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Showing posts with label Party Menus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Party Menus. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Healthier Buffalo Wings & Broccoli Stuffed Potato Bites

I had a request from my friend Kim to post the recipes for the food that we made for the Super Bowl. I know I talked about needing a detox the day after, but in reality that was more from the volume of food I ate, not the unhealthiness of the food.

The food we made were actually healthier versions of two favorite "football foods":

Buffalo Wings....

and Potato Skins....

Alex was in charge of the Buffalo Wings.

He used Alton Brown's recipe for Buffalo Wings, which involves first steaming the wings and then baking them at a high temperature in the oven.
It's a bit labor intensive, but it really does result in wings that are healthier and just as delicious as their fatty fried counterparts! We actually both commented that we may even like these better than the typical fried version.

They were so good! He even made them healthier by decreasing the amount of butter called for in the recipe and increasing the hot sauce.

The only downside to the making of these wings is that the oven was smoking so much while they were baking that our fire alarms (every single one in the house) were going off for 10 minutes straight and we couldn't seem to get them to turn off, even with every window and door in the house open. It was stressful, to say the least. :)

I was in charge of the "Potato Skins", which were a recipe that I found in the most recent edition of Rachael Ray Magazine (no, I don't subscribe, but I do sometimes purchase it if I see a lot of good looking recipes).

She calls them "Hot Potatoes", but I think calling them "Broccoli Stuffed Potato Bites" is a more accurate description. They're basically a healthified and vegified version of Potato Skins, made in bite size form.
These were also a bit labor intensive, first requiring you to boil the potatoes, then cool them, then cut in half, then scoop out the insides, then assemble the "stuffing", then place the stuffing back inside the halved potatoes, and then bake them. Oh and you also had to boil the broccoli, cool it, and then chop it into tiny pieces for the filling.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure they were completely worth all the effort. They were tasty, but I think they lacked a lot of flavor. If I were to do them again I think perhaps incorporating barbecue sauce (or some sort of sauce) into the stuffing would have made them a bit more special. Or maybe they just needed a more flavorful dipping sauce (I just served them with greek yogurt as a topping).
If you're interested, click the link for the recipe for Rachael Ray's "Hot Potatoes", aka Broccoli Stuffed Potato Bites.

What are your favorite "football foods"? Did you cook anything for the Super Bowl?

Monday, March 29, 2010

Kim's Baby Shower & What's for Dinner? 3/27/2010

So Saturday was the day of the big shower that I was co-hosting for my lifelong BFF, Kim. It was held at the other hostess' house {Thanks, Megan!} and we went with an over-the-top baby pink theme. This was the first baby shower that I've ever thrown so it was a bit of a learn-as-you-go experience. I thought I'd share some of our ideas for anybody who may be planning a baby shower in the future...


We served chocolate covered strawberries.



And fresh fruit.


And my mom's famous chicken salad on mini-crossaints.


I made this sign by buying cardboard letters from Hobby Lobby, painting them pink, and then mod podgeing scrapbook paper to the front.


We used cloth diapers as napkins.



I made these favors...there were two options: pink candies or white chocolate dipped oreos. Food table in the background.


Drink station! We served a delicious pink punch {recipe below}, water, tea and grapefruit mimosas. All drinks were served out of glass baby bottles with pink straws.

Baby Shower Pink Punch

1 can frozen pink lemonade concentrate (thawed)

1 can frozen cranberry-raspberry concentrate (thawed)

2 2-liter bottles strawberry soda

2 quarts pineapple sherbet


Combine first 3 ingredients in a punch bowl and then drop in dollops of the sherbet. Enjoy!




My mom made this ADORABLE diaper cake! I have no idea how she did it but I wish I did. The gifts on either side were the prizes for the game winners {they were just Bath & Body Works wallflowers}.


I made these Grecian Party Squares {click for recipe}.



I also made these mini-quiche. There were two varieties: ham & cheese and spinach & swiss.



Mini cupcakes that we purchased from a local bakery.


Sun-dried Tomato Hummus served with pita chips {I made the hummus same as I would any other normal hummus but just added some sun-dried tomatoes}.



The guest of honor opening her many gifts.



Guests and guest of honor!



Me & my lifelong BFF, who is going to be a MOM! Crazy! My mom brought some old photos of Kim and I from when we were babies/growing up and they were so funny! I will have to scan them sometime soon so I can share. :)

Overall I think it was a very successful shower, especially for it being my first!

By the way, on Saturday night we went out to a hibachi restaurant for dinner with my mom {since she was in town for the shower}. It was tons of fun but I didn't take any pictures! :(

Monday, January 18, 2010

Molto Bene!


Italian Night Menu
:

Appetizers:
  • Antipasto Platter {baguette, crackers, bagel chips, prosciutto, salami, grapes, giardinera, olives & mozzarella balls}
  • Italian Pesto Cheese Spread

Main Course:

Dessert:
  • Gluten-free Chocolate Canoli Cake (made by my friend Connie)

Drinks:
  • Wine & Beer