| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 7:03:15 AM | For the past 8 years ~ I've been invited to a local Halloween party with about 25 people. Each person chips in $20 ~ 1/2 the people bring an appetizer the other 1/2 bring desserts and the winners split the cash. Only rule is that it all has to be home made. Another challenge is frying is pretty much out -
I've won 1st place (appetizers) 3 times and dessert once.
Trouble is I'm running out of knock-out savory - small bites -
Most say I missed my calling - should've been a chef....
Looking for something unique, appealing to the eyes with blow-out flavor - served hot.
All suggestions welcome.. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 7:56:30 AM | Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds large fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup soft breadcrumbs
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Preparation
Rinse and pat mushrooms dry. Remove stems, and chop; reserve mushroom caps.
Sauté mushroom stems, onion, and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
Add wine, and cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in breadcrumbs. Remove from heat, and let cool.
Combine onion mixture, artichoke, and next 5 ingredients. Spoon 1 teaspoonful into each mushroom cap. Place on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan.
Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.
Yield
25 to 30 appetizer servings
***from a magazine a few years back...pretty easy to make and really delicious*** | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 8:19:45 AM | I made these a couple of years ago and liked them. This was on one of Emeril's shows.
Herb-Encased Potato Crisps
1/4 cup clarified butter
1 (8-ounce) russet potato, peeled
Assorted soft fresh herbs, such as tarragon, parsley, chervil, dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Herbed Goat Cheese, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with clarified butter. Using a mandoline or other mechanical slicer, slice the potato as thinly as possible to make potato chips. Working quickly to prevent discoloration, lay half on the prepared baking sheet. Top each with an herb leaf or small cluster of herbs. Lay another chip of the same size directly on top to seal the herb. Brush with clarified butter and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top with a second sheet of parchment paper and fit a second baking sheet of the same size on top to press. Bake until the chips are crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven, uncover, and peel away the parchment paper. Remove with a thin spatula and place on a plate. Pipe a small amount of the herbed goat cheese next to the chips and garnish it with sprigs of fresh herbs.
Herbed Goat Cheese:
1 (4-ounce) log goat cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup assorted soft fresh herbs, such as tarragon, parsley, chervil, dill
Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is well combined. Place in a piping bag with a star tip. Refrigerate until ready to use
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 8:30:51 AM |
INGREDIENTS
4 Portobello mushrooms , large, (about 1 1/3 pounds), stemmed
6 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Minced fresh rosemary
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 Loaf country bread (approximately a 12-by-5-inch loaf), sliced crosswise into 1-inch thick pieces, ends removed
1 Large clove garlic , peeled
Preparation
1. Light grill. Place mushroom caps on large baking sheet. Mix 3 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. Brush oil mixture over both sides of mushrooms.
2. Grill mushrooms, gill side up over medium-hot fire, until caps are cooked through and grill-marked, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, grill bread until golden brown on both sides. Place toast slices on large platter. Rub garlic over tops, then brush with remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil.
4. Halve grilled mushrooms; place one half, gill side down, over each slice of toast. Serve immediately.
http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/32020 | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 8:57:39 AM | I love this one for mushrooms, which I have a passion for too! 
1 cup Red or white wine-- your choice
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
pat of butter
1/2 tsp minced garlic
few shakes of Worchestershire Sauce
Bring it to a boil. Throw in the mushrooms and let them cook until tender. If you let them cook down, serve them as a side. If you allow them to remain a little firm, serve as an appetizer. It would be great for whole Ports and then quarter them for appetizers.
Playsnice, will you go to work for me? I'd ask Livinlife but he doesn't like books and it's what I do for a living. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 9:00:00 AM | Well, if you don't mind using other folks recipes, go to foodnetwork.com, OR weightwatchers.com. The first is loaded with free recipes, the second has selected free recipes. One of my favorite appetizers is very simple, from the last "Next Foodnetwork Star" competition (sick, I know, the only reality shows I watch are cooking and home decorating, what a weirdo I am:)) It's bacon wrapped mushrooms, they have a barbeque sauce glaze, awesome, simple quick. Bacon wrapped shrimp is good too. Pretty much anything you put in bacon is good. Another thing I like a lot is melon balls wrapped in prosciuotto. Apparently it is a classic Italian appetizer, it is DELICIOUS, and again, easy. You need a melon, a melon baller, and some good proscioutto. Ten minutes and you're a rock star:) My favorite is honeydew.
Heather | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 9:03:29 AM | | i would love to genrae, but if i leave my current job there would be noone to suction the spit from people's mouths...WAIT...my job kinda sucks...and i DO know how to read...hmmmm...lemme think about it a little more | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 9:13:18 AM | I won a division one year at my county fair with this one. Good luck with whatever you do.
Garlic Spread with Sun Dried tomatoes
One cup olive oil, extra virgin, must have great flavor
3-4 oz. sundried tomatoes, rehydrated
4-5 green onions
10 or more cloves of garlic
handful of fresh basil, maybe 10-12 leaves
pinch of parsley, 2-3 large sprigs
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt, to taste
Lots of cayenne, to taste, make it spicy for some adventure
Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until ingredients are chopped and combined, leave a little chunky. Let sit in fridge overnight, or at least 2-3 hours, make sure to bring to room temperature before serving.
Place 4 oz. of chevre goat cheese on a platter for serving. Pour sundried tomato mixture over it and garnish with fresh basil leaves and/or parsley. Serve with a baguette.
I found the following tip for lowering the fat in goat cheese in a Sunset Magazine recipe annual. The tip is from Williams Sonoma. Mix goat cheese with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. Drain like you would for yogurt cheese. The yogurt cheese will take on the flavor of the goat cheese.
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 9:50:02 AM | Thanks playsnice - and all the rest... I really appreciate the input. Mushrooms are a fav of mine also but unforunatley they have never won...
here's my favorite mushroom app.
Portabello's about 3" in diameter ~As many as you need usually 2 per person.
High quality imported/non filtered olive oil
1/2 teaspoon high quality balsamic from Modena 10-12 yrs old per each mushroom.
1 Tbsp good quality Gorgonzola per Mushroom
1-2 Fresh Basil leafs (small not large) ribbon cut per mush.
Pinch of white pepper, coarse salt
Roasted garlic ( preheat oven to 400*) cut the tips off of one head garlic - place in rammakin dish- pour 2 tbsp olive oil over and add white pepper - cover with foil and roast for 1 hr. Remove let cool and squeeze pulp out and mash to a puree.
Charcoal
Smoked Applewood Chips soaked in water for 10 min. Placed on top of Charcoal that is already white hot. Leave for 3 min before placing caps on the grill.
Mushrooms: Wipe with damp cloth and coat fully with olive oil and brush gills with 1 tsp roasted garlic.
Grill the caps - gill side up for about 8-10 min (until soft throughout) flip and grill gill side down for 2 min then reflip to gill side - and move away from coals ~ brush with balsamic vinegar ~ place Gorganzola doppling on top - close grill top for 2-3 min.
remove from grill - place basil ribbons on top and serve with a few drops of the modena on top of Gorgonzola.
I think i should share a little more info ~ about the competition, the environment, time you have to assemble, and some past results.
Because there is about 10-12 people cooking/preparing the space limited stovetop/ovens / countertops / there is no grill to use and typcally its cold up here at the end of October and finally - all appetizers are served at once.
Its a challenge because each person only has maybe 15 minutes to either cook or reheat- broil and then assemble what it is they brought.
Some examples of what's won recently -
Regiano-Parmaggianno - shaped Flutes stuffed with lobster/basil-thyme goat cheese
Herbed sausage rolls with tai dipping sauce
Scallops encrusted in hazelnuts with pear puree.. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 10:47:22 AM | I copied this from one of Giada's recipes. Made it once and it turned out quite good.
6 sheets phyllo dough
4 tablespoon butter, melted
8 ounces smoked mozzarella, sliced 1/4-inch thick
8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Prosecco
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on a clean dry work surface. Use a pastry brush to brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter. Fold the phyllo sheet in half lengthwise, resulting in a 12 by 8-inch rectangle. Brush the top of the phyllo with melted butter. Place a few slices of smoked mozzarella at a narrow end of the phyllo rectangle, leaving 1-inch on each side. Top the cheese with a few pieces of sun-dried tomatoes. Carefully roll up the phyllo dough into a cigar shape starting with the cheese and tomato end. About half way through the rolling, tuck in the 1-inch ends of the phyllo dough, and continue rolling. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, seam side down, and brush the top with butter. Continue rolling the 5 remaining cigars. Bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 11:28:37 AM | Why is frying out? My favorite appetizer is crab n cream cheese deep fried wontons. I like them drizzled ever so lightly with a bit of honey.
You could fry em and keep them hot in the oven
Does it have to be hot? My second favorite was a superbowl party at a neighbor's who made a delicious healthy turkey wrap. Tortilla filled with deli turkey slices, green n red bell pepper, green onion, and a mixture of cream cheese n ranch dressing. You should be able to google a recipe, it was in the paper by Kraft or Hidden Valley. These are cut down into little rolls about an inch or inch an a half long. Held with a toothpick.
Another one I like is 8 ounces cream cheese with 1/4 cup****ail sauce. Spread that on a tortilla, place in shrimp and/or crablegs, spring onion. Roll and cut into bite size. I'm sure you can spruce up its presentation somehow. But its creamy, flavorful, and goes down easy. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 12:05:43 PM | | Taste Of America was at a mushroom festival, and they had a Jalapeno popper on a skewer that had a mushroom piggy backed on a popper with cheese deep fried together. They looked great....both were breaded together, and you got a taste of both with one bite...... | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 12:42:26 PM | I'm starting to realize a little more from the B&F banter ....
from this forum and for those with a genuine interest/affection/passion for cooking cool ...thanks for your contribution.
Fun is fun - believe me i can serve comedy up up better than most... but that's not why I'm here. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 12:47:05 PM | Stuff some small (5-6" max) crêpes with something savoury that travels well and can be reheated in your limited time. If a sauce is required, bring it in a small crockpot or fondue for dishing up at serving time.
You could even do a variety of crêpe batters and fillings ... different combos of meats or seafood, cheeses, fruits, veggies, nuts (keeping in mind the reheating time to be consistent for each combo). As it's a "competition", I trust a little extra effort entails.
I'd guess if you planned it right, pretty much everything could be done in advance, and popped in the oven to reheat and serve with minimum fuss for everyone (and won't that make you Mr. Popular for not hogging the kitchen resources!)
Not something I see every day has an hors d'ouevre, so you might get extra credit for originality. | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 1:06:59 PM | Well about the calories- an average session of sex will burn 3000 cals. and that's if it's average...
The one I make is somewhat like the stuffed mushrooms -about the same ingredients as the stuffing except dice up the mushrooms,add alittle cilantro and this becomes a stuffing mixture. Take Tiger shrimp and reverse butterfly from the top.
Spon on a good amount of stuffing mixture-(average it out between the dozen or so shrimp prepared. This is then broiled until the mixture is firmly set and not to overcook the shrimp. Top it off with a chipote raspberry sauce.
Canned chipote works the best-just use what is called adobe sauce-thats the red sauce with onions in the can,it's plenty spicy enough or dice the chiles-no seeds.
In a sauce pan dice up garlic-sautee in a little oil-olive. Add the chipote /sauce and then add seedless raspberry jam. Cook it up and then let cool.
The mixture that is added can change a littlr here and there,but all come out great! | |
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 1:20:43 PM | On the Crepes....concept is really cool -inviting but can't go there ... why ? Because I have less than 15 minutes to prepare 25 serving in less than 15 minutes and we both know that reheated crepes are not like off the grill...
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| Appetizer Competition Party - looking for recipe suggestions
Posted: 8/15/2007 1:34:41 PM | Hi Notenough,
I like the idea of the stuffed shrimp. I recall Tyler Florence doing a recipe (Food 911) that seemed onolicious and a make-ahead type of dish. Do you have to make it right in front of people or can you bring something that's part prepped? That might be hard to execute otherwise.
Stuffed phyllo is amazing, too. Again, hard to execute in 15 min. Just melting the butter and brushing the dough could take that long!
What stuff have you made in the past? I'm just asking generally.
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