Conference turris::cooks

    Carla,
    
    I have just a few ideas...I had something like this about a month ago,
    and went heavy appetizers instead of a meal.  However, ideas for
    entrees include the "Special Chicken" and "Chicken St. Moritz" in the
    note entitled "Chicken Breasts et al".
    
    Also, if you wanted to do heavy appetizers, you could have a cheese
    board w/fresh fruit, stuffed mushrooms (try the Bechamel Stuffed
    Mushrooms in the "Stuffed Mushrooms" file), calzone (try the Sausage
    Stuffed Bread in the "Great Stuffed Bread" file), and if your guests
    like Mexican, just have a taco pie instead of messy tacos (this is
    layers of hamburg w/spices, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, grated cheddar
    and mozarella cheese, and finally sour cream), I'd serve this with
    small pieces of pita bread cut up into "Dorito" size portions, brushed
    with butter, some grilled with garlic, some with hot pepper.  Another
    idea is a vegetable, or a cheese quiche.  
    
    You really may want to consider doing the heavy appetizers, it's much
    easier for you, and you'll enjoy yourself that much more knowing you
    don't have to run to the kitchen every five minutes to check on
    something.  Good luck!
    
    -Lisa
    

     
    The seven-layer dip in another note is very good
    and the layers can be prepared separately 
    the night before and put together that day.

    Do you have a crockpot or warmer?  Make up meatballs - Swedish, sweet
    and sour, Italian, whatever - and keep them warm in the crockpot.  And
    don't forget to have crudites and dip.  They complement anything.
    
    One year I made chicken nuggets (coated with spiced oatbran!) and
    served them on a warming tray.  Also kielbasa is very easy to prepare,
    usually a hit, easy to eat - I think it meets all your criteria.
    
    Keep it simple.  If you're someone who tends to have hamburger or
    chicken in the freezer, go with those things.  If you have dieters,
    look for ways to cut down fat and calories - like yogurt instead of
    sour cream, lowfat cottage cheese, etc.
    
    The fruit and cheese board is an excellent idea.  One hot item, the
    vegetable/dip, and fruit/cheese is more than enough for a small party.
    
    You might want to have warm mulled cider for non-drinkers along with
    wine/beer.
    
    Have fun at your party.
    
    Susan

    Will you be seated at a dining table or hanging around in the living
    room?  (You don't want your guests to be balancing an Amstel in one
    hand and a messy taco in the other, so let's work on that first!)
    
    - I'll second the idea of stuffed mushrooms.  There are many recipes to
    chose from.  My usual mushrooms are made with spinach, walnuts, dill,
    cheese and other goodies, but not quite the ingredients that you would
    have hanging in the fridge, right?
    - You could make a pizza and cut it up into bite size pieces. 
    - Shrimp cocktail can be a nice touch, since they are very filling. 
    Shaw's or other markets have the medium sized guys for about $5 or
    $6/pound, and I would imagine that you could get by with just over a
    pound if you are serving other appetizers along with this.  Plus it's
    so simple to make!
    - A veggie dip, fruits and cheeses are also good ideas as mentioned.
    - How about a simple fondue?  (if you are lucky to own a fondue pot)  
    - Or, a few types of club sandwiches are easy enough to whip up.  Some
    ideas are turkey & ham, or ham, salami & cheese subs with lettuce and
    tomato.  The list goes on.....
    - You might also consider a soup and salad combo - but that is using
    the assumption that you'll be seated at a table and not juggling a
    plate in your lap.
    - Quiche

    Here's a few good finger foods that I tried over the holidays.
    
    Asparagus/shrimp crescents
    --------------------------
    
    I made this one up, so measurements might be off
    
    1 pkg of boursin cheese
    1 pkg of frozen asparagus spears (or fresh if you can find them)
    about 1 cup of cooked shrimp
    2 packages of pillsbury crescent rolls
    
    Chop up the cooked shrimp and mix with the boursin (add a little milk
    if necessary to make it a smooth consistency).
    
    Thaw the asparagus spears (DO NOT COOK) and cut lenghwise if they are
    too thick.  Pat them as dry as possible with a paper towel.
    
    Unroll a crescent roll, top with a glob of cheese mixture and an 
    asparagus spear, roll up.  Continue until everything is gone.
    
    Brush with beaten egg and bake according to directions on the cresent
    rolls (add about 2 minutes).  Cool (if you can) and eat.
    
    
    
    
    ARTICHOKE BITES
    ---------------
    
    20 Melba rounds
    1 can artichoke hearts
    about 1/4 cup of ritz cracker crumbs mixed with 1 tbsp butter
    
    Cheese sauce consisting of:
    
    3 tbsp chopped red pepper
    3 tbsp chopped green onion
    dash of nutmeg
    1 cup milk
    2 tbsp butter
    1 cup swiss cheese
    
    
    Lay out your melba rounds on a cookie sheet.  Drain and rinse artichoke
    hearts.  Quarter the artichoke hearts and place one piece on top of
    each melba round.  Make your cheese sauce by melting butter and
    sauteing pepper and onion until tender add salt and pepper and flour
    and stir until mixed.  Gradually add milk, nutmeg and stir until 
    thickened (sauce should be VERY thick).  Add cheese and wait until
    melted. 
    
    Top each melba-choke with 1 tbsp sauce and dob of crumb mixture.  Bake
    in 400 oven for about 8 minutes until hot.
    
    You can add a spot of sherry to the cheese sauce  if you like.
    
    
    
    
    
    Lorraine
    

   We had a small gathering now too long ago, and we did make-you-own-pizza.
We made eight small pizza crusts, put out a bowl of pizza sauce, and a bowl
of cheese.  We also put out a variety of topping:  pepperoni, sausage, 
mushrooms, peppers, onions.  

   This went over very well, and work out great, since it lends itself well
to both meat-eaters and our guests with vegetarian preferences.

--Sharon

    thanks for all the help!  this is really something.. now i'm torn on
    what to make.  during all this reading i too have remembered a recipe
    the a saw on the last frugal gourmet show that would be great for a
    party.  its a garlic/cucumber/yogurt dip but i cant' remember the
    recipe exactely to enter it.  i will tomorrow though for sure.
    
    i have a fondue pot and didn't even think of that.  at my
    christmas party i made a nice crabmeat fondue .. hmmm... another
    possibility!
    
    also there was something in lisa's note .1 reply like a casserole type
    thing with pita points that sounded interesting.  i think that will do
    too.  
    
    the only other thing i've come up with is the sausage/cheese snacks
    that are in this file somewhere.  they are served on pumpernickle or
    rye bread, i can't remember but they look real good, easy and filling.
    
    now, is a crabmeat fondue, garlic/cuke/yogurt dip, sausage/cheese
    snacks and a taco casserole something that will go together well??? 
    seems to me that the fondue doesn't but it is spicy and good.  maybe
    just maybe.  
    
    thanks again for all your help.  this file is great!  hope this note
    helps others!

    My general rule, as far as "grazing" goes (versus a sit down meal), is
    that everything doesn't have to go. I found a variety of heartier
    and lighter foods always works. The men will usually hang around
    the kielbasa and honey-mustard dip, while the ladies seem to nibble
    in veggies, dips and small food that pops into your mouth and is
    chewed quickly. Just prepare foods that you don't have to spend time
    in the kitchen with. 
    
    Another suggestion this time of year if your DEC turkey is still 
    around. Roast the turkey the day before and just put out sliced
    meat with finger rolls and let people make their own sandwich or
    just nibble on the turkey. You can do the same with a spiral sliced
    ham which always looks nice and put out all types of dipping sauce
    with the ham - honey, mustard, raisin glaze, pineapple dip, etc.
    
    Most of all, enjoy!!!

    
    After holding two large (50+ guests) parties, I've decided that
    finger-foods are the best bet, whatever the numbers involved, simply
    because unless it is actually a dinner party, the atmosphere is
    broken when everyone sits down and eats.  If you provide finger
    food, then conversation continues!
    
    Surprisingly enough, one of our greatest successes was "devils on
    horseback".
    
    Ingredients
    -----------
    Prunes
    Streaky bacon
    
    Cocktail sticks
    
    Method
    ------
    Remove stones from prunes and wrap a small strip of bacon around
    each prune.  If prunes are small, use a couple at a time.  Secure
    bacon with cocktail stick.  Place on baking tray and heat under
    grill [broil in American?] for about ten minutes or until bacon
    is crisp.
    
    Beware, the prunes get *very* hot!
    
    These are simple to prepare, cheap, can be prepared in advance and
    frozen, and have always been much appreciated at my parties.
    
    The other version is "Angels on Horseback", using fresh oysters
    instead of prunes - I can't be bothered with the hassle of opening
    all those oysters though.
    
    Jacquie                                      

    Another small croud meal which allows conversation to continue as
    you are eating is.... FONDUE. I know this is a fad which fizzled
    out quite some time ago... BUT if you have a small croud (2-8) and
    want a casual easy meal, this is the way to go.
    
    Fondue is extremely flexable also... If you like shrimp, beef, pork,
    veges, what ever.., you put out a variety and let your guests do
    their own thing.
    
    If you don't desire Fondue as your meal, you can always do a desert
    Fondue using a chocolate, mocha, or other flavor sauce. Take fruit
    pieces (cherries, pineapple, banana, etc.) dipping them in the warm
    sauce.
    
    OR... you can have an Fondue appitizer... taking a cheese sauce
    with raw veges, cherry tomatos, or what ever else goes with cheese.
    
    The variations are endless... Use you imagination and you can please
    just about any group you entertain.
    
    Bob G.
    

    thanks for much for the great recipes and words of wisdom.  you will
    be happy to know that the party went over very well; because of the
    food mostly.  here is what we decided to have:
    
    crabmeat/cheese fondue w/french bread 
    crabbies (which were gone immediately!)
    
    nachos
    taco's with assorted vegies
    spicy chicken wings
    
    pecan/walnut/choc. chip brownies.
    
    and of course, whatever to drink.  i wanted to make the sausage/cheese
    things on pumpernickel bread but one of the quests brought over the
    chicken wings so we opted to use them.  
    
    everything turned out well but the taco's were alittle messy so we had
    to sit down to eat them and yes, it broke the conversation a bit.  
    
    thanks again for all the help!
    
    i'm sure i'll be referring to this note alot!

    Alright, rather than start a new note, I'll just continue on with the
    small party note...

    Here's the deal -- I'm having my two sisters-in-law and their boyfriends
    over in about a month.  We're going to the Nashoba Valley Winery during
    the day and will probably come back to my house for dinner/drinks/games.
    Here's the clincher:  both boyfriends are chefs!  

    I'm no slouch in the kitchen, but I'm a little nervous about what to
    fix.  My sisters-in-law are kind of picky meat/potatoes type eaters, so 
    whatever I make can't be *too* outlandish.  But I also don't want it to
    be too run-of-the-mill.  Unfortunately, I've used most of my tried and 
    true and not outlandish recipes on one sister-in-law and a couple of them 
    on her boyfriend.  (The other sister-in-law is visiting from Florida so 
    she has never been a guinea pig for my talents!)  So now I'm at a loss as 
    what to cook.

    Some things I've already done are as follows:

	o Pizza party
	o Chili/cornbread
	o Teriyaki flank steak
	o Curried chicken kabobs
	o Fish with tomatoes, capers, and olives

    Do you have any tried and true, and *unique* ideas for this bunch??

    Cara

    Cara,
    
    I've tried the French Lasagna that is listed in here somewhere, and it
    is quite impressive.  It's not too outlandish but just
    different/gourmet enough to impress.  When something special is in
    order I'd recommend it, highly!
    
    Renee

    I've had great success with Couquille St Jaques.. in here under
    scallops.  I serve it on Large Scallop shells that I have collected..
    add a side of asparagus with sauce... even impressed my gormet chef
    son.
    
    Bob

    Some meals that I serve for a nice occasion are chicken marsala,
    chicken cordon blue and chicken kiev. I will usually serve rice pilaf
    or twice baked potatos. Vegetable and crescent rolls or corn bread.

        My brother is an aspiring chef but I don't let it bother me...
	but I will not cook with him in the room since he can't help
	but offer criticism!

	Anyhow, somewhere in this file is a recipe for Parmesan Dijon
	chicken.  I serve it with rice or potatoes and vegetables.  I'll
	enter it again here since it is quite short (and simple).  

	Karen

Parmesan Dijon Chicken
----------------------

8 boned and skinned chicken breast halves
2 C fresh bread crumbs
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1/4 C melted butter
2/3 C Dijon mustard
1/4 C dry white wine

Process cheese and bread crumbs in food processor.  Mix mustard, wine,
butter.  Dip chicken in mustard mix, then in bread crumbs.  Bake in pan
(sprayed with PAM) at 400 for 30 minutes.

NOTE: Can freeze chicken before baking and then thaw later and cook; 
great for unexpected company.  I also make up the sauce and store in
the refrigerator for weeks... I use a little at a time to make dinner for
two.  I prefer this method to the freezing method.

    Thanks for the suggestions so far.  I've also had them over and made
    chicken cordon blue, so I'm going to have to pass on that one.  And
    I think I need to stay away from seafood.  The gals really aren't nuts
    about it.

    Lasagne is a good idea, and I like the chicken recipe in -1.  But I'm
    not committed yet...!  Keep your ideas coming!

    Cara

    Send out to MacDonalds.. those people won't last -- Chef guys with meat
    and tater girls don't mix. "Kissen don't last... cookin do" 8^)

    :-)  Funny!  I think they're all considering marriage...  I guess it'll
    work as long as the gals stay out of the kitchen!
    
    No, seriously, I call them meat and potatoes types because that's
    mostly what they grew up on.  Aside from chicken, turkey, mashed
    potatoes, and fast food, I don't know what else they eat.  (Can you
    tell I only spend every other Thanksgiving and Christmas with them?)
    
    I do know that fish/seafood is a no-no, though.
    
    Cara
    

    My husband grew up on meat and potatoes too and still really enjoys
    that type of meal.  However, he loves my mexican pizza and
    schezuan chicken and many of the other dishes I cook.  Peoples
    tastes can change over time.  

    I was in my early 20's before I discovered spicy food.  My first
    experience, I put crushed red pepper on my pizza because everyone
    else was doing it.  I HATED IT!  Today, I don't eat pizza without it!

    Hey, if these women are your sister's in law then you are married
    to their brother and he eats what you cook so why shouldn't they!

    Anyhow, I'd say cook whatever you want.  If they don't like it,
    too bad!  Whenever my in-laws come over (the meat and potatoe folks)
    I always try to expand their horizons.  

    Another idea ... Check out the Cornish Game Hen topic.  I put a 
    recipe in there (might be under my maiden name LUBY) that is 
    marinated with a soy dressing, stuffed with ground pork and 
    served over pineapple.  You can really prepare this pretty fancy!  
    I usually use canned sliced pipeapple with this but the recipe 
    suggests fresh.  Personally, to put 1/2 a pipeapple on each persons 
    plate is a bit much for me.  Served with rice pilaf is best.

    Karen

    How formal is this affair supposed to be?
    
    When I have a small party that isn't a Formal Dinner Party sort of
    thing, I often like to serve tacos or burritos...people can make their
    own so that every taste is satisfied...and you can show off your
    kitchenly talents by having a variety of fillings such as marinated
    chicken or beef, spicy spanish rice, mixed bean chili, etc.
    
    Last time I did this, I made a beef and black bean filling that was a
    BIG hit and easy, too.   Brown about 1/3 lb lean ground beef.  Take a
    can of black beans, mash up half of them...sauted onion, garlic and
    sweet red pepper...mixed it all together, season with ground cumin,
    coriander, pepper sauce, a dash of red wine vinegar, pepper, chili
    powder. 
    
    Serve with chedder, sour cream and gaucamole (fresh avacados available
    even this time of year at *good* produce stores such as Bread and
    Circus) topped with fresh chopped cilantro and wrapped in a flour tortilla.
    
    --------
    
    Another idea - I recently went to someone else's small informal dinner
    party.  They made a very basic potato soup (chicken stock, potatoes +
    onions) and then had "add-ins" which guests could add as they liked,
    including chopped, fried Virginia ham; cream or milk; lemon juice
    (don't add both milk *and* lemon :-); carmelized onions; hot pepper
    sherry; chopped fresh parsley etc.  This served with fresh French bread
    and a tasty salad was great!
    
    D!
    
    
    
    

    No, this won't be formal at all.  
    
    Tacos are a good idea, but I made them for her and my husband before we 
    got married and they shared an apartment.  She wouldn't eat 'em!  That
    was a few years ago; also, chili has not gone over well with her.
    
    I like the idea of a soup.  And I was also thinking of a beef stew. 
    Since we're going to be at the vineyards in Bolton for part of the day,
    I could probably have something going in the crock pot...
    
    Thanks!
    Cara
    

    Buy the Reynolds Bags, then buy a roast, some carrots, small red
    potatoes, large red onion, fresh mushrooms -- through this all in the
    bag with 1 beef boullion and 1 cup water.  Bake at 325 for 2.5 hours
    Serve with salad and rolls.
    
    This can cook while you're out and you won't have much clean up!
    

    Try this one:
    
    		Place cut up chicken pieces in baking dish.  Sprinkle
    liberally (I hate that word) with garlic salt and borwn sugar and bake
    at 350.  Sounds strange, but tastes great ...
    
    Although, these would be the type of people I would serve stuffed
    squid.  I made some for News Years Eve for "meat and taters" folks, and
    they loved it once I got them to try it.  I always do a seafood buffet
    for NYEve.
    
    

    and for those that don't understand "borwn sugar" ... should have read
    "Brown sugar".  Man do I need some sleep ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
    

    Hey, thanks for all the suggestions in here; I'm probably not going to
    use 'em for this party, but I'll try 'em out anyway.

    My mother has a great recipe for veal paprika (super fattening!).  It's
    incredibly easy and incredibly delicious, and I can make it ahead of 
    time and just pop it in the oven when we get home.

    I'll serve it with buttered noodles and spinach salads.  And maybe
    steamed mussles (even if the gals don't approve!) for an appetizer...

    Dessert is still up in the air.

    Cara