Maybe a ham? For me that is a natural with Mac & Cheese. What about the marinated antipasto? It has lots of various veggies and can be made the day ahead and is easy to make in large quantities. I can post the recipe if you are interested.

Congrats to the happy couple and I know you will have a wonderful time and it will be a fantastic success.

Alexa

Girls and cheese go together. I'd not worry about having more then one kind of cheese dish.

At work we have been doing raw veggie trays... seems to be the most popular veggie serving with the gals.

: )
lyra

Best Wishes to Amanda and congratulations to the groom to be!

I know that you already have a pasta but not all adults really like mac and cheese. Have you thought about a pasta salad?

"Girls and cheese go together". (grin) Thanks, Michael. Maybe you're right, just a veggie tray.....

Alexa, I first thought about a ham and some sweet potato biscuits, I'd either have to slice the ham ahead of time and let everyone make their own sandwich, or make them ahead of time and risk the biscuits getting soggy or hard. So what? Cold sliced ham and a choice of bread/rolls?

What? Beverly, I'm not the only person in the world that doesn't really like macaroni and cheese? I'm shocked. LOL yeah, I know, I thought about that, which is why I was considering sandwiches but maybe a cold pasta salad too...

I'm trying to keep this to things that I can make ahead and just heat and serve or serve at room temperature, but I don't know if that's going to work.

Thank goodness for Nancy and her "hot box", it's definitely going to be pressed into use for this!

Annie

How exciting. That wedding is going to be here before you know it! Here's a few things that might work. Ranch pasta salad, mexican layer dip, 7 layer salad, mini pizzas. And you could do cheesecake bites/pops in place of a traditional cheesecake. Everything tastes better on a stick you know :)

Tracey

Seconding Alexa's idea. I'd do a ham with the mac and cheese. The ham could be served warm or cold. Yeast rolls, not biscuits, and maybe baked beans pretending to be a veggie. If not then perhaps a potato salad. You already have pasta going on in the mac and cheese.

Sounds like fun!

Ham.

Broccoli salad with dried cherries.

The other things you are planning sound good to me.... what time? :P

Nancy

Got to be ham!! Maybe just a barely warm spiral sliced?

Grace

It seems like ham would be the overwhelming favorite here, LOL, and Grace is right, probably a spiral sliced ham, I could roast it that morning and then put it into Nancy's magic food warmer to stay hot. Rolls could be served cold and baked beans could go into a roaster..

So we don't need more veggies? Just more desserts?

LOL, Tracy, everything's better on a stick. I wonder how I could do that with mac and cheese? (grin) Nope, don't tell me, ROFL, just let my imagination run wild. :-)

Actually, I doubt I'll have time for the cheesecake pops because I'll need to decorate the cake and I won't have much refrigerator room to keep a tray. I'm taking the day before off work, but that's all, and I'll need to transport everything 20 miles to the hall on the day of...

Oh crap, I suppose I'll have to decorate, I didn't think of that. Sigh. And Amanda reminded me that we should have games. Great.

I'm off to google "bridal shower games"....

Annie

Okay Annie - you asked for it!

Paula Deen has seemingly taken a rectangle of cooked cold Mac & Cheese, wrapped it in bacon, put it on a stick and deep fried it.

1. DEEP FRIED MAC & CHEESE
Watch in amazement, shock, and probable disgust as Paula Deen wraps mac & cheese in bacon, deep fries it to a golden brown, and eats it before your very eyes. According to an FN reader named Hannah, "I swear to God, only a southern woman could survive that mouthful of heart attack on a stick."

Alexa, I saw that Paula show just last week. It was disgusting. I think Paula is getting defiant, or something, because her recipes are getting more & more what many would describe as unhealthy.

Annie, I also think ham would be good with your menu & I'd serve it room temp or cold. You could make rolls from your usual yeast potato dough & substitute sweet potatoes for the white & have something 'similar' to the sweet potato biscuits without the soggy issue.

Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials!

/tricia

OMG, mac and cheese on a stick, deepfried AND with bacon? I can't even imagine eating that....

Thanks Tricia. Somehow ham sandwiches just seem too easy, gotta make it hard on myself you know. Maybe I should quick raise a pig and smoke the ham, LOL.

Annie

Annie, if Amanda thinks there should be games, let her come up with them. I'm sure she's played some funny games at her friends' showers. You are making it too hard on yourself!

Ham seems like a good choice. I don't know about the weather in Michigan, but here in Minnesota September 11 could turn out to be really cold. We had a day in early August 1994 where the high was 48.

With a pre-sliced ham you could serve it hot or cold depending on the weather. Lot's of good suggestions for side dishes, but if she has asked for mac n cheese I think you should have that. But again for me personally, I would wait to decide on what side dishes because the weather can be so wacky here.

That Paula Deen mac n cheese sounds awful! Is she trying to kill someone?

Teresa

Annie, don't have much to add to your menu, everyone had such good ideas, you should be covered there! Just want to say congrats to Amanda, how exciting! Your parties are always the best! Don't forget the pictures!
Gina

Shower games? I'd assign that job to the sister of the bride.

Sounds like ham is the winner here. I'd serve it cold. I did that for Justin's send of party last year. Another option might be pulled pork. YOu could smoke it ahead of time, freeze, and reheat in a roaster. Some good slaw for the sandwich or on the side. Probably not bridal shower food though?? Congrats again to Amanda and David!!

David

Bridal shower food? Anything goes with us, David. No pretention, no restrictions, no putting on airs. I just didn;t mention pulled pork because they're having a pig roast for the reception!

Annie

Annie, I am the shower game queen. I'll let you know some games.

I think spiral sliced ham and baked beans would be perfect with what you have planned, and easy.

Congratulations to David and Amanda and I will look forward to pictures of the shower and wedding!

It's been years since I've been to a good ole pig roast Annie. My ex stepdad's family always had one every summer for their annual family reunion. YUM! He was one of 15 kids so as the years went on they made two to feed the crowds of extended family members. Great memories for sure, but no DJ to um...well you know...LOL!!!

David

I second the Wiz's suggestiong of broccoli salad, the kind with nuts and raisins and or miracle whip dressing. My recipe is for cauliflowr and broccoli. But if everyone hates broccoli, then maybe that pea salad of a similar ilk? Something green. And then yes, do what the Bunnyman said, just a plate of cut up veggies, easy to do ahead and folks can pick what they like. In September I'd maybe do something with tomatoes. I make a BLT salad with tomatoes, bacon bits, (for me the fake kind) and avocado. Serve it usually with a balsamic dressing, but you could do ranch. It's good!