I need good cooks' advice for cocktail party?!
Answers: I am having a cocktail party and want to make as much in advance as I can. Any great suggestions? Also, can I prepare puff pastry hors d'euvres the day before and just bake them off during the party?
Yes, preparing puff pastry before, baking off just prior to aprty is fine.
Do things you can pull out of the fridge and put in the oven. (see a few recipes below) Have them on bakign sheets in the fridge, ready and waiting.
Of course dips are a great make-ahead thing. Dont' forget a hot dip in a chafing dish.
Bacon Rollups
1 can whole water chestnuts
1 pound bacon
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
Cut each bacon strip into thirds, wrap chestnut and secure with toothpick. Mix mayonnaise, chili sauce and brown sugar and pour over bacon rollups. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Serves 6.
___________________
Spinach Parmesan Balls
1 pound package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
5 eggs
1 large onion, minced
10 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 cup shredded Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 3/4 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place spinach in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well by hand.* Form the mixture into 1-inch balls, either by hand or with a small ice cream scoop. Place the balls closely together on a baking sheet.
Cook in the top half of the oven until firm to the touch, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, and then transfer to a platter and serve immediately.
* Cook's Note: Wearing latex gloves while mixing and forming the balls is suggested.
--Party Line, FoodTV
________________________
Baked Pimiento Cheese Spread
1? C. mayo
4 oz. jar diced drained pimientos
1 tsp. worcestershire
1 tsp. finely grated onion
1/4 tsp. red pepper
8 oz. block of extra sharp cheese, grated
8 oz. block of sharp cheese, grated
Mix together, spoon into greased 1? qt. baking dish. (I have an oval corning dish I've been using) as it makes quite a bit.
Bake 20 min on 350degrees.
Serve in chafing dish with cracker, veggies, or baguette slices.
______________________
Beef & Blue Cheese Bites
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
6 slices pumpernickel or dark rye bread
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices deli roast beef, halved
12thin slices red onion
12 dill pickle slices
In a small bowl, beat butter and blue cheese until smooth; mix in bacon. Spread about 1/4 cup mixture on each slice of bread and top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Place on baking sheet and broil, 4 inches from heat source, until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Cut each slice in half. Top each with roast beef, onion and pickle and serve open faced.
This is also nice for cocktail parties to use Party Pumpernickel bread, and just make mini versions of the original.
_______________________
Boursin Dijon Lemon Artichoke Dip
1 tub of Boursin cheese
2 tablespoons capers (more or less to your taste)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
juice of one fresh lemon
drizzle of good olive oil
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and capers. Mash the capers up and add the boursin and dijon mustard. Drizzle in just a bit of olive oil to give it a smooth dip consistency. It can be as thick or thin as you like. You can also leave the capers whole if you like the little bursts of flavor.
________________________
BLUE CHEESE WITH CAPERS AND RED ONION
8 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dry mustard powder (can sub Dijon)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
? cup red onion, chopped fine
1 Tbsp capers, rinsed
Crumble blue cheese onto a serving plate. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, wine vinegar, garlic, mustard, and black pepper. Drizzle over the cheese. Sprinkle red onion and capers over the top. Serve right away, or chill up to a full day before serving.
Serve with sturdy crackers or toasted baguette slicess. Great for buffet.
This is also good sprinkled over mixed salad greens as a the dressing. Toss well.
_____________________
Marinated Shrimp
1? lbs. cooked shrimp, peeled, taill-on
? cup EVOO
? cup white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. spaghetti sauce
2 Tbsp. horseradish mustard
? cup celery, minced
? cup green onions, minced
? cup drained capers
1 garlic clove, minced
1? tsp. paprika
? tsp. salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Lettuce leaves
Lemon wedges
Combine all ingredients (except lettuce and lemon wedges) in medium bowl; stir in shrimp. Refrigerate, covered, 12 hours, stirring 2-3 times during the 12 hours.
Spoon shrimp onto lettuce-lined plate, garnish w/ lemon wedges. Or serve as appetizer w/ toothpicks.
--Bertolli
______________________
Crispy Cheese Straws
2 sticks Parkay
8 oz. sharp or extra sharp cheese, grated
2 cups AP flour
2 cups rice crispies
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. salt
Let margarine and cheese stand until room temp. Add rest of ingredients, and mix all together with your hands. It will be a stiff dough. Roll into small balls, put on ungreased cookie sheet and mash with a fork like PNB cookies, criss-cross. Bake at 325oF for about 15 min.
watch the food network..they always have something surprising..they might have a website too
Save yourself a lot of bother and hire some outside caterers!
Pin Wheels.
If possible get a loaf of Caterers Sliced Bread. It is sliced length ways.
Spread with butter or margarine then lay your fillings across the bread. Removing the crusts will make them easier to roll. Cut roll in 3 or 4 pieces.
Rolls.
Take a slice of sandwich bread and spread it with butter or margarine.
With a corner of a square or rectangle of bread pointing toward you, place across bread corner to corner the filling and roll up.
Fillings to consider:
Shredded chicken with some S & P or mayo
Asparagus spears
Surimi, a few slim slices of lettuce and a seafood dressing.
Present with the open ends upper most so people will see the filling they want
cocktail party's have lots of finger food , for the puffs bake them before party starts u don't want to be cooking when your guest come
Here's a few suggestions:
1] Deli platter with meat and cheese.
Don't forget the tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, assorted breads, mustard, mayo, napkins, plates, etc.
2] Meat balls in tomato sauce and/or roast beef in its natural gravy.
3] Potato salad, cole slaw, macaroni salad.
4] Cold drinks, coffee and tea.
Don't forget the cold cups, ice, straws, creamer, milk, sugar, artificial sweetener, lemon wedges, spoons and hot cups.
5] Ask some folks to bring dessert.
7] OR you could have a Pot Luck party and folks could make whatever they wanted and it would be "pot luck" - a shot in the dark as to what foods are made. Sometimes two people bring the same dish. For example: potato salad.
Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it!
VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name!
Fondue!
