Entertaining Ideas & Recipies - A Perfect Party by Cody

Perfect Party Recipes by Jenny

In the Back Yard:

1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 pkg. cream cheese

Mix softened cream cheese with marshmallow fluff.
Serve with fruit.

Serves 4
4 large tomatoes
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small fennel bulb cut into 11/2 inch long matchsticks
1 large cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into matchsticks
2 bunch arugula cut into thin strips
4 red pearl onion peeled and seeded and cut into thin rounds

Cut the tops off the tomatoes, scoop out pulp and seeds. In a bowl whisk together, mustard, vinegar and lemon juice season with salt and pepper slowly whisk in oil. Add sliced veggies toss gently divide into four tomato bowls.

For Canada Day:

4 sundried tomato tortillas
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 red pepper diced
1 tsp garlic powder

Add diced red pepper and garlic powder to softened cream cheese. Spread a large tbsp of cream cheese on tortillas and roll up. Slice into 3/4-1 inch slices.

For Cards and Casino:

3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp cajun spice
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp pepper
2 cups whole pecans
2 tbsp butter

In a large non stick skillet melt butter, sprinkle sugar over butter, keep on low heat. Add pecans all at once and stir until everything is coated. Remove from heat and spread over baking sheet. In a bowl mix, cumin, garlic, pepper, and cajun together sprinkle over pecans bake in oven for 7-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool on baking sheet and serve.

For Cocktail Party

Makes 12
6 strips bacon
12 water chestnuts
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cook bacon until it is half cooked. In a large bowl add soy and water chestnuts let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Remove water chestnuts from soy sauce, wrap bacon around each. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Serve warm.

In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese with 3tbsp pesto.
Top a cracker with lettuce and a dollop of the cheese mixture, a round slice of a cherry tomato and a few pine nuts.

For Easter (breakfast or brunch):

Makes 4 servings
2 1/2 cups vegetables- broccoli, red or green peppers, onions
2 cup frozen hash browns
6 eggs
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar and havarti)

Pre-heat broiler.
Wrap handle of a non-stick skillet with foil.
Cook vegetables and hash browns in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Mix eggs with 1/4 cup water and mustard, pour eggs over vegetables cook until almost set.
Top with cheese and broil until cheese is melted.

For Father's Day:

4 ripe bananas
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup banana liqueur
1 tbsp cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream

Cut bananas in half lengthwise. Cut each in half.
Melt butter, brown sugar and syrup in a skillet over med heat bring to boil for 1 minute.
Add rum and liqueur, bring to boil for 2 minutes add bananas and cook for 2 minutes.
Place ice cream in bowl and to with bananas.

For Fiesta

2 cups corn
3 avocados big chucks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 red onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1/4 cup lemon

Mix everything together serve with corn chips.

6-8 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
2 large white onion diced
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup cilantro chopped
2 can tomato paste

Mix it all together, chill, and enjoy!!

For Hanukkah:

Makes about 24 latkes
4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
2 medium onions, peeled
1 egg
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Grate potatoes and onions on grater blade of food processor or by hand on a box grater.
Wrap potatoes and onions in tea towel and squeeze any excess liquid.
Mix in egg, seasoning and flour.
Heat film of oil in large, heavy skillet on medium heat, Drop 2tbsp potato mixture and flatten with a fork. Fry on both sides until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Continue frying in batches, adding oil as needed.
Drain on paper towel.

For Mother's Day:

Great for breakfast in bed or tea time!
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup asiago cheese
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/3 cup cold butter cut into small cubes
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs

Pre-heat oven 400 degrees.
Lightly grease baking sheet. In a large bowl stir 2 cups of flour, cheese, baking powder, basil, until combined.
Using fingers rub in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and eggs.
With floured hands knead dough about 10 times on baking sheet, form into a 9inch circle using a knife, score the top into 8 wedges.
Bake in oven until golden on top about 17-20 minutes.

For New Year's Eve:

2 cup chocolate milk
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup whipping cream

Combine chocolate milk with chocolate in a bowl over simmering water, whisking until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
Whip cream until stiff peaks form and fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Place equally into 8 champagne flutes or martini glasses and chill for 4-12 hours.
Sprinkle with edible gold dust or top with a few raspberries.

St. Patrick's Day:

1 1/4 cup graham crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
3 pkg (250g) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3 white chocolate squares
3 drops green food coloring

Combine crumbs and butter, press into the bottom of a 9inch spring form pan.
Beat cream cheese sugar and vanilla on medium speed, until blended, add eggs one at a time until well blended, pour over crust and bake in middle of oven at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely then refrigerate for 4-12 hours.
Melt the chocolate and add the food coloring, drizzle over entire cake.

For Thanksgiving

Peel 8 apples half way, and core.
Take one extra apple, peel and dice. Place the cored apples in large baking dish. In each apple place pieces of the diced apple, a few raisins, 1tsp brown sugar, a large dollop of butter, and sprinkle top with a little white sugar and cinnamon. Place foil over the top and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 375 degree oven, uncover and bake for 5 more minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes then serve each with vanilla ice cream.

For Valentine's Day:

8 chocolate wafer cookies
1 bar (8 ounces) reduced fat cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 large whole egg plus one large egg white
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with two crisscrossed pieces of parchment or wax paper, spraying in between each piece. Spray lined pan; set aside.
Process cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Gently press crumbs into bottom of prepared pan.
Blend cream cheese and sour cream in food processor until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add cocoa, cornstarch, sugar, egg, and egg white; process until smooth. Pour into pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake until just set about 35-40 minutes; cool completely in pan. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Invert onto a tray; peel off paper and re-invert crust side down. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter cut out 8 treats.

For Western:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs- thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, or a mix.
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 1/2-2 pound flank steak trimmed of any excess fat and membrane.

Mix the oil, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Rub all over the steak and let sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, heat a gas grill to medium-high (you should be able to hold your hand 2 inches above the grate for 3-4 second) or prepare a medium charcoal fire. If your grill has spot, position the thicker end of the flank steak nearer the hottest part of the fire.