Menus for Entertaining

Home | Recipe Collection | Menus for Entertaining
Archives of Recipe of the Week | Recipes on the Internet

Those of us who enjoy cooking also usually enjoy sharing our food with others at dinner parties, be they last-minute get-togethers or formal dress-up occasions. Entertaining Ideas presents menus that I've used at past dinner parties and special events. I've supplied the recipes only for those that can't be accessed on line; for those that can, I've linked the magazine name to the appropriate URL. If you have any problem finding the recipes on line, please let me know and and I'll be happy to send the recipe to you. Enjoy!

MENU
Appetizer:
Smoked Salmon on Grilled French bread rounds w/capers, red onion, and sour cream/horseradish sauce
This is my own recipe with no measurements, unfortunately. Use your own judgement in how much to use of each ingredient - just be sure to make enough for everyone!
Thinly sliced, good quality smoked salmon (lox)
Fresh French bread
Capers
One red onion, finely diced
Sour cream
Horseradish
Slice French bread, brush sides with olive oil, and grill on the stovetop until lightly browned on each side. Store in plastic bag.
Mix sour cream and horseradish to taste - should be able to taste horseradish.
To serve: Spread each slice of bread with horseradish/sour cream mixture. Sprinkle some capers and chopped onion on bread, then top with slice of smoked salmon. Add sprig of dill on top. Arrange on platter and serve as appetizers.
Salad:
Apple, Endive, and Stilton Salad* (recipe in Gourmet, November 1996)
For our Irish meal, we added watercress to the salad and substituted Huntsman (Costwald and Stilton) cheese for Stilton.
Main course:
Trout with Cucumber and Sour Cream (recipe in Bon Appetit May 1996)
Mashed potatoes with horseradish, fresh-snipped chives, sour cream, and butter
Dessert:
Irish Coffee (recipe in Bon Appetit May 1996)

Back to Top

MENU
Appetizer:
Salmon, Cream cheese, and Caviar on Pumpernickel Rounds (recipe in Bon Appetit, December 1997)
Moet et Chandon Champagne
Salad:
Apple, Endive, and Stilton Salad (recipe in Gourmet, November 1996)
Main course:
Grilled Filet Mignon with Merlot Sauce (Gourmet, December 1996)
Noodle Casserole w/Caramelized Onions (recipe in Food & Wine, February 1993)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
8 oz. wide egg noodles
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 C raisins
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9" or 10" pie plate.
2. In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter in the oil until foamy. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Wipe out the pot, return the noodles to it and stir in onions. Add the eggs, raisins, salt and pepper and toss gently.
4. Transfer the mixture to prepared pie plate and bake for about 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Cut into large wedges and serve.
Popovers (recipe in Gourmet, January 1996)
Dessert:
Chocolate Cream Pie with Meringue
Hazelnut Decaf with Kahlua

Back to Top

MENU
Egg Salad Sandwiches
5 eggs (or as many as you want - just adjust other ingredients accordingly)
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 shallot
1 Tbs. Lemon juice
2 dashes Tabasco
watercress
Basic Butter Spread (below)
Cook eggs until hard-boiled (don't overcook). Rinse in cold water and peel. Roughly chop eggs, then add mayonnaise, shallot, lemon juice, and Tabasco. Lightly combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spread roll or bread slice (I used small, braided, egg rolls) thinly with butter spread, top with egg mixture, top with watercress slice, cover with another piece of bread or top of roll.
Basic Butter Spread
1/2 lb. Butter
8 oz. Cream cheese
juice of 1 lemon
s & white pepper
In a bowl, cream the butter with the cream cheese and lemon juice till completely blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cucumber Sandwiches
1 large English cucumber
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
Unsalted butter or cream cheese
Thinly sliced bread
salt and pepper to taste
Thinly slice cucumber, sprinkle with vinegar and salt and pepper, and let sit in drainer for an hour or two.
Spread thinly sliced white bread with either softened butter, Butter Spread, or softened cream cheese. Drain cucumber, rinse gently, pat dry. Layer cucumber on bread, then top with second piece of bread. Trim crusts and slice on the diagonal. Can be made ahead of time, wrapped tightly in saran, and stored in refrigerator.
Buckingham Palace Scones
3 1/2 C flour
pinch salt
3/4 C butter
1 Tbs. Baking powder
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C milk
1/2 C raisins

Cut together butter, flour, salt, and baking powder.
Add sugar and raisins.
Make well in center of mixture; add egg and small amount of milk. If mixture is too dry, add more milk. Blend to a nice, smooth dough.
Roll out on floured board to *1/2* inch thick. Use cutter with 2" fluted edge. Re-roll excess dough and cut until all dough is used. Place rounds on lightly greased baking sheet, brush with beaten egg. Bake in 425 oven** for 10-20 minutes. Center of bottom should be lightly colored. Serve with Devonshire cream and fresh Strawberry Preserves.
Stilton and Quince Jam Puff Pastries (recipe in Gourmet, December 1996)
Zucchini Bread
3 C shredded zucchini (about 3 medium)
1 2/3 C sugar
2/3 C vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
3 C all-purpose or whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 C coarsely chopped nuts
1/2 C raisins, if desired
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 1/2 or 9 X 5 X 3 inches. Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days. Also freezes well.
Fresh sliced strawberries
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Champagne

The border on this page was designed by:

Home | Recipe Collection | Menus for Entertaining
Archives of Recipe of the Week | Recipes on the Internet



	MENU *Appetizer:* Smoked Salmon on Grilled French bread rounds w/capers, red onion, and sour cream/horseradish sauce This is my own recipe with no measurements, unfortunately. Use your own judgement in how much to use of each ingredient - just be sure to make enough for everyone! Thinly sliced, good quality smoked salmon (lox) Fresh French bread Capers One red onion, finely diced Sour cream Horseradish Slice French bread, brush sides with olive oil, and grill on the stovetop until lightly browned on each side. Store in plastic bag. Mix sour cream and horseradish to taste - should be able to taste horseradish. To serve: Spread each slice of bread with horseradish/sour cream mixture. Sprinkle some capers and chopped onion on bread, then top with slice of smoked salmon. Add sprig of dill on top. Arrange on platter and serve as appetizers. *Salad:* Apple, Endive, and Stilton Salad* (recipe in Gourmet, November 1996) For our Irish meal, we added watercress to the salad and substituted Huntsman (Costwald and Stilton) cheese for Stilton. *Main course:* Trout with Cucumber and Sour Cream (recipe in Bon Appetit May 1996) Mashed potatoes with horseradish, fresh-snipped chives, sour cream, and butter *Dessert:* Irish Coffee (recipe in Bon Appetit May 1996)
Back to Top



	MENU *Appetizer:* Salmon, Cream cheese, and Caviar on Pumpernickel Rounds (recipe in Bon Appetit, December 1997) Moet et Chandon Champagne *Salad:* Apple, Endive, and Stilton Salad (recipe in Gourmet, November 1996) *Main course:* Grilled Filet Mignon with Merlot Sauce (Gourmet, December 1996) Noodle Casserole w/Caramelized Onions (recipe in Food & Wine, February 1993) 1 Tbs. unsalted butter 1 Tbs. olive oil 3 medium onions, thinly sliced 8 oz. wide egg noodles 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/4 C raisins 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9" or 10" pie plate. 2. In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter in the oil until foamy. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. 3. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Wipe out the pot, return the noodles to it and stir in onions. Add the eggs, raisins, salt and pepper and toss gently. 4. Transfer the mixture to prepared pie plate and bake for about 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Cut into large wedges and serve. Popovers (recipe in Gourmet, January 1996) *Dessert:* Chocolate Cream Pie with Meringue Hazelnut Decaf with Kahlua
Back to Top



	MENU Egg Salad Sandwiches 5 eggs (or as many as you want - just adjust other ingredients accordingly) 2 Tbs. mayonnaise 1 shallot 1 Tbs. Lemon juice 2 dashes Tabasco watercress Basic Butter Spread (below) Cook eggs until hard-boiled (don't overcook). Rinse in cold water and peel. Roughly chop eggs, then add mayonnaise, shallot, lemon juice, and Tabasco. Lightly combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spread roll or bread slice (I used small, braided, egg rolls) thinly with butter spread, top with egg mixture, top with watercress slice, cover with another piece of bread or top of roll. Basic Butter Spread 1/2 lb. Butter 8 oz. Cream cheese juice of 1 lemon s & white pepper In a bowl, cream the butter with the cream cheese and lemon juice till completely blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cucumber Sandwiches 1 large English cucumber 1 Tbs. white wine vinegar Unsalted butter or cream cheese Thinly sliced bread salt and pepper to taste Thinly slice cucumber, sprinkle with vinegar and salt and pepper, and let sit in drainer for an hour or two. Spread thinly sliced white bread with either softened butter, Butter Spread, or softened cream cheese. Drain cucumber, rinse gently, pat dry. Layer cucumber on bread, then top with second piece of bread. Trim crusts and slice on the diagonal. Can be made ahead of time, wrapped tightly in saran, and stored in refrigerator. Buckingham Palace Scones 3 1/2 C flour pinch salt 3/4 C butter 1 Tbs. Baking powder 1/2 C sugar 1 egg 1/2 C milk 1/2 C raisins Cut together butter, flour, salt, and baking powder. Add sugar and raisins. Make well in center of mixture; add egg and small amount of milk. If mixture is too dry, add more milk. Blend to a nice, smooth dough. Roll out on floured board to 1/2 inch thick. Use cutter with 2" fluted edge. Re-roll excess dough and cut until all dough is used. Place rounds on lightly greased baking sheet, brush with beaten egg. Bake in 425 oven for 10-20 minutes. Center of bottom should be lightly colored. Serve with Devonshire cream and fresh Strawberry Preserves. Stilton and Quince Jam Puff Pastries (recipe in Gourmet, December 1996) Zucchini Bread 3 C shredded zucchini (about 3 medium) 1 2/3 C sugar 2/3 C vegetable oil 2 tsp. vanilla 4 eggs 3 C all-purpose or whole wheat flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 C coarsely chopped nuts 1/2 C raisins, if desired Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 X 2 1/2 or 9 X 5 X 3 inches. Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves; remove from pans. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days. Also freezes well. Fresh sliced strawberries Chocolate Mousse Cake Champagne**