Sounds like a fun get-together!

Here are some ideas.

Vegetable Pizza

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
11oz cream cheese
3/4c mayonnaise
1/3 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
1tsp dill weed
1 tsp garlic powder
Chopped fresh vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, green onions, tomatoes, etc.)
Bacon bits (optional)
Sunflower seeds (optional)
1c grated cheese (cheddar, american or swiss)

Press crescent roll dough into bottom and up sides of jelly roll pan. Bake according to package directions. Cool. Mix together cream cheese, Mayo, Ranch Dressing, Dill and Garlic until smooth. Spread over cooled crust. Chop
vegetables into small pieces and sprinkle over pizza. Top with bacon bits, seeds and cheese. Refrigerate for several hours, then cut into squares and serve.

For this one I have made it without cutting the shrimp and just served it up in a large serving dish. I have also frozen used pre\-cooked shrimp (thawed, of course). (There's vodka in it tho, not sure the ages of your nieces and nephews. Mine are all adults) BLOODY MARY SHRIMP Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 hr Servings: Makes about 50 hors d'oeuvres For shrimp 1 pound medium shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery (3 to 4 ribs) 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 6) For sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup vodka (preferably Absolut Peppar) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons bottled horseradish (not drained), or to taste 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Tabasco Prepare shrimp: Bring a large saucepan of salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 2 quarts water) to a boil. Add shrimp, then remove from heat and let stand in water until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cut shrimp into thirds and transfer to a large bowl with celery and scallions. Make sauce: Whisk together all sauce ingredients, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste. Just before serving, stir sauce into shrimp mixture. Spoon 2 shrimp pieces with vegetables and sauce into individual Chinese soup spoons and arrange spoons on a platter. Cooks' notes: • Shrimp can be cooked and tossed with vegetables 4 hours ahead, then chilled in a sealed bag. Bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before tossing with sauce. • Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. This one is Seagrass' recipe and we love it! FALL APPLE DIP (8 servings) 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup chopped, salted peanuts (without skins) 3 apples, sliced but not peeled (I like to use a Golden Delicious, a Granny Smith and a red\-skinned variety for the most color) 1/2 cup orange juice Combine cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl \- mix until smooth. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Dip apple slices in orange juice and arrange around the cream cheese mixture. (Can transport apple slices in a container or ziplock bag in the orange juice, then arrange when ready to serve). Linda

For light, not fancy, and not using the oven, I would have suggested hummus and veggies. You could also serve a light creamy salad dressing as another dipping option. Deviled eggs might be something the kids would really like. Kids also love those pinwheel-style apps... they're usually made by layering a cream-cheese based spread onto a flour tortilla, then layer lunchmeat like ham, etc., then roll them up and slice into pinwheels for serving.

How about shrimp cocktail? Chex mix (either original recipe or any of the variations on the boxes of Chex cereal) is a given when snacking is involved at my house, and I just made a big batch of Texas Caviar to have at happy hour tomorrow with corn chips.

It would also be easy to put a batch of small meatballs in sauce (tomato, or I toss in a can of cranberry sauce with Dijon mustard) in a crock pot and serve some dinner rolls on the side to make meatball sliders.

Sounds like a fun day!

Alexa

Texas Caviar from the Cowgirl Hall of Fame

3 16-oz cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed of all juice
1 small jar chopped pimentos, juice included
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, green part only
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
3 canned or fresh jalapeño chiles, chopped
1 firm, ripe, chopped tomato
2 cups vinaigrette
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced

In a large bowl, stir all ingredients very well. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight, in a sealed or covered container. Remember the longer it sits, the better it gets!

Serve with old-fashioned saltine crackers or with corn tortilla chips.

Alexa, perfect. I just made three pounds of meatballs today, no sauce. I like easy and cranberry sauce in a can sounds good. Hmmm, maybe I can add some cran relish to a small can of tom sauce. Good ideas.

I was also thinking Chex mix or some of those oyster cracker snacks, with cookies you're going to want something not sweet, I think.

Hummus and vegetables is a good idea too, or you could make one of those 7 layer Mexican dips to go with the chips or a fondue type cheese sauce in the crockpot.

Have fun!

Annie

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm glad I have more to run with now. I was really drawing a blank.

Meatballs in a crock pot sounds like a great idea. With a tray of breakfast biscuits for sliders.
Something savory to balance the sweets.