How to pull a party out of thin air

I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that I do direct care. I work in a group home, with adults with developmental disabilities. I help them live as normal a life as possible, so they can enjoy the things you and I enjoy. Parties are no exception, except at their parties, no adult beverages are served.

I’ve helped throw many parties, and I enjoy it almost as much as the clients do. However, sometimes I find myself in situations in which I have to create enough food for 10 or 15 people, and no one in the house has had a chance to do the grocery shopping before the big day.

Here is what I have done in such a situation:

I take stock of what food is in the house. Four or five potatoes. A box of macaroni. A few carrots. An onion or two. Several cans of beans. A smattering of other vegetables.

Salad! I’ll make salad! Salad is easy, and it’s a popular party food.

Some people ask me for my recipes. I don’t use any. I make it up as I go along, with whatever is available in the house. After you get over the initial panic, it’s quite easy to accomplish.

All you really need for potato salad are the potatoes. Chopped onion, celery, peppers, etc., are nice to throw in, too. Hard cook a few eggs, if available, and chop and toss them into the salad. For dressing, I use mayo and a little mustard. That’s my secret – really. But everyone loves my potato salad. And if I think of it, I’ll add a little of whatever McCormick herb blend is available.

For macaroni salad, I add a little of the onion, celery, peppers, carrots…whatever I add to the potato salad, I can add to the macaroni salad. And I use mayo and an herb blend as a dressing. Or I’ll change it up and use Italian salad dressing.

I make 3-bean salad (or 4-bean salad…or 5-bean salad…) out of the cans of beans. I use chick peas, garbanzo beans, whatever is available. And also toss in a can of green beans. I use either an Italian salad dressing or I’ll use oil, vinegar, and herbs as a dressing.

If there is cabbage, I’ll shred some of that with carrots and onion and add a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil (or whatever vinegar and oil are available) and an herb blend (if there are enough herb blend varieties on hand, I chose a different one for each type of salad).

For some reason, I just can’t make salads wrong. I think some people think of me as the crazy salad lady.