My daughter Lindsey turned 23 the other day! All she asked for was a family dinner but I had other plans... instead, I opted for a surprise Cocktail Party and invited lots of her friends. Started cooking the night before after she went to bed (she moved back home until Law School next year) and hid it all in the extra refrigerator we have. Managed to surprise her and these are some of the offerings I made!
Bruschetta
I sauted garlic and sliced cherry tomatoes in a little olive oil to soften, then removed from heat. Tossed in a handful of basil ribbons and put this on top of grilled Ciabatta bread. Added a little Parmesan and yum!
An Antipasto - Artichoke and Pepper Marinated Salad
Flank Steak with Brie on fried Ciabatta topped with a dried cranberry
I marinated a flank steak overnight in balsamic vinegar and olive oil with crushed garlic. Over hot coals, we grilled it to medium rare and then cooled it for a hour or so. In a saute pan, I fried Ciabatta in olive oil and plated. Then I thinly sliced the flank steak and placed that on the bread with a dollop of cream Brie with herbs and garnished with a dried cranberry.
Potato Rounds with Scallion Vinaigrette and Parmesan
The plate has already been attacked or it would have looked prettier. I sliced russet potatoes about 1/4 inch thick and placed them on a baking sheet, topped with a little olive oil. Baked at 375 degrees for 15 minutes then topped them with a scallion vinaigrette, garnished with Parmesan and back into the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
Scallion Vinaigrette: 2 bunches green onions, sliced very thin * 2 T French Mustard * 3 T red wine vinegar * salt and pepper to taste* 1/4 C olive oil. Combine all ingredients and top each potato.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
This one is super easy and yet so delicious. In a bowl, add 1 can black beans, drained with 1 can corn, drained, 1/2 C salsa and 3 T finely sliced green onions. Mix well and serve with chips!
8 comments:
Looks fantastic! Do you make the potatoes ahead and reheat them? I'm thinking they might be a great addn to our holiday party when 150 clients, friends and neighbors descend on our house for a an open house... kate kateiscooking.blogspot.com
what a fun birthday your daughter must have had. The appetizers look wonderful. I'm bookmarking this page!
wow what a spread Stacie. You're a great mama for making all these wonderful yummies for you daughters bday! Law school, thats awesome, best wishes to her.
What a great surprise party! I love all the appetizers you served :)
Can you please come surprise me at my next birthday? Wow, that food looks amazing, especially the flank steak and brie. Right up my alley!
Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
@Kate - I get the potatoes about the same size and slice them uniformly. Then I did pre-bake them with a bit of olive oil first before adding the scallion vinaigrette with Parmesan. Re-baked them until the edges are crisp and yet still tender towards the center. I had two trays going at separate time so as not to run out, so yes, this would work for your party!
Wow! Great party food dishes. I will have to try them out.
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