There is a lot of balancing that goes into planning a winning party appetizer menu. It’s a challenge to come up with that perfect palate satisfying mix of flavors and textures plus an aesthetically pleasing presentation which is within your budget PLUS pulling it all together seamlessly— whew! One handy trick is an arsenal of super easy but yummy and attractive recipes. Then you can add one or two show stoppers ( or perhaps buy them) and there you are, the hostess with the mostest.
Asian meatballs with pineapple and pea pods
Here is an appetizer recipe that will please just about everyone on your guest list. Bursting with ginger, garlic, soy and cilantro, they are baked and then covered in a sweet and spicy sauce. They hold up well in a chafing dish and are terrific when skewered with pineapple chunks and pea pods. If there happen to be any leftovers, they are delicious in a wrap for lunch the next day or over rice for dinner! Read More
Sweet potato cakes
Sweet potatoes are tasty, inexpensive and chock full of vitamins A, C, B2, B6 and an army of other dietary friends. But they can be a bit, well, sweet, and bland, and when made into fries or chips, they are downright soggy. Here is a simple recipe which avoids all of those pitfalls. Read More
Double Ginger Shortbread
It’s a chilly and wet October afternoon, with a hard-to-ignore sore throat and stuffy nose, so it’s time for yet another cup of hot tea… Yawn, snore, bo–ring! Wouldn’t that cup of ho- hum tea be a little more appealing with something to dunk into it? Something with a subtle and complementary flavor, and sturdy enough to hold together when dunked? Read More
Easy Ginger-garlic chicken
Here’s a quick and easy chicken recipe for those meals when time or energy is in short supply. It calls for only kitchen staples and is flavorful but not spicy so it is also very kid friendly. Serve with rice or Asian style noodles, some veggies and there’s your dinner, quick as a lick! Read More
Family masterpiece… Nanna’s stew
On the recipe bucket list remains this item: Boeuf Bourguignon, the famous Julia Child recipe. It is a classic from the 1960’s, a French masterpiece of layered flavors and quality ingredients, requiring a formidable investment of time and energy, not to mention quite a chunk from the wallet. But it is apparently most swoon worthy, memorable and absolutely worthwhile. Maybe one day…..