Creating the Perfect Vegetable Tray

If you are hosting a party, you will need to create a presentably appealing vegetable tray. Creating a veggie tray is really easy if you plan ahead and gather everything that you will need before you begin to assemble your tray.

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You will need a round serving tray or a specially designed veggie tray that has divided cavities for placing your vegetables in. If your tray doesn't come with a vegetable dip container, you will need to supply one.

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It is recommended that you choose 5-7 vegetables to present on your party tray.

Preparation:

Wash and pat dry all of your vegetables. Cut off any roots, stems or unwanted leafy portions.

Vegetable Selection:

Leafy Lettuce: Separate the lettuce leaves and use them to line your vegetable tray.

Broccoli: Cut florets off the stalk into individual serving-sized pieces.

Cauliflower: Cut pieces from head of cauliflower into individual serving-sized pieces.

Cherry Tomatoes: Remove stems. Wash and pat dry.

Cucumbers: You can remove the skin or leave it, that is entirely up to you. Slice cucumber into 1/4" thick round slices.

Carrots: If using baby carrots, you will will not need to slice them down. If using full-sized carrots, you will need to slice them down into sticks measuring approximately 1/4" by 4" in size.

Celery: Cut off leafy portions. Cut celery stalks into 4" long pieces.

Radishes: Cut off top portion of radishes and any roots that might remain. It is best to use radishes that are less than 1 1/2" in diameter.

Mushrooms: If you are using baby mushrooms, leave just a 1/4" of the stem remaining. If using larger sized mushrooms, slice them down into individual pieces.

Green Pepper: Remove the stem and seeds. Cut down into sticks measuring 1/4" by 4" in length.

Assembly:

Arrange the lettuce leaves on your tray, covering the entire bottom of the tray. Take your prepared vegetables and arrange them around the tray in sections. Try to keep your colors separated and spread out the green colored vegetables. I like to use a green vegetable, then a colored vegetable and then another green vegetable and so forth as I go around my tray. Leave an opening in the center of your tray for your vegetable dip.

Once you have all your vegetables onto the tray, its time to garnish the tray.

Garnish Ideas:

If you are using a flat serving tray, you can separate your vegetable sections by laying a celery stick or carrot stick between each section. I like to add some additional color by garnishing with green and black olives, purple cabbage curls, radish shaped flowers or even a few green and red grapes.

Here is a great dip recipe.

Dill Weed Vegetable Dip

1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. dill weed
1 tbsp. parsley
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. minced onion

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Chill for several hours before serving. Serve with raw vegetables. Makes 2 cups.

Creating the Perfect Vegetable Tray

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Fruit Pizza Recipe Ideas: Fresh Fruit Pizza With Orange Sauce Recipe

Do you enjoy the many fruit pizza recipe ideas you can find today? Dessert pizza is delicious and making them can be a lot of fun for you, your family and your friends. For instance, you might like learning how to make this easy fresh fruit pizza with orange sauce.

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Recipe for Fresh Fruit Pizza with Orange Sauce

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What You Need
1 package sugar cookie dough 1 package softened cream cheese 8 ounce 1 large container whipped topping 1 pint fresh strawberries 2 sliced kiwis 3 large sliced bananas 1 can sliced drained peaches 16 ounce 1 can drained pineapple chunks 8 ounce ¼ teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon cornstarch ½ cup sugar ½ cup orange juice 2 Tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup water

How to Make It

About 20 minutes before preparation time you will need to lay the sugar cookie dough and the cream cheese out onto the counter to soften to room temperature.

Prepare a pizza pan or baking sheet by lightly coating it with cooking spray and then set aside until needed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Press the cookie dough onto the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet while forming a rim around the edges by gently pinching up the sides as you work around the pizza crust on the pan.

Place in the preheated oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown in color. Remove from oven and allow the crust to completely cool to the touch.

Using a medium size mixing bowl and an electric mixer you will add the cream cheese and then blend until it is smooth and fluffy. Add the whipped topping and blend well together. Spread this mixture evenly over the completely cooled pizza crust.

Slice all but one of the strawberries in halve. You will use this one whole strawberry at the center of the pizza and then begin arranging the other fruits on the crust in a decorative pattern.

Add the whole strawberry and then begin arranging the kiwis and sliced bananas around it and working outward. Arrange the sliced peaches and the pineapple chunks. Add the remaining strawberries halves last, while arranging them with the pointed ends facing the inside of the dessert pizza. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

To make the orange sauce, you will add the salt, cornstarch and sugar to a small saucepan over a medium heat. Gradually stir in the orange juice and the lemon juice. Mix well and then add the water. Keep stirring while boiling until the mixture becomes thickened. Continue boiling and stirring for about 1 more minute and then remove from heat.

Allow the orange sauce to completely become cool and then spoon the orange sauce over the pizza toppings. Place the fresh fruit pizza in the refrigerator to chill overnight or for at least 3 to 4 hours before cutting and serving.

Fruit Pizza Recipe Ideas: Fresh Fruit Pizza With Orange Sauce Recipe

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How to Make Cheesy Italian Biscuits - The Easy Way

1 can Biscuits - For this recipe, try and get the flaky kind, they separate easily
16 Meatballs (Italian) - Medium size homemade or store bought, whatever you have
2 cups Salsa - Homemade or store bought, mild, medium, or hot, you decide
8 Slices - Provolone round preferably
1 packet - Ranch dip mix
1 8 oz. - Container of Sour Cream (Breakstone's preferably)

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This is one very simple recipe to make, it can be an appetizer for many, or a meal for just a few. Start by making your biscuits, just follow the directions on the can. There are several different types out there, so use the one that you like. If you are going to use store bought meatballs (I used Italian Style with Mozzarella Cheese made by Aidells), provided they are not frozen, you can put them in the oven right along with the biscuits, and they should both be done at about the same time. Be sure to use separate cooking trays for both items.

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Once the biscuits and meatballs are ready, pull them out and start by splitting the biscuits in half. If you use the flaky kind, this will be very easy, however you may need a knife to split regular style biscuits. Then take the meatballs and slice them in thirds.

Each biscuit half should be able to hold 6 slices, two meatballs. Arrange them as tight as necessary and then put just enough salsa on to lightly cover the tops of the meatballs. Once you have all of them done, go back and place a round slice of provolone cheese on top of each biscuit creation and stick them back in the already hot oven and leave in long enough for the cheese to slightly melt.

This will only take a few minutes, but while you are waiting, this would be a great time, if you have not done it already, to make your topping. Take your container of Sour Cream and mix your one packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dry dip mix into it. Be sure to mix it well, and set it to the side.

Once you see the cheese slightly melted on your biscuits, pull them out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. When they are cool enough to pick up, place one spoonful of your sour cream dip topping on top and at this point, you can spread it around or leave it in a glob in the center.

The final step is to have good eats and enjoy!

How to Make Cheesy Italian Biscuits - The Easy Way

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How to Make a Delicious Grilled Pizza Recipe

Grilled pizza might be something you have never tried or it might be something you have never heard of. If you think about it though, can you imagine a delicious pizza topped with your favorite ingredients, taking on the subtle smoky flavor from the grill? The thought alone is delicious. Grilled pizza on a gas grill is even easier because you can control the temperature better.

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Pizza is usually baked, either in a pizza oven or in a regular oven, but grilled pizza recipes are becoming more popular.

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Why Grill Pizza?

If you are eating al fresco, it is fun to cook outdoors too. Running indoors to check the pizza every five minutes is no fun, but cooking it on the grill means you can be outside, enjoying the weather and the pleasure of whatever company you happen to have, while your grilled pizza recipe cooks to perfection.

Whichever type of pizza crust, pizza sauce and pizza toppings you prefer, you can grill your pizza. If you are having a get together, you can make individual pizzas so people can add their own toppings (this also saves you time if you have a lot of guests). Alternatively, you can make one or two big pizzas for everyone to share.

Grilled Pepperoni Pizza with Vegetables

The following recipe shows you how to make a delicious grilled pizza recipe. This recipe makes enough for four people, but make that two if you are very hungry! Feel free to add any vegetables to the pizza. Saute any hard vegetables in oil before adding them to the pizza. Softer ones like tomato, zucchini, or mushrooms will soften on the grill.

You will need:

1 lb pizza dough 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons flour 1 jar pizza sauce 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 cup shredded mozzarella 6 oz pepperoni, sliced 1 tomato, sliced (and any other vegetables you like) 2 canned pineapple rings, chopped 6 olives, halved
How to make it:

Preheat a gas grill on high for 15 minutes, and then turn the temperature down to medium. Sprinkle the flour over cutting board. Stretch and roll the dough into the size and shape you want, on the floured cutting board.

Spread half olive oil over the dough, then flip it and spread the rest of the oil over the other side. Put the dough on a tray or big piece of foil to carry it to the grill, then flip it upside down on the grill and remove the foil or tray.

Close the grill lid and cook the pizza crust for about 4 minutes, checking it halfway through. Transfer it to the cutting board and add the sauce to the pizza crust, grilled side up. Add the toppings, cheese, and herbs.

Switch off one of the two grill burners and put the pizza back on the grill. Cover the grill, cook it for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the pizza crust is cooked through and browned on the bottom.

If the pizza crust is cooked on the bottom but the cheese is not melted yet, move the pizza to another spot on the grill. Remove the finished pizza, using a pair of long handled spatulas or a baker's peel, slice it into wedges, and serve.

How to Make a Delicious Grilled Pizza Recipe

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Picnic Food Recipes

Picnic cooking is much more difficult than home cooking. For the home cooking, kitchen provides enough spaces and various cookware. For your picnic, if you plan to take the food you cooked by your own, you need to make good preparation. It means that you should make good preparation at home. In this article, I would like to offer food recipes for picnic.

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Fried Beef Steak

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Preparation at home: Pickle the beef steak with cooking wine, salt, egg yellow and starch. Put the beef steak into the sealed food container. Before frying, the pickling is almost ready. You can use self-made sauce for beef steak. To make the sauce, just heat the oil and add the tomatoes sauce, chili sauce and sugar and mix them evenly. You can fill the sauce into the bottle.

Outdoor cooking: Heat the oil in the baking tray and fry the both sides of beef steak until it changes into golden, then you can pour you self made sauce onto the beef.

Grilled Beef

Preparation at home: Prepare onions, sliced carrots, sliced mushroom and put them into your food container. Cut the beef into slices (thin ones are preferred) and take the sauce (self made or buy from the store) with you

Outdoor grilling: Heat the baking tray and pour the beef and onion slices into the tray, stir them for short period.

Potato pie and potato salad

Preparation at home: Boil potatoes; add the egg, milk, salt, sugar into the Mashed potato, stir them evenly.

Outdoor frying: pour some oil into the pan and heat it with small fire until the potatoes changes into golden.

Making potato salad is simple: Boil the potatoes and stir them (you can add some water), add salad sauce then stir them evenly with various vegetables.

Squids on hot plate

Squids on hot plat with Chinese style is one of my favorite dishes:

Pickle the squids for 20 minutes with following ingredients: five spice powder (40g), Cumin powder (30g), Red chili powder(proper amount), pepper powder, MSG (25g), refined salt (15g),ginger (20g),diced garlic (20g),sugar(3g),cooking wine(proper amount),starch(80g).

Paint the oil on the plat and cut the onions into small pieces and pour them into the plat until its flavors come out of it. Put the squids onto the plat and paint oil onto them continuously, pour proper quantity of five spice powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, pepper powder onto squids. Finally, you just need paint them a thin layer of fragrance sauce.Since many spices containers are needed,it is suggested that you can take professionl picnic gear- picnic backpack with you.

Picnic Food Recipes

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How to Make Quick and Easy Munchies For Game Watching - Texas Armadillo Eggs

Having the gang over to watch the game? Planning a party and want to add something new to the snack trays? Give these Texas Armadillo Eggs a try. Be warned they are crab stuffed jalapeno peppers but they are mild; don't worry about burning your mouth or throat!! You can "cool down" your mouth with the Tropical Cheese Spread and assorted crackers.

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TEXAS ARMADILLO EGGS

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2 TO 3 cans crab meat
2 cans jalapeno peppers (about 17 peppers)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp garlic (from a jar)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 tbsp margarine
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
cracker meal for breading

Saute onion, mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper in margarine. Add the drained crab meat and mix well. Slice jalapenos lengthwise and remove the seeds (very important to remove seeds). Slice down one side only! Generously stuff the jalapenos with the crab meat mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs and milk. Dip the stuffed jalapenos into the egg mixture then roll in the cracker meal. Repeat the process so each pepper is dipped and rolled twice. Drop into a preheated deep-fryer of oil and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper toweling.

TROPICAL CHEESE SPREAD APPETIZER

1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese
1 can (8 1/4-oz) crushed pineapple with juice
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped pecans or macadamia nuts
Assorted crackers and party breads

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and pineapple with juice; mix until well blended. Add the cheese and blend in well. Stir in the coconut, apricots, and nuts; mix well. Chill until serving time. Serve with an assortment of crackers and/or miniature party breads.

Enjoy!

How to Make Quick and Easy Munchies For Game Watching - Texas Armadillo Eggs

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Appetizers for Award-Winning Dinner Party Menus

Planning a dinner parties and entertaining guests does not have to be a harrowing experience. If this is something you feel is completely out of your realm, stick with recipes that you have had success with in the past. You should never try out a new recipe at a dinner party without having at least experimented with it first. The kind of food you serve will also depend on the occasion and the number of guests you plan on inviting. If you know the people, you can make inquiries as to whether they have any food allergies, so you can be careful not to include these on the menu.

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All dinner parties start off with appetizers. Guests nibble on the hors d'oeuvres while they are waiting to sit down and they chat and discuss various topics. While you want to have a variety of appetizers available, you should not have so many that the guests will be too full to enjoy the meal. This is designed to be just a taste of your exquisite culinary skills. Some suggestions for appetizers include:

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* Fruit and Yogurt. An array of fruits with a yogurt dip.

* Vegetable tray with a sauce for dipping.

* Crab legs with a seafood sauce

* Brushetta cut into small bite size pieces

* Kabobs made with pineapple, mandarin oranges and cubes of cooked ham

There are several ways you can serve the appetizers at your dinner party. If you have a large room, you can place trays of the appetizers at various points - on tables, coffee tables, etc. You can also serve the appetizers as you work your way through the guests. This also gives you a chance to chat with each one and make him/her feel welcome. One thing you do have to remember is that you need to have plenty of napkins for the guests to use.

Appetizers for Award-Winning Dinner Party Menus

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Fun Baked Birthday Treats

The traditional birthday cake isn't the only yummy option you have when it comes to baked goods for your child's birthday party. We have come up with some other ideas that are more than just a substitute for a birthday cake. They are creative, delicious and just plain different.

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Decorate A Cookie

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· Sugar Cookie Dough
· Cookie Cutters
· Wax Paper
· Confectioner's Sugar
· Water
· Food Coloring
· Assorted candies
· Colored Sugar (different colors)
· Sprinkles

Prepare a batch of your favorite cookie dough, or purchase some refrigerated sugar dough. Roll it out and place it on the wax paper. Let the kids cut out cookies using the cookie cutter, then bake them according to the baking instructions for your dough.

Allow the cookies do cool. Prepare "Glue" by mixing the confectioner's sugar with water to form a sticky paste. You can add food coloring to turn it into different colors. The kids can paint the cookies with this glue, then add candies sprinkles and colored sugar.

Allow them to dry and either let the kids eat them at the party, or place them in plastic bags so they can take them home after the party.

Magic Wands

· Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
· Star Cookie Cutter
· Popsicle Stick
· Confectioners' Sugar
· Hot Water
· Food Coloring

Roll out the sugar cookie dough and cut using a star-shaped cookie cutter; bake according to package instructions.

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, and are still soft to the touch, carefully push a Popsicle stick between any two points of the star. This makes the handle for your wand.

Frost the cookies with glossy icing. To make glossy icing, simply sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Slowly add hot water, while mixing, until it becomes a smooth paste. Add a few drops of food coloring to make extra colorful treats. These wand cookies are somewhat fragile, but they're delicious and a lot of fun to eat!

Dessert Pizza

· Sugar cookie dough, store bought
· 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
· Fruit slices like banana, strawberries, apples and blueberries
· Greased cookie sheet or pizza pan

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice up the dough like you're making cookies.

Press the dough into a pizza pan. You should end up with thin, sweet pizza dough. Bake it for about 8 minutes and cool it on a rack.

Combine the sugar, vanilla and softened cream cheese. Spread it all over you pizza crust.

Top with the fruit slices.

There you have it ... Three fun baked treats that not only make a great addition to any birthday party, whether you are serving cake or not. They are also a fun activity for the kids during the party. Give one of these a try at the next child birthday party you throw.

Fun Baked Birthday Treats

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Birthday Party Treats: Unique Ideas and Old Standbys

There are so many options for birthday party treats. If you are having a birthday theme party, it actually makes choosing party treats much easier, but you still have options and choices to make.

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Birthday party treats can be as simple as a home-baked cake with ice cream and punch, but depending on the party theme, the time of day the party is held, and the guests' ages, likes, dislikes, you should be able to come up with some really good options! Parties that are held as part of a purchased party package at a certain establishment normally come with a few choices, but in such circumstances, many of the decisions are already made for you. Parties planned and held by yourself, are much more open to the types of choices you can make about party treats.

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Party treats can be ordered online, purchased at party stores, or made at home. If you are having a child's birthday party, consider whether you wish to have it at a meal time, or at a time when snacks would be enough. If you choose not to have the party at meal time, chips or veggie and dip trays go over well, as do fruit and fruit dip trays, cupcakes, birthday cake, ice cream, and punch.

If you want to have your child's birthday party at a meal time, peanut butter or cheese sandwiches cut into shapes with cookie cutters, chips, fruit, and juice boxes, milk in small cartons, or punch, are good choices for birthday party treats almost all children will enjoy. These birthday party treats can easily be made ahead of time, put in brown paper bags with each guest's name on it, or cardboard containers like you see in Chinese take-out restaurants, and stored in the fridge until it is time to eat.

At most birthday parties the treats are not the most important part of the party. You do want to make sure that you include something for everyone, and provide alternate choices to be on the safe side, when planning what birthday party treats you plan to serve.

Birthday Party Treats: Unique Ideas and Old Standbys

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Cocktail Party Ideas For Summer Cocktail Parties

Summer is under way and what isn't a better time than now to throw cocktail parties. Here are some cocktail party ideas that don't take much time to produce and won't break the bank!

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For starters, let's look at the cocktail party menu. Keep it light and simple. Slice chunks of various kinds of vegetables, skewer them, place the skewers in a simple marinade of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper if desired and then grill or roast the marinated skewers.

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Want to mix it up a bit? For outdoor cocktail parties, stick the finished skewered vegetables in a bed of wheat grass and there you have a grilled vegetable garden! Or place the finished vegetables on a platter and decorate the platter with loose flowers such as Cymbidium orchids or Gerber daisies.

I recently attended a cocktail party where the caterer created a great cocktail party menu that included Macadamia nut crusted chicken lollipops. Other menu items can include European cheeses with dates and figs, sliced toasts and crackers.

Have some fun serving your appetizers by using a shot glass at cocktail parties. Create a conversation piece by serving either skewered shrimp with a shot glass of cocktail sauce or soups such as gazpacho or cucumber served in a shot glass. Good old-fashioned milk and cookies where the tray includes shots of cold milk with a side of mini cookies is always fun too.

And since it is summertime, for your outdoor cocktail parties it's always fun to include tray-passed mini-burgers (can be beef, turkey or veggie) and of course the all-time favorite mini-hot dogs.

Other fun cocktail party ideas include creating an all white themed summer event with a white fabric gazebo. You can rent a 10' x 10' canopy and then use sheer fabric to swag the sides of the tent. You may need to bring in a tenting company to help with the small tent but you can buy the fabric yourself to create the swags.

Add some color to your white cocktail parties with colored glass décor items such as vases and marbles for your buffet display as seen in the first picture. Flowers too can be fun and colorful yet simple.

And for drinks, here are some cocktail party ideas that are refreshing and cool for the summer. One cocktail party menu idea is to make your own spa water. Just add any of the following to water and let sit for a bit:

• Fresh raspberries or strawberries
• Citrus such as lemons or oranges
• Cucumbers
• Herbs such as mint or basil

If you prefer serving alcoholic beverages for cocktail parties, think about adding to your beverage menu sangria, mohitos or flavored martinis such as lemon, cucumber or watermelon. (For some cocktail party martini recipes, look at pages 87 and 88 in Budget Bash.)

I hope you found these cocktail party ideas helpful for your summer cocktail parties. Keep your cocktail party menu fun and light and when throwing a cocktail party remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Cocktail Party Ideas For Summer Cocktail Parties

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5 Cold Appetizer Recipes Great For Any Party

Gearing up for a party includes creating a menu of mouth-watering treats for your guests. Often the main dish will be inspired by the occasion. Turkey for Thanksgiving, Crown Roast for Easter, Burgers and dogs for the 4th of July. But what about those appetizers to keep your guests happy before the meal is served? This all important menu item is often overlooked in the mad dash to ensure all is ready. But, with a few simple ingredients you can serve your guests appetizers that will not only keep them happy and their fingers out of the pots until the meal is ready, they will spark conversation and set the mood for fun.

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What is an Appetizer? An Appetizer is a small serving of food or sometimes a beverage that is served before the main meal. It is intended to 'wet the appetite'. Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva is generated when you begin to chew. This helps to begin breaking down the food for digestion. Ok, I know that may be too much information, but think about it this way. Not only will a good appetizer get your guests primed for that great meal, it may be the reason they don't stuff themselves. Most people know that it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to send the signal to the brain that it is full. Eating an appetizer just before a meal is served may cause you to eat less. Now there's a bonus. Appetizers as a diet aide.

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Cold Appetizers:Some basics to keep on hand so you are ready at a moment's notice to serve up a tray of treats.
Cheese - several varieties are best but at least have a good cheddar Olives - black and green Anchovies Cream Cheese Mayonnaise Pimento Assorted Dried Fruit Crackers Nuts Sour Cream Party Franks Canned Shrimp Canned Oysters Canned Salmon Lemon and Lime juice Assorted spices including dried parsley

These are just a few of the things I keep on hand. With these I can almost always come up with a tray of treats as guests walk in the door. For Example:

HALF AND HALF
You will need about 8 slices of your favorite bread. You could also use crackers for this instead. This will make about 16 crackers. Mix 1/2 cup drained and flaked salmon with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (you may substitute lemon pepper if you don't have juice). Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. TIP: I omit salt as I have friends and family on low salt diets, but it you think it needs salt and perhaps a little pepper, go ahead. Mash 1 avocado and mix in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cream cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside. Using a large drinking glass cut each slice bread into rounds. You will be cutting off the crust, but don't toss it. I put the crusts in a zipper bag in the freezer to use for bread crumbs later. of Toast bread in the toaster or on a cookie sheet. Omit this step if using crackers. Spread toast lightly with butter or margarine. This helps keep it from getting soggy from the spreads. Spread 1/2 of each round with the salmon mixture and the other half with the avocado mixture. Garnish with pimento or olive slices.

This makes a tasty and welcome open sandwich to get the party started. The Salmon and avocado are a nice complement.

MOSAIC SANDWICHES
You will need 8 slices each or a light or white bread and a dark bread. I like using seedless rye and pumpernickel. Remove the crusts from the bread and set aside. Remember to add those crusts to your zipper bag in the freezer. You are going to have a great mixture for bread crumbs. Mix up some canapé' butters. You have a lot of choices. Cream 1 cup butter with any of the following additions: TIP: You can use cream cheese instead of butter. 1 cup cooked Minced shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon salt, dash of paprika and 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 can anchovies or 4 tablespoons anchovies paste, w teaspoons lemon juice, 4 drops of onion juice or 1/2 teaspoon finely minced onion. You can also substitute other canned fish like herring, smoked salmon, or sardines. 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 2 tablespoons chili sauce, drained. Just be sure it is not too runny. 1/4 cup chopped olives and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Spread each slice of bread with one of the butters above. Stack the slices, alternating dark and light until you have stacked all 16 slices of bread. Slice the stack into 4. You want to have four stacks about the same size. Lay the stacks on the side. Spread one side of 1 stack with a different spread. You can use the same but adding a second spread makes it more fun. Take the next stack and turn it over so that the pattern of dark and light is reversed and place it on top of the first that has been covered with the spread. Repeat this process with the other two stacks. Do not put spread on the top of the last addition. Again slice the new tower into four slices. You can then cut each of those length wise to create 4 mini sandwich towers each. You should end up with about 16 appetizers.

These look impressive and although it sounds complicated it really isn't. You can make this in about 5 minutes.

DEVILED EGGS an old standby but one almost everyone loves. Here is a little twist.
Boil a dozen eggs and set aside to cool. When cool peel and prepare by slicing in half lengthwise and removing the yolk. To the yolk add sour cream and 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise. Use just enough sour cream to make the mixture creamy. Separate into two small bowls. To one bowl add 1 tablespoon chopped olives and 1/4 teaspoon pickle relish. To the other bowl add 2 tablespoons finely chopped ham. Put each mixture into a small zipper bag. Cut a corner off of the bag and use it to pipe the mixture into the cavity left by the yolk in each egg. Garnish with pimento or a small curl of ham, or a small triangle of ham placed into the yolk center.

These look as good as they taste and it only takes a minute or two to add a little surprise flair. You could also add chopped fresh tomato instead of olives, or chopped pepperoni instead of ham.

FRUIT KABOBS
You will need several varieties of fresh fruit, some maraschino cherries, and bamboo skewers.. Cut fruit in chunks. For apples, pears, and other similar fruit, dip in lemon juice or orange juice to reduce browning. Alternate chunks of fruit and cherries on the skewers. Be sure to leave about 4 inches at the end as a handle. Serve with Vanilla Yogurt mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cherry juice as a dipping sauce.

You can't get much quicker than this and it tastes great too.

DON'T FORGET THE CHEESE
1 pound brick of cheese, this may be the cheese of your choice, but a favorite is mild cheddar Crackers, a good buttery round or a whole wheat cracker is great for this. Try one of those new flat bread crackers too. Sliced Ham

Slice cheese into small slices that will fit on the crackers you have chosen. Slice the ham into strips and wrap around the middle of the cheese slice. Place on crackers. You may wish to garnish some or all of the crackers with a piece of pimento, and olive, a sprig of parsley, or even a small stem of celery. Those slender tips with a couple of small leaves remaining look good and are edible.

With a little advanced planning and less than an hour you can put out a tray of assorted crowd pleasers. I can prepare these 5 dishes in about half an hour, but I do them often. Once you have your ingredients ready, assembly is quick. If you have children in the house, encourage them to help. They will be proud to carry the trays of appetizers they helped make and urge every one to try a taste. Happy Entertaining.

5 Cold Appetizer Recipes Great For Any Party

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Baby Shower Food Ideas for a Boy or a Girl

A baby shower is an event that marks the coming of a baby to the parents' lives. It is a day of celebration as families from both sides welcome the newborn child. The basic components of the baby shower are the theme, decorations, programs, and of course, the food.

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When it comes to coming up with baby shower food ideas, there are many directions you can go to. You can base the food from the theme so that the party will have a sense of continuity. You can also hire a catering service to prepare all the food and to handle service for the guests. With food choices, you can go with traditional meals or you try some outrageous and exotic dishes. There are so many things you can choose and one of them is to prepare food for a specific gender of a baby. The menu is more focused but you can still do a variety of things.

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First are suggestions if you are expecting a baby girl. Society has told people that the color that symbolizes the girl the most is the color pink. Taking the direction from there, you can prepare all your food literally bathing in pink. Traditional baby showers include a platter of vegetables with dip. A tray is composed of tomatoes, carrots, onions, asparagus, and other veggies. Creativity comes to play when you make the dip. Usual dips are based in cheese and all you need to do is to add food coloring to achieve a pinkish color.

The drinks for a girl baby shower should be easy enough since there are plenty of drinks that exhibit the color pink. Take your pick from a grapefruit juice, pink lemonade, or even a strawberry milkshake. These are easy to make and your guests will surely recognize them. Like the beverages, pink desserts are fairly easy to concoct. For one, a simple strawberry is already something to die for and could be an instant hit among the guests. You can be more creative when making pastries or cookies because you can use food coloring on the icing.

As for a boy,you should focus more on the color blue. As with pink, blue is different because a lot of people don't think that there are a lot dishes made with the color blue. Like preparing for a girl shower, you can also rely on food coloring. A blue dip will entice your guests into the buffet table and ask what the dip is made of. However, you can still be creative and not depend on food coloring. There are a lot of products in a market that have blue in them. For one, there are blue corn chips which can be used for appetizers. To go along with the chips is a blue cheese dressing. It may be a different color but it is still has the word blue in it. There are also blue potatoes which are perfect for making French fries or mashed potatoes. For dessert, you can always depend on a traditional blueberry pie to hit the mark. It's something everyone will surely like. The drinks in the party don't have to be alcoholic though there are a lot of blue vodka drinks out there. A blue punch or blue lemonade can be enjoyed by the guests.

Baby shower food ideas for either a boy or a girl are a chance for you to be creative. You can explore the colors of pink or blue to come with exciting dishes, drinks, and desserts.

Baby Shower Food Ideas for a Boy or a Girl

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Gift Ideas For Christmas - 5 Awesome Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

People really enjoy getting gift baskets. I guess it's because a gift basket is really a "goodie basket" that's filled with all sorts of items that make someone happy to receive it. Gift baskets have really evolved since the old days of the fruit basket. While fruit baskets are still popular (especially for the health conscience), there are a wide variety of things that is now acceptable to put into a gift basket.

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Today, gift baskets often have themes, meaning that the contents are narrowed down to a specific category. A food themed basket can contain anything from organic tea to wine and cheese. It can contain nostalgic candies or different kinds of brownies. The first thing you should do when deciding to give someone a gift basket is to pick out a theme that you think that person will like.

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Whether you make the gift basket yourself or buy it from a specialty store, you'll find that half the fun is deciding what type of basket to get. And, keep in mind that gift baskets aren't just for ladies anymore. A gift basket can be given to men and couples as well. If you decided to give everyone on your list a gift basket, it would make your Christmas gift giving really easy.

Here's some examples of themed gift baskets:

Chocolate Lover Basket - for anyone on your gift list who loves chocolate, this is a no-brainer. As a chocolate lover myself, I know my eyes would pop open if I received a basket filled with chocolate candy bars, chocolate fudge, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate truffles, chocolate malt balls, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered dried fruit and packets of cocoa hot chocolate.

Tailgate Party Basket - sports fans love to snack before and during a game. This basket can contain items like, snack chips, pretzels, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, cheese crackers, soda crackers, cheese dips, brownies, cookies, cheeses, salami and a colorful chip and dip tray.

Wine and Cheese Basket - if you know that someone enjoys wine, then this will be a gift basket that they'll love. Select two bottles of different wine from any vintage. You might select a bottle of Red, Merlot, Rose, Port, White Zinfandel or White wine. Then add several hard and soft cheeses, some nice crackers, wine stoppers and a corkscrew.

A Taste of Italy Basket - many people love Italian food so this is a nice idea and something a little different. This basket could include items like: all natural dried pasta (regular, whole wheat, spinach, etc.), extra virgin olive oil, two jars of premium pasta sauce, a jar of sun dried tomatoes, cheese straws, balsamic vinegar, garlic bread sticks and grated Parmesan cheese.

Spa Day Basket - many people could use a relaxing break but can't get away to a real spa. This basket will provide them with everything they need to enjoy a relaxing homemade spa vacation. It can include items like: bubble bath, bath salts, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, high quality skin moisturizer, back scrubber, plush towel, plush slippers, scented candles and a relaxing music DVD.

Gift Ideas For Christmas - 5 Awesome Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

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Celebrate the Fifties by Dining in Style

If the fifties are the new forties then this is a cause for celebration menu. People are living longer and those years of their fifties are full and vibrant. Why not throw a party as vibrant as those who are enjoying the years of being in their fifties?

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To enjoy a fifties celebration make sure to invite all the close friends of the loved one and serve them fantastic food. This would include members of their retired friends, former co-workers and members of the Red Hat Society that they may belong to. Also many people are still working into their fifties and if that's the case make sure to invite their present co-workers as well.

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A fun menu for a fifties party would be to have AARP artichoke dip, IRA Martinis, Over the Hill stuffed Olives and good old fashioned prune juice. If serving a daring crowd dig up a recipe for a prune martini.

To create this AARP artichoke dip recipe for the fifties gathering compile the following ingredients: 1 large container of sour cream, 1 box frozen chopped spinach, 1 jar artichoke (puree), 1 envelope savory herbs with garlic, 1 bag shredded Italian cheese, and 2 fresh baked White Mountain breads. In a medium to large saucepan, heat the sour cream add the frozen spinach (does not need to be thawed). When both are heated and mix well add the jar of pureed artichoke, mix well add 1 envelope of Savory Herbs with Garlic; mix well. Add the whole bag of shredded cheese and mix well. When the cheese is melted and well blended, remove from heat. Take one of the White Mountain Breads, and remove most of the center, creating a bowl-like interior. Pour spinach dip into center. Cut the removed section and the second bread into small pieces and place on tray around bread-bowl.

Being in your fifties is an enjoyable time, so honor the silver foxes in your circle with a fifties party menu.

Celebrate the Fifties by Dining in Style

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Food Safety!

It is so very important for the health of your health, and that of your friends and family, to store and handle perishable foods properly. Proper handling will allow you to enjoy foods at their best and it will dramatically reduce the possibility of food poisoning.

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You should always buy from a reputable retailer. Remember that first impressions mean a lot. If the market where you are shopping appears to be "cleanliness challenged" in the areas that you can see, imagine what the areas you can't see might look like. Once you are comfortable with your market, and you have decided that it is the place for your needs, still remember to check the expiration dates on all of your selections before purchasing. Fresh foods should be taken promptly home and stored properly.

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In the kitchen work surfaces utensils and your hand must be kept clean by washing frequently with hot water and soap. You should designate separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods, as well as separate boards for meats and produce. If this isn't possible, cutting boards must be washed thoroughly between each use.

Finally, I can't say this enough, but "Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!" These rules may seem like common sense, but applying them in your kitchen may save someone you love the misery of food poisoning.

Some foods require special attention above and beyond the normal care I have just outlined.

Cheese: Some cheeses are made with unpasteurized milk, especially soft cheeses, and "blue" cheeses such as Stilton or Roquefort cheeses should not be eaten by infants, young children, the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women. These people are at a much higher susceptibility to infection caused by the listeria bacteria, which may be present in these cheeses.

Eggs: Always purchase the freshest eggs possibly by checking the expiration dates stamped on the carton. This way you will also know just how long you can safely store them. Look for shells that are clean and un-cracked. Look for shells that are dull in appearance; avoid shiny shells. Store eggs in the refrigerator with the pointed ends down, and away from foods with strong odors. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after handling raw eggs. If an egg is contaminated with the salmonella virus, the rick of contracting salmonella poisoning is much higher if the egg is served raw, had a runny yolk, or is soft set. Infants, young children, the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women should not consume eggs prepared in these manners. In order to destroy the salmonella bacteria, eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius.)

Dried Legumes: Peas and Beans, especially kidney beans, may contain potentially dangerous toxins that can cause food poisoning. When preparing legumes, quickly bring to a rapid boil for a full 10 minutes before draining, rinsing, and beginning again in fresh water.

Meat: Always by the freshest cuts of meat available and refrigerate as quickly as possible. All meats should be removed from the store packaging, discarding the wrapper, absorbent packing, and tray. The meat should then be placed in shallow trays or plates, covered, and stored in the bottom of the refrigerator to avoid the possibility of dripping on other foods. Cooked and uncooked meats must be stored separately and never handled together. Wash your hands, counter and utensils before during and after handling meats. If meats are frozen they should be thawed completely before cooking. Any liquids produced during thawing must be discarded. Raw meats should not be re-frozen. When reheating meat dishes, they should be heated to boiling or above 170 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius.)

Clams and Mussels: Always buy live clams and mussels and cook them on the day you purchase them. Before cooking, dispose of any with cracked or broken shells or with open shells that do not close when tapped. After cooking, discard any that have not opened during cooking.

Potatoes: Potatoes should always be stored in a cool dark place as soon as possible after purchasing. Potatoes that have been exposed to light during storage may develop green patches. These small green patches can be cut out with a knife or vegetable peeler, but if the green covers a large area of the potato it should be discarded. This "greening" can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Poultry: Poultry is potentially the most hazardous as it is especially susceptible to salmonella contamination. Whole birds should be refrigerated as quickly as possible after purchase. Remove all wrappings and any giblets and packaging from the cavity of the bird. It should then by placed on a shallow try or plate, covered loosely and stored in the bottom of the refrigerator. Giblets should be stored covered in a separate bowl. Work surfaces, utensils, and your hands should be washed before and after handling. Poultry should be completely thawed before cooking and should not be re-frozen. Poultry should not be stuffed until immediately before cooking. The stuffing should be cold and should be stuffed loosely in the neck only, not in the cavity. Cook thoroughly. The temperature on a meat thermometer should read at least 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius.)

Cooked Rice: Bacteria, which can cause gastrointestinal problems can develop in cooked rice if not stored properly. Always store cooked rice tightly covered in the refrigerator below 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius.)

Food Safety!

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Kids Cake Decorating Ideas

Kids cake decorating ideas should be based on what will inspire and entertain your child. Every parent knows what their kids' favorite toys, favorite movies and favorite cartoon characters are. You can use this knowledge to bake and decorate a memorable cake. This article will provide some hints and suggestions to help get you started. These ideas cover cake decorations that will appeal to a wide range of children.

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The Fire Truck

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There are few little boys who don't love big red fire trucks. If your son's favorite toy is a fire truck, this method of decorating a cake is a simple way to get a great reaction. There are levels of complexity when it comes to making a fire truck - you can do a simple, rectangular cake with red icing and 'draw' on extra features with an icing bag. This cake would be a 'side-on' or two-dimensional view of the truck.

For something more complicated and impressive, you can bake a 3-D fire truck. You'll need a deeper baking tray to create the correct shape. Icing the cake would again require lots of red icing and some white and brown icing from a bag for the finer details. You can also make the siren lights out of icing or use a plastic add-on.

Animal Cakes

Animal cakes are another great idea - chances are you have a family pet or your child has picked out a favorite animal from a trip to the zoo. A cat, dog or fish shaped cake is fairly simple to prepare with some basic baking trays. These are also fairly simple to decorate with icing, as often only one or two colors will be needed. For something more challenging consider an animal like a monkey with bendy arms and tail, or a striped tiger cake.

Number Cakes

An old favorite for birthday cakes is to bake the cake in the shape of the number of the child's new age. To achieve this you can either buy a baking tray in the right shape, or simply bake a round or rectangular cake in a normal cake pan and then cut out the shape of the number. As far as icing and decorations, you can get creative and add in figurines or iced images signifying important events from the child's year just gone, or the year to come (starting school, for example).

Cartoon Cakes

There are a variety of ways to make use of a kid's favorite cartoon character for a cake. You can do a whole-body cake or just the face to make the task easier. Alternatively, you can bake a simple round or rectanglular cake and buy an edible press-on to go on top of the icing.

Cakes That Look Like Other Food

For some more fun ideas for different cake decorations, consider trying to decorate a cake to look like a pizza or a hamburger. You can use candy and icing to replace vegetables, cheese and meat toppings.

Kids Cake Decorating Ideas

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The Absolute Best Food and Snack Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Party

When it comes to every party, are important, including a feast of thanksgiving, the food and snacks. Therefore, you can try to decide which meals and snacks, you should make your next Thanksgiving. As you probably find that you have an unlimited number of different options.

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Before you can begin to examine popular food and snack ideas, it can examine a good idea, the focus of your Thanksgiving feast. This may make it easier for you to decide on a specificMeal or snack. In most cases you want to be to try to adjust the food of the kind of party you have. For example, if you are planning only party for kids' Thanksgiving can be a good idea, a collection of age appropriate snacks and snacks on hand. In addition to ensuring that your guests enjoy your meal, you can choose the right kind of foods and snacks easier for you to plan and prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday.

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As alreadyabove, if possible with a child-only Thanksgiving is a good idea, children snack on hand. These snacks, chips, pretzels, cheese and crackers, pudding, or a tray of vegetables, and so on. If you are in any age with a feast of Thanksgiving, a holiday where adults and children will be planning, can be ideal, a collection of common foods on hand, foods that can appeal to all ages. These snacks, as already mentionedabove, many include cookies, cheese and crackers, and vegetable snacks.

If you have decided on a formal Thanksgiving party, you will likely want to your party snacks to mirror the theme of you party. This means that you may want to purchase or make more elegant party snacks. These types of party snacks typically include vegetable trays and seafood. In addition to snacks, there is also a good chance that your formal Thanksgiving party will include a formal Thanksgiving dinner. If this is the case, you will need to purchase more than just snacks. You will need to purchase the main course, such as a turkey, as well as side dishes, which may include potatoes, cranberries, and a salad.

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It is also important to examine the drinks that you will have at your Thanksgiving party. You will need to decide right away whether or not you want to serve alcohol at your Thanksgiving party. If you are hosting a causal Thanksgiving party or a formal Thanksgiving party, where adults will be present, alcoholic beverage may be ideal. Despite the fact that many party guests expect to see alcohol at a party, you do not have to serve alcohol if you do not want to; the decision is yours to make.

Although it is important to examine the types of foods, snacks, and drinks you would like to have at your Thanksgiving party, it may also be a good idea to examine when and where you will buy your items. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, you will find that many retail stores, namely grocery stores, place popular Thanksgiving food and snacks on sale. Waiting until this time to purchase you party food, snacks, and drinks may make it so you have can everything that you want, but at an affordable price.

The Absolute Best Food and Snack Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Party

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Fore! A Golf Party Menu

After playing 18 holes on a favorite course, those who play golf are bound to be hungry. Take this into consideration when throwing a golf party after the big scramble. Often couples get together weekly to face off on the links and celebrating this friendship will encourage these games for years to come.

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Spice up an ordinary dinner party for the golf league by creating a golf-inspired menu. Titleist Cheese Balls, Iced Tee, Fore! Chili and Cart Cupcakes.

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To make a Titleist Cheese ball for the golf part gather 8 ounces cream cheese - Softened,
1/2 cup cheddar cheese - shredded, 8 ounces Processed Cheese Spread -- (Cheese Whiz), 1/4 cup green onion -- finely chopped, 1 Clove garlic - minced, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon brandy, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley - snipped, 1 teaspoon paprika, 6 drops Hot Pepper Sauce, 1 1/2 cup pecans -- finely chopped. Place cream cheese and cheddar cheese in a 2-qt microwaveable dish. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Add cheese spread and microwave on High for 20 to 30 more seconds, or until cheeses begin to soften. Beat until smooth. Place onion, garlic and butter in small bowl. Microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds, or until onion is tender. Combine with cheese mixture and Worcestershire sauce, brandy, parsley, paprika and red pepper sauce.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Shape into 48 balls. Roll in pecans. Place on a large tray covered with wax paper. Cheese balls should not touch each other. Freeze until firm. These can be frozen for up to a month in advance.

To Serve: remove 12 cheese balls from container and place in circle on serving plate. Microwave on 30% power (medium-low) for 45 seconds to 2 minutes, or until defrosted but still cool. Rotate plate 1/2 turn every 30 seconds. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Serving up this menu will have you being the talk of the sandtraps!

Fore! A Golf Party Menu

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Nectarines - Summer's Fruit

Nectarines: peaches without the fuzz? Well, not exactly. Nectarines are similar to peaches, both originating in China more than 2000 years ago, and cultivated in ancient Persia, Greece and Rome. They were grown in Great Britain in the late 16th or early 17th centuries, and were introduced to America by the Spanish. Nectarines are smaller than peaches and have a smooth golden yellow skin with shades of red. The yellow flesh often may have a pink tinge, and they have a distinct aroma and more pronounced flavor than the peach. Today, California grows over 95% of the nectarines produced in the United States. They are generally available from April to late August at the market.

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Summer is a great time to find fresh, ripe nectarines in the produce section. There are more than 100 varieties of nectarine, including freestone, or clingstone varieties. The freestone types separate from the pit easily, whereas the flesh of the clingstone type clings to the pit.

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Like peaches, nectarines are low in calories with only about 30-40 calories each. They are also fat free and sodium-free. Each nectarine provides 1 gram of dietary fiber and is a good source of vitamins A and C.

How to pick a nice nectarine at the market:

∑ Look for fruit with no blemishes on the skin.

∑ Avoid extremely hard or dull colored fruits and instead choose nectarines that are barely soft to the touch. If a nectarine is under ripe, allow it to sit on the counter for 2-3 days to ripen.

∑ Handle them carefully as they tend to bruise more easily than peaches. Also avoid fruit that is too soft, wrinkled, or has punctured skin.

Nectarines should be stored in a plastic bag in the coldest part of the fridge. They will generally keep for 5 days. Nectarines can be eaten fresh, sliced, or used in pies or for any recipe called for peaches. Try some sliced onto your breakfast cereal. They are also very good grilled alongside pork or poultry. Simply halve the nectarine and remove pit (freestone varieties work best for this). Brush open side of fruit lightly with oil and place on hot grill. Grill for 15 minutes or until tender and golden. Serve along with meat as a garnish or side dish. They can also be a nice addition sliced into salads.

RECIPE:

Baked Nectarines with Ricotta and Amaretti biscuits

Source: cookitsimply.com

Calories per serving: 205.

Ingredients

2 nectarines, halved and stoned

2 oz. ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon clear honey

1 oz amaretti biscuits, crushed (about 4 small cookies)

1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place the nectarines, cut halves facing up, on a baking tray.

3. Beat together the ricotta cheese, honey, crushed Amaretti biscuits and Amaretto liqueur

4. Spoon the cheese mixture on top of each nectarine halves, pressing down slightly. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

5. Bake the nectarines for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 2.

Nectarines - Summer's Fruit

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A Columbus Day Picnic and Sailing Party

There is a huge misconception about the voyage that Christopher Columbus made to North America in 1492 and the meaning behind Columbus Day, which is celebrated on the 12th of October in the U.S., Spain, and Italy. Christopher Columbus and his crew are renowned for reaching the New World. The legend has it that the trip for which Columbus Day is celebrated resulted in the discovery of North America. In actuality, America had already been discovered. What Christopher Columbus did that makes Columbus Day a special time of celebration for the Spanish and those living in America is that his trip was the first interaction between the two worlds. For this reason, Columbus Day is celebrated in both Spain as well as in America.

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Since Columbus Day is a holiday in most places, your celebration can last all day. If there is a local Columbus Day parade, this could start the celebrations. A Columbus Day party is a perfect outdoor event, with weather permitting. This party is one that features the best of both the American and Latin American worlds. To keep the spirit of the voyage alive, you may consider serving foods similar to those that were eaten by Christopher Columbus and his crew. The staple foods for the crewman included fish, nuts, raisins, cheese, rice, and molasses. You can create several snack trays in addition to small finger sandwiches and lay them on picnic tables.

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In keeping with the spirit of the explorations of Christopher Columbus, a party to celebrate Columbus Day should feature a sailing trip. While the cost will vary according to area, for about 0 you can probably rent a sailboat, complete with a captain, for two hours. If you own a sailboat you're ready to hit the water and make your own exploratory voyage!

A Columbus Day Picnic and Sailing Party

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Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Graphic - Gourmet Dips Olives, Cheese and Crackers - 24"W x 16"H

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Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Graphic - Gourmet Dips Olives, Cheese and Crackers - 24"W x 16"H Feature

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Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Graphic - Gourmet Dips Olives, Cheese and Crackers - 24"W x 16"H Overview

WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won't damage your paint or leave any mess. PLEASE double check the size of the image you are ordering prior to clicking the 'ADD TO CART' button. Our graphics are offered in a variety of sizes and prices.

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Great But Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas

With the cool "ber" breeze around, it is undeniable that Christmas time is just around the corner. Since Christmas time is the perfect time to give gifts to your loved ones, you should be doing your list as early as now.

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If you're feeling low because you don't have much dough to buy gifts, worry no more because there are a lot of cheap gifts out there that you can give out. Remember, the value of a Christmas gift does not lie on its price but the thought behind it.

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MAXIMIZING YOUR RESOURCES

If you're on a tight budget, one way of spending less money is by making home-cooked Christmas treats such as cookies, sweets, and breads. You can give out these home-baked cookies by wrapping it up in a nice cookie jar or box. Sweet bottled sweets like jams can also be placed in beautifully-shaped glass bottles that are perfect for display while baked special bread can be placed in personally-crafted colorful boxes.

Aside from Christmas food gifts, you can also make cheap hand-made Christmas gifts because they are more personalized. If you have a knack for visual art, hand-made Christmas gift ideas may include a special painting, a sculpture, or a sewn or knitted item of clothing. If you're into photography, a candid framed photo of your recipient is touching. If you are into cooking, cook your specialty dish or specialty dessert and send it your recipient. And if you're literary inclined, try writing a short story or a poem for him or her and have it published.

Remember, most people cherish and appreciate home and hand-made Christmas gifts because of the effort the giver exerted just to come up with the present.

If you don't have the knack for cooking, writing, drawing or any visual art, don't lose hope yet. You can still come up with cheap but great Christmas gift items by scouting bazaars, stores on sale and malls.

Before doing that, you must set your budget first. These days, more and more stores offer frugal gift items that can be purchased. Here is the top 10 list of cheap but great Christmas gift ideas you can give out this Yuletide season. These wide range of Christmas gift ideas will surely rock your Christmas festivities and though they're cheap, these Christmas gift ideas can personify the hope and joy the season brings.

1. Unique Christmas decors and ornaments.

2. A set of cheap teacups and saucers with box of special or herbal tea.

3. Cheap gourmet coffees in a personal coffee cup.

4. Scrapbook or collage of photos.

5. Home-made treats such as cookies and candies arranged in a Christmas-inspired jar.

6. A fruit basket filled with a cheap but wide selection of fruits.

7. A Christmas food basket filled with different cheese and cheap wine.

8. A disposable camera that comes with rolls of film.

9. A basket of fancy chocolate bars beautifully tied with colorful ribbons.

10. Special set of holiday serving bowls, platters, and glasses.

Great But Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas

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How to Use Budget Catering With Christmas Party Food

The holiday party season is here so what I thought I would do is suggest some party appetizer ideas for your Christmas party food. What you want to keep in mind to maintain a low-cost budget catering menu is to incorporate easy finger foods along with your holiday buffet.

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As the party host, be creative with your presentation of your Christmas party food and make it easy for your guests to pick up and eat. Create an interactive buffet station by using skewers for your vegetables at the crudites station. Make a vegetable garden presentation using skewered vegetables "planted" in wheat grass.

Cheese Tray Ideas

At the dessert station, build your own fondue station. Again using skewers, offer strawberries, bananas, rice crispy treats, Oreos, marshmallows, to name a few easy finger foods your guests can choose from. If you are trying to watch your weight, select the fruit over the cookies and walk away from the dessert station before you dip into the chocolate!

Christmas party food has a tendency to be very rich and abundant in calories so if you are trying to watch your weight, select the low-calorie alternatives. Party appetizer ideas to watch your weight include selecting the fresh vegetable crudites versus the macaroni cheese bites. Even though the spinach and artichoke and cheese dips are more delicious, dip your veggies into the salsas or various flavored humus dips if offered.

As a host, serving crudites, dips and small bites is an effective use of budget catering. To stretch your dollars further offer easy finger foods such as an anti-pasta station with sliced meats, cheeses and skewered tortellini.

Other party appetizer ideas to help keep your costs low include tray-passing heartier items such as beef or turkey sliders, pigs in blankets, shrimp cocktail and shot glasses filled with soups. You can serve either hot soups such as the classic favorite tomato soup or a cold gazpacho or cucumber soup. By tray-passing these items, you are able to control the portions and timing of the food.

To help maintain a low-cost budget catering menu at the bar, feature a holiday special drink such as a punch with cranberry, Sprite or 7-up, orange juice or pineapple juice and mint leaves. Maybe serve a special alcoholic beverage like a peppermint martini garnished on the rim with crushed peppermint.

I hope you found these party appetizer ideas helpful for your Christmas party food. You can keep costs at a minimum with budget catering by controlling the portions via tray-passing some easy finger foods. Until next time, remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

How to Use Budget Catering With Christmas Party Food

Cheese Tray Ideas

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