I am thinking of throwing a dinner party for about 10 -15 adults (ages range between 20 to 45years of age)..?

Question

And I want do something different and unique.,,But I am on a tight budget(about $250) Any ideas on a theme, whats foods to cook, drinks to serve,etc......

Also, we are all singles..no couples..if this helps any...

Answer 1

I would have a tostadas and margarita party.

You can buy the corn tortillas already deep fried or you can buy them fresh and deep fry them yourself. We let our guests deep fry their own in our little "fry-daddy" unit. Your serve diced chicken, taco meat (made with hamburger or turkey), black beans, pinto beans,salsa, lettuce, tomato, diced onion, sour cream, grated cheese, rice, fresh avocado slices. Everyone piles on whatever they like.

You can offer margaritas frozen or on the rocks. I like to offer a choice of tequila.

For dessert, I would suggest fresh fruit sorbet (like mango or coconut).

Another idea I stole from Emeril. It is a fondue party. You get 3 of those Sterno fondue pots. One will have a cheese sauce to dip fresh veggies in. Another has oil to cook your meat in (he used pork medallions and cubed steak) and one will hold chocolate for dessert to dip in cubed pound cake and fresh fruits. You have your guests bring a bottle of their favorite wine or a six-pack of their favorite beer. You provide lemonade or tea for anyone who doesn't drink alcohol.

Answer 2

$250 is plenty to do a nice affair. People expect fancy food at a dinner party... but what about if you did homestyle, comfort foods? Folks would love that! I'ts unexpected, tastes great, and cn be inexpensive. So a menu like:

Meatloaf
Real Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans w/ Butter & Toasted Almonds
Tomato-Cuke Salad
A couple loaves of hot French Bread (warm up in oven)
Choice of pies for dessert: Chocolate Cream or Lemon Meringue (1 of each will give you 16 slices)

Smothered Pork Chops
Scalloped Potato Casserole (fresh potatoes are cheap!)
Buttered Broccoli and Carrot Coins
Cornbread Muffins
Tunnel of Fudge Cake (Pillsbury Bake-off Winner in 1966! now that's vintage!)

Fried Chicken (if you're a novice at fried chicken, do boneless tenders instead; easier to get perfectly done)
Rel Mashed Potatoes w/ White Gravy
Corn on the Cob or Sauteed Corn
Hot Biscuits
Strawberry Shortcake (or over pounc cake) for dessert

If you want alcoholic beverages, I'd suggest making a pitcher of mixed drinks adn make that the only choice. Take it or leave it. You could do things like Sidecars, Whisky Sours, Cape Cods, Margaritas, Martinis, whatever. Just make it by the pitcher and limit variety to save money.

Good luck! Sounds like a blast!

Answer 3

spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread salad and red wine.
spaghetti (.99 for barilla...get 4 boxes) $4
pre made meatballs ($5 per package, get 2) $10
Prego or Ragu spaghetti sauce (@$2 a can..get 4)$8
*doctor the sauce with italian seasoning or extra garlic cloves*
bagettes (1.50 for loaf...get 4) $6
real butter ($3 pkg.)
garlic cloves ($1.20 a bunch)
pre made salad ($3 a bag..get 2) $6
red wine ($12 a bottle get 4 ) $48
salad dressing ($3 a bottle get 3 different kinds) $9
ice $2
sweet tea $5 (2 gallons)
Sara Lee Apple Pie $5
Sara Lee cheesecake $6
napkins $3
coronet plates (the sturdiest, 2 pkg.$4) $8
total : $125 +/-

if you have to live within your means, then you'll have to ENTERTAIN within your means. this was priced on the high end. also place everything on your dining table, buffet style. everyone can eat and sit where ever you wish. dont forget to have great music and some votive candles about. the point is to not have starving guests and to talk and have a great time! GOOD LUCK.

Answer 4

OK, first, don't panic. Start the day before and buy your greens, make a couple pies, make your dressings. Do everything you can, like get your platters and bowls set out. including pots and pans. Make sure your dishwasher's empty in the morning. Clean the house. Buy or make bread and have a dipping sauce. Get everything prepped so you don't have to do that much the day of, but a little plating and cooking.

And don't forget your local deli/supermarket. A couple pre-made trays aren't bad at all! Shine the wine glasses, stock the beer, set the buffet table...and RELAAAAAX.

Answer 5

$250 is an awful tight budget for this. I would wait until I had more money set aside for it.

Alternately, you could throw a potluck dinner. You provide a couple of good main dishes and drinks, and they bring the sides. It's easy to work a theme into this, like Caribbean, Hawaiian or Mexican.

Answer 6

How about a build your own shishkabob? You can make a bunch of rice cheap enough and provide little bits of veggies and meats and fruits for very little money. (Costco's Chicken Grillers are great to cut up and have with red and green peppers and pineapple and they are very cheap and good). Also an inexpensive cut of meat goes very far with onion and peppers and mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. For dessert make a fruit tart and serve with a little bit of vanilla pudding in a beautiful glass. Make the stuff real cheap but, serve in nice dishes. Provide lots of soy sauce and other cheap condiments. Go for big vats of Marguerite's anything else is a BYOB

Answer 7

Really cheap party eats:
Chile nachoes. Get an industrial size can of chile $4.99 for a gallon and one of nacho cheese for $8.99. Big bags of nacho chips $1.99 each. Pile chips, chile and cheese on a plate and microwave for 2 mins. Costs about $1.00 per person for all they can stand. Serve with Margaritas!

Chinese Buffet:
Cook a bunch of rice. Stir fry a bunch of veggies with a little meat if desired. Add an assortment of frozen Chinese food from the grocers freezer depatment. Serve with blinding hot Chinese Mustard! About $2.00 per person. Serve with Sake!

Ramen Bar: Chop up a bunch of different veggies, cooked meats, cooked eggs, add canned beets, canned beans, onions bits, all in separate containers like a salad bar. Serve plain cooked ramen noodles and let guests build their own dish. About $1.00 per person Serve with All the colors of the rainbow MD 20/20!

Western Bake: start with a huge can of chile (1 gallon can make 2 western bakes). Dump 1/2 of can into a 9x13 baking pan. Mix 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix as directed on the box and dump a 3/4 inch layer over the top of the chile. Bake for 20 mins or until corn bread is done. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top. About $1.00 per person. Serve with Steele Reserve Beer!

Answer 8

Pick a theme. Something like Hawaiian would be nice. It would be perfect for this time of year. Fresh fruits, frozen drinks (without alcohol they can bring if they want- it's too expensive). You can pick up little paper decorations at the dollar store. And then ham and scalloped potatoes. Fresh green beans and dinner rolls. Cheese cake for desert. Simple, elegant, and not too expensive!

Answer 9

Best dinner party I ever had was a Chili party. I made two chili's, one just a simple basic chili (ground round, red beans, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes and chili powder)(yes its actually called Mom's Bland Chili), and a vegetarian model without the meat. Then I filled bowls with every condiment I could think of, even sauerkraut. Everyone made their own, I served with hard and soft cider, beer and ice tea. I made several varieties of brownies for dessert.

Answer 10

Italian is the cheapest way to go with the most satisfying versatility. Otherwise I would suggest all finger foods that go well with wine and beer. Assorted cheeses, greek olives, egg rolls etc...Also mayke it BYOB on a 250 limit. Tapas etc...