River ,'Out Of Gas'
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
amych, a few recipes for the bacon-wrapped figs:
Restaurant recipe with no nuts, but I'd skip the mascarpone cheese dip (I've never bothered with dips, since it covers up the yumminess of the bacon and fig)
Spicier, with pecans and a goat cheese/thyme dip
Jicama cut like carrot sticks?
I love jicama -- at last year's version of this party, there was a mix of "what the heck is that" and "OMG NOM" with, notably, crossover from point A to point B. Good reminder.
toasted bread with a slice of fresh mozzarella, salt, and some fresh basil on top would be apropos.
The basil plants are thankfully too dumb to know their days are numbered.
Seriously, y'all, I'm bookmarking all of these -- thanks!
From the Charleston Junior League Party Receipts
Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts in Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
1/2 cub balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon or stone-ground mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2/3 cup vegetable oil(I use olive oil)
1 pound fresh mushrooms
1 14-oz can plain artichoke hearts, drained and halved.
Vinaigrette: Mix all ingredients except oil, then beat it in slowly.
Clean mushrooms. Place mushrooms and artichoke hearts in a 1 quart dish. Pour over the vinaigrette and toss. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, tossing occasionally. (I put it in a tupperware bowl and shake it every now and then.)
Serve with toothpicks.
Well my attempts to celebrate teh holiday with charred meat were for naught. My tummy wasn't letting me leave the house.
I can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow. Working is way overrated.
One of my totally plebeian favorites is spinach dip with pumpernickel bread (I usually serve the dip in the hollowed out loaf). To make it more finger-foody, and with less chance to icky double dipping, you could make little finger sandwiches of two thin slices spread with the dip.
(Now I want to make this. And eat it. Right now.)
You could do mini quiches, too.
I love the spinach dip! It's way more impressive than the work it takes, too.
Unlike potstickers, which is the other thing I just thought of. If you make them yourself, I mean....
I had a great grilled veg platter at a tapas place recently, and that's easy. It came with some stuff I will try to look up now.
Wontons are pretty easy and fun to make.
I saw a health blog suggesting prunes wrapped in bacon (actually, prosciutto) and baked, and that sounds like fun. (Not... necessarily healthy. They were trying to get people to eat prunes. And calling them "dried plums," like we don't know what prunes are.)
Yes! Which is why "prune juice" has always bugged me. Why would you juice something that's DRIED? Isn't it really plum juice?
Romescu! It was delicious. It also caused the waitress to ask us, very seriously, if we were allergic to nuts -- which was a good call, since I wouldn't have known there were nuts in the romescu, either before ordering it or before eating it.
Starfruit slices, apricot halves, and cherries were a big hit at the last party I threw.
I also swear by cucumber slices on sundried tomato bread. And homemade mini-pizzas (pita bread topped with Classico tomato & basil or roasted garlic pasta sauce, parmesan cheese, and crumbled feta cheese).