Friday, December 28, 2012

Entry 3: Let's Eat!

We all know what makes a great party. The food!

Since this is a potluck shower, please tell us what you brought!  Feel free to post the recipe too.

I brought this delicious punch.  I used pink lemonade for a baby shower for a girl once.  I used yellow lemonade this time.   For a large group of people (30+) I think I tripled the recipe and had just enough. I froze the lemon and orange slices and used that as "ice."

Ingredients:
2 lemons
3 large oranges
1 can frozen lemonade
concentrate
1 liter club soda
2 (750 milliliter) bottles sparkling apple
cider
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 trays ice cubes
Directions:
1.Thinly slice the lemons and the oranges and place in a large punch bowl. Pour in the thawed lemonade. Gently stir in the club soda and the sparkling apple cider. Add sugar to taste. Add ice.

23 comments:

  1. Hope you like my Melted Brie with Apricots!

    INGREDIENTS:
    1/2 cup apricot jam
    1T grated orange peel
    1T brandy or orange juice
    1T lemon juice
    1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
    One 1/2 pound wedge Primo Taglio Brie cheese
    1 Artisan French Bread Baguette, thinly sliced

    DIRECTIONS:

    1. Mix jam, orange peel, brandy (or orange juice), lemon juice and cinnamon in a shallow microwave-safe serving dish just large enough to hold the Brie.

    2. Cover apricot sauce and heat in microwave at full power until sauce begins to bubble, about 1-1 1/2 minutes.

    3. Set Brie in apricot sauce. Return to microwave oven and cook, uncovered, until the cheese is hot and slightly melted...about 1 minute..check at 20 second intervals...be sure to watch and not overcook the Brie.

    4. Place baguette slices on a platter and serve.....

    Y - U - M !!!

    Enjoy....

    Julie Wellman (Meagan's Mom)

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  2. Well you know I can't cook very well so I brought a side salad.

    Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing:

    1 pint grape tomatoes
    1 ripe avocado
    2 ears of fresh sweet corn
    2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
    Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

    Honey Lime Dressing:

    Juice of 1 lime
    3 tbsp vegetable oil
    1 tbsp honey
    Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
    1 clove garlic, minced
    Dash of cayenne pepper

    So good...
    Jessi and Saylor

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  3. Chocolate & Peanut Butter Banana Bites are always a hit at showers! Check out this link for the recipe

    http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/09/frozen-chocolate-peanut-butter-banana.html

    Katie

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    Replies
    1. I made these the other night to get my daughter to eat more fruit! LOL. She just ate the choloate! Oh well.

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  4. Finger food is fun!
    I whipped up some yummy Veggie Egg Rolls!

    1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoon oyster sauce
    2 teaspoons cornstarch
    1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
    2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms (about 7 caps)
    5 to 6 scallions, chopped
    4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 pound)
    2 cups coarsely grated carrots (about 1/2 pound)
    1/4 teaspoon pepper
    10 egg roll wrappers (from a 16-ounce package)
    3 cups (or more) oil for frying

    How to make them:

    Combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Set the bowl aside.

    Heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Stirring often, cook the vegetables in order: first add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Then add the cabbage and carrots and cook for another minute. Finally, add the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the pepper.

    Transfer the vegetables to a plate. Cool thoroughly, about 30 minutes. (Stirring the vegetables occasionally will decrease the cooling time.)

    Pour about 1 inch of oil into a deep skillet or pan set over medium heat. While the oil heats (about 10 to 12 minutes), assemble the egg rolls.

    Test the oil with a deep fry thermometer to make sure it's hot enough, around 350 degrees. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Using long-handled tongs, carefully lower 4 to 5 egg rolls at a time (or as many as your skillet will hold) into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over the egg rolls and fry for about 5 minutes more. If the egg rolls are browning too quickly, reduce the heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before frying the next batch.

    Transfer the fried egg rolls to a paper towel-lined plate and let them cool slightly. Serve them with your favorite duck or plum sauce. Makes 10 rolls.

    How to Wrap Egg Rolls:
    1. Set a wrapper diagonally on your work surface. Spread 1/4 cup of filling onto the center of the wrapper, leaving 1-1/2 inch border on each side. Fold the corner nearest you over the filling.
    2. Next, fold the 2 sides over the center. Moisten the edge of the remaining corner with a wet fingertip.
    3. Tightly roll the egg roll toward the moistened edge and press to seal. Repeat the process with the remaining wrappers.

    Jessica Kell

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  5. HI guys, my name is Rebecka, but Meag calls me Becka! I'm having a great time! Everything looks so delicious! I brought with me 23 portobello sliders. It was 24 but my boyfriend insisted on tasting one before I left!

    Portobello Burgers with Pesto, Provolone and Roasted Peppers
    Recipe makes 4 sliders:

    1/2 CUP PURCHASED PESTO
    1/4 CUP MAYONNAISE
    4 SOURDOUGH, WHOLE GRAIN, OR CIABATTA ROLLS, SPLIT HORIZONTALLY
    4 PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS, STEMMED, DARK GILLS SCRAPED OUT
    OLIVE OIL
    4 SLICES PROVOLONE
    ROASTED RED PEPPERS FROM JAR, DRAINED
    4 CUPS ARUGULA OR SPINACH (ABOUT 2 OUNCES)

    Stir pesto and mayonnaise in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
    Heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill rolls, cut side down, until lightly toasted. Transfer to plates.
    Spread grilled side of rolls with pesto mayonnaise.
    Brush mushrooms on both sides with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, rounded side up, 4 minutes. Turn mushrooms over.
    Cover and grill until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. During the last minute of grilling, place the slices of provolone on top of each mushroom so they can melt. Place 1 mushroom on each roll bottom.
    Pat pepper slices with a paper towel to dry, and place enough to cover each mushroom. Add arugula. Press roll tops over and serve.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Outta my way everyone, I need to get my grubby fingers on a Portobellow Burger before preggers hogs them all!! On second thought, after getting a dirty look from Kristin maybe I'll just wait in line and be polite like the rest of you! (but everything does sound tasty!) I'm Christy and I brought my trusty staple that my family always wants me to make for events.

    Scones with Strawberry jam and Clotted Cream. Makes 8 (depending on who's cutting)

    Ingredients:
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/3 cup sugar
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
    1/2 cup raisins (or dried currants)
    1/2 cup sour cream
    1 large egg

    1 pint of heavy whipping cream
    1 capful of vanilla extract
    1 teaspoon of sugar
    Directions:
    1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture on the large holes of a box grater; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in raisins.
    3. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth.
    4. Using a fork, stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. (The dough will be sticky in places, and there may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press, the dough will come together.)
    5. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature

    For the Clotted Cream
    Whip 1 cup of heavy cream with the capful of vanilla and sugar with a wisk until the mixture is very firm and stays in a form when whipping.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christy, good thing you got back in line! (behind me of course) Whip it real good!

      Delete
  7. Meagan and her sisters love shrimp cocktail. So I think I will bring some for the party. However, I make my own cocktail sauce. I will share the recipe with you.

    Cocktail Sauce

    1 jar of Chili Sauce
    1-2 teaspoons of Horseradish Sauce
    Old Bay (season to taste)
    Lemon squeeze

    Mix ingredients together 24 hours before serving.


    Shrimp:

    Place shrimp in steamer with plenty of Old Bay and cook until shrimp turn pink. (Do not over cook.) Take out, place on platter with cocktail sauce on the side.

    Mmmmmmm good. Enjoy ladies

    Gwen

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  8. So glad Meag is a pescetarian, this is one of the few parties where I can eat and enjoy everything on the menu :)
    -Vale

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  9. I bought some Costa Rican ceviche by the way :)
    -Vale

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  10. A veggie tray with a few different types of dip and dressings. I'm not much of a cook, but I'm really good at picking out yummy things at our local market :-)

    -Kerri

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  11. Hi everyone - I made homemade chocolate chip cookies (okay the Betty Crocker kind) but Austin got into them before I could pack them up and then Tucker (my crazy lab) finished them off....So instead I made a quick green salad and am putting my easy dressing on it. When I finish with all the greens and veggies I put sea salt on top and squeeze a whole lemon over it. Right before serving I will add just enough virgin olive oil and pepper - easy and great tasting!

    Mary

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  12. Pescetarian? I have no idea what that means but I'm guessing it means no one brought meatballs? Thanks for bringing a dish everyone... it saved a lot of time. Although I don't think I'm going to eat... I don't want to get my dress dirty. Right Vale?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No we don't want to ruin our silk chiffon Gucci dresses ;)
      -Vale

      Delete
  13. Inviting all of you to join this healthy and complicated way of life:
    "Pescetarianism (pron.: /ˌpɛskɨˈtɛəriən/) (also spelled pescatarianism) is the practice of a diet that includes seafood but not the flesh of other animals. A pescetarian diet shares many of its components with a vegetarian diet and includes vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, eggs, and dairy, but unlike a vegetarian diet also includes fish and shellfish. The Merriam-Webster dictionary dates the origin of the term "pescetarian" to 1993 and defines it to mean: "one whose diet includes fish but no other meat"." -Wikipedia

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  14. I like to keep is simple. And as I may have mentioned, I like drinks. I brought a Tiffany Blue "baby boy" cocktail. Really simple mix of champagne, lemonade and a few drops of blue curacao. Since this is such a special event, I added a sugar rim to our glasses and added a single blueberry to each glass for extra pizzas. I think you girls will love the color and the fuzzy bubbles. Meag gets her own special mix (sort of ironic that she gets the 'virgin' version, given that she's now having a baby - and we know you THAT doesn't happen with 'virgin' tendencies!). Cheers! ~ Darcy Clark

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  15. Oh boy, I totally forgot Meagan was a pescetarian. I sure hope someone eats these (besides me!). And ooops, sorry, Meag!!

    HAM ROLL-UPS

    1 bar cream cheese, soften to room temp
    1 4oz. can of green chiles, drained
    1 lb. sliced ham (lunch meat from the deli, like Boar's Head)
    1 package flour tortillas

    Add chiles to cream cheese and mix well. Take one tortilla and spread mixture on it. Place a slice or two of ham. Roll tortilla into cigar-shaped tube. Slice off into whatever size you like.

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  16. Submitted by Gloria!
    I am bringing a watermelon in the shape of a baby stroller which will be filled with fresh fruit. I also would like to bring some cucumber sandwiches and cheese spread sandwiches in the shapes of teddy bears and dolphins. For the children who might attend and who will be with Mickey Mouse, I will bring some cookies in the shape of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Sorry, I do not have any photos- but the cream cheese recipe is 8 oz of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1 medium cucumber peeled and sliced very thin, 1/2 tsp fresh dill weed or 1/4 tsp of dried dill weed and 1/4 tsp of garlic salt. I usually double this if the event calls for more than 6 people. I usually am able to buy the cheese spread for the sandwiches so really do not have a recipe to share.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lemon Garlic Chickpea Dip
    ~ Amy Smith

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/lemon-garlic-chick-pea-dip-with-veggies-and-chips-recipe/index.html

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi everybody! Sorry I'm a little late - I was traveling for work and just got back, and I couldn't seem to get my iPad to let me comment while I was gone! I love potlucks, so I've brought two things.

    The first is cinnamon-sugar sand dollar cookies to go with the beach house idea; you can get the recipe here: http://www.mamamiss.com/2012/07/31/eats-sand-dollar-cinnamon-sugar-cookies/ Pretty AND delicious!

    I also brought a creamy peanut butter dip with red and green apple slices. SOOO good, and good for you, too! (For the dip, mix together 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1 cup vanilla greek yogurt until smooth and creamy.)

    Are there any shrimp left? :)

    ~Amy

    ReplyDelete