# Your Best Cocktail Party (food) Recipes - To Go



## vera bradley (Mar 21, 2004)

A relative of my employer often provides _hors d'oeuvres_ for social gatherings of a charitable group (I make them for her). Every time, her friends have requested the recipes. Now they all do those party appetizers as well.

I've been asked to prepare another batch of something for this weekend. But it's a joint effort by that same group and all of MY old reliable standbys are now prepared and served by her crowd. 

So I need to come up with something fresh and different. Quickly! :suprise:

The food must be able to travel (10 minute drive) and hold for about 30 minutes before serving. It should not require any last minute prep or garnishment. It can't be a hot hors d'oeuvre, unless it's also good at room temp. Chilled would be fine, too.

When I ask how many guests will be there, she says, _"Don't worry about a number. Whatever a single recipes yeilds is fine because many other women are bringing appetizers as well."_

I'm suffering culinary block. :crazy:

Ideas, please?


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## diane (Mar 24, 2006)

hahahahaha... let the others shine with your recipes. Make a platter of asp. rolls, chicken and advocado rolls, roast beef and chutney rolls, halve them so they lay in the prettiest skirt. And upright towards the centre. Easy, small tasty. Have a night off, you have given out enough.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

My favorite make-ahead appetizer is tiropites or spanakotiropites- cheese or spinach-cheese pies made with phyllo dough. I usually get about 84 to the pound of dough. You can make them cover tightly and freeze them, then bake. They'll hold on a heated serving tray and are good at room temperature as well.

Now that I re-read your post, the baking of these tasty tidbits would qualify as last-minute prep that you want to avoid.  

So how about a basket of crostini with a platter of roasted vegetables or a spread made of roasted veggies? Add chunks of feta, fontina, etc. and some interesting olives. 
Or a roasted vegetable platter: asparagus, peppers, eggplant, roma tomatoes, etc. 
Belgian endive leaves stuffed with a yummy relish or spread
Pickled mushrooms, or Mushrooms a la Grecque from the New York Times Cookbook 1961 (Craig Claiborne):

1-1/2 pounds whole small mushrooms
2 cups water
1 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1 tbps white vinegar
1 stalk celery
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 branch fennel
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
8 peppercorns
3/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, five minutes. Pour into a bowl and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Serve.

My version is a cold marinade of lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic and oregano. (Sorry, I don't measure!) Pour over cleaned mushrooms in a zip-top bag and chill up to one day, turning the bag every few hours.


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## cjdacook (Apr 5, 2006)

Here's a couple ideas for you -


GARLIC ROASTED SHRIMP COCKTAIL

oven to 450°. On a heavy baking sheet mix together -
(for ~1 1/2 lbs. shrimp) 
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. EVO
Kosher salt & cracked black pepper
Add the peeled, but tails left on, shrimp to the b. sheet and toss together with the garlic mixture. Spread out in a single layer.
Roast for 3 min, turn shrimp over & continue roasting till the shrimp are opaque and firm, another 2-4 min.
Transfer shrimp to a shallow dish, cover partially & refrigerate. When the shrimp are chilled, eat those suckers!! Just remember when you transfer the shrimp, scrape the bottom of the b. sheet and get all the great goop for the shrimp.
I'm bound and determined one of these days to stay out of the shrimp long enuf to cook up some pasta and just scrape all that on top!! It is so good!
Also, if you don't have a favorite cocktail sauce -
1/2 c ketchup
1/2 c chili sauce
1/4 c grated red onion
1/2-1 tsp. finely chopped fresh jalapeno
2-3 T. prepared horseradish
1 T. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt to taste.
This will keep up to a week...I'm told. Just before serving taste and add more lemon juice and salt if needed.

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SALAMI & CHEESE SKEWERS

Salami
Cheese
tortellini
cherry tomatoes
Cube everything and put on wooden skewers; marinate in Italian dressing for 3-4 hours. Serve.

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GOAT CHEESE CRACKERS WITH HOT PEPPER JELLY

Bring a 5-oz. log of fresh, mild goat cheese to room temp. (If the cheese is especially crumbly, mash it in a bowl w/a touch of heavy cream.)
On 24 crackers, spread about a tsp. of cheese. 
Top each cracker with 1/4 tsp. hot pepper jelly.
Sprinkle w/snipped chives & pass around.
Yield:
"24 canapes"


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