Well greased mini muffin pans don't need papers and are tidier than cutting a cake. Or use frozen puff pastry and lots of melted butter to make palmieres.

You can bake a frittata in any size and cut it into squares. They can be served room temp as a snack. But I agree with lisaam. I often make cheesy corn mini muffins and never use papers. Just well greased mini muffin tins.

There is a high faluting local restaurant that has some mini bran muffins they serve free with every meal that are so well loved that they gave out the recipe if you prefer a sweet option. This recipe makes a LOT of mini muffins. And while the batter will keep, I think it changes the flavor after a couple days. And again, I never use liners,.I make these in greased mini muffin tins.

http://dinnerwiththegrobmyers.blogspot.com/2012/07/cypress-inn-raisin-bran-muffins.html?m=1

I have never found a 15 oz box of raisin bran but I have a scale that I use to weigh them out. I am sure if you can find one close and make a guesstimate it will work.

I, too, do muffins in a well greased muffin tin with no liners. If you're having fruit, I would prefer something not sweet. Can you buy assorted bagels and serve in a basket with tubs of whipped cream cheese and jams?

Agreed. If the muffins aren't "diet" papers aren't necessary, and mini-muffins make nice bites.

I like Amylou's frittata squares suggestion a lot. My guess is that a large number of the people will be on the high side of 50, and would really appreciate something that was more protein than sugar. It would go nicely with the melon.

Wanting something sweet....a couple of other people have recommended those bran buttermilk muffins.....but wondering how they will be the day after baking? Not going to have my crew get there at 7:30 to fix muffins and then stay for lunch and clean up....too much. Whatever I do has to be done the day before.

Have done mini muffins without papers before but I find they dry out almost before you can blink....btu may do that any way....let them eat melon and dry muffins!!

I don't know if you want "finger food" or can use a plate and fork, but there is always "slab pie", everyone likes that here.

Br cookies are good and easy, can even be baked in half sheet pans for big batches. Brownies? Blondies? Probably something like lemon bars would be too messy...

Have fun!

Annie

Good idea annie....big pan of oatmeal bars would be fine. Was also thinking of baking a carrot cake in a sheet pan....without frosting. This is coffee break time.....and I think most will prefer a sweet-ish treat.

Monkey bread!!!!

Might be too messy though....

But its soooooo good.

Found my recipe....it's a vegan, gluten free peanutbutter oat meal bar!!...easy, and good and fills both requirements!

Nancy Mott’s
Peanut Butter Oat Bars Gluten free

2/3 cup butter or
margarine, melted

1/4 cup peanut
butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn
syrup

1/4 teaspoon
vanilla

4 cups quick
cooking oats

TOPPING:

1 cup milk
chocolate chips 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 1/3 cup peanut butter

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter,
peanut butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla; gradually add
the oats.

Press in­to a
greased 13-in. x
9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake
at 4000 for
12-14 minutes or un­til edges are golden brown.

Cool on a
wire rack for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, for topping, melt chips and peanut butter in a mi­crowave or
saucepan.

Stir until
blended; spread
over warm bars. Cool completely; refrigerate for 2-3 hours before cutting.

Yield: 4 dozen. Editor's
Note: This recipe does not contain flour.

"Was also thinking of baking a carrot cake in a sheet pan....without frosting."

I like that idea. If you're thinking of bars, Quaker's Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies are one of my favorites and easily baked as bars in a 9x13 pan. I like them with dried cranberries instead of raisins but any dried fruit is fine.

Not sure if this recipe would qualify. These bars are really good...and hold well when made in advance.

Raspberry-Oat Bars (From Cook's Illustrated)

Makes 24 2-inch squares

Note From CI: This recipe can be made in a standing mixer or a food processor. Frozen raspberries can be substituted for fresh; be sure to defrost them before combining with the raspberry preserves. If your fresh raspberries are very tart, add only 1 or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to the filling. The bars are best eaten the day they are baked but can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days (the crust and streusel will soften slightly with storage).

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) plus 2 T., cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened to cool room temperature
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped fine
3/4 cup raspberry preserves
3/4 cup fresh raspberries
1 T. fresh lemon juice

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. (If using extra-wide foil, fold second sheet lengthwise to 12-inch width.) Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, granulated sugar, and salt at low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With machine on low, add 16 tablespoons butter one piece at a time; then continue mixing on low until mixture resembles damp sand, 1 to 1½ minutes. (If using food processor, process flour, granulated sugar, and salt until combined, about 5 seconds. Scatter 16 tablespoons butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles damp sand, about twenty 1-second pulses.)

Measure 1 1/4 cups flour mixture into medium bowl and set aside; distribute remaining flour mixture evenly in bottom of prepared baking pan. Using hands or flat-bottomed measuring cup, firmly press mixture into even layer to form bottom crust. Bake until edges begin to brown, 14 to 18 minutes.

While crust is baking, add brown sugar, oats, and nuts to reserved flour mixture; toss to combine. Work in remaining 2 tablespoons butter by rubbing mixture between fingers until butter is fully incorporated. Pinch mixture with fingers to create hazelnut-sized clumps; set streusel aside.

Combine preserves, raspberries, and lemon juice in small bowl; mash with fork until combined but some berry pieces remain.

Spread filling evenly over hot crust; sprinkle streusel topping evenly over filling (do not press streusel into filling). Return pan to oven and bake until topping is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 22 to 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature on wire rack, 1 to 2 hours; remove from baking pan by lifting foil extensions. Cut into squares

Notes: I don't use the foil and just lined the pan with a 9x13 piece of parchment...works great. I used a cup of fresh raspberries and a little extra brown sugar in the topping...maybe a tablespoon.

someone regularly makes these for part of the cookie plate for desserts...they are wonderful....but I like the peanutbutter bars because they are both vegan and gluten free.

I wonder if they would work with almond butter? So many people are allergic to peanuts it would be nice to have something they could have, too.

Both those recipes sound good to me, so thanks to both contributors! That gluten free one would be perfect for Amanda too.

Annie