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Elegant Appetizer Recipes

This week we are all about sharing our ideas for events you are hosting…first, we featured three looks to wear and now we are giving three delicious recipes you can serve. These appetizers are excellent options for a cocktail party as they are easy to eat…your guests will not have to struggle to dip, cut or spread with these options. I have served these to family and friends and received rave reviews.

 

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Crudités with Chive Crème Fraîche

Ingredients

1/2 lb green beans, stem ends trimmed

1 bunch baby rainbow carrots

1 English cucumber

1 cup crème fraîche

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 lemon

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl two-thirds full with ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans and then immediately plunge them into the ice water. Let stand for 2 minutes, then drain and pat dry.  Set aside.  Trim the carrot tops to about 3/4 inch. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise. Set aside.  Cut the cucumber crosswise into pieces about 3 inches long. Cut each piece lengthwise into quarters to create spears. Set aside.  In a bowl, combine the crème fraîche and heavy cream and whisk until the mixture is the texture of lightly whipped cream. Finely grate the lemon zest into the bowl, then halve the lemon and squeeze the juice from one half into the bowl (reserve the remaining half for another use). Add the chives to the crème fraîche mixture. Stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the crème fraîche mixture among small glasses or narrow bowls…I used shot glasses. Divide the vegetables evenly among the glasses, standing them up in the crème fraîche Serve immediately. 

 

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Savory Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

10 ounces Crimini or baby Portobello mushrooms

1 cup softened goat cheese

½ cup softened cream cheese

¼ cup diced roasted red peppers 

1 clove of garlic minced

¼ cup plain Panko crumbs (don’t have Panko, use Italian bread crumbs)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt for the cheese mixture, ½ teaspoon salt for topping

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper for cheese mixture, ½ teaspoon pepper for topping

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wipe the outside of your mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Pull out the stem of the mushroom and with a melon baller, remove the gills of the mushroom but be careful not to pierce the mushroom flesh. Place the mushrooms on a non-stick baking sheet, open side up. Combine goat cheese, cream cheese, diced roasted red peppers; 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and minced garlic into a bowl. Scoop mixture with a spoon and place it into each of the mushrooms. Arrange mushrooms in a baking pan. Combine ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Parmesan cheese and Panko. Sprinkle this mixture on each of the mushrooms. Bake stuffed mushrooms in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Once the cheese is bubbly and the crumb mixture has become golden brown, they are ready to serve!

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Smoked Salmon Bites

Ingredients

Herbed Cream Cheese 

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Toppings

Toasted French rounds

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

6 oz. smoked salmon, thinly sliced

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup capers, finely chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and grated

Dill sprigs for garnish

Directions:

adapted from www.williamssonoma.com

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Hope you and your guests enjoy these elegant apps!

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Bisous,
Rebecca

 

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Two Christmas Cocktails

The holidays are in full swing and we are giving you inspiration for outfit ideas, makeup tips, hostess gifts and, now, what to serve at your holiday parties! These cocktails taste as good as they look and are extra special for your guests. 

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Cranberry, Lime and White Wine Spritzer

1/4 cup frozen cranberries

2 lime wedges

1 cup white wine (per usual, my favorite is Ferrari Carano Fumé Blanc)

1/2 cup club soda or seltzer water

2 pieces of rosemary 

Add ice, frozen cranberries and squeeze lime wedges into a cocktail glass. Add equal parts wine and club soda or seltzer water. Stir and garnish with rosemary.

Source www.thanksgiving.com 

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Cherry Whiskey Smash

1 oz whiskey

1/2 oz ginger brandy

1/2 oz amaretto

1/2 oz cherry juice (I used tart cherry juice)

2 oz cherry cola

4 maraschino cherries (I used the iconic Italian Luxardo cherries)

Add cherries to a glass and muddle. Add ice. In a cocktail shaker pour in liquors and cherry juice. Shake, pour over ice, top with cherry cola and and stir. Add more cherries if desired!

Have fun serving these Christmas cocktails!

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Bisous,
Rebecca

 

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#Roseallday with Rêve De La Mer

This post is sponsored by Rêve De La Mer but the content and opinions expressed are my own. 

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An afternoon with a friend sipping wine makes for an incredibly enjoyable day. Good conversation, a nice bottle, the sunshine and sea? Hard to beat. Since I live in Miami and the weather is warm most of the year, I tend to drink lighter drinks-wines, champagnes and an all time favorite is rosé. Rosé is a crowd pleaser. It can be served with brunch, lunch, mid-afternoon, with a snack or alone. It is not overly sweet but light, crisp and refreshing. 

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So when I was approached about trying Rêve De La Mer rose wine I was excited.  A new rose? Excellent! Rêve De La Mer means “Dream of the Sea” in French. This delicious wine contains notes of strawberry, raspberry, apple, grapefruit, a touch of rose petal and orange blossom and then finishes with apricot and white peach.  It is produced on the island of Corsica, which has a history of making wine for the past 2600 years. 

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This wine tastes as good as it looks with its pretty peach hue.  I served it on this Christophle tray with gold rimmed stemless glasses and these gold polka dotted cocktail napkins.  Add flowers and you have a stylish presentation, perfect for an afternoon catching up with a friend.

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Now it it just time to raise your glass and celebrate! 

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Cheers!

If you would like to toast as the French, it is Santé, which means “health” (good)!

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Bisous,
Rebecca

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An Elegant Amuse-Bouche 

Almost everything sounds better in French…the language has that certain  je ne sais quoi. While an appetizer sounds fairly straightforward, an amuse-bouche sounds positively delightful. 

According to Urban Dictionary, an amuse-bouche is “a small appetizer meant to tease the palate before the meal.”  It is a single, bite sized hors d’oeurve that is served as a compliment from the chef.  I enjoy serving delicious bites like this and will be serving this Pear with Prosciutto and Blue Cheese  amuse-bouche next week for Thanksgiving. The combination of flavors is positively divine and this recipe takes 10 minutes to prepare. I have served this a number of occasions and it always receives rave reviews. 

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Pear with Blue Cheese and Prosciutto

Ingredients

2 pears, sliced, I always opt for Bosc pears

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup arugula

3 ounces blue cheese, cut into small pieces

6 slices thinly sliced prosciutto

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Instructions

In a large bowl, toss the pears and lemon juice. Layer a slice of pear, a few arugula leaves and a piece of cheese on a piece of prosciutto and roll up.

Source: www.realsimple.com

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This recipe is perfect to take to holiday gatherings or serve for anything you are hosting! It looks especially pretty on this cheese board featured in our Marble and Copper Home Accessory post and would make an excellent gift.

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Taste and enjoy!

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Bisous,

Rebecca