Desserts

[ShelbyAD]

Hello everyone,

I am having a Housewarming Party at the end of July. I am needing some ideas on desserts (besides the usual - brownies & cookies). There are going to be roughly 50-80 people there. So, it would have to be easy and cheap.

Any ideas?

Thanks!!

[disneydeb]

Melons and berries are in season at that time. How about a fruit bowl?

[SBETigg]

You can layer chunks of sponge cake in a bowl with pudding, sliced strawberries, and whipped cream. It makes for a nice presentation. If you want, you can soak the sponge cake in rum or sherry for a little extra flavor. It's a variation on English Trifle (which would use custard, lady fingers, and creme anglaise). You could also do the same thing but soak the sponge cake in Kahlua and use chocolate and vanilla puddings layered with whipped cream, also good.

[tinklover]

NOt sure if you have a selection of cookie cutters or not but why not make jello jigglers in the shape of houses?

[pink]

They sell those small shortcakes and then you could buy cool whip and put an assortment of fruits out (ex- strawberrys, banannas, blueberries, etc.) It's very tasty and everyone can help themseleves.

[SBETigg]

They sell those small shortcakes and then you could buy cool whip and put an assortment of fruits out (ex- strawberrys, banannas, blueberries, etc.) It's very tasty and everyone can help themseleves.

Ooh, like a shortcake bar! That's a really cute idea, Pink.

[wonderalice23]

My friend goes crazy and makes mini cheesecakes in the mini-muffin papers. I prefer to make a layered trifle type dessert with cool whip, chocolate pudding and chopped up Snickers! Its a family favorite and often requested!

[ShelbyAD]

fruit cups/bowls would be a great idea, however, buying enough fruit for everyone (50-80+) would be very expensive. Frozen fruit is nasty. We have som blueberries & strawberries in the freezer. We don't like them frozen.

Mini cheese cakes sounds good. May I have the receipe? I don't eat cheesecake, but I know alot of people do.

Someone mentioned a truffle. I only have 1 truffle "container" - what else can I use to put it in? I will probably have to make more than 1.

[JessicaRabbit]

I made these once for one of my kids who had an "open-house" type party at school and they got rave reviews. They are now what my kids request each and every time I need to make a dessert for anything.

BTW, a fellow law clerk gave me this recipe after he had made them for a pot-luck. He didn't have a name for them so he called them "Fudgie-Wudgie Balls" - hopefully someone can think up a more dignified name for them! Here's the recipe he gave me (with my comments in parenthesis)

Fudge-Wudgie Balls

Ingredients:

1 package Oreo cookies (doublestuff oreos will them sweeter).

1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese - softened

1 pkg (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crush the package of oreos (use a food processor if you want no chunks - but you can just put them in a plastic baggie and crush with plate if you dont' mind chunks) and then mix the crushed oreos with the softened cream cheese. Form into balls and put on waxed (or parchment) paper and place in refrigerator for about 3-4 hours (you want them firm for the next step).

Melt the package of chocolate chips (double boiler works best but if you don't have one you can just melt them slowly over low heat and keep stirring so the chocolate doesn't burn). Dip the balls into the melted chocolate (you can use skewers, tongs or spoons any way you can adequately coat the cream-cheese balls). Set the balls on waxed paper and put back into refrigerator for 3-4 hours (or overnight if you want to make them the day before). Makes about 20 medium-sized treats (you can make more or less depending on how big you make each treat - the good thing about this recipe is that it can easily and cheaply be doubled/tripled to feed a bigger crowd).

[Aggie97]

I made these once for one of my kids who had an "open-house" type party at school and they got rave reviews. They are now what my kids request each and every time I need to make a dessert for anything.

BTW, a fellow law clerk gave me this recipe after he had made them for a pot-luck. He didn't have a name for them so he called them "Fudgie-Wudgie Balls" - hopefully someone can think up a more dignified name for them! Here's the recipe he gave me (with my comments in parenthesis).

My mom makes these for parties and things all the time -- they are a HUGE favorite, and people absolutely love them. We just call them "Chocolate Balls."

[MissStyles]

I made these once for one of my kids who had an "open-house" type party at school and they got rave reviews. They are now what my kids request each and every time I need to make a dessert for anything.

Those sound delicious...!

[Aggie97]

This bar dessert is very easy to make and is always a hit at parties and potlucks.

Butterscotch Bars

1 stick butter or margarine
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1.5 cups butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter chips

Melt stick of butter in 9"x13" pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly across bottom of pan, patting down into butter. Punch 2 holes in top of can of sweetened condensed milk; pour milk evenly across pan by drizzling from up high. Sprinkle over top: butterscotch chips and then peanut butter chips. Push chips down firmly. Bake about 25 minutes at 350 degrees, until sides are brown and middle is bubbly.

[Tick-Tock]

I love trifles. They look pretty but are easy to put together. Instead of/in addition to a trifle bowl, you can use a punch bowl. If you don't have one (or are already using it for punch), check your local thrift shops.

You could also buy something from a local candy shop. Nice to highlight some local products at a housewarming!

[ShelbyAD]

The Chocolate Balls & Oreo desserts sound sooooo Yummy!!! I will run those ideas past DH and see what he says.

You could also buy something from a local candy shop. Nice to highlight some local products at a housewarming!

I was thinking somethng like that. I had won a small striped ceramic bowl at work, and was thinking of picking up a few more ($1 at Target) and putting them in a few of the rooms with treats in them. That way when people are walking around, they can pick up a treat.

[tinkerbell04]

This is a really easy cheesecake square recipe.

2 small cans of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1 1/2 c sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Spray a little Pam on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish/pan. Unroll the 1st can of crescent rolls and spread them on the bottom.

2. Blend cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla together and spread evenly over the crescent rolls.

3. Unroll 2nd can of crescent rolls and spread out over the top of the cream cheese mixture.

4. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly (there will be a lot) over the top. Melt the stick of butter and pour evenly over the cinnamon/sugar. You may have to spread it around with a spatula.

5. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy! (I refigerated mine before cutting and it was way less messy).

[azdisneymom]

I would suggest making a Disney recipe from the Boma. It is called Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake. I make this for parties. You can do a Google search for the recipe. The only change I make is instead of using a regular pie pan to make it in I use a mini muffin tin. You can make a bunch ahead of time. You will probably have to do a couple batches to get as many as you need but it is worth the effort. I ALWAYS get raves.