Holiday Parties- New solutions, lower costs!!

By Susan Lane of Susan A. Lane Events

This year, everyone is looking for a way to cut back on potentially out of control and expensive holiday events. In the past, it seemed as if we all felt pressured to have “everything”, such as a full bar, expensive hors d’oeuvres, etc. I’ve come up with some fabulous ways to cut back but still “wow” your guests. Take a look! 

1. Choose starch/cheese/vegetarian/poultry based hors d’oeuvres. Go light on the shellfish, fish &  beef tenderloin options. Better yet, tell your caterer to keep the choices at a $2 per piece maximum.
2. Supplement your menu with a gorgeous slate or wood board topped with artisan cheeses and yummy pâtés. There are some beautiful  cheeses out there- fresh and aged goat cheeses, blues, triple crèmes and farmhouse cheddars. Pair them with some fruit pastes often sold in the same refrigerated case as the cheeses. Surround with berries and grapes. Put these out and watch them go. The reason people don’t eat cheeses at parties is they’re usually sub-par cheeses. Some nice cheeses and some interesting crackers & breads go a long way especially when your guests are drinking.
3. Serve your favorite soup in little glass votive cups garnished with a long chive or skewered tiny shrimp.
4. Choose to have a caterer deliver food as opposed to having it fully serviced. Yes, I know- I’m shooting myself in the foot but not all of you will choose this route.
5. Purchase some items from your favorite stores as well. I won’t go so far as to suggest getting frozen hors d’oeuvres from Costco. Don’t tell me if you did so! But your area, I’m certain, has some fabulous ethnic or cheese shops. Here are some Boston Metrowest specialty shops to check out: Sevans in Watertown for delicious spreads like hummus, baba ghanouj, spicy muhammara dip; stuffed grape leaves; delicious baklava and apricot logs. Jin Mi Chinese Market on Walnut St. in Newton near the Mass Pike-  sells all kinds of dumplings and fabulous shrimp shumai. South Acton Village Market in Acton sells fabulous fresh produce, live fish in tanks and again, those frozen dumplings and Shumai. You can also supplement your menu with a spiral ham with all those lovely accoutrements and tiny rolls. It will fill your guests up without breaking the budget.
6. Do keep in mind that most all caterers do have food minimums for full service parties in December. Find out what their minimum is now and do some research. It will save you a lot of time later on.
7. Many caterers (me included!!!) will staff your event even if they aren’t bringing the food. You may just need a kitchen helper, waiter, bartender. Call me for rates.
8. Doing a lunch or brunch event instead of a night event could cut your costs in half.
9. Choose less expensive “stations” from your caterer such as an “Assorted Slider Station”, “Mashed Potato Bar”, “Stir-fry Station”, “Pasta Station”, “Empanada or Quesadilla Bar”, “Asian Noodle Station”.
10. Instead of having a 4-5 hour party, make it 2-3 hours. Put an end time on your invites.
11. I often tell clients to only serve wine and beer instead of a full bar. Your guests don’t expect a full bar. They are just happy to be invited to your home. A full bar is very pricey between the liquor and mixers. Taste and choose some inexpensive wines and sparkling wines now so you’re prepared. I mentioned in my last blog a Proseco sold at Trader Joe’s with a giant “P” on the label. It was under $10 and amazing. Pair it with a touch of Chambord, Elderflower Liqueur, or other favorite liqueur and a twist of lemon. Wines are more subjective and there are many choices out there for under $15 bottle and even under $10.
12. Skip serving dessert to your guests. I know! No one will like me for this one. If it’s a cocktail party, you are not required to serve dessert. If you really can’t avoid it, put out a tray of bars and tiny cookies near the front door. They can grab one as they put their coats on! Dessert only prolongs the evening. If you want to shorten your event this year, this is a good place to start.
13. If dessert is part of the evening, try serving some seasonal fruit crisps or bread puddings instead of more expensive cakes, tarts and mini pastries.

I hope these ideas help you when planning your holiday event. Contact me with any questions you may have!

Susan Lane of Susan A. Lane Events

susan@susanalaneevents.com

508-783-1663

What to Cook- Quick Cocktail Party Fare

 

polenta triangles with wild mushrooms

 

By Susan Lane of Susan A. Lane Events

September always motivates me to get back into the kitchen. Summer time beckons us outside the house mainly to the grill. It’s too hot to cook in the kitchen. But with the cooler nights upon us, I am drawn to some cooler weather fare. I thought I would focus on cocktail party fare since many of you will most likely start entertaining again since the kids are back in school and some holidays are right around the corner.

My mantra for cocktail parties is K.I.S.S. – “Keep it simple stupid!”.

Make one amazing thing and surround it with simple, easily composed items. Serve some red or white wine and a couple of different beers to suit your crowd. Aligash (a beer from Maine) is a fabulous Belgian white beer that I have become a huge fan of.

Also, at Trader Joe’s, there’s a fabulous Proseco (label is just a huge letter “P”) for $7 or $8 a bottle. Serve with a touch of Elderflower liqueur. Yummy!

Try One Of These Amazing Things:

Crab & Brie Quesadilla

(yields 12)

24- 2” diameter rounds of flour tortillas

8 oz  double cream brie

1 lemon worth of lemon zest

1 tsp chives

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

8 oz fresh lump crab meat

3 tbsp softened unsalted butter

Small container of sour cream

1 avocado, cut into small wedges (squeeze lemon juice over wedges & keep covered to prevent from browning).

 

Smear ¼ oz. brie on each tortilla round.  Toss crab, lemon zest, chives and black pepper together.  Place ¼ oz. of crab mix onto 12 of the tortilla rounds and top with remaining tortilla rounds (like sandwiches).   

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in sauté pan and fry tortilla sandwiches (in batches of 4) on both sides till golden brown.  Set each batch aside on paper towel till done frying all of them. 

Garnish with dollop of sour cream and small wedge of avocado.

Serve warm

 

Pan-fried Corn Cakes with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche

Roasted Corn Cakes

3 cups (about 12 ears) fresh corn kernels- just shucked

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. salt

1/2 t. white pepper

1/2 T. baking powder

1/2 T. sugar

1.5 Tbsp. chives or parsley

Vegetable oil

Small side smoked salmon

Mix together corn kernels, sour cream and eggs. Add dry ingredients to mixture- flour, s & p, baking powder, and sugar. Mix in chives. Heat non-stick pan over med-hi heat. Gently pour in just enough oil to cover bottom of pan. Pour batter in pastry bag with no tip. Pipe batter into pan in 1/2 dollar size portions. Fry until golden brown. Flip over. Do same to second side. Remove from pan. Put small dollop of crème fraîche on corn cake. Follow with small piece of smoked salmon.

Crème Fraîche

¾ c. sour cream

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 T. Salt

1/2 T. pepper

1/8 c. heavy cream

Optional ingredients- freshly chopped dill; finely chopped shallots

Mix together all ingredients in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temp for minimum of 2 hours. Can leave out overnite if room is not to warm. Chill.

Crispy Polenta Triangles with Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Truffle Oil, and Asiago Cheese

Mushroom mixture

1 ounce dried wild mushrooms (porcini, shiitake)- soaked in hot water for 30 minutes. Strain thru cheese cloth and reserve liquid for recipe. Slice mushrooms.

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

pinch red pepper flakes

1 T. fresh sage, chopped or 1 t. dried

olive oil

1 12 oz. box white mushrooms,(Chanterelles if you can afford them) cleaned with dry towel and sliced thin

1 cup drained, chopped canned tomatoes-imported whole

1/2 c. red wine

2 T. chopped parsley

salt and pepper

¼ lb – 1/2 lb. Asiago cheese- grated

Truffle oil- optional

Cook onion in 1-2 T. olive oil till tender. Stir in re-hydrated mushrooms, garlic, red pepper flakes and sage. Add fresh mushrooms. Turn up heat to medium high. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.  Stir in tomato, wine, some reserved mushroom liquid, parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce to simmer-10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

Polenta Triangles

2 c. corn meal

7 c. water

1 T. salt

Turn broiler on.

Line large baking dish with saran wrap.

 

Add salt to pan of boiling water.  Slowly stir in corn meal.  Cook, stirring to avoid lumping, about 30 minutes or when it begins to pull away from sides of pan. Be careful not to overcook. Pour into baking dish. Cover with more saran wrap. Refrigerate.

Turn polenta out onto cutting board and slice into triangles.

Arrange slices in one layer on a lightly oiled shallow baking pan and brush slices with additional oil.

Broil polenta about 3 inches from heat until edges are golden, about 5 minutes. Turn polenta over and broil until edges are golden, about 3 minutes more.

Top triangles with grated Asiago cheese and broil briefly. Then top the polenta with  about 1 T. mushroom mixture. Broil briefly to warm mushrooms and finish with a drizzle of truffle oil (optional). Garnish platter with sprigs of fresh sage.

Try some of these Simple, Easily Composed Items:

Potato Chips served with a bowl of sour cream or crème frâiche and a bowl on ice of inexpensive whitefish caviar or smoked salmon or BOTH!

Goat Cheese topped with Pink Peppercorns, crushed garlic, EVOO, fresh ground pepper and kosher salt; served with Rice Crackers

Tiny Soup Sips- buy some favorite soup and place in tiny clear votives and serve!

Shrimp Cocktail from Captain Marden’s in Wellesley

Antipasti with store bought olives, roasted red peppers, goat cheese, tiny bocconcini, slices of soppressata, baguette slices.

Bacon wrapped Dates- put under broiler and wow!

Pecorino, Honey and Arugula Crostini

Cut a baguette into 1/2-inch slices. Drizzle each slice with honey, top with a slice of pecorino romano, and drizzle with more honey. Put under the broiler for a couple of minutes, until cheese starts to brown. Arrange on a serving dish and top with fresh arugula.

Wasabi Peas

Edamame with Kosher salt

Spicy Tuna Maki from a favorite Sushi restaurant

Serrano Ham over fresh Melon Slices