Host a Fairytale Party!

MENU SUGGESTIONS

Always ask for nutritional requirements of your guests with the RSVPs to determine if they have any allergies or objections to particular ingredients.

Recipes courtesy of the Halloween Party Host Handbook

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APPETIZERS:

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CRACKEN TOAST (TOAST SKAGEN)

Ingredients: (serves 8 (2 toasts each – calculate for the amount of guests you will have)      

3 TBS mayo

3 TBS crème fraiche

3 TBS finely chopped dill

1/2/ TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt, pepper to taste

1 lb. peeled, precooked small Swedish or rock shrimp, patted dry, cut into smaller pieces

2 TBS unsalted butter

4 slices of Pullman bread with crusts removed, cut into 4 triangles

4 oz. golden whitefish caviar (optional)

 Instructions:  Stir mayo, crème fraiche, dill, lemon, salt and pepper together in a bowl until mixed thoroughly.  Stir in the shrimp, mix thoroughly. 

Melt 1TBS butter in a pan over med heat and sauté the bread pieces until golden brown and crisp. 

Add a spoonful of shrimp mix onto the top of each toast and top with optional caviar.  You can refrigerate the shrimp mix for up to 1 day.

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ENTREE:

 

URSULA’S SEATASTIC DELIGHT (SALMON DISH)

Ingredients: (serves 4 – calculate for the amount of guests you will have)     

4 passion fruits

4 6-8 oz. skinless salmon fillets

2 tsp. olive oil

1 TBS unsalted butter

3 TBS minced shallot

2 TBS honey mustard

2 tsp. white wine vinegar

¼ cup dry white wine

4 cups fresh mixed greens

Salt, pepper to taste

 Instructions:  prepare the passion fruit by extracting the flesh and straining through a strainer, using a rubber spatula to push it through.  You should yield about 3 TBS of juice.   Put salt and pepper on the salmon fillets and heat oil in a nonstick pan over med-high.  Add the fish and cook for about 4 minutes per side.  Remove the fillets and put on a covered plate.

Reduce pan to low heat and add half of the butter and cook the shallots for about 2 minutes.  Add the passion fruit juice, mustard, honey, vinegar, white wine.  Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until thick for about 2 minutes.  Turn the heat off and add the rest of the butter.

Place mixed greens on each plate with a fillet on top.  Add the sauce on top of the salmon and greens and serve.

 

FOREST TREATS (SAUTEED VEGGIES)

Ingredients:

6 oz. of carrots – peel and slice into 1 inch diagonals

6 oz. of green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1 inch diagonals

6 oz. asparagus with the ends trimmed, strings removed and cut into 1 inch diagonals

6 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed with strings removed and cut into 1 inch diagonals

6 oz. yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

2 TBS olive oil

½ small purple onion, diced

Salt, pepper to taste

¼ cup of finely chopped basil leaves

Instructions:  Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add salt and carrots, cook for about 2-3 minutes.  Add the rest of the veggies (besides onions, tomatoes) and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes.  Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool/blanch, draining when cooled.

Heat oil in a large skillet on low. Add onions and cook about 4 minutes until translucent.  Add blanched veggies and tomatoes, salt/pepper to taste.  Raise heat to high and cook about 5 minutes, adding basil at the end.

Toss to serve.  Can be served under the salmon dish above – over the greens and add the salmon sauce to it.

 

THREE LITTLE PIGS PORK CHOPS WITH GRANDMOTHER’S STUFFING

Ingredients: (serves 4 – calculate for the amount of guests you will have)     

 1 cup cubed (~ ½”) bread with crusts removed

1 TBS unsalted butter

¼ cup of olive oil

½ cup sweet yellow onion, minced

¾ cup of diced celery

¼ cup mixed parsley and thyme

2 minced garlic cloves

¼ cup dry cooking sherry

2 tsp. ground coriander

½ cup chicken broth

Salt, pepper to taste

4 bone-in pork chops

 Instructions:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Add the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast until golden ~ 7-8 minutes.  Heat the oil and butter in a pan over med heat.  Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes until golden brown.  Add celery and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.  Set onions and celery aside in a bowl.  Add the bread, herbs, 1 tsp. coriander, 3 TBS broth with the onion mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the pork chops with the bread mixture above.  Mix the garlic, remaining coriander, salt to taste, TBS oil, and rub down the pork chops with this marinade.

Heat 2 TSP of oil in a pan on med high heat, add pork and cook until golden brown about 3 minutes.  Flip and repeat.  Transfer the pan to the oven and using a meat thermometer, cook until done (~ 15 min).  Transfer to a covered plate. 

In the same pan, add cooking sherry and remaining broth and cook until reduced, serve with pork.

 

DESSERTS:

 

HANSEL & GRETYL’S DEEP FOREST TEMPTATION (CITRUS CARAMEL PARFAIT)

Ingredients:

3 oranges

2 blood oranges

1 pink grapefruit

2 tangerines

¼ cup cold water

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 cup granulated sugar

1 TBS light corn syrup

1.5 TBS unsalted butter

1 ¾ cup heavy cream

½ cup crème fraiche

Tiny bit o’salt

Instructions:  Mousse: Place 2 TBS of cold water in a bowl and sprinkle with gelatin, letting stand for 5 minutes.  In a saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup and ¼ cup cold water to a boil until the sugar is completely dissolved.  In order to prevent sugar crystals from forming on the side of the pan, you will need to get a wet pastry brush or other tool to brush mix down.  Cook until a dark amber, about 13 minutes.

Remove from the heat, adding butter slowly, whisking after each addition to ensure the butter melts.  Add ¼ cup of the crème fraiche and cream, sprinkle a little salt in the mix and stir until smooth.    Transfer the mix into a bowl and add the gelatin mixture, stirring thoroughly.  Let cool and stir while cooling.

In a separate bowl, whisk the remainder of the crème fraiche and cream until peaks form.  Gently fold this into the cooled caramel, cover and put into refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, preferably overnight. 

With the citrus fruits, carefully remove the flesh from the membranes, removing all piths.

To assemble your parfaits, arrange layers in alternating citrus and mousse and place in refrigerator until serving.  Serve with gingerbread cookies on the side.

 

COCKTAILS FOR ADULTS:

TOPSY TURVY MARTINI (DISREGARD FOR TEENS)

¾ gin

2 oz. vinho verde

3 stuffed green olives

Pour gin over ice, top with vinho verde, stir.  Add olives.

 

POPPY FIELD BLISS (DISREGARD FOR TEENS)

2 TBS red currant puree, chilled in the refrigerator

Chilled champagne

Place the currant puree in a champagne flute.  Slowly pour over the champagne and serve.

 

BONUS ACTIVITIES!

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BOTH AVAILABLE AT MY MYSTERY PARTY’S PROP EMPORIUM AND MOST ONLINE BOOK RETAILERS.

 

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