Bon Appetit has a great recipe for British Flapjacks that really are tasty fingerfoods. They are oat granola-like bars that you can add raiins,or coconut for eye appeal. You use Lyle's Golden syrup for the binder/sweetener and they are simply delicious. I like crunchy edge pieces, so this makes a great double or triple recipe if made in sheet pans.

Jerky? That leathery stuff they make in the States? Bah!

Here in SA they make biltong, mostly out of beef, sometimes buck (aka, deer-like animals), and often from ostrich, but emu are restricted to those antipodean descendants-of-convicts!

A good biltong is a thing of beauty: nicely spiced and air dried, thick (1") strips of beef, you select your piece (I like mine on the 'moist' side) and then they slice it for you.

Too bad the USDA is so touchy about uncooked meat products from abroad or I'd offer send you some...

I'm thinking you might be able to teach the little brats to make emu jerky or something. Couldn't they earn badge or something for that?

Oh, why didn't I think of gougeres? I've been making them so much lately, you'd think I would. They'd be *perfect* -- easy, relatively cheap, and elegant!

Quiche is the easiest to prepare ahead, simple to transport and doesn't need to be served hot. How about a savory bread pudding with a combo of the ingredients suggested above? Finish baking on site or warm it up in a low oven, top it with a simple parm. panko topping and toast it under the broiler.

Thanks for the link tip. Looks like you got a lot of good ideas.

Should be about 50/50 and though there is a kitchen, I won't have access (and don't want to mess around with it).

Now I suppose I could get an early start on it and send them in freshly baked...maybe do pigs in a blanket using biscuit dough and either bacon or, I could cook off a bunch of de-skinned italian sausage and stick some of that inside. Maybe a veg version using the ever popular mushroom/leek saute?

Q: are the 109 attendees mostly kids? half n half? That ratio might affect how much of what you make is eaten, I think.

and another Q: is there a kitchen where the event is being held?

Loving all these ideas, BUT as a former Girl Scout Leader and Pancake Breakfast planner extraordinaire, Kayb's pigs/sausage in a blanket would be the only thing the 7 - 10 yr olds would eat, at least the Girl Scouts here in NY would.

So, seeing as you'd have difficulty acquiring said pigs/sausages, and you'd be sending the stuff in the day before, I'd do a savory scone/biscuit (like, say, bacon/cheese, hold the green stuff) that whoever is manning the kitchen can warm up prior to serving (or not.) Kids love bread!

But since muffins are already on the menu, it might be too many bread-y things. So there goes my fabulous idea out the window.

I bet betteirene will have some tricks up her sleeve.

Good luck!!

Gougeres are easy to make and would likely be enjoyed by the girls and Moms alike..

Thanks for all the thoughts so far. Here's some follow up from me:

1) Whatever I do, I'm doing the day before and just sending in, so no crepe station! Mom and grandma are going to this little function, I might just go to the gym...

2) I had been contemplating a frittata/quiche thing. Was eyeing the non-stick mini-muffin pans at the supermarket today and wondering if they'd come out easily if I did in those with no crust. Just did some in some ready-made 3" short crust shells, but don't really want to shell out for too many of those (groan...), and really, they're too big, I think. Thoughts?

3) I remember the tortilla/cream cheese thing as being cream cheese and chopped olives. Not a bad idea, but would have to think about something to do with it, I mean contrasting green and black olives make some variety, but not sure if it's enough for me. Maybe do some with hummus and red peppers? Kind of trashy middle-eastern...hmm... Tortillas, BTW, are easy for me to come by. baby bagels, not so.

4) drbabs, kind of like the spinach fillo idea, but not a big fillo fan. BTW, if you put a period after a link, it breaks the link. Better to have separate or in parentheses.

5) Torn on the pigs-in-a-blanket using biscuit dough. Love the idea of up-grading this classic, but just not great sausage availability here (South Africa), especially not small ones. And, both here and in the UK 'sausage rolls' are ALWAYS at these sorts of events--bland sausage meat wrapped in puff pastry and served cold. Yuck. Some bad associations for me...

Thanks and keep em coming, I'm enjoying this!

I have yet to see the kid who doesn't love pigs in blankets. Biscuit dough, patted to about 1/4 inch thick, wrapped around a small smoked sausage and pinched together at the top -- baked until they're golden. Honey mustard is a good dipping sauce, as is any kind of jam. A package of "Little Smokes" has about 40 sausages, so 3 packages should be good....extras, if there are any, can freeze in plastic bags and be taken out and run through the toaster oven, three or four at a time, for a quick breakfast!

I've made a large quiche with various fillings for similar situations. Spanakopita. Mini pizzas (on baby bagels?--retro but so what). Take a look at this recipe: http://www.food52.com/recipes/4218_violettes_spinach_fillo. I've made it for a large crowd, and you can fold the fillo into little triangles filled with spinach. Another retro idea: finger sandwiches. Cut off the crusts, make various fillings, and cut the sanwiches into rectangles, triangles and small squares.

Frittata's a great idea, but not as finger-food as all that. Might go with veggies and/or pita and dips if you aren't being expected to do the main course. Mini-quiches? Oh! I just remembered the best reaction I've gotten from kid finger food in recent years: That tortilla-cream-cheese-meat-roll-up thing that was making the rounds years back. Only I do mine with brie. But cream cheese would be cheaper for 109 people. I add chopped scallions; you can leave it out for the fussies. (Example recipe at http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t--1636/tortilla-rollups.asp )

sheet pans of frittata are very easy. keep it simple with cheese and maybe potato. you can slice them up however you like, and they'll be fine to serve at room temperature.

ditto polenta squares and foccacia, again baked in a sheet pan and topped with some melted cheese and bacon.

- Cheddar & jalapeno (poblano/red pepper when spice is an issue) Jonnycakes or do them in a Madeleine tray.

- Savory crepes are easy. Just make the batter the night before and do a topping buffet. Kids will have fun with that.

- Sausage gravy and biscuits. Will require some explaining, but it's an easy sell.

- Grillades and grits because it'll be fun when one person says wow and gets others to try it!!!