Need help with yet another book club gathering....

K

kathleen

Well-known member
This one is for my ladies book club and unlike the couples one does not require a sit down dinner. Just heavy appetizers and drinks.

The complicating factor here is that I have my son's baseball game right before the party is to start so pretty much everything has to be made ahead.

Right now, I am thinking of the following

- goat cheese stuffed pappadeaux (sp?) peppers

- hot artichoke dip (from costco)

- veggie platter with wasabi dressing

- chips and guacamole and salsa

- spicy nuts ala Emeril

I need protein. What should I do? Take out sushi? An antipasti platter? Smoked salmon something?

For drinks, I will serve wine, persecco, beer and The Girl and The Fig's Lavendar Rosewater Mojitos.

Help.

Kathleen

-

 
Salmon Canapes - these are great!

SALMON CANAPES

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup smoked salmon, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped (I omitted this, since I didn't have any on hand)
1/2 red onion, diced
Dense mini pumpernickel rounds, squares, or quartered sandwich slices

DIRECTIONS:

1. Blend the cream cheese, salmon, and dill.
2. Spread the salmon mixture on top of each round. Arrange on a plate and top with diced onion. (I sprinkled a little freshly ground black pepper on top). Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh dill.

Serves 6

 
how about Gougeres (cheese... bread... what's not to like?!)

Gougeres
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/appetizers-snacks/gougeres/

Ingredients

* 1-1/2 cups water
* 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 5 eggs
* 1-1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (6 ounces)
* 4 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
* 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* additional Cayenne pepper to sprinkle (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly grease two baking sheets; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, and salt. Bring to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute after each addition. Stir in Gruyere cheese, mustard, white pepper, and the 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

2. Preheat oven to 400F. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip, pipe batter in 1-inch mounds about 11/2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. (Or use 2 teaspoons batter for each puff.)

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm. If desired, sprinkle with additional cayenne pepper. Makes about 60 gougeres.

4. Make-Ahead: Bake gougeres as directed. Cool on wire racks. Place cooled gougeres in an airtight container and store in the freezer up to 1 month. To reheat, place frozen gougeres on a baking sheet and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350F oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until heated.

 
or Missy's very popular Lacquered Bacon?

You can vary this based on how much you want to make or just store the extra sugar mixture. From Music City Missy

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
Bacon that is not too thinly sliced (I used Kirkland Signature - only problem I had was one package was thinly sliced and the other just perfect - it all worked - just took more careful watching)
Freshly ground course black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a jelly roll pan with a couple of layers of aluminum foil. Place a wire rack in the pan. Lay strips of bacon across the rack.

Combine the two sugars well. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the sugar mixture on each slice and spread evenly but being sure to not get too much on the ends.

Bake until the bacon is nicely browned and crispy. Remove to a plate to cool slightly. Serve while still warm or cool and warm slightly before serving.

I served mine room temp and it was just fine. It was right beside the tenderloin and rolls so several things happened with it - some people made bacon rolls and some bacon tenderloin rolls and most just ate it by itself. I did three pounds of bacon and cut each piece in half. to make it go further.

Even the pieces that were slightly 'over done' were devoured - some people actually like the sort of slighly burned sugar taste - I had them in the kitchen picking at the bacon and brie kisses that the sugars had slighly burned.

I also liked a version I did with fresh cracked pepper - sort of like the black pepper almonds - I love the sweet and hot.

 
Coastal Living: Cruising Crab Dip (comment: best d*mn dip I've ever had)

From my To Try file:

Cruisin' Crab Dip
Rating: five stars

Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup seeded and chopped tomato
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, drained
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Combine first 11 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet; place over low heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gently fold in crab meat. Spoon into serving bowl, and garnish, if desired. Serve with French bread slices toasted with Casino Butter.
Yield
6 cups
Coastal Living, MAY 2002

 
Proscuitto Pinwheels (Palmiers)

From Memorable Recipes by Renee Bhenke

I've enjoyed these at a party. Loved them so much, I kept going back for another nibble. Major yum...and so easy!

1 pound puff pastry
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
2 cups grated provolone
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup minced basil

Preheat oven to 425. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to a 14-inch square.

Stir together the mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush 1/2 the mustard mixture over puff pastry and cover it with a layer of half the prosciutto, overlapping slices slightly, leaving a 1/2 inch border along 1 edge. Sprinkle the prosciutto with 1/2 the provolone, Parmesan, and basil.

Roll the pastry tightly up into a cylinder, beginning opposite the side of the bare border. Pinch the seam to seal the roll secure. Repeat with the tensing pastry and filling ingredients to make another roll.

Use a good serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut each of the cylinders into 1/2 inch thick slices, discarding the end trimmings. Set slices on the baking sheets at least 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake pinwheels 16 to 18 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned. If baking both sheets at the same time, switch pans half way through to ensure even baking.

Let pinwheels sit a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 
Thanks for all the ideas

I love the salsa baked goat cheese idea. Like one of my favorite tapas.

I just made a onion and tomato tart that was pretty incredible. Might add that to the mix.

Maybe take out sushi? My husband is allergic to shrimp so I want to get something where he can have the leftovers.

 
If you really want sushi, have you thought of making your own? I have made rolls numerous times.

They are fun to make and easy to do. Just requires a trip to the Asian Market for initial ingredients/tools. ie that bamboo rolling thingy and sushi rice, etc...

They are fun. A few years ago, I had a roll making interactive party, with 3 other couples. It was fun to see everyone make their own rolls, what they stuffed them with, etc. It was a lil messy with the rice, but lots of laughs!

 
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