Totally Awesome 80s Party Ideas - on a Budget!

[Intrepid_Chef]

Like, omigod! I am totally having an 80s party next week because some people from high school want to come .... and bummer! The oven stopped heating right in the middle of making dinner!

My brother can fix it but right now I don't have the money for the part.

So that means anything we do must be done on the stove, microwave or MFP. So no Mini Cheeseburgers (where's the beef?) as my hospitality director suggested.

Can anybody think of something totally awesome? I do plan to have some Reeses Pieces in a bowl ...maybe something with popcorn?

 

[chefjeanine]

Zima (I think I spelled that correctly -- I drank enough of them in the 80's)

 

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Like, omigod! I am totally having an 80s party next week because some people from high school want to come .... and bummer! The oven stopped heating right in the middle of making dinner!

My brother can fix it but right now I don't have the money for the part.

So that means anything we do must be done on the stove, microwave or MFP. So no Mini Cheeseburgers (where's the beef?) as my hospitality director suggested.

Can anybody think of something totally awesome? I do plan to have some Reeses Pieces in a bowl ...maybe something with popcorn?

Google popular 80's food. There's tons of sights! Have fun! Remember, everyone has to hav BIG HAIR!! lol

 

[kcnancy]

I made this last weekend for an open house and everyone loved it!

10 minute pork loin in the DCB, then shred it (I just used to forks to pull it to shredded or pulled pork), then i sliced the hotdog buns like you do for the mini cheeseburgers.

Lemon-Pepper Mayo - I took about a 1/2 cup of may and put about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon pepper rub in it, I had the mayo mixture in a prep bowl sitting in the small collapsible bowl which i had filled with ice to keep the mayo cool.

If you want a spicier mayo, the chili lime rub is a good mix-in for the mayo as well.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

cocktail rye bread with flavored cream cheese and a slice of cucumber

hot artichoke dip in a bread bowl

I grew up in the midwest and every party had a platter of pickle slices (Drain whole dill pickles, form a layer of cream cheese around it with your hand, wrap it in carl budding dried beef overlap the layers refrigerate 2 hours Slice with an serrated knife.)
My shortcut version for my kids who LOVE this 1 jar dill pickle relish drained, 1 cream cheese, 2 pkgs dried beef chopped mix and serve on crackers

cheeseballs

When did trail mix become popular we were always making it and the chex mix

 

[Teresa Lynn]

not sure when these were introduced but was thinking about......
chicken nuggets
skittles
ring pops
now & laters
buffalo wings
pitas

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Pickles? Mayo? Two of the grossest things ever. Sorry, but I won't serve those in my house!

I'm kind of thinking Jerk Chicken Nachos as a tribute to all those who were JERKS in high school. I have a toaster oven and could do lots of small batches!

 

[babywings76]

How about going with some of the classic PC recipes from the early days, like a ring, wreath or braid?

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Any idea how to do those with no oven?

Actually I THINK I found a solution. Mini cheeseburgers in the small bar pan in the TOASTER OVEN. I figure I'll get 3 1/2 lb packages of ground beef, do one in advance like the cooking shows ... and then one during the show! Anybody know if the time should be modified?

 

[babywings76]

Shoot, sorry...I forgot about the no oven thing. :blushing:

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Yup, I think I'm going to call HO tomorrow and try to reach the test kitchens. I can't figure out if the recipe should be divided in half or thirds or how to adjust the time.

Probably should do the grill pan but making Chicken Your Way at my show a week later.

 

[Sheila]

Um, a big batch of Hamburger Helper in the 12" skillet! You know Hamburger Helper was a staple in the 80's. Or was that just MY Mom? LOL

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Ha ha ha ha ha! OH ... and didn't Ramen Noodles come out in the 80s? Maybe we could do the Asian Skillet!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Well ... dang Wikipedia ... they claim they came out in 1971 as "oodles of noodles" but it sure seems like they only came out in their current form in the 80s!

 

[Sheila]

I know my ex lived on Ramen Noodles in the 80's!

 

[pmprdprettyinsnj]

wait you mean ramen noodles arent still the fad,,,,when did I miss this..lol:cry::yuck:

 

[BethCooks4U]

wait you mean ramen noodles arent still the fad,,,,when did I miss this..lol:cry::yuck:

Oh, they are still a college staple. My son lives on them the last few days before payday every month.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I'm thinking of saying, "A lot of great thngs came out in the 80s. One of those was Pampered Chef. The other is the main ingredient in our recipe today ..."