What CHEAP dish should I take to my friend's New Year's Eve Party?

Question

Need it to be cheap. I don't have much cash after the holidays. Maybe some type of snack or finger food???

Answer 1

deviled eggs with a splash of sugar

Answer 2

Hmmmm. Cheap. This is more of a warm side dish than finger food, but if you have some potatoes, an onion, flour, and milk you could make scalloped potatoes.

Basically they're just sliced potatoes baked in a white sauce, very easy and not terribly fancy, but for whatever reason when I make the dish people seem to like it. (Go figure.) I use the recipe out of Betty Crocker, but there's one on recipesource.com that looks pretty similar. If you have any other dairy products floating around in your fridge, like sour cream or cheese, you can either stir them in or sprinkle them on top for more pizazz.

Another thought - a platter of vegetable munchies. Carrot sticks, etc.

Yet another thought - if you have a bread machine or want to try your hand at making bread, you could take a warm fresh loaf. One I like to make starts with a cinnamon raisin bread recipe, but I leave out the cinnamon, substitute dried cranberries for the raisins, and throw in some walnuts and grated orange peel.

Have fun!

Answer 3

How about a two-fold, cheap, yet still fun and not "cheap looking" idea?

One sweet treat and one savory:

New Year's Eve cupcakes! Just a boxed cake mix, a can of prepared frosting, few eggs, oil. $6 total. Frost with white frosting and decorate with sprinkles or mini plastic "baby new year" things. Or trick candles that won't blow out. They spark and sputter...would be a cute idea. And a box of cake mix makes a lot of cupcakes.

For a savory dish to pass, what about quesadillas? Tortillas are cheap, some shredded chicken or seasoned ground beef and a some shredded cheese. Fill two torillas with the meat and cheese and fry it on both sides in a little oil. cut in 8 wedges and serve. $6 total for tortillas, meat, seasoning packet and a bag of cheese.

Answer 4

Anginetti Cream Puffs
http://www.lr.k12.nj.us/Site/district/ldtv/cooking%20pages/dessertsrecipes/anginetti_cream_puffs.html

JAM BARS:
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
3/4 cup jam or preserves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Sift together flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl cream butter, sugar and almond extract. Beat in egg thoroughly.
Add sifted dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir to blend.
Spread a little less than half the dough into a greased baking pan
(about 11 x 7 x 2 in.)
In a small bowl, mix jam with cinnamon and ground cloves. Spread over dough. Drop remaining dough in blobs over jam; spread carefully with small spatula.
Bake in hot oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Put on rack to cool; cut into squares.

Answer 5

Costco, has a bunch of small snacks and finger foods you can buy. Just put it in the oven and your all set for the party, their selection is great, and great for a last minute party dish. It all depends on how many people your taking it for.

Answer 6

A package of Oscar Meyer smokies. These are the ones that are the size of your little finger. Heat them up, place in a pan and stick with toothpicks and serve. These are a party favorite and you will feel good that these will be the first to disappear. Cheap to buy, quick and easy to make.

Answer 7

try to bring something that does not involve the host(ess) having to put out cutlery (unless they are having a pot luck dinner, in which case they are planning on having cutlery out)
finger foods are much better
you can buy chips and dip (sour cream and onion soup mix make a fast, easy, cheap dip)
fruit and dip (mix some jam with plain yoghurt)
bacon wrapped water chestnuts or scallops or dates (easy to do, not expensive but you look like a gourmet)
stuffed mushrooms
a pan of brownies
cookies

go to a dollar store buy a cheap plate and arrange a few things on it - the plate ends up being a hostess gift and you look generous with out spending a lot of $$

Answer 8

Try this dip...maximum cost for all ingredients shouldn't run more than five or seven dollars and it's really good! (fast and easy to make, too)

Taco Spread

8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
1 pkg dry taco seasoning
4 oz cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, diced
1 sm head Iceberg lettuce, shredded
½ C black olives, diced
Taco chips

Use a glass or plastic 9 x 13 x 2" pan. Mix together the sour cream, cream cheese, and taco seasoning. Spread in bottom of pan. Top with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and olives. Serve with taco chips.

Answer 9

Nachos! cheap and easy! Go thru Wendy's drive thru, get
2 large chilis with cheese & extra sour cream. Stop at the store and pick a bag of cheap tortilla chips..
Put chips on platter, top with chili & cheese, and put sour cream
on the side! Yum! and about $5.00 tops!

Answer 10

This is the Bomb ! ! ! and easy.

1lb of regular jimmy dean sausage.
1 can of "Rotella" brand tomato's & peppers
2 8oz cubes of philly cream cheese

Brown sausage, drain fat. add rotella, stir into sausage, add cream cheese and blend until melted. your done. serve with frito SCOOPS I garantee there wont be any left and your guest will rave. Dont substatute anything...dont add anything. its the perfect, easy , tasty recipe that you will make for years to come. If you are taking the dish to a party put it in a crock pot on low. Damn, I think I'm going to the store and making it tonite ! ! ! Happy New Year ! ! !

Answer 11

Seven layer taco dip & a bag of tortilla chips. From the bottom up. spread a can of refried beans on a plate, sour cream, guacamole dip,shredded lettuce,shredded sharp cheddar cheese,sliced black olives & diced tomatoes. It looks great and it's easy to make.