Baby Shower - Italian theme Mid day

[mjkcooking]

HI Everyone

looking for some recipes for a big baby shower - to be given at noon
time - on a Sunday

If you have any make ahead appetizers - / light entrees/ would appreciate

all help.

Marye

[HomeCulinarian]

OOOooo... sounds like fun. Check out the antipasto platter in issue 12 of CAH. For a light entree, consider a Caesar salad with grilled chicken, or a vegetable lasagna.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Let me think on this...love the antipasto platter idea. I did one for Christmas Eve and everyone LOVED it. Presentation made this appy a BIG HIT!

[DFen911]

What about doing something with gnocchi...They could be in a sauce with pancetta. Cook them up and put them on skewers.

Tuscan bread with an olive tapenade (maybe not "italian" but at least from the region)

Anything wrapped in prosciutto and baked...OH!! Figs!

[labradors]

The Summer Pasta recipe I posted a while back is always a crowd pleaser.

[mjkcooking]

Hi
these ideas are great - thank you -

I don't go back to issue 12 could you post the recipe

thanks again for these ideas - should be 25 - 50 people at this one.

So we need lots of ideas

I have a melon - cuke - procuitto salad might try.

like the pasta salad of labs Ceaser salad too. gnocchi sounds great.

keep the ideas coming.

marye

[Gourmet_Mom]

Actually, I don't know why your Orzo Veggie recipe wouldn't work. I haven't tried it yet, but it's on the short list....sounds SO good!

Mini meatball subs (or regular cut and skewered) sound good to me, but might be kinda messy...Is this a sit down luncheon?

Oh, and the Chicken Parmesan Roulades with Caesar Salad...don't forget that! I'd just portion them smaller!

[iCook]

I was at a catered event a while back and they had really great food. I chatted it up a bit with the caterer because I was so impressed with the spread. Of course everyone raved about everything, but I was surprised at how fast these little morsels went. I think they called them Tortellini Skewers. When the caterer told me it was simply green and white torellini, served cold, alongside a caesar dipping sauce (caesar dressing), it made me realize how uncomlicated catered food can be.

Anyway, I found a photo for you online. She served hers with one green and one white tortellini per skewer, on a platter with sauce in a bowl.

But here it is.




You'll need to boil a package of cheese tortellini (find a package of mixed colors), following the timing on package. Once cooked and drained, toss them with a few tablespoons of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. Next, thread the tortellini on wooden skewers and lay them on a tray. Serve with your favorite creamy Italian or Caesar dressing.

[HomeCulinarian]

Great idea, Karen. Think I'm going to borrow it soon!

[cjs]

Oh Marye, we've had some of the best threads in the past when folks have planned parties like this and all the suggestions are wonderful.

I'll add a few of our favorites -


* Exported from MasterCook *

FAUX CHAMPAGNE

34 ozs bottle carbonated water, chilled
34 ozs ginger ale, chilled
24 ounces unsweetened white grape juice, chilled
Ice cubes or party ice cubes (see below)

In a lg. pitcher combine carbonated water, ginger ale, & grape juice.
Pour over ice cubes in chilled champagne glasses or wine glasses (or punch bowl).

Serve immediately. Makes about 20 4-oz. servings.

FOR PARTY ICE: Place small pcs. of fruit (berries or tiny citrus wedges), small sprigs of fresh mint, or 1/2" strips of orange peel into the compartments of ice cube trays. Add enuf water to fill, then freeze.

Yield:
"20 4-oz servings"

NOTES : Party guests love this 'punch' - Be sure to take extra.
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Cookie Biscotti Sticks

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups uncooked regular oats
1 pkg. semisweet chocolate morsels (I used bittersweet) -- (12 oz.)
1 cup butterscotch morsels
2 T. shortening
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Stir together sugar, butter & corn syrup in a large saucepan; cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts.
Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla.
Gently stir in oats. Press into bottom of an ungreased 13X9" pan lined with aluminum foil.
Bake at 375 F. for 20-22 minutes or until browned.

Melt together chocolate and butterscotch morsels and shortening in a saucepan over med. heat, stirring until smooth; stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter.
Spread over baked cookie crust; sprinkle with peanuts.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 min. Cover and chill 2 to 3 hours or till firm. (or pop them in the freezer for speed cooling. Just be sure to let them stand 5 min at room temperature before cutting.)

Lift uncut cookies out of pan using foil as handles. Cut crosswise into approximately 1" thick sticks using a large chef's knife.
Wrap in cellophane bags or plastic wrap for gift giving.
Southern Living Christmas book, '07


Description:
"These are wonderful for a party - great with wine also"
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Garlicky Mushroom Crostini

1 1/2 tablespoons roasted-garlic oil -- divided
3 cups sliced mushrooms - 8 oz.
1/2 cup minced fresh onion
7 clove garlic -- minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Shake or two of Tabasco
French baguette slices - toasted -- diagonally cut, in 1/2" thickness
Gruyere or Parmesan to top the crostini -- optional

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms -- onion, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, parsley, salt & pepper, and the tabasco; sauté 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Let cool slightly; finely chop mushroom mixture.

NOTES : To serve, spread 1 tablespoon mushroom mixture over each baguette slice.

Yield: 16 appetizer servings (serving size: 2 crostini). After topping the bread rounds, I put under the broiler for just a minute. We also thot gruyere cheese would be good, either mixed into the mushrooms or sprinkled over the top.

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how easy is this?

* Exported from MasterCook *

Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

My favorite thing with goat cheese? Mix with chopped basil and stuff cherry tomatoes with it.


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* Exported from MasterCook *

TRUFFLE POPCORN

1/2 cup popcorn
vegetable oil to coat the popcorn very lightly
1 1/2 Tbsps truffle oil
truffle iinfused salt
1/2 Tbsp Lemon Zest

In a small plastic bag, pour in the popcorn and add just enough vegetable oil to barely coat the kernals, work the bag with your hands to coat the kernals.
Dump the popcorn into a large heavy pot with a lid.
Pop the corn and remove from heat.
Immediately add the truffle oil, truffle salt and lemon zest and toss the popcorn until all is incorporated.

The amounts of truffle oil and truffle salt are approximates - add to taste.

Serve immediately.

Truffle oil and salt can be found in most large grocery stores.

Description:
"a Chef's Journey Recipe"
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Antipasto Party


By Kristin Donnelly, Melissa RubelQuick Recipe Ideas

Pesto-Ricotta Spread

Blend fresh ricotta cheese with any jarred pesto. Season with salt and pepper and spread on crostini. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Stuffed Olives

Stuff large pitted green olives with small pieces of provolone cheese. Thread on toothpicks with strips of jarred roasted red or yellow pepper.

Margherita Skewers

Halve several cherry tomatoes. Wrap large basil leaves around marinated bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) and thread onto toothpicks. Skewer the cherry tomato halves on the toothpicks with the cut sides down. Arrange the skewers, standing upright, on a platter and serve.

White Bean-Artichoke Dip

In a food processor, puree drained canned cannellini beans with jarred artichoke tapenade and good quality extra-virgin olive oil until smooth. Serve with grissini (Italian bread sticks) or pita chips.
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* Exported from MasterCook *

FIRE-ROASTED CORN SALAD

3 limes -- juice of
2 tsps grd. cumin
1 tsp mild chili powder
6 fl ozs EVO -- plus more for brushing
Coarse salt & freshly grd. pepper
6 ears corn -- shucked
18 ozs cherry tomatoes -- halved
2 ozs diced red onion
3/4 oz chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 lb. feta cheese -- diced (1/4 to 1/3)
2 tsps cumin seeds -- toasted & lightly crushed

Whisk together the lime juice, grd. cumin, & chili powder. Stream in the EVO to make a vinaigrette. Season w/s&p.

Prepare grill to med-high heat. Brush a little EVO on each ear. Grill, turning the ears often so that they cook evenly, till lightly charred, ~10 min.

Cut kernels off cob. Put the kernels in a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, feta, & the vinaigrette & toss to coat.

Transfer salad to platter & sprinkle with the cumin seeds.
Serve at once. (this will hold before sprinkling with cumin seeds for a couple of hours.)







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* Exported from MasterCook *

White-Bean and Prosciutto Bruschetta

2 cups drained and rinsed canned cannellini beans (one 19-ounce can)
1 1/4 teaspoons wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme -- or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 ounces thin-sliced prosciutto -- fat removed, cut into thin strips
Bruschetta
2 tablespoons minced red onion

Put the beans in a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl. Using a fork, mash the beans to a coarse puree. Stir in the vinegar, oil, thyme, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley.

Put some of the prosciutto on each of the bruschetta and top with the bean mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tablespoon parsley and the red onion over the beans.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

ANTIPASTO TORTELLINI SALAD

1 package cheese tortellini -- fresh or frozen
4 ounces Salami -- chopped
4 ounces provolone cheese -- cut into 2X1/4X1/4" strips
1 can whole kernel corn -- (11 oz.)
1 package frozen spinach -- thawed
1 jar marinated artichoke heart -- drained
1 can ripe olives -- pitted
1 1/2 cups Creamy Italian Salad Dressing
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces Parmesan cheese -- grated
1 jar diced pimientos -- drained

Cook tortellini to desired doneness. Drain; rinse with cold water.

In a very large bowl, combine tortellini with salami, provolone, corn, spinach, artichoke hearts & 1 cup of the olives.
In a small bowl, combine dressing, Dijon and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese; blend well.
Pour dressing over salad; toss gently.

Top with remaining olives and Parmesan cheese.
Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours to blend flavors.
Just before serving, garnish w/pimientos and other garnishes.

Yield: "3 quarts"

Description:
"This is a wonderful buffet dish. It was the most requested salad during my catering days."

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Sorry, I can get carried away when I see requests like this....