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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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Perfect Summer Appetizer: Pancetta-Wrapped Peaches

partysugar — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:30:15 -0700

When I saw this recipe for pancetta-wrapped peaches in the July issue of Food and Wine magazine, I knew I had to make it. The recipe takes four simple ingredients - peaches, pancetta, basil, and balsamic vinegar - and turns them into one incredibly delicious, perfectly balanced dish. The peaches are sweet and juicy, the pancetta is crisp and salty, and the basil is fresh and fragrant. The vinegar adds a light tanginess that makes this appetizer superbly gourmet. I brought them to a barbecue where they were paired with the host's refreshing, potent sangria. The coupling was the hit of the party! If there is one recipe you make this summer, make this one. To learn the technique, read more.

Pancetta-Wrapped Peaches
Modified from Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

16 thin slices of pancetta
2 medium freestone peaches - halved, pitted and cut into 8 wedges each
Salt and freshly ground pepper
16 basil leaves
toothpicks
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

Lay the pancetta slices out on a work surface. Set a peach wedge at the edge of each slice, season with salt and pepper and top with a basil leaf. Roll up the pancetta to enclose the peaches and secure with a toothpick.
Heat a grill to medium. Place the peaches on the grill and grill, turning so each side is cooked, until the pancetta is crisp and the peaches are soft, 20-25 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and lightly drizzle the peaches with aged balsamic vinegar and serve.

Makes 16 appetizers.

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Yummy Links: From Wooden Bowls to Masa Harina

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:45:12 -0700

Check out CasaSugar's exclusive interview with wooden bowl crafter Nick Stagg. - CasaSugar
Is it okay to eat on public transportation? - Chow
A new study shows that consumption of coffee might be good for you! - Slashfood
An easy way to clean your grill is by rubbing it with raw onion. - The Kitchn
McCain vs. Obama: how their culinary choices may affect the presidency.- The Epi-Log
Edible chic: finger food rings. - Serious Eats
What exactly is masa harina? - Baking Bites

Source

Reader Recipe: Chicken Salad in Celery Ribs

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:00:08 -0800

Whenever I find myself in need of creative inspiration, I simply look to the Kitchen Goddess group. This week, I came across a killer app - mini celery boats stuffed with chicken salad and peas. I'm thinking these would make a great appetizer to bring to my next book club, since they're bite sized and not too messy. Apparently, I'm spot on: Jenious says they're such a big hit at gatherings that she always doubles the recipe. To make these for your next get-together, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member Jenious

Chicken Salad with Peas in Celery Ribs
Adapted from a recipe by Mary Barber and Sara Corpening for Food & Wine.

Easy to make, can be made ahead and assembled upon arrival or the day of the event. Adjust to your preferences by swapping herbs like dried Italian herbs or dill. Depending on desired consistency you can also adjust the amounts of chicken, mayo, and cream cheese. A toothpick in each helps guests serve themselves. Pulse in a food processor prior to adding peas and, talk about easy! I double the recipe since it's always a hit at gatherings.

Ingredients

8 wide celery ribs, trimmed
1/3 cup cream cheese (2 ounces), softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon
2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 pound cooked chicken breast, finely chopped or shredded
1/2 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the celery ribs so they sit flat, then cut them on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, parsley and lemon zest. Add the chicken, peas, and onion and stir gently until just combined. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the chicken salad onto each piece of celery.

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Come Party With Me: Vampire Party - Desserts

partysugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:45:41 -0700

Since vampires are so hot right now, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and throwing a fangtastic Halloween party. The savory menu consists of fun finger foods, so to ensure that no extra plates and utensils are necessary, I'm serving a portable, pop-in-your mouth dessert. No vampire travels without a coffin - unless he has a special ring like the Salvatore Brothers - that's why these almond brownie coffins fit the theme perfectly. The brownies are chocolate with chunks of dark chocolate covered almonds with a marzipan coffin topping. To check out the recipe, read more.

Almond Brownie Coffins
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for marbling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
8 ounces dark-chocolate-covered almonds, chopped
3 ounces marzipan
Royal Icing and Fleurs-de-lis

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan, and line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Butter and flour parchment, tapping out excess.
Combine flour and salt in a small bowl.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sift cocoa powder on top of butter, and whisk to combine. Let cool 3 minutes.
Gently whisk in vanilla and eggs, then stir in sugars and flour mixture until just combined. Fold in almonds, then spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
Bake until the top is firm and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove brownies from pan using parchment overhang, and let cool on wire rack. (Brownies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Using the large coffin template, cut out brownies.
Dust marzipan lightly with cocoa powder, and mix until marbled dark brown. Roll out marzipan to 1/4-inch thickness. Using the small coffin template, cut out 1 marzipan coffin for each brownie. Gently press a coffin on top of each brownie.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with the smallest plain round tip with royal icing. Decorate marzipan with small dots around the edges, and apply 1 fleur-de-lis to each coffin with a small offset spatula, securing each with a dot of royal icing.

Makes 12 coffins.

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Not Your Regular Nachos: Nacho Bites

partysugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:23:11 -0700

This week I had my banker over for dinner and I decided to wow him with a Tex-Mex-inspired meal. Naturally, nachos were on the menu. Since I wanted something a little healthier than chips and melted cheese for the main course, I served the nachos as appetizers. To make them bite sized, I used Tostitos scoops. Each chip bowl is filled with a classic ground beef taco mixture and topped with cheese. The mini edible bowls are broiled until the cheese is melted and the chips are crispy.

These nachos are incredibly scrumptious and this recipe is easily adaptable, so feel free to get creative! The scoops would be wonderfully delicious with grilled chicken or black beans. For more details on my variation, read more.

Nacho Bites
From PartySugar and Food Network

Ingredients

For Meat Filling
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded (if you like it hot include the seeds) and minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
4 whole peeled canned tomatoes, chopped and about 1/4 cup of their juices
3/4 pound lean ground sirloin beef
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
For nachos
12 Tostitos Scoops
1/2-1 cup grated cheese (recommended a mixture of Gouda and extra sharp cheddar cheese)
Guacamole and Salsa, optional for serving

Directions

Make ground beef filling: put the oil, onions, garlic, and spices in a medium skillet, season with salt and cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium high, add the tomatoes, and their juices and boil to thicken, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the beef and chicken broth, adjust the heat so the mixture simmers and cook until the beef is cooked through and the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes.

Stir in cilantro, taste, and season with salt and pepper as desired. Remove from heat.
Make the nachos: turn the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place 12 Tostitos scoops on the pan. Use only chips that are shaped like a bowl.
Fill each scoop with 1/2 teaspoon of the ground beef mixture. Sprinkle with grated cheese to cover, taking care not to spill cheese all over the pan.

Broil for 3-5 minutes, watching carefully to ensure they don't burn, until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the chips are crisp and golden brown. Remove pan from oven.
Working quickly, top each scoop with a small dollop of guacamole and a drop of salsa, if desired.
Transfer to serving platter and enjoy!

Serves 3.

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Yummy Links: From Tony Bourdain to Shake Shack's Burger

partysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:15:08 -0700

Has Anthony Bourdain lost his coolness? - Huffington Post
Turn string cheese into bloody fingers for Halloween. - Food Wishes Video
How does food affect your dreams?- Chow
5 books every cook should have. - The Atlantic
Guy Fieri currently has 15 impersonators across the country. - Eat Me Daily
Ruth Reichl believes print magazines will cease to exist in the very near future. - Eater
Learn how to make the Shake Shack's famous burger at home. - A Hamburger Today

Paula Deen's Awkward Appearance on the View

YumSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:00:36 -0700

Food Network host Paula Deen appeared on The View this week to promote her new children's cookbook. Those who caught it know that it wasn't pretty to watch. Put the sassy Paula Deen and the straight-laced Barbara Walters together, and you get an uncomfortable dynamic.

As the ladies of The View sit behind a stupendous spread of fried chicken and other Southern comforts, Paula licks strawberry cake off her fingers and pictures of macaroni and cheese grace the background. Walters then forces the queen of Southern cuisine to answer a rather serious question:

This is a cookbook for kids. Obesity is the number one problem for kids today. Everything you have here is enormously fattening. You tell kids to have cheesecake for breakfast . . . Does it bother you that you are adding to it? No? Not at all?

Stunned, Deen bumbles something about moderation - "you know, we don't eat this every day" - to an unconvinced Walters. But Walters has a point. Not one food item in the supposedly kid-friendly spread could be considered wholesome and healthy. Yet, Barbara comes down hard on Paula. Who comes out on top? Watch the video, and weigh in on your thoughts after the jump

Dead Frog Discovered in Diet Pepsi Can

YumSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:00:02 -0700

How did a dead frog find its way into a Pepsi can? That's the seminal question at the center of the latest food safety gross-out. Fred and Amy DeNegri, a retired couple from Florida claim they discovered a dead frog in a Pepsi can, and have plans to take legal action.

Fred DeNegri took a sip of a newly opened Diet Pepsi and started gagging. DeNegri emptied the can in his sink, but could tell that a heavy weight remained inside. He shook it until something resembling "pink linguine" slid out, followed by "dark stuff," his wife said. They took pictures and called authorities. It wasn't until the sample went into lab testing that the larger object was identified as a frog or a toad "lacking internal organs," according to the FDA report, which could not conclude whether or not the frog was there before the can had been opened. The FDA conducted an investigation of the Orlando, FL, bottling plant, and found everything in normal condition.

On a recent CNN show, two correspondents discussed the controversy, insinuating that the situation could be a hoax, or even planted by competitor Coke. I'm repulsed by the situation - how could such a large animal find its way into an aluminum soda can? Do you feel for the traumatized couple, or do you see this as another finger-in-the-chili fabrication?

Source: Flickr User qnr

I Want My Baby Back Ginger-Glazed Ribs

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:15:28 -0700

Summer is not Summer without enjoying a finger-licking good rib dinner where you go through numerous napkins. Although I'm a sucker for traditional ribs covered with barbecue sauce, after seeing the cover of a recent Bon Appetit, I was dying to try their Cambodian rib variation. Rather than the traditional tomato-based sauce, this recipe uses a combination of fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, and a lot of fresh ginger!

The marinade is quick to make, especially if you employ a food processor. I marinated my ribs for six hours, but overnight would be even better. Fresh off the grill and covered with lime juice, the ribs burst with sweet and sour flavor. The ginger glaze is much lighter and more refreshing than a typical barbecue sauce. If you want to sink your teeth into these ginger-glazed ribs, keep reading.