14 Quick and Easy Last Minute Party Recipes

 
Having a last minute get-together for the New Year?  ... or maybe you just want to add something to your planned menu.... here are some great little quick and easy  Hors'dourves recipes to consider...










Bacon Wrapped Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives Horseradish Dip ... takes minutes to prepare.. and will always be a hit with your guests







Antipasto Party Skewers

Fabulous New Year's Day Brunch Ideas

I love celebrating the holidays... what could be better than celebrating with family and friends... whether it's a breakfast for two or twenty... breakfast or brunch can not only be fun but also easy. There are so many recipes to consider... from foods kids love to adult favorites... many are easy and can be either prepared in advance or at least partially in advance to make the holiday fun and

Champagne Tips

I thought it would be a good idea to include some information on champagne with New Year’s just around the corner. I hope you find the information helpful.








These tips are from the Korbel website….

Store your champagne in a cool, dark area and keep the bottle on its side. Champagne remains good for up to three years.

How much to buy?

Allow six very generous glasses per standard 750

Recipe: Sausage and Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe for Sausage and Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms is
adapted from my Crab Stuffed Mushrooms... both are excellent and easy to make....
great for a party or even just an appetizer before a meal.

TIPS

I use breakfast sausage.... the breakfast sausage you use is
up to you... there are numerous options out there... "regular"
breakfast sausage... spicy breakfast sausage... chicken or turkey

Recipe: Sausage Cheddar Balls

These Sausage Cheddar Balls are so easy  to make... are great as an addition to party
snack tray or just by themselves.... perfect for a party or just watching the
game... best of all... they won't keep you slaving in the kitchen.

TIPS

The breakfast sausage you use is up to you... there are
numerous options out there... "regular" breakfast sausage... spicy
breakfast sausage... chicken or

Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Potatoes

This quick and easy hors d'oeuvre is sure to please... after
all ... what's not to like?  How can you
possibly go wrong with bacon and potatoes?

TIPS

You can find bags of small potatoes in the produce section
of the grocery store.  I would stay away
from the red potatoes.. they tend to be softer and fall apart... instead ...
you can find small yellow poatoes.. they will work well.

Don't

Recipe: Sour Cream and Chive Horseradish Dip

I serve this Sour Cream and Chive Horseradish Dip with many
things... especially potatoes... It simply is terrific with hors d'oeuvres.

TIPS

The quantities for the horseradish are really to taste... the
amount you use depends on the freshness and quality of the horseradish... start
with a half a teaspoon and go from there....

Don't use dried chives.. they really are a waste of money...

Recipe: Cranberry Cornbread

This great recipe for Cranberry Cornbread is quick and easy.. looks great and tastes great... perfect for the holidays... when you need something around for guests to enjoy... a great little addition to a brunch... or maybe just for the family to grab for a quick weekday breakfast.....I make it at the beginning of a week.. so I have a quick breakfast for picky eaters.. who would normally

Recipe: Creamed Onions Mornay

This recipe is a little spin on traditional Creamed Onions.  Traditional Creamed Onions is made with a
basic white sauce.  This recipe adds a
soft Gruyere/Swiss cheese flavor, that in my opinion, takes the dish to a whole new level. 

So Just What is a Mornay Sauce? 

Mornay sauce is a wonderful cheese sauce that enhances many dishes. It is a
basic Béchamel sauce or White sauce that has

Fabulous Holiday Foods

Having a little holiday get together? Don't want to spend hours in the kitchen? Here are some great ideas to get you started...

How about a nice little gathering with bite sized appetizers… You might also want to end the evening with a small tray of sweets too…. a little something to serve with tea or coffee….

TIPS

When planning a menu keep in mind the “do-ahead” factor….. preparing ahead

Recipe: Crock Pot Baked Ziti

Crock pot meals are perfect for busy days... and also for
parties... yes.. parties.  What better
way to serve many main dishes... they cook by themselves and stay hot while
serving... who could ask for more.

I've done my share of experimenting and believe me Warren
gets the good the bad and the ugly... luckily this was one of the good ones!

TIPS

Be sure to spray the inside with cooking oil

2 years

wow, where does the time go?! 2 years ago i started sharing recipes with you. 2 years of butter, chocolate, pumpkin, yum, and balance - you have to throw in some healthy too, right?!! 2 years of me squatting on my tiny balcony trying to get the perfect photo to show off the goodness coming from my kitchen for you.

photo by my amazing friend heather talbert

a lot has happened in 2 years. i moved to chicago, i got a new job, i got an amazing little kitten and named her after one of my favorite restaurants in chicago - sable, i got engaged, i got another new job, i was featured on the huffington post food blog and lots of other amazing food websites, and i've shared 84 recipes and stories with you guys. 

thanks for 2 years of comments, likes, and for just stopping by. thanks for 2 years of you sharing this adventure with me. i'm so excited to share next year with you too. hopefully lots of years after that too. 

Recipe: Toffee Gooey Butter Cake

What would the holiday season be without a new Gooey Butter
Cake recipe?  I love making Gooey Butter
Cake...  all kinds... they're quick,
they're easy... they're easy to tote.... they're sweet and rich... a little
goes a long way... and it seems everyone loves them.

I think I like this version of Gooey Butter Cake even better
than the original... it's sinfully good!

No lie... this is rich

Recipe: Cowboy Meatloaf and Potato Casserole

Cowboy Meatloaf and Potato Casserole creates a new spin on
an old family favorite.   The blend of
BBQ sauce and cheesy potatoes with bacon bits gives new life to a hum drum
meal.

This recipe is both easy and very adaptable to just how much
you want to make from scratch and how much you want to use shortcuts... either
way.. this makes for an excellent weeknight meal.

TIPS

I highly recommend

i like you a latke!

I grew up in a mixed faith household. Which makes this time of year extra amazing, especially where food is concerned. Two years ago I made it a mission of mine to learn how to make a good traditional latke. 

I turned to my future mother in law first to get all of her tips, tricks, and secrets. It turns out her method is much easier than I anticipated. Abbey's secret to a good latke is vegsal (a salt like spice that includes dried herbs) and seltzer (to make them fluffy). 

After my lesson with Abbey, I stumbled upon a second lesson from my amazing Aunt Aynnie. I don't know why it never occurred to me to ask my Dad's sister to share their Jewish cooking tips and tricks. Her method was a little different from Abbeys and were equally delicious.

My recipe involves a combination of things from both women with some of my own tricks sprinkled in. I find potatoes to be pretty bland. I think it's really important to add as much flavor as possible into the mixture before cooking. Vegsal is nice but I prefer good ole sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder. No need to buy obscure seasoning. Just use the staples! 

I also learned that you don't need a vat of oil to fry these babies up. ½ -1 inch in the bottom of a pan is all that's necessary. I think they're best hot off the fryer but if you want to eat them together, a 250º F oven is your best friend. Finish with a dollop of roasted applesauce and sour cream (greek yogurt if you're being healthy like my Aunt Aynnie) and you've got yourself the perfect traditional latke. If you're a shiksha like me, you might even dare to use ketchup with your latkes. A sin I know, but really they're glorified hashbrown patties and ketchup was made for fried potatoes. Too far? 

I hope you have an amazing holiday, whatever you celebrate. 

latkes

yields about 12 latkes

ingredients:
4 russet potatoes
1 large onion
1 egg
½ TBSP salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ c. matzoh meal
¼ c. seltzer
1 - 2 cups of canola oil

Preheat oven to 250º F. Peel potatoes and cut in half hot dog style (vertically). Peel and cut the onion into quarters. With the small shred attachment on your food processor, alternate shredding 7 of the potato halves with the 4 onion chunks (about 5 cups). Pull out any of the large potato or onion chunks and put to the side. Dump the shredded mixture into a large bowl. Place the last half of the potato and any of the larger chunks into the food processor fitted with the standard blade this time. Pulse it a few times until you get small coarse chunks. Dump into the bowl and add in the egg, salt, onion + garlic powder. Give it a good mix, breaking the yolk of the egg and incorporating everything. Then add in your matzoh meal and seltzer water. Top the mixture with saran wrap directly on the mixture. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 - 40 minutes. It's ok if the potatoes turn a little brown. The plastic will help prevent it from oxidizing too much and you're going to be frying it anyway so it's not noticable. Letting the mixture rest lets some of the juices pull out of the potato and you can skip the annoying towel wringing process.

In a large skillet (use a non-stick pan if you don't have a high quality stainless steel pan or  cast iron skillet), put enough oil to make about a half inch in the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium heat until the oil is hot and ready. You can test the oil by putting a little pinch of salt into the oil. When it sizzles, it's ready for latke making! In a slotted spoon, place about a ¼ c. of the potato mixture, let as much of the liquid drain away and gently plop it into the oil and then lightly pat the top to flatten it out. Cook 4 latkes at a time, you want to make sure you don't over crowd the pan. If you do, it will drop the temperature of the oil too low and they'll stick and not cook through or brown properly. Flip when the bottoms are golden brown about 5 minutes each side. I find using a pair of tongs with the spatula helps prevent splattering when you flip them. 

You may need to adjust the temperature if the latkes are browning too fast or too slow. You want them to cook long enough that the potato in the middle cooks through and the outside doesn't overcook. When the latkes are done, place them on a few layers of paper towels (about 2-3) and give them a tiny dusting of salt. You can keep them in a warm oven while the rest of the latkes cook. 

Serve with sour cream, roasted applesauce and a small sprinkling of chives or chopped parsley for a pop of color. 

improv style:

there are so many amazing variation ideas for these. you can chop up fresh herbs and add it to your batter. green onions or rosemary would be fantastic. i think russet potatoes make the best latkes because of their starch content but really you could use any potato. sweet potatoes would be such a fun twist with a pinch of cinnamon or star anise instead of garlic and onion powder!

if you don't have matzoh meal, you could use bread crumbs or even a sprinkle of flour instead. this just helps bind them together a little better and come on, what's more jewish than matzoh?! 

if you don't have a food processor, just use a regular cheese grater. everyone has a different preference on how they like their latkes. i like the small grate but if you like larger or smaller potato chunks, adjust accordingly. it will still turn out the same.

if you're feeling really sinful, consider frying them in a combo of bacon fat and canola oil. i know it's not kosher and i know it's technically a sin but if you're less traditional, this would add a TON of amazing flavor. if i haven't lost you yet but you're still appalled by my bacon suggestion, schmaltz (chicken fat) would be another great way to add flavor to your frying oil. 

Recipe: Southern Smothered Pork Chops

Southern Smothered Pork Chops are a delicious Southern
favorite and is a nice change from other recipes... it really is a light creamy
sauce... quick and easy to make.

TIPS
You can use bone in or boneless loin pork chops.

I dredge them in a seasoned flour about 1/2 cup of flour is
all you need for 4 - 6 large chops and you probably will have a bit left.  Season the flour with a sprinkling

Recipe: Cream Cheese with Pepper and Onion Relish Spread

This Cream Cheese with Pepper and Onion Relish Spread is
truly the easiest spread you will ever make.. and believe me.. it will
disappear in no time.  This is perfect if
you have to bring something to a get together or party... even a food day at
work!

I always have on hand Harry and David's Pepper and Onion
Relish and a brick or two of cream cheese..  and we always have some crackers in the