Party Recipes

Party Recipes:

Well, here are some recipes, from our friend Donna, from Wooster, Ohio (yes, the hostess with mostess). She served all of these at the cocktail party at her house during Gimpfest 2000 in October. And there are about 30 people who can attest to how good they are!

Boursin
1/2 stick butter
1T parsley
1T chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1-8oz package cream cheese
Melt butter and cool to room temperature. Mince herbs. If fresh herbs are not used, soak a slightly lesser amount in lemon juice to soften and freshen.
Add garlic and herbs to cream cheese and melted butter. Blend well. Refrigerate.
May be placed in a crock or roll in waxed paper. This keeps well in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Hankie Pankies
1# ground beef
1# hot sausage
1# velveeta cheese, cubed
1T Worcestershire sauce
1T oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 loaf party rye bread
Brown beef and sausage together-drain.  Add cheese and stir to melt. Add remaining ingredients. Spoon on to rye bread. Broil for 5 minutes.
These can be frozen before broiling. Then broil just before serving.
(I loved these!)

Olive Cheese Balls
2 C sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/2 C melted margarine
1 jar green olives (approx. 36)
Mix cheese and flour. Add margarine. Mold dough around olive and roll into a ball.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
Bake at 400 degrees or 15-20 minutes (these may be frozen before baking)

Blue Cheese Ball
2-8oz cream cheese
12 oz blue cheese
1/2 jar cheese whiz
Mix until creamy.
Add 1 tsp of grated onion
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
pinch each of salt and pepper
Place on foil and roll into a ball. Roll in chopped parsley and ground pecans.

Garlic Olives
1 can ripe olives (drained)
1 can green olives (drained)
1/2 C vinegar
1/2 C olive oil
1 small onion sliced
1 clove garlic sliced
Put in tightly cover container for several days before serving

Pickled Mushrooms
1 12oz can of mushroom caps
1/2 C liquid from mushrooms
1 cup vinegar
3/4 C dark brown sugar
2 T whole pickling spice
Combine mushroom liquid, brown sugar, vinegar and pickling spice in small pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over mushrooms.  Make at least 2 days ahead.

Pickled Baby Carrots with Dill
1/3 C while wine vinegar
1/4 C honey
1 TBS whole mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
1 lb. baby carrots
1 TBS fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill weed
Whisk first 4 ingredients until well blended
Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender crisp (about 5 min.)
Drain well and add carrots to dressing.
Cool to room temperature.
Cover and chill overnight
Bring carrots to room temperature and stir in dill and serve
(Can be made 5-6 days in advance and kept in refrigerator until ready to serve)

Mexican Clam Dip
12 oz. package of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/4 C green chile salsa (salsa verde)
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
1/2 C chopped cilantro
3-6.5 oz cans of chopped clams-drained well
Beat cheese till smooth in a large bowl
Mix in salsa, chilies and cilantro
Add clams and blend well
Cover and chill (the day before serving)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bake uncovered until bubbly around the edges (about 35 min.)
Place on platter and surround with tortilla chips

Caviar Pie
It says right on the copy that Donna gave me, "An elegant appetizer for New Year's Eve. (Yummy with Champagne.)"
1 pint sour cream
2 jars supermarket black caviar
1 very large onion (chopped fine)
8 hard boiled mashed and 2 tsp of mayo to hold them together
In a 1 in high dish or pie plate-spread the egg mixture flat
Place the onion on top of the egg
Spread sour cream over the onion layer.
Then refrigerate, until just before serving
Drain the caviar very well in a strainer then carefully spread over the sour cream
(GOOD caviar does not need draining)
Serve with toast points and wedges of lemon

Crab Tartlet Appetizers
1 can flaky biscuits
6 oz. drained lump crab meat (or use fresh)(if using canned rinse and squeeze out well)
2 green onions chopped
1/4 C grated cheddar cheese
1/4 C mayo
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Tony Chachere Seasoning (Donna-if you are reading this I do not know what this ingredient is.  Can you please clarify for me?)
1/3 C drained chopped water chestnuts
1/4 C grated Monterey Jack or Co-Jack cheese
Split biscuits into 3 pieces (the flaky biscuits pull apart in layer very easily)
Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
Mix crab and remaining 7 ingredients
Fill each pastry with this mixture
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes
(These freeze well-then reheat in microwave or oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes)

Mexican Corn Chip Dip
2 large tomatoes-peeled and chopped
3 or 4 green onion chopped
1 small can green chiles-diced
3 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
Stir and refrigerate at least 3 hrs. before serving.
Serve with tortilla chips.