My friend Stacy recently asked me for some appetizer suggestions for an afternoon party she was going to. The main issues? There would be a lot of people at the party (around 80, she thought), it was going to be outside (so the food would have to be good at room temperature or above) and it had to be easy (Stacy is mom to Miles, age 2.75).
As I typed out my list of suggestions, I thought of my brief stint as a caterer. In 2006, I embarked on Fare by Clare, a private chef/catering company. But after only three months, I was involved in an accident that left me unable to work, so I had to let the business go. I'm now mostly recovered, and am back to work, but can't really do the heavy lifting and physical labor that catering requires. So, Fare by Clare is now a fond but distant memory.
Sorry for getting a bit off topic! My point is that, as a caterer, I used to have to come up lots of appetizer ideas that had to meet all of Stacy's criteria. Since I still have some photos from my catering days, I wanted to share some of my standards with you in the hope that it will help you if you're ever in need of fun, creative and easy food ideas for a party. Enjoy! Oh, and thanks to
Bridget Vezina, who was kind enough in the beginning of my catering business to send me great tips and ideas (one of her suggestions is included below). I saw her on
Recipe for Success on the
Food Network today and wanted to give her a shout-out.
1. Cilantro & garlic shrimp skewers: Marinate peeled and deveined shrimp in a mixture of minced cilantro, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper (puree in food processor for a smoother marinade). Skewer, and bake in a 400 degree oven on cookie sheets for 4-6 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.
2. Caprese skewers: Skewer fresh, Buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. Stick into a pineapple or other fun fruit. Serve with a bowl of balsamic dressing for dipping.
3. Chinese noodle salad: Boil chow mien noodles according to package directions. In the meantime, make a dressing with soy sauce, creamy peanut butter, crushed red pepper, rice wine vinegar, chopped green onions and a touch of sesame oil. Toss drained noodles with dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve in a family size bowl or in these cute little Chinese takeaway cartons:
4. Endive cups with candied walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese: I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. I served them here on a bed of red cabbage, just for extra color:
5. Steak crostini: Slice baguette into slices, brush with garlic olive oil and toastin oven. Broil filet mignon medium rare and slice after resting the meat for 15 minutes. Top crostini with meat slices and finish with a dab of horseradish cream and chopped chives.
6. Cheese platter: Get your favorite cheeses (variety counts here) and add some great dried and fresh fruits, nuts and honey to the platter.
7. Potato with smoked salmon spread:
Bake small red potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until done, but not too soft. Let cool. In the food processor, add cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, smoked salmon, salt and pepper. Blend until just mixed. Slice cooled potatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices, and top with smoked salmon mixture and chives.
