Looking for that perfect light and fresh party food? The answer to your question are these quick, easy and flavorful gems will keep you dancing all night kicking your heels. Cocktail parties can be filled with heavy, rich foods that can be overwhelming, especially during the holiday season. This light and flavorful hor d’oeuvre combines…
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Cocktail Rye Toasts with Steak & Artichoke Pesto
I love this simple small bite that I have served at many parties. There is something comforting about taking a bite out of a crunchy savory toast with the creamy tangy artichoke pesto along with the steak and the finish of the horseradish cream. It’s a mini open faced steak sandwich, so it’s definitely time…
Rice Pilaf with Cranberries & Pecans
I developed this recipe as a festive holiday side dish many years ago and I continue to make it at every Thanksgiving. The combinations of the cranberries, pecans and the other vegetables certainly bring in the flavor of fall and the colors are very complimentary for any holiday meal; this certainly can be served at…
Caramelized Onion, Gorgonzola & Pecan Dip
I created this dip with the blue cheese lover in mind. There is no gray area when it comes to people liking any variety of blue cheese, they either love it or hate it, but if you are a fan of this wonderfully complex and rich tasting cheese you will love this dip. I love…
Mini Cheeseburgers with Rosemary Onion Jam
What party of any kind would be complete without sliders? OMG, I literally have made thousands of these over the course of my career. I had a client many years ago that requested sliders and told me they were all the rage and I said, okay, sure…the rest is history and an ongoing saga of…
Cabernet Braised Short Ribs with Buttermilk Horseradish Mashed Potatoes & Fried Leeks
These melt in your mouth short ribs are perfect for any dinner party, family dinner or an appetizer party when served in small glasses like I did at a party. Comforting stick to your ribs creamy mashed potatoes with a bit of heat thanks to the horseradish pairs perfectly with the savory tender and smoky…
Sesame Tempura Beer Battered Green Beans with Sriracha Honey Mustard
Now this party appetizer is delicious, but anything battered and fried is, right? You could probably throw a spare tire in batter and fry it up and it would be edible…ha, ha. These green “French fries” are quite tasty, especially when dipped into the spicy and sweet mustard. I made the big mistake of making…
Pureed Cauliflower & Watercress Soup with Gorgonzola & Pine Nuts
There is nothing like cooking soup on a cold and rainy day, it’s comforting and meditating. This recipe combines the earthiness of cauliflower with the fresh taste of watercress with a lovely finish of nuts and cheese. I remember as a child coming home from school on a rainy or snowy day and as I…
Turkey, Cranberry, Apple & Pecan Salad Bruschetta
I’m sure many of you will be having family and/or friends over the entire Thanksgiving weekend and you are wondering what to feed them with all that leftover Turkey. How about Turkey, Cranberry, Apple & Pecan Bruschetta? This recipe is wonderful and makes a great topping on bruschetta as a nice midday snack or an…
Shrimp Tarts with Caper Cream Cheese & Cocktail Sauce
One evening many, many years ago I had decided to have some people over for a party and a co-worker (one of my best friends now) had brought something interesting; she opened a block of cream cheese, plopped it on a plate, poured cocktail sauce over it and dumped some bay shrimp on it. I…
