My band is coming round my house this week, with partners, so there will be about 10-12 of us. I am going to prepare some finger food. I don't want people to have to use plates or cutlery as I don't have enough, and nothing very messy as they are a careless lot and I have a light cream carpet! :(

But here lies the problem, there is me of course, and as it is my house I refuse to serve anything that I wouldn't eat, so it all has to be low carb. Then we have a couple of vegetarians and someone who is allergic to wheat AND would die if I gave him anything with nuts in it.

Hmmm, what can I serve?

Up to now I have the following:

baby tomatoes
carrot sticks
celery sticks
celery with peanut butter
celery with cream cheese
cheese crisps
dip
olives
salami
cocktail sausages
cheese
mixed nuts
devilled eggs

If anyone has any other ideas that would be brilliant, especially for sweet things. Also, anything that I could make as a big dish and then divide up that everone could eat would be useful.

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DANDR

Starting weight: 196 lbs
Current weight: 149 lbs
Goal weight: 130 lbs

One thing I like to make for a crowd is a crustless quiche. You can add anything you like to this, and can leave out any meat products for the vegetarians in the crowd...assuming that they eat eggs and dairy. Butter or oil a 9x13 cake pan, and use 12 eggs to 2 cups of heavy cream. Put shredded cheese (about 2 cups) in the bottom of the pan, add another two cups of chopped or shredded veggies (I like broccoli and mushrooms, but use your faves), whisk together the eggs and cream, season with salt, pepper, seasoned salt, dried herbs, fresh parsley (looks pretty!), garlic powder; whatever you like, and pour over the stuff in the pan. Bake @ 350 for an hour or so, or until set and the top is puffed and beginning to brown. Let cool a bit and cut into small squares. You can even serve this at room temperature, and it tastes great. It will make as many as 50 little squares, just one bite each.
For a sweet, try these macaroons, here, or the following truffle recipe I posted in an article a while back. Both are easy and really good; something your company will like, and you can eat, too!

Chocolate Truffles:
These are really special. You can make them as given here, or you can flavor them any way you like. I replace the vanilla with mint extract, but orange or almond extract are good, too. Try stirring two teaspoons of instant espresso powder into the heated cream for mocha truffles. These are terrific with coffee.
? cup heavy cream
? cup Splenda
8 oz. unsweetened chocolate (I use Hershey?s or Ghiradelli), chopped
? stick butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cocoa powder, chopped almonds or toasted, unsweetened coconut for coating.
Mix cream and Splenda in a small saucepan; heat just until very warm. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Add butter; stir until butter is melted. Cool to just above room temperature and stir in vanilla. Pour into a pie plate and chill until firm. Place cocoa, almonds or coconut in a shallow dish. With a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out small portions of mixture, and, working quickly, roll between your palms into a round ball and roll in coating. Keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Makes 30 truffles, 2 carbs each.

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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I forgot about quiche thanks! That is a great idea. I can cut it up into squares.

And truffles. WOW thanks! Of course I cannot use coconut or almonds but I could coat with cocoa powder.

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DANDR

Starting weight: 196 lbs
Current weight: 149 lbs
Goal weight: 130 lbs

... and you might want to consider paper plates/plastic cutlery. With a cream colored carpet, it might be worth it. There are very few foods that most people can eat without a plate and not drop something.

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I know! :( I don't approve of non recyclable items though as I try and live as green as possible!

I think celery is going to be abound!

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DANDR

Starting weight: 196 lbs
Current weight: 149 lbs
Goal weight: 130 lbs

A yummy appetizer I had once was goat cheese rolled into little balls, then rolled into crushed pink peppercorns. It gave an unusual appearance and a very good taste. Also, GG crispbreads have zero carbs - they are very dry on their own but spread with cheeses or dips or used as a base for canapes, they would make perfect finger food.

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Eddie
President and Founder of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

i LOVE little chunks of salmon that comes in pouches tucked into baby spinich leaves with a toothpick..mmmmmmmmm and pretty to look at too!

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kims SECOND journal is HERE
kims new blog
KIMS BLOG !!
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How about tortilla rounds? Kinda cliche but would work . . . lc tortillas spread with cream cheese and your choice of filling - roasted red peppers, meats, whatever, rolled up then sliced. We had these at our wedding reception and they were very popular.

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Eddie
President and Founder of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

Mmm, all sounds nice!

I don't have any LC products, but I can do the salmon, never seen pink pepeprcorns though will have to go looking for them!

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DANDR

Starting weight: 196 lbs
Current weight: 149 lbs
Goal weight: 130 lbs

Go to a garage sale or junk shop for old silverwear usually can get those for cheep... 10 for a dollar or so... if you won't do plastic... I usually buy the heavy weight plastic silverwear and re use and reuse and reuse... just have everyone toss into the kitchen sink and wash when done.
same with plates.... go to junk stores. or dollar stores (not sure if you have them in the UK) and pick up some small saucers or cake plates....)
(if you have to go plastic on plates, again get the heavy weight ones and re=use)

food ideas
Ham/cream cheese/pickle (or jalapeno) rollups...
slice of ham, put some softened cream cheese on it, and a pickle spear, or pepper slice roll up and put a toothpick in them....can be cut into two to three pieces..
Boiled shirmp... easy, and hardly any mess....

get a couple of throw rugs and put them over the carpet where the food is, and where people will be gathering to cover your rugs... might help keep the damage to minium.

dips... velveta cheese and rotel tomatoes (mexican queso) great with any kind of chips, veggies, etc.

eggplant ... make an eggplant lasagna, using the eggplant as the pasta, make it with cheeses, pasta sauce, and it is wonderful...

hope this helps.
carolyn

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http://www.youravon.com/cnorulak
carolyn in texas
started 8/11/03 327/268/177
5/20/08/ - 348
onward thru the fog

Very very good THANK YOU!

What is "velveta cheese and rotel tomatoes"?

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DANDR

Starting weight: 196 lbs
Current weight: 149 lbs
Goal weight: 130 lbs

Velveeta cheese is a processed loaf of cheese that melts really easily; it's made from several different cheeses. It's semi-soft. Rotel tomatoes are a brand of chopped tomatoes with green chiles in them. They are somewhat spicy. When mixed with the melted cheese, they make a wonderful dip. Even better with a little sausage (bulk) fried and mixed in. You probably won't find those products in the UK.

I posted a recipe months ago for and olive spread that is really good on celery, stuffed in tomatoes, rolled up in tortillas, etc. It's basically cream cheese, chopped olives and chopped nuts. My family loves it.

Don't forget an antipasto platter. Cheeses, boiled eggs, olives, green and black, pepperoncini, pepperoni, salami, pastrami, ham, prosciutto, cucumber slices, etc. etc. etc. Looks pretty, and all lc. Some people put tuna on the platter, too.

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Nita

..........A staple food item in Texas. I know people that have moved and then buy it by Rotel and Velveeta by the case when they are home. I even knew someone living in Japan that had her mom mail her Rotel, Velveeta, and chips. Dinner one night last week was a grilled hamburger patty smothered in Rotel Dip. Lunch the nest day was Chicken smothered in the left overs.

Rotel = chopped tomatoes and green chilies.

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Judy
highest = 180, goal = 140
Every single time I put food in my mouth, it matters. No more fooling myself!

Sounds yummy!

Thanks everyone for your input. It is the morning after and we all had a great time, my friend Phil also brought round a lamb casserole he made using sweet potatoes and that was a yummy addition! Now I do have some food left over but it is all LC!

And let us now mention the drinks we made with strawberries, cream, DaVinci syrup and copious amounts of vodka!

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DANDR

Starting weight: 196 lbs
Current weight: 149 lbs
Goal weight: 130 lbs

OMG, Judy, how much do I love Rotel dip?! When I lived in Texas, I got hooked on that stuff. I was thrilled when I could find Rotel tomatoes in my local grocery here.
I used to even make macaroni and cheese with Rotel dip, with hamburger added. SO yummy!!
Hey, ya know, I bet that would work with spaghetti squash...

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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