Small
mini buns or perhaps flatbreads with chicken, tuna and egg salad. A small
tray of lettuce, sliced onions, tomatoes (if you can find 'em), maybe
sliced avocado etc. A cold meat tray would do nicely also.

Michael

[Kathy in NZ]

On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 20:57:39 +1100, "Staycalm"

Post by Staycalm
It is my workplace's tradition to have anyone who's got a birthday to bring
morning tea (cake usually) to share. It's my turn tomorrow. The big problem
is that today we celebrated the 60th birthday of our boss with a humongous
morning tea with heaps of food. With this coming after the overindulgence of
Christmas food, everyone is a little over the usual sweet concoctions or
cheese/dips. Can anyone come up with a suggestion for something I could
take? The catch is that I have a strained calf and am off my feet. It will
probably need to be something I can buy and quickly put together sitting
down. I was thinking fruit if I'm not inspired to do anything else. It just
seems a bit boring is all.
Liz

What about an antipasti platter ...
meats (such as salami)
cheeses
olives
pickled onions
marinated artichokes
crackers etc etc

You can buy in everything and just worry about presentation

Kathy in NZ

[Staycalm]

Thanks all for some very yummy food ideas. I've saved some of them for other
occasions.
In the end I went with two salads I'd gotten off someone else in one of the
groups:
watermelon, fetta, mint, lime juice, black pepper
four bean salad, crushed pineapple, red onion, Paul Newman's dressing

Both fruity but not boring.

These were both very simple to throw together at work this morning and I had
lots of people raving about them, including my boss and her boss, who were
both there for a meeting. One staff member had three serves of the bean
salad!

I feel like I did well. Even one of the grumpiest staff told me "That's a
good idea. Well done!"

Liz

[Melba's Jammin']

Post by Staycalm
four bean salad, crushed pineapple, red onion, Paul Newman's dressing
Liz

That sounds really interesting, Liz. Would you post the recipe, please?
(Be sure to include r.f.cooking in the distribution). Thank you.
-Barb