Good evening Kossacks! Welcome to my What's For Dinner diary that celebrates the "party season" we are currently engaged in. This time of year so many of us love to entertain or be entertained and part of that is enjoying tasty foods that allow you to socialize at the same time. Big family dinners and dinner parties are wonderful too but often this time of year the cocktail party reigns supreme and it is important to have little tasty finger foods and small plates that don't get in the way of tree-trimming or catching up with old friends. So tonight I thought I would share some ideas and recipes for appetizers, hors d'œuvres, etc. as they convey my favorite way to entertain. You don't have to spend a lot of time cooking or being away from your guests to bring oooh's and aaahh's of delight with tasty bites. And don't forget to enjoy the tasty bites yourself!
So please pour yourself your favorite beverage and join me for the pleasure of small plates over the jump!
Let me start by explaining the inspiration for this diary: My fiance and I are living in a weekly hotel right now. No kitchen for us, just a microwave & mini-fridge. But thankfully we are able to have our kitties here with us which is very important to me. His birthday was last Thursday (he turned gasp 41) and I had the day off to do some food shopping and on my way to the store I was wondering what to get him for a present. He was scheduled to work until 11pm so we couldn't really go out for dinner and our budget is a bit tight. It dawned on me I could re-create our favorite tapas plate from a local restaurant with a bit of creative shopping! So that is exactly what I did. When he got home from work I had a big plate with meat, cheeses, olives, figs, nuts & rustic bread awaiting him! He had no idea and was pleasantly surprised! Now hold on a minute, I know you may be wondering what the heck tapas are so let me describe a bit:
When I studied Spanish many moons ago (ok, not that long ago but it was the 80's before the more recent flourish of tapas themed restaurants came about) I first learned that tapas were a light snack/meal served in Spanish taverns alongside your afternoon glass of sherry. The name actually refers to the piece of cured meat or cheese that would be used to cover the glass of sherry hence "tapas" as in a topping or cover to keep out the flies. There are also many tasty warm tapas to enjoy such as the traditional tortilla de patatas or albondigas (meatballs usually made from ground lamb). Simple light fare that is easily shared among a group of friends! Perfect for a party!
Tortilla de Patatas aka Tortilla Espanola
Ok, now that I have tempted you with the tapas let me talk about some of my favorite party appetizer/hors d'oeuvres recipes!
Stuffed Mushrooms
This is always a favorite for so many people. And there are a million different recipes out there too so you probably have your favorite too. Here are 2 versions that I like to make; one is vegetarian the other most definitely not;)
Creamy Spinach & Pine Nut Stuffed Mushrooms
2 lbs of medium to large Crimini or baby Portobello shrooms
About a cup of cream cheese
1 box of frozen spinach thawed and drained
About 1/2 cup of pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
Wipe clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Using a melon baller or small spoon clean out more of the leftover stem and gills to make as large a hole as you can without breaking them.
Chop the stems finely and toss into a large mixing bowl. Add the pinenuts and spinach and the cream cheese and season with a bit of salt and pepper then work the cream cheese into the mixture as evenly as possible. I used a potato masher to get it softened up at first then just used my hands.
Melt about 2 tblsp of butter in a small bowl and then line a baking sheet with foil. Dip each mushroom into the butter and shake off excess and place it on the sheet. Then using a small spoon or the melon baller spoon the filling into each mushroom using your fingers to push it down into the mushroom gently. Then sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the tops. (Note: you will most likely have leftover filling. This would be a good dip on it's own popped into the oven until bubbly and served with some good crusty bread or crackers)
Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes until filling is bubbling and the Parmesan starts to brown. Let them sit and cool for a few minutes before plating up.
Bacon Cheddar & Horseradish Stuffed 'Shrooms
30-40 med. sized crimini or white button mushrooms, stems removed and gills scooped out
1 14oz tub of sharp cheddar cheese spread such as Kaukana
8-10 pieces of bacon fried crisp & crumbled into bits
2tblsp of bacon drippings reserved after frying the bacon
1 pkg of cream cheese
sm. bundle of green onions/scallions chopped finely
1-2 tblsp of prepared horseradish (the kind in the jar found in the deli section) use your judgement as to how much you want to use depending on the "bite" you want.
Let the cream cheese & cheddar spread soften at room temp while you fry up the bacon. If necessary soften in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Combine the cheeses, crumbled bacon, bacon drippings and horseradish in a large bowl and combine using a potato masher or similar implement to combine into a smooth mixture. Fold in the green onions then spoon into the mushrooms pressing down as the cheese mixture will expand and melt. Bake in a large lipped cookie sheet or baking dish for about 10 minutes until filling is bubbly and starting to brown on top.
Dips
Now it goes without saying that having yummy dips for chips, bread or veggies are de riguer for most parties. But if you are sick of the usual onion or ranch here are some tasty alternatives:
Tzatziki
1 tblsp of lemon juice
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tsp of salt
2 cups of plain Greek yogurt (if you can't find the Greek yogurt then use regular plain yogurt but strain it in a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth for an hour or so to remove as much excess liquid as possible)
1 cucumber halved, seeded and grated
Combine all the ingredients and whisk to incorporate the olive oil thoroughly. Chill for at least an hour.
Ninkasi23's Famous Artichoke Dip
I call this my famous artichoke dip because after serving it at many parties I have had marriage proposals as well as a request to make a bathtub full of it! (No, I never have attempted to make a bathtub sized portion but it does double easily)
1 14oz can of artichoke hearts
1 6 oz can of chopped green chilies
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 tsp of garlic powder or 2-3 cloves minced
1/4 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
Chop the artichoke hearts as finely as possible. Combine all ingredients in an ovenproof bowl or casserole and bled thoroughly. Heat in a 350 degree oven until dip is bubbling and hot. Let cool a bit then serve with tortilla chips and/or sourdough bread slices. It is also good cold but I find the heating process will help to tenderize any large pieces of tough artichoke.
Roasted Garlic & White Bean Hummus
1 whole head of garlic
1 can of cannelini beans
2-3 sprigs of fresh oregano
2 tblsp of olive oil
salt & pepper
Take the head of garlic and slice off the top so you have exposed the tips of the cloves. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle liberally w/salt & pepper and then take the sprigs of oregano and starting from the top strip the leaves off each sprig and sprinkle onto the garlic. Fold the aluminum foil up & around the head of garlic and loosely close. Roast in the oven for about 2 hours at 250. Remove and let cool. Meanwhile enjoy the fact that your whole house now smells of sweet roasted garlic! Yum!
When the garlic is cool enough to handle all you have to do is take the head and turn it upside down and gently squeeze out the roasted garlic into a medium sized bowl. Use a knife to scrape out any lingering bits but of course avoid the papery peel. Drain the canned beans and add to the bowl. Add a bit more olive oil and then use either a potato masher or a stick/immersion blender to blend until you have a nice hummus consistency. It's ok to have some chunky bits as this will let everyone know it is homemade! Taste for salt & pepper then serve w/a drizzle of olive oil on top.
There are so many wonderful small plate ideas that I could go on & on but I'm curious to hear what your favorites are! So please fellow Kossacks, share your faves in the comments and as always, What's for Dinner tonight?
Hey folks, I have to step out for a bit and do the family thing. Going to a bday/white elephant gift exchange party at the in-laws. I appreciate all the recs and comments and will check back later!