<p>If you can find Barbara Kafka’s cookbook, “Party Food,” I would highly recommend it. I’ve successfully done parties serving vegetarian chili and mini cornbread muffins–very easy to eat standing up and much easier to prepare than an appetizer party; and then you can make as many desserts as you like. Of course, it might not be elegant enough for a fundraiser.</p>
<p>I think American Flatbread is a pizza restaurant. And frozen pizza. Normal pizza. As is Flatbread (wonderful pizza restaurant with a few locations around New England).</p>
<p>The flatbread busdriver is describing is almost a crackery crust with much fancier toppings.</p>
<p>Trader Joe’s Chicken Pot Stickers are always on our menu in the parties. They can be boiled or pan fried and add small amount of water cook 5 minutes to be ready.</p>
<p>You cannot fail with the mini phyllo/filo cups and they can be filled with hot, cold, fruit, veggie, meat, deli salads, etc. </p>
<p>[Athens</a> Foods | Phyllo Dough Products and Phyllo Dough Recipes](<a href=“http://www.athensfoods.com/consumers/recipes.aspx]Athens”>http://www.athensfoods.com/consumers/recipes.aspx)</p>
<p>Somewhere I have seen a recipe for crostini topped with a silver dollar size (maybe 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick piece of medium rare beef tenderloin and maybe a light swipe of creamed horseradish.</p>
<p>This is a great appetizer.
[It’s</a> Kinda Cheesy | Boston - DailyCandy](<a href=“http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/77203/Barbara-Lynchs-Baked-Goat-Cheese-and-Tomatoes-with-Black-Olive-Crisps]It’s”>http://www.dailycandy.com/boston/article/77203/Barbara-Lynchs-Baked-Goat-Cheese-and-Tomatoes-with-Black-Olive-Crisps)</p>
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<p>I respectfully disagree with this description. American Flatbread (the brand) is NOT normal pizza. It is an organic artisanal flatbread with natural ingredients which can be bought frozen at markets or is served in their retail restaurants where it is baked in a wood fired brick oven. By the way, even the frozen ones sold in stores are first baked 80% in the brick wood fired oven. American Flatbread has a very thin crust and is not like regular pizza. I would not equate flatbread with pizza (though both are round on a bread crust with toppings). I know the people who created it from the very beginning.</p>
<p>Kajon–I want that tenderloin recipe!! You also reminded me of a phyllo recipe I have.</p>
<p>Gingersnap/Brie tortes</p>
<p>mini phyllo cups
gingersnap cookies, broken up into little pieces
Brie cheese, cut into chunks
hot pepper jelly</p>
<p>Layer the last 3 ingredients into the mini phyllo cups. Bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes. People will go crazy for them. The jewel tone color of the pepper jelly looks very festive around the holidays too.</p>
<p>I get the premade phyllo cups when I do these but you could make your own if you wanted.</p>
<p>Soozievt, I haven’t actually eaten it, so I’ll defer to your knowledge. I have seen it in the freezer cases at the supermarket where it looks like frozen pizza and comes in frozen pizza flavors. They actually seem to call it pizza on their website: [Varieties</a> :: AmericanFlatbread.com](<a href=“http://www.americanflatbreadproducts.com/frozen-flatbread/varieties/]Varieties”>http://www.americanflatbreadproducts.com/frozen-flatbread/varieties/)</p>
<p>I’m not dissing pizza at all; I think it’s delicious and the restaurant Flatbread (which has a brick oven that makes wonderful crispy crust) that I mentioned earlier is one of my favorite restaurants. It looks like American Flatbread has delicious, unique, seasonal flavors. I think there’s a slight differentiation between that and what I think of as flatbread, but they’re both very good and both appropriate for a party in my opinion.</p>
<p>The Brie/Gingersnap phyllo recipe that SteveMA gave is a party favorite. I always get requests for the recipe. Best guess is that it was from the Athens website.</p>
<p>I also agree with Costco, particularly the spinach pies. If you go to Chowhound, you can find a thread or several about what’s good or bad at Costco currently. </p>
<p>Another simple thought is to get a large Brie - Costco sells big President Brie wheels - and bake them. Cut in half like you’re making two cake layers - meaning through the entire wheel - and put in some sort of filling. You can use something as simple as raspberry jam or do something more complicated. There are dozens of easy recipes on the net. Bake.</p>
<p>You can also get a bunch of hummus and/or baba ganoush and cut up some pita bread. Put the hummus in a bowl or two and arrange the pita around it. People can use a spoon or knife or can dip the bread in. You can add some cut carrots or other vegetables and it becomes a big platter.</p>
<p>Not to get obsessed with flatbread (okay, I’m obsessed with flatbread, I love it)…I have to try that American flatbread. I read about it online and wanted to pick it up for a huge party I had (what a horror, so many people). But it looked kind of small, and pretty expensive. Then again, if it is tasty, I’m happy to buy it for my family. But not for 50 people! I shall try it.</p>
<p>Well, busdriver, I’m thinking 20 people, not 50, so maybe I can get American Flatbread.</p>
<p>What about drinks, though? A party from 5-7pm, I’ll have to have wine and other things. Can I let people serve themselves?</p>
<p>If you have the space, set up a little bar in your kitchen. I put a bar towel over some plastic storage things and set up a place to keep glasses and then next to that put bottles/cans of whatever you are serving. I keep a bucket of ice near with soda, beer, white wine, etc. I usually get the first beverage for people and then let them know to help themselves later on.</p>
<p>I would keep it simple with some wines, soda, beer.</p>
<p>Thanks! I think I can do that. I go to fundraisers where there are bartenders. I’m just not in that league.</p>
<p>BV: I hear you on the cost of doing a fundraiser. I probably host 3-4 fundraisers a year for a couple of groups/charities in my town. First thing I’d say about the bar is keep it really simple. I used to think I needed to have all sorts of drinks available. Now, I serve wine and sparkling water. If it’s an afternoon event, I’ll also have small bottles of water. (You can get a case of those 8oz mini bottles of Poland Spring water for less than $15 at Staples.)</p>
<p>Another thing that I learned–there’s a downside to leaving wine/alcohol out and readily available: you go through it in no time at all. What I’ve done is to ask a friend to volunteer to be bartender. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t mind being bartenders for an evening, especially if it’s for a good cause. A few times, I’ve asked friends of my kids (over 21) who were home. I have one friend who is really shy and hates small talk, she’s actually likes doing something like pouring wine. My husband likes to do it too–he’s not a small talk person either. Just a thought.</p>
<p>Thanks, Bromfield! My son is a trained bartender and I’d love it if he would come home.</p>
<p>Just joined Costco yesterday- here was the deal-
Executive membership 110
Guarantee to refund $55 even if you don’t hit the qualifying amount via cash back offer-
With new American Express card- credit $55 on first purchase</p>
<p>And $20 Costco card </p>
<p>So bottom line they are paying me $20 for shopping for next year there !</p>
<p>As to the comment about red wine and meatballs…I just looked at my rugs and two of the three are mostly burgundy or black, so it is not a problem at my house. We serve the hot wine in coffee cups, so we do not have many spills. </p>
<p>I make my own meatballs (400 for my holiday party; yes, I am nuts). The sauce I use is a bottle of barbecue sauce and a jar of apricot jam.</p>
<p>For drinks, we offer red and white wines, beer, and soft drinks.</p>
<p>Good luck with your party! For wine and other food spills I have one word of wisdom - Oxyclean. The stuff took care of the spilled 1/2 bottle of red wine on my light grey carpets so well that it is impossible to identify the spot where the accident happened. Yes, it DOES make sense to have a bartender instead of letting the guests pour their own drinks - those red wine glasses are huge.</p>
<p>For liquor, I do a red and a white wine. If cost is an issue, most people are okay with M</p>