Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Good Office Party

Okay, so fast forward a few years. I started working at a decent company. This place had people I actually got along with and didn't mind spending the day in their company.

The office Christmas party was a joint event to raise money for a local homeless shelter, which is an event I can get behind. Number one: It's a party. Number two: It's absolutely for a good cause and there is NO overhead costs being covered by the party. I mean, the owners of the company never meant to re-coup dollars to pay for the party. Every cent raised went to the cause.

Plus, it was a great work environment. I loved my bosses and their families and all my other co-workers and their families. It was just a fun, fun evening.

Sadly, shortly after I left, the company was sold to three employees (who I know and love), but they did not carry on the tradition of the debauchery of the standard office party.

But it was fun while it lasted. They had an open bar (woohoo), and had the event catered, so there was good food. And, they offered to pay cab fare for anyone - ANYONE - at the party who felt it was unwise to drive at the end of the evening.

It just goes to show you - companies who value their employees and provide a great work atmosphere have better parties after hours and will probably have more attendance.

Another good office party is one where the employer has a luncheon for the employees. The Evil Twin's office does this. Everyone brings a dish and the whole affair is done around lunch time. This means, no one has to have it eat into their free time - they're already at the office during the day anyway.

This year, the "theme" was international foods or something like that, so I sent a recipe I got from my mom, Mild Mexican Appetizer (which I will list below, then I'll add it to the Glamorous Recipes page).

Mild Mexican Appetizer

2 lg (8 oz) bricks of cream cheese
Small jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce
jar of Picante Hot sauce
(Optional - small package of cooked shrimp)
1 small can of chopped black olives
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped - include green tops (I used enough to make about a cup of onions)
1 pkg each (the 2 cup bags) of shredded monterey jack cheese and cheddar cheese.

Layer in a 9 x 11 baking dish. Let cream cheese soften before. Mix equal parts of Ragu and picante sauce (or to taste - I used about a cup of each) and layer ingredients in order listed. Serve with Tortilla chips, corn chips or snack crackers (I like the Tostitos).

I make mine w/o the shrimp simply because some people don't eat shellfish for religious reasons, have allergies or high cholesterol. It is good WITH the shrimp, but I find it's easier (and less expensive to make) without them and still good.

15 comments:

  1. It still blows my mind that shrimp is high-cholesterol. In fact, I am half convinced that it is some sort of conspiracy to keep us from over-fishing. Or something.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish I knew how to cook. One year my husband's company did the everyone bring a dish for Thanksgiving. He made me make this digusting tuna dish, that I couldn't stand. They had a contest for the "Best Dish" and guess what I won. Shocker....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tiff - it's so easy, too!

    Alex - I wouldn't be surprised...

    Ron - I think I'm going to make a half batch this weekend.

    Jess - I'm glad y'all liked it. I was told to re-fill the baking dish anytime...

    The Girl - this is no bake. Totally easy as pie!

    ReplyDelete
  4. that sounds soooo good. Errrr without the onions! You know I don't get along with onions so well!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Always love another vegetarian recipe! :) Hang on...there's debauchery at office parties??? Glad you told me! I'm supposed to go to one with the Marrying Kind friday! Where did I leave my chastity belt?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds mexi-licious. Except for the black olives... Black olives taste like nickels.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds good, and I agree with jeffkay about the black olives. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. Our Christmas party is this Friday... I always do something stupid, yet totally sober.

    Good times!

    I intend to swipe your recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  9. JFab - I know your onion "issues". LOL.

    Honeywine - if booze is involved, there's almost certain debauchery to be had.

    jeffkay - No, they don't! LOL, but if you think so, you could leave them off.

    kenju - What's up with the black olives getting all the hate? You could probably sub black beans or even frijoles as an extra layer and ixnay on the lackbay olivesay. LOL.

    Diva - let me know how it turns out. Apparently, the people at the Evil Twin's office were half way thru it before the party even started!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I always have and will always try to avoid any and all office parties. It's not that I don't get along with people or anything either - everyone just ends up hanging out with the people they hang out with anyway. So to me, it's not really any different than just going to do something with the group that you'd prefer to be with in the first place.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now I'm hungry.

    DH's company does day office parties at various times of the year. It's like a vacation day, but at work, and you get to eat great food, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nick - I always knew you were wise beyond your years!

    Amy - I would enjoy those types of parties. :-)

    ReplyDelete