Smoked sausage, Italian sausage or brats with sliced onions and peppers are great plain or on a bun/roll. You can cook it in a skillet and transfer it to a crock pot to keep warm.
Pulled pork and/or chicken sandwiches would be great. So easy to make, too. Rub a few drops of Liquid Smoke all over a pork roast, pork loin, boston butt, or chicken breasts and thighs. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add a little BBQ sauce on top then cover and cook on low for about 6 - 8 hours. Remove the meat to a platter and when it is cool enough, remove any fat, shred the meat and add BBQ sauce to the meat. You can discard the liquid from the crock pot or you can refrigerate it, then when the fat congeals on top, skim the fat and discard it, moisten the meat with the liquid. This can be made a day ahead and refrigerated or made a week or more ahead and frozen.
A baked ham would make a lot of sandwiches. I buy smoked, ready-to-eat hams and bake them in the oven at 325 for 15 minutes per lb. I mix brown sugar, honey and some pineapple juice and brush on it during the last 1/2 hour.
Let the guys grill wieners. Everybody, especially kids, love them!
Potato salad
Baked beans
Deviled eggs
Waldorf Chicken Salad
2 cups diced apples
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup green grapes, halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup raisins or chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add chicken, grapes, celery, raisins and pecans. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar and sugar, mixing well. Pour over apple mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate.
Broccoli Pineapple Carrot Slaw
16 ounce package shredded broccoli slaw mix
1 (16-oz) can pineapple tidbits, drained, reserving 2 tbsp juice
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup nuts, chopped, or sunflower seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
In large bowl, toss together slaw mix, pineapple, carrots, raisins and nuts. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and pineapple juice, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate.
Broccoli Carrot Salad
Dressing:
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
Whisk sugar and vinegar in small bowl until sugar is disolved. Add mayonnaise and blend well. (If you want it sweeter, add more sugar. If you want it tangier, add more vinegar.)
Salad:
3 cups broccoli florets, diced small
1 cup carrots, diced small
1/3 cup onion, diced small
1/2 cup raisins
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mixed nuts or chopped pecans
Combine salad ingredients. Add dressing and stir until coated.
Broccoli Pasta Salad
Dressing:
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
Whisk sugar and vinegar in small bowl until sugar is disolved. Add mayonnaise and blend well.
Salad:
2 cups cooked Rotini pasta, cold
1 cup broccoli florets, diced small
1 cup carrots, diced small
1/3 cup onion, diced small
1/2 cup raisins
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup mixed nuts or chopped pecans
Combine salad ingredients. Add dressing and stir until coated. Refrigerate.
Sweet Pasta Salad
1 lb macaroni or rotini pasta
1 green bell pepper, chopped small
1/2 onion, chopped small
4 stalks celery, chopped small
3 carrots, grated
Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
Cook pasta al dente; drain and refrigerate until cool. Combine dressing ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Combine cooled pasta, peppers, onions, celelery and carrots. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate.
Nothing is easier than buying frozen Meatballs, Cocktail Wieners or Smoked Sausage and throwing them in a crock pot with sauce. Here are some sauce ideas. Just combine sauce ingredients and pour over meat. Cook on low heat. Plain old BBQ sauce is good, too.
Meatball Sauce
16 oz jar grape jelly
12 oz jar chili sauce
Meatball Sauce
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. apricot preserves
1 c. honey barbecue sauce
1 small jar of chunky applesauce
Meatball Sauce
1 cup applesauce
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp onion, minced
Use your favorite Cheeseball recipe, but instead of making one big ball, roll into small bite-sized balls. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from fridge about 20 minutes before serving to soften. You can serve with tongs, toothpicks or for something really cute, after they soften, stick a pretzel stick in each one as a "handle."
These are always a hit!
Cake Balls
1 box cake mix - any flavor
1 tub of frosting
Almond bark
Bake cake in 9x13 pan according to directions. Crumble warm cake into a large bowl and stir in 2/3 (or all if needed) of the frosting until well combined. Roll into small balls, place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate or freeze. This will help them hold their shape when dipping. When set, dip in melted almond bark. Do not refrigerate balls after dipping. The cold causes the almond bark to sweat and melt. Cover loosely at room temp.
Combination Ideas:
Any chocolate cake mix and any chocolate frosting
Any chocolate cake mix and coconut pecan frosting
Strawberry cake mix and vanilla or buttercream frosting
Red Velvet cake mix and cream cheese frosting
Butter recipe cake mix and coconut pecan frosting
Lemon or orange cake mix and vanilla frosting