• Shrimp Tray (5 servings)
• Vegetable Tray (10 servings)
• Hillshire Farms Little Smokies (8 servings)
• Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (6 servings)
• Land O’Lakes Egg Nog (8 servings)
• Red Velvet cake

With many budgets tight this holiday season it’s good to know you can put together a New Years Eve meal for your guests without breaking the bank.

Check out the spread! Definitely looks delicious to me. The cake looks wonderful! I think I might have to make it next week (from scratch). I like red velvet cake, but I haven’t made it for a while, and that cream cheese and coconut icing sounds wonderful.

Creamy Coconut frosted Red Velvet Cake

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup of softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 ounces), divided
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of lime zest

Preparation:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in medium bowl until smooth.
2. Beat in powdered sugar; fold in 1 cup flaked coconut and lime zest.
3. Spread frosting on cakes, leaving 1/2-inch plain border; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup coconut

Smokies filled Mushrooms

• 6 little smokies, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder or cayenne
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic garlic
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Olive oil
• 24 large (about 2-inch-diameter) mushrooms, stemmed
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. Sauté sausage,oregano, chili powder and garlic in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through and brown, breaking into small pieces with back of fork, about 7 minutes.
2. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to large bowl and cool. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce and cilantro , then cream cheese. Season filling with salt and pepper; mix in egg yolk.
3. Brush 15×10x2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil to coat. Brush cavity of each mushroom cap with remaining olive oil; fill with scant 1 tablespoon filling and sprinkle with some of remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Arrange mushrooms, filling side up, in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and filling is brown on top, about 25 minutes.

Coquito ( puerto rican style egg nog)

• 2 cans of egg nog
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk
• 1/2 cup of coconut cream (optional also called coco lopez)
• 1 cup of white rum
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree for 3 minutes at high speed till frothy.

Serve chilled and with a dusting of cinnamon.

Mexican shrimp cocktail

• 12 cooked large shrimp (1/2 lb)
• 2 plum tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 jalalpeno finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1tablespoon of chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 California avocado

Garnish: lime wedges
Preparation:

1. Stir together tomatoes, scallion, jalapeno ,cilantro, lemon and lime juices, salt, and pepper.
2. Just before serving, finely dice avocado and stir into tomato salsa.
3. Chop shrimp into quarter inch piece and toss into tomato avocado salsa. Great served on top of tortilla chips.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 tube crescent rolls
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 pound chilled blue cheese (preferably Stilton or Gorgonzola), crumbled
• 1/2 cup of diced apples
• 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
2. Cut crescent rolls into 1-inch cubes. Put cubes in a large shallow baking pan and drizzle with melted butter, gently tossing to coat. Arrange cubes in 1 layer and bake, turning occasionally, until pale golden and crisp around edges but still soft inside, 12 minutes.
3. Cool crescent cubes slightly in pan on a rack, then poke a hole three fourths of the way through each cube from top using large end of chopstick, making hole about 1/3 inch in diameter. In a small bowl add blue cheese, apples, walnuts, parsley and olive oil mix well and season with salt and pepper. Press about 1/2 teaspoon blue cheese mixture into each hole, mounding slightly.
4. Just before serving, reheat cubes , cheese side up, in baking pan in a 400°F oven until warm and crisp, about 5 minutes.

Images: Walmart/ Aaron Sanchez

Post from: She Knows Parties

Today he’s sharing some holiday entertaining tips, including going gourmet on a budget, making your buffet table look fabulous, and some tips for pulling of a successful last minute holiday party.

Enjoy!

Me: Many have to keep a tight rein on their expenses with the economy. What are some of your favorite tips for making your holiday party gourmet on a budget?

Ryan: Think cheaper cuts of meat and braise them to make them tender. Also, think shrimp and pork tenderloin as an alternative to filet mignon and lobster.

Me: What are some of your favorite foods for holiday entertaining?

Ryan: I don’t like to do the classic turkey ham. An herb crusted prime rib, yorkshire pudding, garlic roasted mashed potatoes and spiked egg nog is a family favorite of mine. It’s very easy to do buffet style and everyone can serve themselves. A roast is very easy to serve and you don’t have to worry about individual temperatures as you would with individual steaks.

Me: Do you have any tips for pulling off a successful last minute holiday party?

Ryan: Everything store bought is not a bad thing. A bag of baked pita chips with hummus is a great little chips and dip alternative. Procuitto wrapped dates stuffed with Parmesan is a quick and easy appetizer that you can pop into the oven and get done in 5 minutes. You can make a great mimosa with Zipang Sparkling Sake, Pomegranate seeds and Eldeflower Liquor.

Me: Any secret ideas for making your holiday buffet fabulous?

Ryan: Use chafing dishes to keep things warm and affordable. They range anywhere from $40-$75 and will pay for themselves throughout the year. These can be found at any restaurant supply store and look fabulous on a buffet table.

I want to thank Ryan for taking time out of his busy schedule to share some holiday entertaining tips with She Knows Party readers.

Image: Istockphoto.com

Post from: She Knows Parties

Bravo Top Chef Star Chef Ryan Scott put together a delicious chili and a mahi mahi soup recipe, both featuring rum, to help warm you inside and out this holiday season.

Jamaican Jerk Rum Chili
Chef Ryan Scott
Yield:
8 cups

So here is my Sunday fun day chili with a kick, nothing is better than adding rum and beer to a big pot of chili. In this recipe we have made the Jamaican jerk seasoning from scratch, but if you are not feeling adventurous on the day you are making this chili you can find ready made in your local grocery store. But Guys give this a whirl and I guarantee to you your lady already had these spices in your kitchen aka it is called a pantry.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 ½ lb lean ground pork
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 ½ cup yellow onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon Habanero, finely minced or jalapeno (if you can’t handle the heat)
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 3 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon clove
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup rum
• 1 bottle beer, recommend Island Land Shark Beer
• 1-14oz canned chicken broth
• 1 14oz canned chopped tomatoes
• 1 7oz canned salsa verde
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped
• ¼ cup sour cream
• Garnish with corn chips

Procedure:
1. In a medium size soup pot over medium high heat, add ¼ cup vegetable oil. Add meat and lightly brown for 6-8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of flour and cook for 1 minute and remove meat mixture from pot.

2. In the same pot, reheat to medium high heat and add ¼ cup vegetable oil, minced onions, Habanero, ginger and garlic and slowly cook for 8-10 minutes or until mixture is completely tender and has no crunch.

3. Add spice mixture to onion and lightly toast for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is golden brown. Remove pot from the heat, add meat and rum then return to stove stop and cook until mixture is dry. (Beware, the rum could ignite like a flambé, make sure you are standing away from the pot as you add the pot back to the flame.) Add beer, chicken broth, tomatoes, salsa verde and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in chopped cilantro before serving.

4. Garnish with a little bit of sour cream in each bowl and top with any kind of fried corn chip as a garnish.

Caribbean Mahi Mahi Holiday Soup
Chef Ryan Scott

Yield:
4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless Mahi Mahi, cut into 1 ½” cubes
• 2 medium Onions, sliced
• ¼ cup Chives, chopped
• ¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
• 2 large Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh Lime Juice
• 1 tablespoon Golden Sun Tommy Bahama Rum
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 cup Fish Stock (or Low Sodium Chicken or Vegetable Stock)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Place the fish into a large bowl. In another large bowl, mix the onions, chives, cilantro, tomatoes, thyme, lime juice and rum together and pour over the fish. Marinate for 1 hour, turning frequently.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the garlic and sugar and heat until mixture begins to bubble. Add the fish and cook till golden. Add the marinade, Worcestershire sauce, stock, salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs.

Chef Scott has some holiday entertaining tips and tricks to share soon here at She Knows Parties, stay tuned!

Post from: She Knows Parties

I think it will be great for holiday entertaining and winter parties. Party guests will be able to create their own individualized coffee beverages including holiday classics Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Lattes. Yum!

So far I’ve tried the Cappuccino, the Cafe Lungo, and the Chococino (hot chocolate). I love the froth on the cappuccino, and the flavor. The hot chocolate was delicious with a rich dark chocolate flavor. The coffee was fairly good, but nothing super special, I’m not sure I’ll use it to brew regular coffee. I think I’ll leave that to the coffee maker and use the Dolce Gusto for the gourmet drinks.

The Dolce Gusto is also a great conversation starter for your holiday parties with it’s unique appearance and coffee abilities it will definitely have your guests talking. It comes with a latte glass, a cup and a saucer. I love the latte glass, you can see the layers in the glass while your drink is being made.

The only drawback I see is that you have to use the special pre-sealed capsules, the cost averages out to about $1 per drink, which is definitely cheaper than purchasing the same drinks at your local coffee shop, but still a little on the high side for at home on a daily basis.

On the positive side it only takes about a minute to make a frothy cappuccino, or brew a steamy cup of coffee.

Overall though I’m very pleased with it, and glad to have it as an addition for my holiday parties, and cold winter mornings. I do like that I can make one cup of coffee at a time, which works great when I’m the only one home in the morning.

I do plan to purchase more of the capsules for cappuccino and I think I’ll give the Gusto Mocha a try next it didn’t come in the coffee beverage assortment that came with the NESCAFE Dolce Gusto. I’m a big mocha fan, so I can’t wait to give them a try. They also have a new skinny cappuccino available which sounds like a great option.

You can find out more about the Dolce Gusto at the Dulce Gusto website, they also have a store locator. I also found the machine and the capsules at Amazon.com

Image L Gerlach

Post from: She Knows Parties

• 1 pkg Nasoya Egg Roll Wraps
• 2 ham steaks
• 1 Cup broccoli florets
• 2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 Cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Preparation Method:Preheat oven to 400(F). Chop the ham steaks into small cubes (1/4″ to 1/2″). Blend the 2 cheeses together add in the broccoli and ham, mix well. Take 2 tablespoons full of mixture and place into the middle of the egg roll wrapper.Dip finger in water and rub 2 edges of the wrap. Then form a triangle by folding one corner to the opposite corner. Press firmly to seal edges. Place on baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes.I was going to get a photo of the inside, but I blinked and they were gone. I would say they were a big hit with my family.Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: She Knows Parties

They were super easy to make, I just preheated the oven and popped them in for about 15 minutes to heat them up and they were ready to serve.

I think these would be delicious drizzled with a little melted chocolate. Yum! I thought they were really good warm out of the oven, but they received mixed reviews from my guests. I think you have to enjoy brie cheese to really get the flavor of these fillo rolls. Guests who like brie cheese enjoyed them, others were not as crazy about them.

They’re definitely easy to throw in the oven for those last minute gatherings if you have them on hand.

I would definitely try them again. I’m a big fan of light and flaky fillo hors d’oeuvres, they’re usually easy to make with fillo sheets and your own filling, or baked up from pre made treats.

Images: Fillo Factory and L Gerlach

Post from: She Knows Parties

One lucky She Knows Parties reader will win the following Paula Deen Bakeware:

• 1  2-qt covered baking dish
• 1 pie dish
• 1 whisk
• 1 egg beater
• 1 measuring cup set
• 1 measuring spoon set
• 1 metal slotted spoon
• 1 metal serving fork
• 4 Red/Wood spatulas (assorted sizes)
• 1 Wood spoon
• 1 wood slotted spoon

Paula Deen Bakeware and kitchen gadgets are available at Walmart. The bakeware includes beautiful, oven-to-table stoneware pieces like pie plates, casseroles, loaf pans and mixing bowls with a ribbed leaf pattern. They’re ideal for baking, serving and reheating and designed for microwave, oven, refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher use. The line also includes all your kitchen gadgets from spatulas to mechanical egg beaters to measuring cups and spoons with a rooster motif.

How can you win the Paula Deen Bakeware listed above?

• Leave a comment here on this post telling why you need new bakeware for the holidays, or what kind of goodies you plan on making for upcoming get-togethers.
• You can get bonus entries by posting about the contest on your own blog, tweeting about the giveaway (tweet it to @Linetteg), but you need to leave an additional comment to let us know which bonus entries you did to get credit for them.
• The contest is open to US residents only.
• The contest will end at midnight EST on December 11th.
• The winner will be selected from a random draw at the end of the contest, and will be notified by email, they winner will also be posted here at She Knows Parties after the contest ends.

Good luck!

Post from: She Knows Parties

The other day I decided I was going to dip a few of them in chocolate and make some little chocolate covered cherry snowmen just for fun. They turned out really cute so I thought I’d share them here. Here are a few of them posing for their glamor shot.

Here’s how I made them:

White Chocolate Covered Cherry Snowmen

• Merry Maraschino Cherries (removed from juice and patted dry
• White melting chocolate melted according to package directions
• A little orange melting chocolate melted to package directions for the nose
• Brown or black melting chocolate for the eyes and charcoal mouth

Hold the cherries by the stem and dip them into the melted white chocolate until they are completely coated. Lay the chocolate covered cherry on wax paper to cool and dry.

Once the chocolate is solid, melt a little brown chocolate and use a toothpick to dot on eyes, and a charcoal mouth. Use another toothpick to put a drop or two of orange chocolate for a nose.

These are a very simple but fun winter treat you can add to your holiday dessert table.

Today is the last day to enter to win a jar of Merry Maraschino cherries, if you haven’t entered yet, hop over and leave a comment on the giveaway post to get entered before midnight tonight!

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: She Knows Parties

It’s quick and easy when you need a last minute holiday take along, or if you decide to have a few friends over for an impromptu holiday gathering. Add some chocolate covered strawberries, cherries, or fresh raspberries and your friends will think you’ve gone gourmet.

I have tons of holiday cheer coming your way in the next couple weeks to help you get a good start on your holiday party plans for Christmas, New Years, and beyond.

Peanut Butter and Hazelnut Pinwheels

Ingredients:

• 1 Mission Life Balance flour tortilla
• 2 tablespoons Peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon melted dark chocolate
• ¼ cup Bananas, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Recipe Instructions:

1. Heat the dark chocolate in the microwave until melted.
2. Spread the peanut butter and dark chocolate on tortilla.
3. Place thin slices of banana on the tortilla and sprinkle with hazelnuts.
4. Roll the tortilla into a pinwheel.
5. Cut off ends and slice into three pieces.

You should definitely serve these right away while the chocolate is still melted and warm. They would make a delicious holiday snack, or party finger food. They’ll be a big hit with kids, especially if you let them help you make the pinwheels.

Image and recipe courtesy of  Mission Menus

Post from: She Knows Parties

I got to check out Paula’s new rectangular baking dish, the three piece mixing bowl set, measuring cup set, some wooden spoon, and a slotted metal spoon. It’s a very nice set I love the color, and the pattern. I checked out some of the other pieces while I was at Walmart yesterday. I think I might have to go back for the covered baking dish and the pie dish.

I used the baking dish and the small bowl from the mixing bowl as a vegetable tray on Thanksgiving day. I know that’s not the intended use for either one, but they made a very nice presentation.

The entire set of Paula Deen bakeware and kitchen gadgets are available at Walmart and include beautiful, oven-to-table stoneware pieces like pie plates, casseroles, loaf pans and mixing bowls with a ribbed leaf pattern.

They’re ideal for baking, serving and reheating and designed for microwave, oven, refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher use. The line also includes all your kitchen gadgets from spatulas to mechanical egg beaters to measuring cups and spoons with a rooster motif.

I have great news! I have a giveaway coming up next week where one lucky She Knows Party reader will be able to win their own Paula Deen bakeware, so stay tuned!

Image L Gerlach

Post from: She Knows Parties