Beer you say....how about a layered nacho dip and tortilla chips.

Deviled eggs.

Chase, I did think of that, but I like the hot versions which means taking an appliance or counting on a microwave. Not everyone will drink beer, but the one asking for 'cool' apps certainly will. :) In the past, he's really liked my meatballs, pepperoni/cheese/olive/pepper snack, salsa & chips, stuff like that. I usually bring two or three apps. I also thought of deviled eggs, or maybe bacon-wrapped chestnuts? I've been wanting to try them.... Would it work if I precooked them and brought a little roaster oven to reheat on site?

ETA: oops, marymd, I was thinking and typing deviled eggs as you posted. lol! Everyone seems to like deviled eggs. :) Also thought of antipasto on a stick. Naturally there are a few dietary requirements in play, so variety is good. :)

Mason Williams! I haven't thought. of him in years.

You can use fresh or frozen tortellini. Cook as directed, drain and toss with pesto while the pasta is still hot. let cool. Meanwhile, drain the sun dried tomatoes, pat with a paper towel to get excess oil off, and cut in appropriate sized pieces. When the pasta is cool, thread onto skewers along with the sun dried tomatoes. Just before serving I usually drizzle with a little thinned out pesto.

olyharris, those look interesting! Sorry, I notice I didn't mention that I try to stick to gluten-free because my BF is allergic to wheat. :p Maybe I'll make my own gf tortellini sometime and give it a try.

I did learn they'll be making BBQ chicken, so any app with chicken is out. And there will be little kids. Wouldn't veggies/pickles/olives or fruit & yogurt dip be a good choice for them?

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/antipasto-sausage-skewers-recipe-1972948

I like these too...

I substitute raw yellow bell pepper for the roasted red pepper. It gives an added freshness, crunch and color. (I usually assemble the morning of an event and add the fresh basil before serving.)

Will there be electrical power at all? If so, throw the stuff for a simple queso in a crock pot and plug it in.

It sounds like these friends like things that look like canapes. How about some interesting crackers or store bought toast rounds and a couple of spread style toppings. Bring them in plastic bags in a cooler, and cut a corner off to "pastry bag" squeeze them onto the bases when you get there. If you want to be fancy, top with a piece of diced bell pepper or sliced olive.

I'll have a seizure recreating the event/memory of my last app session. I did Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, and a spinach salad...all stacked mini skewers. I had seven originally but bailed on the last three.

In the end it was fine and great but it was the shopping list that did me in. My go-to store did not have what they always have....

Those that do not enjoy cooking have a hard time understanding those of us that do. A foil tray casserole or a cheesey crockpot is not in my soul. I have friends that don't care for cooking at all and go to Costco or TJ's and not an issue at all. It is really about the friendship/socializing. I'm the first in line at the Mac-n-cheese because we don't have that at home, : )

I've been making Thai spring rolls for 30years. Sushi style. One roll is 8 pieces. 20 rolls is 160. I took a five year hiatus from making them because it became expected. I just stocked up for the season. 5 packs of rice wrappers, glass noodles. I grow all the ingredients and stock the sauces so no shopping. : )...except for avocado.

Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free. Seeds, not nuts.

At home I go over-board but for travel one specialty appreciated is the best option me thinks. And something veggie/salad is often overlooked.

Lumpy Dip -- shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, almond slivers, green onion and enough mayo to bind it together and serve with crackers. Seems like something your crowd might like!

Lumpy Dip -- shredded cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, almond slivers, green onion and enough mayo to bind it together and serve with crackers. Seems like something your crowd might like!

will there be a bonfire? s'more fixin's might be acceptable victuals ... the grandkids think they are apps, the main entre ... and of course, dessert ....

Chicken wings.....put them on a sheet pan in the oven at 375 till done....have a dutch oven full of hot sauce....BBQ or something else....put the wings into the hot sauce and pop the whole pan into a cooler for the ride.
Have a recipe for a raspberry based sauce if you want it.

She said no chicken please.

Everyone always loves this and you can provide GF crackers, other crackers or pita chips for scooping.

I was looking for something else, but ran across garlic and rosemary palmiers at Bon Appetit. They look fancy and snazzy, easy, and good with beer. :)

Come to think of it, I think salty goes well with beer. They also had this dip that sounds crazy but might be delicious: Roasted Eggplant and Pickle Dip made with Greek yoghurt and olive oil.

Thanks, everyone, for the additional suggestions. What I really wanted to bring was desserts, so naturally they've asked for appetizers. :p

marymd, I assume that they have electricity at the camp, but OTOH, I've also been told that cell phones don't work there because it's so remote. I'm trying to avoid needing electricity or appliances, just in case.

olyharris, I like the idea of bringing something on a stick and I know they love artichokes, so some variation of that is going on my list.

sleeve, I agree, it would be so much easier to choose and make if I didn't need to deal with the travel/time!

Martha, I've never had lumpy dip and it does sound like something some of them would like.

bragu, I'll be in new territory, so no idea what the setup is like, and definitely can't count on a bonfire with all the rain we're having here.

lindac, yeah, they're having BBQ chicken for dinner, so...

olychick, that 5-layer Greek dip is MY kind of thing! The hostess mentioned to me last year that she "hates hummus", and it's the first time I've ever heard her comment negatively about any food, so I'm not sure about bringing that. lol!

plllog, I think what these friends like most is trying something they haven't had before. Those palmiers look like a great idea to me and your eggplant dip reminded me of a similar eggplant dip from Bon Appetit that I used to make! I'm adding puff pastry and eggplant to the shopping list of potentials.

Thanks, everyone! I'm still planning to bring a few things, depending on what's available in the stores. And I may have to bake something rhubarb too. :)

plllog, I'm checking the palmier recipe and it's driving me nuts that the photo clearly shows sesame seeds, but I find no reference to sesame seeds in their writeup. Am I missing something?

Well, I just saw this recipe yesterday and haven't made them. I don't see mention of the seeds either, and they're clearly sesame seeds not red pepper seeds. My best guess is that they were added by the photographer to make them look more interesting. And they do make them look more interesting. Sesame would go with the flavors, so you could add them. You could just sprinkle a few on top and hope they stick, just like the food stylist, if you don't want to add them to the filling. Or ignore them. Or sprinkle a few salt crystals on top or a dusting of asiago. Or poppy seeds. Or ground caraway. Or leave them as is in the recipe. :)

I had a big aha moment just now. When you said they didn't go for the charcuterie, I was thinking because it was too fancy and fiddly to eat, not too usual. Probably because of the horsy ditty. :D I'm glad these recipes hit the new and different spot (I also want to try them, so I'll look forward to any feedback you have). Now I get it that "cool" was about interesting rather than temperature. :)

Have a great time!

ty! I hope I can find puff pastry to make them. There is a restaurant near here that puts out a loaf of bread along with a plate covered in warm garlic-y olive oil, with a bit of parmesan and red pepper flakes mixed in. You're supposed to dip the bread in the oil, of course. If I make the palmiers to take, I think I'll add parmesan too. :)

of course you could do the roast beef/ cream cheese/chive/pickle rollup things. they can travel rolled up in plastic wrap and cut them there and add toothpicks to serve

Bragu, I've never had anything like that -- sounds so simple, it's a definite possibility to add to the list!

With beer at a camp? Sounds like a fresh salsa and scooper style chips to me.

Agree, Elizabeth, I may still bring that. I'd still like to bring at least a couple appetizers/snacks that I haven't brought before. I've been going to their various holiday parties for a long long time and I almost always bring two or three munchies that are different but complementary, along with something baked. Last summer they mentioned that they love rhubarb, so I'll definitely make a rhubarb dessert to bring!

Well, all that planning fell apart when I couldn't get to the grocery store yesterday. :(

I'm winging it with what's on hand... I have a rhubarb delight (dessert) in the oven now. For apps, I've been wanting to try Annie's cheddar cheese cookies w/ my hot pepper jelly so that dough is chilled to bake next. Then I'm planning to make some 'artichoke bites' (w/ an egg & cheese base)... hostess loves cheese and artichokes. If I have the time, I may also make some bacon-wrapped water chestnuts to try or a veggie platter to round it out -- if not, maybe some salsa and chips. I hope those choices sound ok. I'll just have to add the other planned items to my "to try" list for some other time!

Sounds like you'll have a success with what you're doing, Party! And I'm glad to see some of the above ideas for future events I go to, as well....

Looks really good for winging it! :-)

Too late now, but if you like crawfish, this is good. I have never made it with shrimp.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chunky-crawfish-spread/

Another if you can plug in a crock pot that will go over well with the "horsy derves" crowd. A lady at work used to bring meatballs. She would buy a big bag of frozen meatballs at the warehouse club, usually Italian, and add a small jar of grape jelly. Sounds weird, but tastes good, and they were always scarfed up.

PM, those all look great. Perhaps there's more diversity, but that's not a bad thing. :) Have a great time!

Omg, I needed to bring MORE! Annie's cheddar cookies were a huge hit with everyone who tried them. They loved everything I brought and it's a good thing that I didn't count on electricity because they were set up in a pavilion.

thanks, chloebud - they came out really good and made exactly 2 dozen. I'll definitely make them again.

Thanks, plllog. It turned out to be at an out-of-date/rustic very private camp with a pavilion and big stone fireplace, a separate cabin, a shed, and a small brook running through it with a pond at a prime viewing location. Like a private park in the middle of the woods! It was a very nice day. :)

tigereye, I've never tried those meatballs but have read that many people like them. As it turns out, I was in a 'no crockpot' zone. Lol.

Olychick, I made that 5-layer greek salad for a party I went to over Memorial Day weekend. It was wonderful! So much better than just a plain ol' dish of hummus. Much prettier and the extra crunch from the veggies made it more interesting. Adding that to my repertoire for future parties!