My honest opinion is that sloppy joes seem summery bbqish to me more than holiday party. What about some kind of holidayish meatballs that can go in the crock pot? maybe something with a cranberry tinged sauce? They would be almost as easy as sloppy joes, but instead of hamb. buns you could have nice rolls?

Something like this?

Here is a link that might be useful: Meatballs with Cranberry sauce

Olychick, I love festive meatballs, and I'll gladly check out the recipe. I hadn't thought of serving them on rolls. Is it okay to serve them right out of the crockpot, versus using the toothpicks, like appetizers?

Thanks!

I would probably go with a nice ham--maybe spiral cut. You could also do roast beef or pork in a crockpot, pulled, bbq or just sliced or even a nice meat deli platter with cheeses. Sloppy joes just don't seem like holiday fare-even for a casual party.

Oh, and one other thing - Is it necessary to tell everyone we have a cat in case anyone has allergies? Our cat spends most of her time in the basement in her bed, and even people with cat allergies who have visited haven't had problems in our main living areas.

Ughh . . . maybe I'm overthinking all of this!

Ham would be great, except I have no idea how to cook one. Can one be purchased that just needs heating?

I wouldn't serve the meatballs on rolls, just rolls on the side if you want to serve a bread of some kind. You can serve without toothpicks, out of the crockpot is okay if it's really informal, or take some out and put in a serving dish and replenish from the crockpot as needed.

Are the meatballs okay for a main dish item, or do you think they seem more like an appetizer only?

Not a foodie but an idea for what it's worth... what about BBQ Beef instead of sloppy J's? Served from the crock and offered with those fancy lil square bun/roll things.

I find BBQ, light on the sauce, easier to eat than sloppy J's and maybe just a snidge "finer" and one recipe can serve a lot of people. There are some awesome crock pot recipes for BBQ beef.

This post was edited by funcolors on Fri, Nov 30, 12 at 3:47

I am thinking that BBQ and sloppy joes are awfully, well, sloppy for a party. I usually try for food that is easily handled, even if you are going to be sitting at table to eat. Reason being as a totally clumsy person myself, I would be mortified to drip juice on a hostess' nice tablecloth, or on myself so I was wearing dinner the rest of the evening :).

And as a suggestion, you might want to serve something non-meat that folks who don't partake of flesh can have a a main course. I'm not a hostess who believes you must cater to every dietary whim and fad. However I do know that many vegetarians or non-meat eaters quietly feel a bit left out at a party that features meat n sides only.

I had sloppy joe's just the other day! But...they're way too messy for a party. Even though the party will be casual, the women will probably be wearing a nice outfit. I'm like running, the stuff always drips on me which is why I have to have a napkin bib. lol.

A spiral ham is easy to bake. Buy a name brand, wrap it in foil and heat until hot. Keep in the oven on low until ready to serve.

If you buy a Honey Baked Ham (from the Honey Baked Ham Store), the directions say No Cooking. Just bring it out of the frig and let it come to room temperature.

Heating may cause it to dry out.

ML

Okay, I have definitely decided against the sloppy joes and will go for some hot beef and also ham. I lean toward vegetarian myself, and I will also have some vegetarian options, such as a pasta salad, and plenty of sides.

Thanks to all of you.

Another easy and really delicious choice would be roasted pork loin. I've linked to an easy recipe, but there are many recipes. Pork loin is easily sliced thinly, and could be eaten beside the side dishes, or even on rolls like the sloppy joes. I serve pork loin to big gatherings a lot because it's economical for a crowd, everyone seems to like it, it's easy, and am frequently asked for the recipe!

Let's see:

a)Chili -- served from your crock-pot into fun bowls or cups.

Add small bowls of corn chips, chopped green onion, chopped white onion and sour cream.

b)TWO crock pots of chili -- one "red" beef -- and one "white" chili with ground turkey.

Then add a bowls of big hunks of bread or soft rolls.

This is my house after the last sloppy Joe party!

Hehehe just kidding! They are called sloppy for a reason and I wouldn't go there.

One of my favorite entertaining meals, is: White Chicken Chili in the crockpot, with cilantro, shredded cheese, and sour cream, bacon bits, black olives, jalepenos (each has their own neat little bowl) on the side to add to it, if wanted, shoepeg corn dip with tortilla chips, spinach salad with craisins, pine nuts and feta cheese, and a dessert. Has always been a hit, easier than it sounds.

It's been a number of years, but I made a cranberry orange glazed pork loin one year that was festive and wonderfully flavorful! In those years, there were a lot of young kids so Christmas eve dinner was casual and easy. We served the pork (along with a turkey breast and baked ham) with sandwich fixings and a selection of soups.

I used a recipe that was on the pork board's web site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cranberry Glazed Pork Roast

As for informing people that you have a cat - yes, please do tell them. I have seen people who are highly allergic have difficulties even when the cat is not present and doesn't spend much time in the room where the gathering is held. You can make it clear that the cat will not be present and keeps a low profile in the house (ha! I just had a mental image of a little cat slinking around corridors).

I think you decided against meatballs, but to answer your question, just make them a bit larger for a main dish instead of appetizer size.

Have you ever heard of Haystacks? Its a recipe that I got when we were in the service and everyone loved them. Basically, its three main dishes, combined. One person makes a big pot of chili, another brings a large crockpot of rice, and then you have a big salad - usually just lettuces, tomatoes, onion if you want it and cheese. Then you layer Fritos, the rice, the chili, and then the salad. Its kinda like a taco salad with chili instead of just the ground beef. The good thing about it is that you can leave off what you don't want or have it all. Served with perhaps some fresh cut fruit and a dessert and you have it made.

It seems everyone serves ham, turkey, and such during the holidays. This is something different.

I love a good sloppy joe but I would do Italian beef, still using the slow cooker.

My mom has a great, easy recipe that uses a can of beer.

That's what I would do. Italian Beef. I just take a roast, salt and pepper, a couple beef bouillon cubes if you have them, onion, Italian seasoning and a can of beer. Cook all day and tear apart at the end of the day with forks. Serve with crusty rolls and pepper jack cheese. Mmmmm!

Re cat allergies, I think it would be very thoughtful to put it out there. If I knew ahead of time, I would take an allergy med. before coming. (Whether the cat stays primarily in another part of the house, the dander usually makes its way throughout).

For parties, I like to serve food that you don't need two hands to eat, or that needs cutting with a knife, unless you are doing a sit down at a table meal. In the living room, on an upholstered chair or couch, I don't want to have to balance a plate on my lap and use both hands to raise something to my mouth, or have a knife and fork in my hands with the plate precariously sliding around on my lap.

I appreciate food that is either finger food or that can be stabbed or scooped with a fork while I hold the edge of my plate with my other hand. Even with one handed food, I don't want to eat (so don't serve) something that is going to slop sauce on the front of my clothes or onto the furniture.

So I'd think about those sorts of things when deciding on what to serve. As delicious as some food is, it's just not good buffet style party food.

Ham is extremely easy to cook since all you are doing is reheating it. Just put it in a pan with sides and stick it in the oven. The package will tell you how long and what temperature. You can do a glaze but I never do and it tastes good. You don't need to get a Honey Baked ham, supermarket hams are good.

Just a thought. One thing I have done with casual family get-togethers is a big crock pot of hot dogs, brats, Italian and Polish sausage. Throw them in the crock (no water) and they kind of grill in a couple of hours. Give them a stir every once in a while. A big plate of chopped toms, onions, pickles etc along with the buns and you're good.