Cocktail Party Recipes
Well it’s onto my favorite subject, hot hors d’oeuvres. This doesn’t actually
constitute “entertaining”, but will give the illusion of it. Remember, attitude
is everything. The trick is to invite people over for drinks before dinner.
You impress them then go out for the main course. Since you had them over, let
them pick up the dinner tab. Everyone will think you’ve been slaving away in
the kitchen, but all you really have to do is make these tasty morsels ahead
and freeze them (except for the potatoes). I always serve these before one of
my dinner parties.
This menu can serve as many or few as you invite.
Wesley’s Drinks Before Dinner Menu
Cosmopolitans
Cheese Olives
Soufflé Filled Potatoes
Tarragon Scented Shrimp Pastries
Mushroom Sausage Croustades
Cosmopolitan Cocktail
1 1/4 ounces Absolut Citron vodka (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 ounce Rose's lime juice (about 3/4 tablespoon)
1/4 ounce triple sec or Cointreau (about 3/4 tablespoon)
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1 cup ice cubes
Garnish: lime twist
In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients. Shake well and strain into
a Martini glass.
Garnish drink with lime.
Cheese Olives
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
1/2 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 drops Tabasco
40 small olives stuffed with pimento or onion, or small cocktail onions,
or a mix
Combine cheese, flour, butter, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce in a mixing
bowl. Knead until well combined and pliable. Form into 1-inch balls and press
an onion or olive into center. Reshape ball to enclose onion or olive. Place
on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
These may be frozen ahead and baked for 20-25 minutes.
Soufflé filled Potatoes
40 very small new potatoes or 20 slightly larger ones
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
6 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt to taste
Dash Worcestershire sauce
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg, separated
1 egg white
Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Bring salted water
to a boil and boil potatoes for 8 minutes until the skin can be pierced easily
with a fork. Using a melon baller make a well in the top of each potato. If
using the larger ones, cut in half and hollow out the center. Place potatoes,
hollow side up on cookie sheet. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
Whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with the whisk. Cook for 5 minutes
or until thickened. Remove from heat and add mustard, salt, Worcestershire,
and cheese; whisk. Add egg yolk and whisk. In a separate bowl whip the 2 egg
whites until they stand in peaks but are not dry; fold into cheese mixture.
Using a pastry bag or small spoon, fill potato cups with soufflé mixture. Bake
for 7 to 8 minutes until the soufflés have risen and are golden brown.
Tarragon Scented Shrimp Pastries
Cream Cheese Pastry
2 sticks butter, softened
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2-teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons milk
Mix butter, cream cheese, salt, and flour to form a soft dough. Chill overnight.
Break off part of the dough and roll it thin on a floured surface. With a cookie
cutter, cut 3-inch circles and place small amount of shrimp filling on one side.
Fold over and crimp edges with a fork. Chill one hour and brush top with egg
yolk beaten with milk. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or longer if frozen.
Shrimp filling:
1 cup mashed, cooked shrimp (can use frozen or canned)
4 green onions, minced
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt to taste
Mix all ingredients together.
Mushroom Sausage Croustades
Croustades:
Butter
18 slices white bread cut into 3-inch rounds and flattened
Filling:
1/4-cup butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/2 LB mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/2-teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper
1/4 LB sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
For croustades: Preheat oven to 400. Butter small muffin tins. Carefully
fit bread into muffin tin pressing gently to form cup. Bake until lightly browned,
about 8 minutes. Remove and let cool.
For filling: Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add shallot
and sauté until browned. Blend in mushrooms, stirring constantly until liquid
is evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, chives, parsley, salt,
and cayenne pepper. Add sausage stirring constantly until browned and crumbly.
Pour in cream and bring to low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens,
about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
To assemble: Preheat oven to 350. Spoon filling into croustades. Arrange
on baking sheet and sprinkle the Parmesan on top. Bake until cheese melts about
10 minutes. These may be filled and frozen ahead. Bake about 20 minutes if frozen.
Rating @
