Menu help: Valentine's Day Cocktail Party

[Kismet]

It's my turn to ask for some thoughts on a party menu! :D DH and I will be hosting our first cocktail party on Valentine's Day. Right now we have about 15 people coming. Here's what I have in mind. I think I may need another hot appetizer, but I don't want anything else with cheese. Any thoughts?

Hot appetizers
Beef Triangles (CL)
Pancetta, Leek, Goat Cheese Tartlets (BA)

Cold appetizers
Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip (EW) w/ veggies
Roasted veggie & pine nut crostini (CL)
Cheese platter w/ assorted fruits
Crackers & homemade sourdough baguettes

Desserts
Homemade congac truffles
Lemon tartlets
Dulce de leche cheesecake squares (Epicurious)

Munchies
Spiced nuts
Assorted Olives
Conversation hearts :cool: :D :)

We will have a mostly fully stocked bar for mixed drinks plus wine and beer. I'm thinking about having a pitcher of Pomegranite Cocktails (CL) mixed up as well as perhaps some Chocolate Martinis .

What do you think? Thanks!!!

[KelLeg]

I think it looks fabulous. I know a lot of people love the Spinach Balls. Maybe those could be another hot appetizer. All in all, it looks great.

Is the Red Pepper Walnut Dip recipe on the board somewhere? I'd love to see it. I'll do a search.

I have a Valentine's Brunch/Lunch every year. Your cocktail party sounds really fun, though.

[Kismet]

KelLeg - I can't seem to find the dip on either the BB or EW's site. I can post it tonight, though! :)

[Kuvy]

Kismet - those Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares sound AMAZING. I'm going there right now to get that recipe :D
Editing to say: they look a little daunting... please post your review afterwards!! :)


Here's a fancy-yet-scrumptious-and-can-be-made-in advance appetizer (room temp though if that's OK):


Pissaladière Tartlets
From Cooking Light

Present this classic French onion, anchovy, and olive pie in miniature form. Make the tart shells and the filling a day ahead, and store separately in airtight containers--the shells at room temperature, and the filling in the refrigerator. Assemble at the party or dinner. Use trimmed crusts to make fresh breadcrumbs: Place in a food processor and process to form coarse crumbs. Freeze in a zip-top plastic bag for up to 6 months.

1 tablespoon olive oil
10 cup thinly vertically sliced onion (about 4 medium)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 canned anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup niçoise olives, pitted and chopped
24 (1/2-ounce) slices very thin white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm)
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 10 minutes. Stir in salt and anchovies; sauté 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and chopped thyme. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in olives. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Trim crusts from bread; reserve crusts for another use. Lightly coat both sides of bread with cooking spray. Place 1 slice into each of 24 miniature muffin cups, pressing bread into pan to form cups (bread tips will stick up). Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until dry and golden. Carefully remove the bread cups from pan; cool on a wire rack. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon onion mixture into each bread cup. Sprinkle evenly with whole thyme leaves.


Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 tartlets)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 122 (30% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 0.4g, mono 2.5g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 2.9g; CARB 18.3g; FIBER 1.8g; CHOL 1mg; IRON 0.8mg; SODIUM 281mg; CALC 39mg;

Lorrie Hulston Corvin
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

[miami]

That looks like plenty of food and sufficient variety for 15 people! I don't think you need to add a thing. have a great time

[Jessica]

The bacon-wrapped dates I had at my party vanished into thin air.

Also, I agree that you probably have enough food. My suggestion would be to go easy on the cold stuff as I found it was much less popular than the hot food. Could be the weather.

Have a great time!!

[Kismet]

Thanks for the suggestions Kuvy and Jessica! I love them both! Decisions, decisions, decisions . . . :D

[kristalsnow7]

I think your menu sounds fabulous, Suzi! YUM. I've had my eye on those goat cheese tartlets, too!

I do agree the hot foods tend to be more popular than the cold, but they are also a little more inconvenient to prepare. I like Jessica's idea of the bacon-wrapped dates (or the bacon-wrapped scallops from CL). They're easy to prep beforehand, and people love them.

I hope you have a terrific party! :)

[yorkshirepud]

Kismet, your menu sounds wonderful!

[Kuvy]

Kismet - make the bacon-wrapped dates for sure. Hot. Easy. Yummy. What more could you want?
:)

[RebeccaT]

Kismet, your menu sounds wonderful! Just to throw another suggestion out there for a hot appy, how about chicken skewers with a satay dipping sauce? Although, to be honest, I think you have plenty of food for 15 people... it all sounds divine! :) Have fun!

[SusanMac]

Maybe it's just me, but bacon and dates together sounds very strange. Maybe it's one of those unexpected surprises. I'm not a big bacon fan, though.

How do you make your chocolate martinis? I found a yummy cold chocolate drink mix recently and was thinking of using it for martinis. I'm itching to get official martini glasses, but am afraid I won't use them enough....plus probably don't have the room!

[TLee4]

Originally posted by SusanMac
Maybe it's just me, but bacon and dates together sounds very strange. Maybe it's one of those unexpected surprises. I'm not a big bacon fan, though.


You know, Susan...it's funny. I don't eat bacon AT ALL. Except around dates! I had it in a Tapas restaurant and it is really great. So we've had it at home a few times now. Try it!

Terri

[Kismet]

Originally posted by SusanMac
How do you make your chocolate martinis?

I can post the recipe tonight or tomorrow. Basically, it is chocolate liquor, creme de cacao, and I think vodka. I have to check, though, as I haven't had them since last year. We have had them served in martini glasses that have been swirled with chocolate syrup. Yummy!!!

I've also had bacon and dates at a tapas restaurant. The salty/sweet combo is really delicious!

[Kismet]

Ok, so I've had two different versions of Chocolate Martinis, and they are both very yummy!

Chocolate Martini I
Combine 2 oz vodka, 1oz dark creme de cacao, 1 oz chocolate liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a Pocky swizzle stick.

For white chocolate martini, use clear creme de cacao and Godiva white chocolate liqueur.


Chocolate Martini II
1 1/2 oz Stoli Vanilla Vodka
1/2 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1/4 oz Chambord Liqueur
Chocolate Sauce

Combine liquors in shaker over ice. Shake vigourously to combine. Drizzle chocolate sauce around and over the rim of a dry, chilled martini glass. Strain shaken liquors from shaker into martini glass and serve cold. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.


KelLeg - I haven't forgotten about you. I haven't located my copy of the recipe yet. I will search harder this weekend, though! :)

[Kuvy]

I think it's important to have BOTH, purely for comparitive purposes of course.

[Jessica]

Originally posted by SusanMac
Maybe it's just me, but bacon and dates together sounds very strange. Maybe it's one of those unexpected surprises. I'm not a big bacon fan, though.

Susan, I bought bacon for the first time in years to make these appetizers after a friend suggested them for my party. People just raved and raved, and even one person who swore he hated dates loved them. The combination is just so unexpected. But don't eat them right after they come out of the oven or the hot fruit will burn your mouth.

[Kismet]

We're now up to 25 people for our party, so I'm thinking about either adding Jessica's dates or the Sesame Ginger Chicken bites to my menu.

KelLeg - here's the dip recipe!

Bell Pepper-Walnut Dip
Eating Well, Fall 2002

2 red bell peppers
2 Tbsp fine unseasoned dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp grated onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted, for garnish

1. Preheat broiler. Cut peppers into quarters lengthwise and remove cores and seeds. Arrange the peppers, skin-side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil until the skins are blackened all over, 15 - 25 minutes. Transfer peppers to a lagre bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle, slip off skins and discard. Coarsely chop the peppers - you should have about 1 cup.

2. Combine chopped peppers, breadcrumbs, oil, onion, lemon juice, salt, cumin, sugar, cayenne and cloves in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth. Add walnuts and blend until smooth. The dip should have the consistency of a batter: if too thick, blend in some hot water, a teaspoon at a time. If too thin, add more breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl. Just before serving, garnish with pine nuts.

Note: The dip will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.
Per Tablespoon: 51 calories, 5g total fat (1g sat, 1g mono), 0mg cholesterol, 2g carbohydrate, 1g protein, 1g fiber, 54mg sodium.

[Kismet]

Why won't this bump???

Edited to say - ok, it worked now! :)

[kristalsnow7]

Wow, it's turning out to be quite a crowd, Suzi! I'm sure you will have a fantastic time.

I personally would go with the bacon-wrapped dates, mainly because I love them so much, but also because they seem a bit easier than the chicken. But I really think either would be delicious.

Have a great party! :)

[SusanMac]

Ok, Ok, I just may have to try the bacon-wrapped dates. Maybe for my Vday dinner. Assume you just wrap 'em & bake. Probably 350? Do you guys prefer prociutto or standard, american bacon?

(and thx for the martini recipes, too!)

[Kismet]

Susan - on her cocktail party reviews thread, Jessica mentioned that she wrapped them in 1/2 slice each of regular bacon and then baked at 400 degrees until crispy.

[kristalsnow7]

Yes, I've only had them with regular bacon. Sometimes a touch of brown sugar or maple syrup to enhance the sweet/ salty/ smoky combination. Yum.

[kristalsnow7]

Suzi,

How did your party turn out? We want the details! :D

[Kismet]

Thanks for asking, Kristal! :) The party was absolutely fantastic! There were a total of about 30 people, and everyone seemed to have a good time! My final menu was nearly what I posted earlier - I did add the bacon wrapped dates as another hot appetizer, and that worked out well. They were definitely the hit of the party, and so easy for me to make! :) Here are some reviews:

Beef Triangles - It seemed that people were a little afraid to try these, but those that did gave lots of compliments on them. I liked them a lot and thought the dipping sauce was perfect with them. In the future, I would make them a bit smaller for appetizers.

Pancetta, Leek, Goat Cheese Tartlets - WOW, WOW, WOW!!! These were so fantastic! The crust was rich and buttery, and the filling was really flavorful. I made a double batch of these, and all but one were eaten. :) Here's the recipe from Epicurious:

PANCETTA, LEEK, AND GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS

What to drink: Delicate blanc de blancs Champagne pairs well with these hors d'oeuvres.

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 ounces chilled cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Filling
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 large)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta,* chopped
2/3 cup half and half
2 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Fresh parsley leaves

For crust:
Blend flour and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter and cream cheese. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form. Gather dough; shape into 6-inch-long log. Wrap and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Cut log into 24 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Press 1 round into each cup of 2 nonstick 12-cup mini muffin pans; freeze 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare filling:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté 10 minutes; cool. Heat oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté until crisp, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Whisk half and half and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Mix in goat cheese, then leeks and pancetta.

Spoon filling into shells. Bake until filling is set and crust edges are golden, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill in pans. Rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 12 minutes.)

Using small knife, cut around tartlets to loosen. Turn out tartlets and arrange on platter; top each with parsley leaf.

*Pancetta (bacon cured in salt) is available at Italian markets and specialty foods stores.

Makes 24.
Bon Appétit
December 2003


Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares - These were my favorite! They actually came together quite easily and were tasty without being overly sweet. I did realize when putting them out, though, that they looked just like peanutbutter cups, so a number of people avoided them because of that. :rolleyes: I liked how they were cut into little bites - I did cut mine into only 49 instead of 64, though because cutting them really small through the cold chocolate was a bit tough.

Pomegranite Cocktails - These were so fantastic! We ran out earlier in the night, and everyone kept asking if there was more. They were a bit messy to make with all of the juices and grenadine, but the flavors were great - very fruity without being too sweet. It was also not too heavy on the alcohol which made them go down very easily. :D

My parents ended up visiting for the weekend which was a great help! We've already been asked to make this an annual event, and we had so much fun that we probably will! :D :D :D

[kristalsnow7]

Yay! So glad it was a success. I'm really going to have to try some of these recipes; your menu looks fantastic! :)

[RebeccaT]

Kismet, what a great party! It sounds like a rousing success. I have copied that tartlet recipe for future use!