It’s no secret that I have no idea how to cook for two – or four, for that matter! I think it’s a combination of being raised in a large family, cooking professionally for so many years, and – probably more significantly – I’m just neurotic about running out of food!
Which brings me to last night… Our dear friends David and Linda were over last night. They only live an hour away, but we seem to only see each other twice a year – once at Christmas – our house – and once in July – their house. We chat on the phone, email, etc., but never really seem to find the time to get together more often. Dumb.
We decided that since we all love hors d’oeuvres – and since we usually fill up on hors d’oeuvres before dinner – we would just do a meal of hors d’oeuvres! An endless supply of small, tasty foods. Tim Tapas. Dineen Dim Sum. Lots of finger foods! I had a slight plan formulating in my mind for what to serve, but it all came together while shopping.
David loves little cocktail weenies, but Linda never buys them, so… #1 was
**Cocktail Weenies in a honey mustard sauce. (1/2 cup Bone Suckin’ Mustard and 1/2 cup honey.)
**BBQ Meatballs – Small meaballs glazed in BBQ Sauce.
**Gorgonzola Torte – store bought from TJ’s
**Shrimp in garlic butter and parsley – Rock shrimp sauteed in butter and LOTS of garlic and a handful of chopped parsley thrown in at the last minute.
**Baked Brie with apricots and almonds – Brie covered in Apricot Sauce with almonds
**Paper wrapped chicken although this time around, I used chix breasts, chopped almonds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions – a quick version, because it was a spur-of-the-moment-I-don’t-have-enough-food addition.
**8-bone rack of lamb – the little chops make a perfect hors d’oeuvre!
**Lox on pumpernickel with a dill cream cheese and caramalized red onion – Whipped cream cheese with dill, worcester sauce, and a pinch of garlic spread on the bread, topped with lox, and then topped with caramalized red onions (once available at TJ’s – I bought 10 jars when I found out they were being discontinued!)
**Pork sausage with cherries and maple syrup, mushrooms and leeks in puff pastry REALLY Easy – and yummy!!
And for dessert…
**Profiteroles with fudge sauce – soooo easy to make!! and…
LOTS **cookies and candy.
Needless to say, we had LOTS of food – and just enough leftovers for lunch today! (For four, but we’re growing boys – we’ll eat it all!)
The only time I really thought about taking pictures was when I was frying the paper Wrapped Chicken – and I couldn’t run out of the room to get the camera, with boiling oil on the stove!
I really do have to think about pictures more…..