Okay, so, we threw this farm party last weekend, right? And, of course, everyone expects some good grub. I was racking my brain for farm party food ideas that weren’t just, you know, burgers and hot dogs (although, those are always a hit too!). I wanted something a little more…themed.
First thing I did was hit up Pinterest. Got totally overwhelmed. So many cute ideas, but like, how many of those are actually doable without spending all day in the kitchen? I needed stuff I could prep ahead of time, or even better, delegate!
So, I started with the easy stuff. Veggies and dip. But not just any veggies and dip. I went to the farmer’s market and grabbed a bunch of colorful carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, and snap peas. Looked way fancier than the regular grocery store stuff. For the dip, I whipped up a simple ranch dressing from scratch. Took like, five minutes and tasted way better than the bottled stuff.
Next up, pigs in a blanket. Always a crowd-pleaser. I used the mini sausages and wrapped them in crescent roll dough. Brush ‘em with a little egg wash and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning before baking. They were gone in minutes!
Then I thought, okay, gotta have something a little heartier. So, I decided on meatballs. I made a big batch of Italian meatballs using ground beef and pork, seasoned them with garlic, oregano, and Parmesan cheese. Baked them in the oven until they were nice and browned. Then, I simmered them in a slow cooker with some marinara sauce. Kept ‘em warm and ready to go.
I also made deviled eggs. Hard-boiled a dozen eggs, scooped out the yolks, mixed them with mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, and a little pickle relish. Filled the egg whites back up and sprinkled with more paprika. Classic and always a hit.
Someone suggested a baked potato bar, but I was already running short on time. So I skipped that.
To add a little something “farmy”, I did some simple tea sandwiches. Sliced some cucumber and tomato really thin. Spread cream cheese on some bread, layered on the veggies, and cut them into triangles. They looked kinda fancy, even though they were super easy.
Here’s what I learned:
- Don’t overthink it. Simple is good.
- Prep ahead of time whenever possible.
- Delegate! Get your friends and family to help.
- Farmer’s market veggies make everything look better.
Overall, the food was a hit! Everyone loved the variety, and it wasn’t too much work for me. Would definitely do it again next year!