planning a party, planning a party, food food food

[lunabee34]

So, Sunday I am hosting an all-girls party.

I plan to serve kalamtata olive tapenade-stuffed cherry tomatoes, red and yellow bell pepper bruschetta, a dip made of cream cheese covered with candied jalapenos, fruit and veggie trays, and charcuterie with three meats and four cheeses.

I need your help, though. What's your go-to appetizer? I need ideas!!!!!! Any level of complication and all price ranges acceptable.

Also, cocktails!!!! I'm gonna have non-alcoholic beverages and a selection of wines, but I wanted to do one fun cocktail. Suggestions for something fun and tasty?


Why do I have no icons with food on them? *wails*

Comments

[nrrrdy-grrrl.livejournal.com]

Hummous & petas/veggies. Hummous us fun to make! And Medditerranean! Or whatever!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oooooooh! I love hummus, especially homemade. Great idea. :)

[nrrrdy-grrrl.livejournal.com]

And it's really easy and fun to make, too. Plus people get all impressed. "You can make hummous??? Cooooool!" I have no idea why- when people get impressed, I don't ask questions.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Ha! Me either.

[zillah975]

If you want something you can mix in a pitcher, you could go for a Sangria -

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/winter-sangria-00000000047342/index.html

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/sparkling-white-sangria-10000001692757/index.html

Those might be nice with the appetizers you're having.

My favorite cocktail of all time is a simple Manhattan:
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey
1 dash Angostura bitters

Have fun!!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Why didn't I think of sangria?

And I know for a fact that my lady friends like sangria, so that would be a good choice.

I don't know if I would like a Manhattan. I like good bourbon, but I kind of despise vermouth (of course, I don't think I've ever had vermouth outside the context of a martini--which, let's just call a shot of vodka a shot of vodka, shall we? LOL).

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Stuffed grape leaves! Although if you asked most non-vegetarians what their favorite appetizer is, they would probably say shrimp. If you can do complication, skewers of satay will probably go over a treat.

I wish I can remember how I made the Mudder's Milk at Writercon, but I think it was iced tea, pomegranate flavored seltzer, lemon flavored seltzer, and rum, with fresh cherries dropped in long enough to become absolutely lethal.

[lyr]

That sounds about right to me, too, except I had a vague idea that brandy (and/or Amaretto?) was also involved somehow. In any case, it was delicious.

Great Thing of Us Forgot

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Amaretto! I forgot that!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Mudder's Milk was really awesome. I think. LOL It did pack a bit of a punch. :)

Satay is a great idea! And I could do veggies too.

Thanks.

[kaleecat]

hummus, store bought, with spinach leaves, goat cheese and pita chips to scoop. trying to remember the dressing drizzled over it last time we did it.

or maybe some of those appetizer quiches from the store? Or make your own using muffin tins & phyllo dough? I've done both & is quite yummy, plus something warm will be a nice touch on a cool day.

Sangria is always a good cocktail, fruity and yummy. I don't have a good recipe b/c I just buy the brand "real sangria" b/c that's yummy enough for me. If you have time take 30min & peruse one of the drink tabletop books at the bookstore. My mom has one for vodka cocktails that is part recipes, part stories that she has done yummy stuff from.

An all-girls party sounds like fun.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought of using spinach with the hummus. What a great idea!

Thank you!!

(And so that's two votes for sangria!)

[ariadne83]

Why do I not have a teleporter? *criez*

You could have a simple champagne cocktail. We had bubbles + peach schnapps at my hen's party and it was fab.

I also melon + peach liqueurs topped with lemonade.

And melon + lemon + tequila is my favourite summery direction.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Dude, if you did, you'd be drinking champagne at my place. LOL

*hugs*

I AM ADORING THIS WHOLE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL IDEA!!!!!!!! (isn't that basically a bellini?)

[lyr]

Personally, I'm fond of brie baked inside pastry, spinach dip with pita chips, glazed roasted figs stuffed with prociutto, or fried squash blossoms stuffed with herbs and goat cheese.

For cocktails, mojitos are pretty awesome, though sort of tricky to get just right. There's also my favorite easy one: mix 1 part pomegranate liquor with 2 parts champagne, And also my overall favorite, my self-created Heavanilla: really good cream soda with a dash of amaretto and a shot of vanilla rum poured over a handful of halved strawberries. Orgasm in glass, that one.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Where does one get squash blossoms besides one's garden? I saw them cooking squash blossoms on food network the other day, and they looked so good.

Ooooooooh, I remember you posting about the Heavenilla when you concocted it. That is definitely a contender!

[lyr]

Our local farmer's market has fresh squash blossoms, as does our gourmet food store.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oooooh. I will check things out around here.

[executrix.livejournal.com]

I think I would be remiss not to mention Ro-Tel Cheese Dip, possibly in the form of nachos.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

*nods*

And I've already got the rotel. I'd just need to pick up Velveeta.

Snozzberries

[catosbourne.livejournal.com]

http://thursdaynightsmackdown.com/2008/06/22/marinated-grapes/

Re: Snozzberries

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

OMG, that is genius!!!!

Food and cocktails in one blow. It's genius!

Also that blog cracks me up.

Thanks for the link. :)