Can you stand to read one more collection of party recipes before we move on to the next decade?
Being somewhat of a party girl, at least in spirit if not in action, I feel duty bound to go out in style. I come by it honestly since I was imprinted at an early age by a grandmother who also carried the party spirit in her heart. She exposed me to my first past-midnight New Year’s Eve and I’ve never looked back.
So even in the years when my sweetie and I have opted for cocooning rather than reveling with a crowd — which I confess is most years — the mood is fun and the food nothing short of fabulous.
For all you last-minute folks, here are a few simple tried-and-true noshes that can be thrown together with little effort. Have a good time and bon appetit.
See you next year!
Hot artichoke dip
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 (6 ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (white and pale green portion)
Assorted raw vegetables (such as broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, carrot sticks, sweet red and green bell pepper strips)
Chunks or slices of a fresh baguette
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese and green onion. Spoon the mixture into an 8- by 8-inch baking dish (or container of similar volume). Bake until very hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove and garnish the top with a sprinkling of the reserved green onion and serve, surrounded by the vegetables and slices or chunks of bread.
Mushrooms stuffed with bacon, olives and Parmesan
11/4 pounds medium-sized mushrooms (24 to 28), cleaned
10 to 12 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped ripe olives
1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove stems from the mushrooms and set aside for another use (simply chop and saute in butter, for example, or reserve for a soup or vegetable saute).
In a bowl, combine the bacon, Parmesan, olives, onion, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Spoon a portion of this mixture into each mushroom and arrange the stuffed mushrooms on a baking sheet. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes. For a golden top, place the cooked mushrooms under a broiler for about 5 minutes.
White bean and garlic spread for crostini and vegetables
1 (15 ounce) can small white beans, drained and rinsed
2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco (see note)
Crostini or fresh-sliced baguette
Fresh cut-up vegetables (such as broccoli and cauliflower florets, carrots, sweet bell pepper strips)
Place the beans, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and Tabasco in a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth puree. Adjust seasonings, adding additional salt, pepper, vinegar or Tabasco to taste. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and refrigerate up to several days ahead. Bring to room temperature to serve.
Makes about 1 cup.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain additional recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.
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