Crostini and Other Hand Held Appetizers

• Each of these make about 24 unless otherwise stated
• Crostini toasts: 2 loaves of baguette yields about 100 pieces
  • Slice into to 1/4 slices, brush with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes.
  • May be made the morning of the party and stored in airtight container
• Gingered Peach Crostini with Ricotta and Peach Reduction
  • Stir in 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese. Let chill.
  • Thinly slice fresh peaches and stir in fresh ginger, brown sugar and pinch of salt
  • Reduce about 2 cups of peach cocktail (from Trader Joe’s) with a few slices of ginger until it’s about 1/4 cup.  Take off the heat, and add 1 TBSP bourbon and 1 TBSP butter
  • Top toast with ricotta mixture, then top with peaches and drizzle the sauce
• Strawberry Basil Balsamic Crostini with Ricotta
  • Stir in lemon zest, sugar and salt into 1 cup ricotta cheese.  Let chill.
  • Reduce 3/4 c balsamic vinegar to about 1/4 cup.  Add brown sugar to taste
  • Top toast with ricotta, then thinly sliced strawberry, balsamic reduction and basil chiffonade
• Apple Brie Crostini with Honey
  • Place thin slice of brie onto each toast.  Bake at 350 till melted.
  • Top with sliced apple, honey and chopped walnuts.
    • If slicing apples ahead of time, toss well with lemon juice
  • Garnish with optional pomegranate or cubed pancetta
  • Can be left in warmer prior to serving
• Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini
  • Saute mixture of mushrooms with chopped rosemary.  I used crimini, trumpet and enoki.  Could also used a little bit of chopped bacon if desired
  • Mix equal parts herbed goat cheese and whipped cream cheese for the base.
  • Spread cheese mixture onto each toast and lay onto platter
  • Pile on the mushrooms and garnish with chopped parsley
  • Can be assembled ahead of time and kept warm
• Artichoke Red Pepper Crostini
  • Combine 1 can chopped artichoke, 1/2 jar roasted bell pepper, mayo, mozzarella, parmesan, green onion
  • Top crostini and bake at 350degrees until cheese is melted
  • Can be assembled an kept in warmer
• Chicken in Endive
  • Mince 3/4 pound chicken thighs and stir fry with 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 can chopped water chestnuts, finely chopped onion, oyster sauce and sweet soy sauce.
  • Spoon into endive leaves right before serving.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve Siracha on the side
• Pizza Cups with Meatball and Siracha BBQ sauce (makes about 20)
  • Cut Pillsbury pizza dough into 3 inch rounds and form cup into the wells of a well-greased mini muffin tin.  Scraps re-roll with good results
  • Prick bottoms with a fork
  • Fill with cheese and a dab of TJ’s Siracha BBQ sauce
  • Parbake per package instructions for about 5 minutes
  • Place 1/4 Aidell’s chicken meatballs (from Costco), top with more sauce and mozarella
  • Bake until crust is light brown (if too dark, the edges get too crisp)
  • Garnish with parsley and hold in warmer till ready to serve
• Pig in a Blanket (aka hot dogs in a blankie per S)
  • Using 1 package of puff pastry and 1 pound package Aidell’s chicken sausage
  • Cut each sausage in half and cut puff pastry into thirds, then into thirds again
  • Roll sausages, seal seam with egg wash and slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Brush puff pastry with egg wash and lay them flat.  Refrigerate
  • Bake at 400 degrees until light and puffy
• Brazilian Cheese Bread from Rasa Malaysia (Yields 36)
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
    1/3 cup olive oil
    2/3 cup milk
    1 1/2 cups (170 grams) tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
    1/2 cup packed (about 100 grams) grated cheese
    1 heaping teaspoon salt
  • Place all ingredients into food processor and blend till smooth (about 20 seconds)
  • Scoop into mini muffin tins, about 3/4 full
  • Bake at 400 degrees until light and puffy (about 17 minutes)
  • Let cool slightly, then remove before completely cooled

Sip and Swap v 2.0 – Recipes for cocktails, appetizers and mini desserts

Two years ago, I hosted one of the most fun parties.  It was a sip and swap where all the girls brought 5 items from their closets, with at least one being an accessory.  They would come to sip cocktails, nosh on hand held nibbles and take home new treasures to mix up their wardrobe.  I hosted another this past week with about 20 guests.  Everyone went home with something new, no matter what their size, shape or style!

For the first rounds, we took turns selecting our favorite item.  After that, everyone was free to choose anything they wanted to take home.

I made food small enough for just a few bites and ensured there was a good mix of items.  I also didn’t want to fuss with utensils since everyone would be standing with drink and plate in hand already.  It did take quite a bit of work and organization to ensure everything was done on time.

I learned few things along the way that will make entertaining in a sort of cocktail party style a little less stressful

• Make a mix of food that can be served cold/room temperature and hot food.  The cold food can be ready to go before guests arrive.  The hot food should be able to be prepared ahead of time and can be left in a warm oven until guests arrive.  I like having hot food to feel like you’ve had a real meal.
• Handheld food resting atop different bases (crackers, crostini, veggies, puff pastry, pizza dough) lends to variety in textures and flavors.  Possibilities are endless!
• Deviled eggs, although always popular, are a pain and take a lot of time considering the prep needed.  I don’t like peeling eggs!
• Have a simple house cocktail that you can batch and have ready to serve right when your guests arrive.  My friends need to be nudged a little before they partake in a cocktail, otherwise they won’t bother you with anything other than water.  I opened all the drinks and hand a drink in their hand right when they arrived.  It got the party started right away.  My house drink was a little strong (I think I just pour servings that were too big).
• Narrow cups work better than wider ones for cocktail parties.  A narrower cup can be rested on a dessert plate and leave more room for food.

Drink and Food for the party:  I made approximately 24 pieces per dish with plenty of leftover.  I actually ran out of table space and didn’t put one of the dishes out…I think next time, I will be sure to use smaller serving dishes and mix all of the different crostini together rather than separating them onto different plates.  Perhaps separate by sweet and savory or pair bites with complementing or contrasting colors.

DRINKS:

• 1/2 ounce Blackberry Rosemary syrup + 1/2 ounce Vodka or Gin + Prosecco
  • 2 1/2 cups blackberries + few sprigs rosemary, chopped + 1/3 c sugar + 2/3 cup water simmered for about 20 minutes, strained and chilled
  • Omission of vodka and sparkling lemonade or pomegranate could be substituted
  • The French 75 also adds lemon juice
• Sangria
  • Stella Rosa sparkling wine + 3 oz Brandy + 1 1/2 oz triple sec + apple + orange plus juice + lemon + apricot or other stone fruit
• Non-Alcoholic – it was warm and I should have had more.  I only had 1 L club soda, 1 L Perrier + 2 sparkling sodas.  2 more bottles would been have nice

Cold Appetizers

• Charcuterie board:  1 box water crackers + 3 cheeses (brie, cheddar, spicy jack) + grapes + strawberry + smoked almonds + dried apricot + pepper spread + olives
• Caprese on a stick: mozzarella, tomato and basil with TJ’s balsamic vinegar/honey thyme oil + salt
• Strawberry Crostini: Ricotta/Sugar/Lemon Zest + sliced strawberry + balsamic and brown sugar reduction (about 1/2 cup reduced by 2/3) + sliced basil
• Turkey Sandwich:  Ciabatta, Mayo+Cream Cheese,  bacon (put in cold oven till 400 degrees (about 17 minutes), avocado, turkey, spicy pepper spread, microgreens

Other make-ahead appetizers

• Brazilian cheese bread (Yields 36):
  • 1 1/2 c tapioca four
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 c oil
  • 2/3 c milk
  • 1/2 c packed shredded mozzarella
  • pinch salt
  • Place everything in food processor and blend of about 20 seconds
  • Fill well greased mini muffin tins 3/4 full (1 TBSP)
  • Bake at 400 X 17 minutes till puffed and light brown (I over cooked these at 20 minutes)
  • Let cool a few minutes then remove onto rack.  I waited too long so a few got stuck onto the pan
• Deviled Eggs with herbs

Hot foods kept in the warmer till guests arrived

• Crostini + 50/50 whipped cream cheese and herbed goat cheese + sauteed mushrooms with rosemary
• Pigs in a blanket: Aidell’s chicken sausage (1pound) and puff pastry.  Refrigerate until ready to bake, brush puff pastry with egg wash, bake at 400 degrees till puffed and browned.  Baked lying flat-turns out light and flaky
• Artichoke dip crostini: Spoon onto crostini, bake at 375 till cheese melts
• Crostini+Brie+Thinly sliced apple+Cubed pancetta or pomegranate+walnut+honey
  • Melt cheese, then add apple.  Keep in warmer
• Minced Chicken+Water Chestnuts+Pine Nuts in Endive leafs
  • Keep chicken warm and spoon into endive last minute
• Meatball Cups (Yields 18):  Pillsbury pizza crust+mozarella+Sriracha BBQ sauce+chicken meatball
  • Cut 3 inch circles and place in greased mini muffin tins.  Spoon cheese and BBQ sauce and bake for 400 degrees for 6 minutes.  Place quarter meatball and top with sauce.  Tope with cheese and pop in oven till dough is brown and cheese is melted

Dessert

• Mini coconut banana cream pie with TJ’s salted caramel – filling made day ahead
• Nutella brownies
• Lemon Bundt cake made day ahead
• Mini Blueberry Pie topped with Whipped cream
  • 1 box pie crust makes 24-can be made day before
    • Use mini muffin tin, prick bottom with fork and freeze
    • Bake at 400 till light brown
  • Filling made day ahead
    • 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 2/3 cup sugar
    • Pinch of salt
      • Place half blueberries, sugar, zest and cornstarch, water in pot.  Bring to boil and simmer
      • Add remaining blueberries and heat through till sauce is thickened.
      • Take off heat and squeeze in fresh lemon juice