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Come Party With Me: Summer Cocktail - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:50:13 -0700

I can't let August end without hosting a Summer cocktail party, so this Friday we're gathering in the gorgeous garden of my sister's house to sip drinks and nibble snacks. The assorted menu of savory bites is 100 percent finger food that's both vegetarian and carnivore friendly.

Those who don't eat meat will enjoy crispy black-bean cakes with creamy guacamole. They'll also love crunchy tortilla chips topped with grilled corn and melted cheddar cheese and smooth flavorful grilled-veggie gazpacho.

Seafood aficionados are sure to go crazy for spicy Buffalo shrimp with blue cheese dip and celery. Finally, the meateaters' hunger will be satiated with grilled beef tenderloin on focaccia toasts. To check out these tasty warm-weather appetizer recipes, read more.

Black Bean Cakes with Guacamole
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
2 ripe avocados, coarsely chopped
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, 1 can drained but not rinsed, 1 can drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus whole leaves for garnish
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Dash hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1/2 cup flour
Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a nonreactive bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar and cumin; season with salt and pepper.
Combine the dressing and the avocados and mash until smooth; set the guacamole aside.
In a food processor or blender, process the unrinsed black beans, the eggs, chopped cilantro, cumin, salt and hot sauce until combined. Stir in the flour and the rinsed black beans.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Working in batches, drop rounded tablespoons of the black bean mixture into the pan and fry, turning once, until crisp, about 4 minutes on each side; add more oil between batches if necessary.
Top the black bean cakes with the guacamole and cilantro leaves.

Serves 20.

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Tortilla Chips with Grilled Corn and Cheddar
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 ears of corn, husked
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 jalapeno chiles
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (1 3/4 cups)
24 tortilla chips, preferably lime-chili flavor

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. (If you are using a charcoal grill, coals are ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for 3 to 4 seconds.)
Brush corn with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill corn and chiles, turning occasionally, until grill marks appear and both are tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Cut kernels off cobs, and transfer to a medium bowl. Peel, stem, and seed jalapenos. Cut into 1/8-inch dice, and add to corn.
Add scallion, cilantro, lime juice, and 1 1/4 cups cheese to corn mixture. Toss until well combined.
Preheat broiler. Arrange chips in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each chip with a tablespoon of corn mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over chips. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 30 seconds. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve immediately.

Makes 2 dozen.

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Buffalo Grilled Shrimp with Blue Cheese Dip and Celery
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For blue cheese dip:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon milk
For shrimp:
18 jumbo shrimp (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), peeled, leaving last shell segment and tail fan attached, then deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot
1/2 bunch celery, cut into 4-inch sticks

Directions

Make dip: Stir together ingredients, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Make shrimp: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas).
Toss shrimp with oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill shrimp, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes total.
Stir together butter and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add shrimp and toss until coated. Serve shrimp with dip and celery.

Serves 6.

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Grilled-Vegetable Gazpacho
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 large red bell peppers, cored and quartered
2 large yellow bell peppers, cored and quartered
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
1 large white onion, cut into 1/2-inch slabs
2 ears of corn, husked
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions

Light a grill. Thread the garlic cloves onto a skewer. Lightly brush the garlic, bell peppers, zucchini, onion and corn with the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill the vegetables over moderately high heat, turning frequently, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic and let steam for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the garlic cloves from the skewers, peel them and transfer to a large bowl.
Using a large serrated knife, cut the charred corn kernels into the bowl. Peel the peppers and add them to the bowl along with the zucchini, onion, cumin, crushed red pepper, tomato juice, orange juice, lemon juice and vinegar.
Working in batches, puree the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor. Pour the gazpacho into a clean bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Just before serving, stir the cilantro into the gazpacho. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the cucumber and serve.

Serves 10.

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Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Focaccia Toasts
From Tyler Florence

Ingredients

2 pounds cherry tomatoes
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heads garlic
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon, juiced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups good quality mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hot chili paste
1 whole beef tenderloin*, about 6 to 8 pounds
2 loaves focaccia bread, sliced and toasted
Baby arugula, for garnish

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the tomatoes into a roasting pan, drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes have collapsed, about 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.
Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and bake it until soft, about 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft garlic onto a cutting board.
Strip the needles from the rosemary, add them to the garlic, and chop them together. Pour 1 cup olive oil into a small bowl; add the garlic and rosemary mixture and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside until ready to grill.
Char the outside of the pepper under the broiler or over a gas flame. Put it into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
When cool enough to handle, peel, seed, and chop and put it into a blender. Add the mayonnaise and chili paste; process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made the day before.)
Heat the grill. Remove the meat from the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before you are going to grill it. Brush it with some of the flavored olive oil and season it generously with salt and pepper.
Grill the tenderloin, turning frequently, until the meat is rare or medium rare, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a platter and let it rest for 5 minutes, brushing it with the flavored olive oil. Cut the beef into thin slices.
To serve, put some of the flavored mayonnaise onto a piece of focaccia toast. Top it with a thin slice of the beef and spoon on some of the roasted tomatoes. Garnish with some arugula leaves and serve.

Serves 30.

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Come Party With Me: Black and White Luau - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:45:41 -0700

Fab is strictly enforcing the black and white dress code for our upcoming luau, so I'm creating a menu that features black and white dishes. Since the party starts after dinner, we'll offer guests only a few small bites.

Although it's not Hawaiian, a platter of sushi from our favorite Japanese restaurant is perfect for late night noshing. Homemade finger foods will include piña colada scallop brochettes and spicy black bean cakes. The scallops are easy to make and pretty to present. The black bean cakes will be served with a cooling lime scented sour cream.
To get these black and white recipes, read more.

Piña Colada Scallop Brochettes
From Sandra Lee

Ingredients

12 large sea scallops
1 (10-ounce) can frozen pina colada mix, thawed (recommended: Bacardi)
1/2 cup light rum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (recommended: Christopher Ranch)
12 ounces fresh pineapple wedges, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

Directions

Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for at least 1 hour.
In a large zip-top bag, combine scallops, thawed pina colada mix, rum, salt, pepper, and garlic. Squeeze out air and seal bag. Gently massage to thoroughly combine ingredients.
Marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Do not marinate longer then this or the marinade will begin to cook the scallops.
Set up grill for direct cooking or a grill pan over medium heat. Lightly oil the grate when ready to start cooking.
Remove scallops from marinade and discard marinade.
Thread 3 scallops through 4 skewers and thread the pineapple wedges onto the remaining skewers. Season with salt and pepper.
If grilling indoors on a grill-pan, pat the scallops dry before grilling.
Spread toasted coconut on a plate; set aside.
Place brochettes on hot oiled grill and cook until scallops are opaque and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill the pineapple until there are nice grill marks and fruit softens a bit, about 4 minutes.
Remove from grill and immediately press both sides of brochettes into toasted coconut. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

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Spicy Black-Bean Cakes
From Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 to 2 jalapeno chiles, finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 large sweet potato, peeled and coarsely grated (2 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
Lime Sour Cream (see recipe, below)

Directions

Heat broiler.
In a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook scallions until softened, 1 minute.
Add garlic, jalapeno, and cumin; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add beans to bowl; mash with a fork or a potato masher, leaving about 1/4 of the beans whole. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Fold in sweet potato, egg, and breadcrumbs. Divide into 8 balls of equal size; flatten into patties.
Brush a baking sheet with remaining tablespoon oil; place patties on sheet, 1/2 inch apart.
Broil 4 inches from heat until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. With a thin metal spatula, carefully turn cakes.
Broil until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve with Lime Sour Cream.

Makes 8 cakes.

For the Lime Sour Cream: in a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream with 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice and 1 small minced jalapeno chile (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired) season with coarse salt.

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Jalapeno Biscuits Are Scrumptious and Spicy

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:15:47 -0800

On a recent trip to Las Vegas, I had brunch at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. While my entire meal was delicious, I especially enjoyed the variety of breads that accompanied the breakfast. There was crunchy coffee cake, dried fruit-tequila scone, and my absolute favorite: bite-sized jalapeno biscuits. The flaky biscuits were spicy without being overpowering; a perfect balance of heat. I loved them so much I decided to experiment with a homemade re-creation. These scrumptious and easy-to-make biscuits were similar to the ones I ate at the restaurant. They would be a perfect accompaniment to a big bowl of chili or a hearty black bean soup. If you are sensitive to spiciness, be sure to remove all of the seeds and white membrane from the jalapeno. To get started on your own spicy buttermilk biscuits, read more.

Jalapeno Buttermilk Biscuits
Adapted from Bobby Flay Black Pepper Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus 2 tablespoons, melted
3/4 cups cold buttermilk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 jalapeno diced, remove seeds and white membrane

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using a dough cutter, combine until ingredients are incorporated.
Scatter the cold butter pieces over the top of the flour mixture and continue to combine until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the jalapeno and buttermilk and pulse until the mixture just begins to come together.
Scrape the dough onto a lightly flour counter. Pat the dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a round cutter or glass with the rim dipped in flour to cut out biscuits. Press together the scraps of dough, and repeat process.
Place the biscuits on baking sheets lined with parchment paper; brush the tops with cream. Bake the biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

Makes 20 biscuits.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:59:13 -0700

One reason to choose a long engagement after your man pops the big question is so you can have an engagement party. This week I'm planning one for julieulie and her fiancé Scott who recently got engaged, but aren't getting married until Memorial Day 2008. I thought it would be fabulously fun and original to throw a dessert party instead of a typical dinner or cocktail party. Desserts as meals are an up and coming trend, and more and more restaurants that are devoted to only desserts are showing up all over the place.

Julie & Scott's close friends and family have received their invitations to the fiesta that will start on a Saturday night at 8:30. The menu will consist of a dazzling array of divine desserts including brownie cupcakes, strawberry shortcakes, and a cheese and fruit plate. The champagne will flow like water as the invitees toast Julie and Scott's eternal love. I've painted a pretty picture of this party, but what about the decor? To see my romantic, chic, and elegant ideas, read more

A bride that knows what she wants, Julie has already selected the colors of her wedding (light blue, white, and black), so I will use these to guide me in my decorating scheme. No worries if you have yet to decide the colors of your wedding, a simple color scheme of white, black and a bold or metallic accent color will work wonderfully. Likewise, there should be no pressure to stay with these colors if you suddenly change your mind and opt for different colors.

First find the location of the party. Will it be held in the intimate living room at the bride's parents' house or the large, modern kitchen at the groom's aunt's ranch? Walk around the space and envision a party there. Where can guests sit and chat? Where should the buffet be set up? Are there tables/counters for the champagne buckets and flutes? These are the types of questions you should be thinking when you envision your fete.
To adorn the dessert buffet, begin with a long flat table that will be your canvas to create a beautiful presentation of candies, cakes, fruits, and cheeses. Place upside down cardboard boxes and large pots on the table. With an over-sized satin tablecloth, or piece of light blue fabric, cover both the table and boxes/pots pressing the fabric down the sides of the boxes/pots. The look you will achieve is one with various heights and dimensions. Now the platters of brownies can be placed on a square box and the strawberry shortcakes in martini glasses can rest at a different height on a circular pedestal.

Fill small clear bowls with the couples favorite grocery store candies: white m&m's, silver chocolate kisses, blue jelly beans.
Large clear vases in diverse shapes, a few oval, a few square, maybe one triangular, will create a stunning background when filled with water and one simple long stemmed flower such as a white orchid or gardenias. Place the flowers on each end of the buffet tables and on windowsills, banquets, or small coffee tables.

Don't forget small white plates, white napkins, and silver spoons for the dessert table.
Black accents in the form of satin ribbons, velvet pillows, and mesh runners will add a touch of mysterious sophistication.
A glowing and warm atmosphere is necessary and to achieve, so light as many candles, votives, tapers, pillars, and the like as possible. Keep the look uniform with all white candles and black votives and candelabra.

White or light blue tiny Christmas lights can be wrapped around the windows, the rim of the room, or any pillars and columns that enhance the architecture.

Got a decoration idea perfect for Julie's party? Please share it with us below. Tomorrow I'll talk about the appropriate music for an engagement party. Equally important to the look of the engagement party is the correct behavior. If you are attending, hosting, or planning an engagement in the near future, I highly recommend reading DearSugar's tips for proper engagement party etiquette.

Come Paw-ty With Me: Dog Birthday - Menu (People Food)

partysugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:03:35 -0700

Oliver the pug is almost one, so I'm planning a fabulous little birthday party. The soirée will be happening in his favorite park, so planning a menu that is portable and picnic-like is important. Store bought treats like chips and dips, cheese and crackers, and olives and pickles will supplement an easy, make ahead meal. BLT's get a fresh twist with the addition of turkey, arugula, and ranch dressing. A black bean, rice, and tomato salad pairs nicely and travels well. A peanut butter carrot cake will decadently finish the people food menu. For the recipes to these scrumptious snacks, read more

California Wrap Sandwich
From Food Network kitchens

Four 10-inch flour tortillas
8 to 12 trimmed leaves of green or red leaf lettuce, washed and dried
12 ounces sliced cooked turkey breast
12 slices apple-wood smoked bacon, cooked
1 vine-ripened tomato, cored and cut into 16 wedges
1 ripe Hass avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 16 slices tossed with 2 teaspoons lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup arugula or watercress, washed and dried
1/2 recipe Ranch dressing, recipe follows

Wrap tortillas in barely damp, doubled layers of paper towels and microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds. Alternatively, heat the tortillas individually in an un-greased large skillet over medium heat.
Lay the tortillas on a cutting board and start to layer the ingredients. Fan the leaf lettuce on the top three-quarters of each tortilla then lay the turkey slices on top, followed by the bacon, tomato, and avocado. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with the arugula and some of the dressing.
Fold up the bottom quarter of the tortilla and then start to roll each sandwich into a cone shape. Secure the tortilla with a toothpick and slice into pieces. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Ranch dressing
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
1/4 to 1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Mash the garlic and salt to a paste with the side of a chef's knife.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, mayonnaise, 1/4-cup buttermilk, parsley, chives, scallion, vinegar, and pepper to taste.
If the sauce is very thick, thin the dressing with a couple more tablespoons of the buttermilk. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.

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Cuban Beans and Rice Salad
From Cooking Light magazine

1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped, seeded plum tomato (about 3 tomatoes)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl, and toss gently.
Add rice, next 3 ingredients (rice through beans), and cilantro; toss well.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

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Peanutty Carrot Cake
From Hersheys

3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups grated carrot
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cream cheese frosting, recipe follows

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round baking pans.
Beat eggs, oil and vanilla in large bowl. Stir together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and baking soda; add to egg mixture and blend well. Stir in carrot, peanut butter chips and walnuts; pour into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost with Cream cheese frosting.
Cover; refrigerate leftover cake.

Serves 10 to 12.

Cream cheese frosting: beat 2 packages (3 oz. each) softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; beat until smooth.

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