Sandwiches, Soup, and ???

[chickabator]

okay just a suggestion here but what about lil smokies cooked in bbq sauce, or a cheese ball and crackers, or just a plain relish tray, you know the veggies and all with dip in the middle. (carrots, celery, stuff like that). Im making homemade jerky today for our crew, homemade candies, an easy punch, and bologna salad sandwhiches dip and chips, cheeseball, no soda we quit drinking it. we will do this tomorrow and then friday is christmas dinner traditional, ham turkey the works.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I make a seafood salad that is out of this world & very simple. I like to bring it to group events because it is a nice appetizer or an entree for a guest that doesn't eat meat. I boil shrimp, scallops & calamari. (Save the water for a rice base or soup stock...) I chill the seafood and make a vinagrette with E.V.O.O., fresh lemon juice, S&P and herbs. Mix in some red and green peppers and diced red onions. That's it. Serve it on a bed of shredded lettuce. It is fancy schmancy!

Good luck with those in-laws. You know what you are up against, so just breathe & deal with it. No use thinking through scenerios or rehashing past harms. For the record, I "second" the suggestion that you enjoy an adult beverage or two if it eases your mood.

 

[cassie]

I don't know if this will help, but I make a really good jello salad for the holidays. It is pretty, festive, and easy. Dissolve a large package of raspberry jello in two cups of boiling water. I use a rectangular baking pan, one of those that is about 11 by 13 or so. Stir in a can of whole berry cranberry sauce. When that has melted stir in a can of crushed pineapple and a cup of port or burgundy wine. You can add about a half a cup or so of chopped walnuts if you like. Chill until firm, overnight or so. Then mix together an 8oz package of cream cheese and 8 oz of sour cream until smooth and then spread over the top of the salad. It helps if the cream cheese is room temperature so it is slightly softened. I use a rubber spatula to spread the topping. The salad should mellow at least overnight after the topping is applied before serving. Cut in squares and serve on a lettuce leaf if desired. One warning. Crushed pineapple seems to come in two sizes. One that is the same size as the can the cranberry sauce comes in and one that is slightly larger. If the can of crushed pineapple is one of those that is larger than the can of cranberry sauce, decrease the amount of boiling water used by a half a cup. Otherwise the jello won't set up firm enough to frost without making a mess.

 

[thechickenchick]

Quote:
This is as far as I got reading this thread, AND.............. I agree 100%!!!! Sorry you have to deal with this hooey! I understand your pain, believe me!!

 

[Amethyste]

Spaghetti salad? a little different but really yummy!! Cook spahetti noodles and drain, then add peppers, olives, etc etc etc and a bit of oil and italian dressing etc...

There are a ton of recipes online too for it! And its great!! A nice change from regular pasta salads too...

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Given this description, I think I would bring hard liquor, and lots of it.

I am actually serious--my grandmother behaves similarly, it never ends with some personalities. 87 years old and she throws tantrums when things aren't to her liking. So for my grandfather's birthday, I went to the liquor store and stocked the bar. Honey, you would not BELIEVE how many people, upon arriving, went straight to the hard liquor, knowing what the evening was going to be like. My grandmother, upon finding out that suddenly everyone at the birthday party was too sloshed to care about her whining and yelling, amazingly did not throw her usual all-out tantrum hissyfit. I suspect she realized she would only have been laughed at. It was awesome. I highly recommend it, make SIL the designated driver and babysitter (hey, she wants to be responsible for everything, let her wear herself out with it) and let everyone else have fun around her.

I am almost 100% in favor of the bar setup, as long as no drunk drivers hit the road. My mother was a big tantrum thrower, and it was her way or no way. We all brought beer, wine, booze whatever we needed to self-medicate.

One year I got her to drink a thimblefull of sherry- it was the best Christmas we ever had! (I told her that Queen Elizabeth always did it for the holidays.)

I do like the pasta salad/potato salad/cole slaw idea- they are all great with sandwiches, and no toaster oven required. Good luck hon, and have a Merry Christmas anyway!

And find an independent babysitter- you all should get a night out!

 

[PineappleMama]

Things went well, SIL didn't make the Broccoli Cheese (instead making Campbell's style chicken noodle) and her and MIL both made desserts after expressly forbidding me either priviledge, but other than those minor annoyances things went well.

Thank you all for the wonderful ideas. They went over well... the ham and potato was GONE... none for us to nosh on today even... and the toffee apple dip... OMG that is SO good... and the sausage balls... and... oy... really I can't thank you all enough for the recipes, ideas, and for listening to my whining.

*hugs*

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

BWAAAHAAAHAAAHAAA!!! I have corrupted another one with the toffee apple dip!!!!

Glad to help and really glad that it went okay and that you didn't have to strangle your SIL with her own ladle.

 

[jojo54]

Quote:
Can you use something other than wine?