Cocktail Party

Orange Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Orange Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 2 Tbsps Grand Marnier
• 1 pkg frozen puff pastry, separated and each piece rolled into an 8" by 8" square
• 450 g wheel of Brie cheese
• 1 x egg, lightly whisked

Directions:

Orange Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400°F .
2. Whisk the marmalade and Grand Marnier together and set aside.
3. Lay a puff pastry square on a flat work surface and place the brie wheel in the center.
4. Using a paring knife, cut around the Brie to form a circle that is the same size as the cheese.
5. Reserve the scraps of pastry for decorative shapes and set the circle aside.
6. Lay the second sheet of puff on the work surface and trim off the corners, to create a large, rough circle.
7. Place the Brie in the center and spoon on the marmalade mixture.
8. There should be an opening at the top of the cheese.
9. Brush the top edges of pastry with the egg and then lay the reserved circle over the top and press down lightly to seal it.
10. Brush the top and sides of the package with more egg wash and decorate the top with pastry shapes.
11. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour before baking.
12. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden, and cheese is warmed through, and just beginning to melt.

Crispy Bacon Rings with Smoked Salmon Mousse

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy.
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Crispy Bacon Rings with Smoked Salmon Mousse

• 4 x large carrots, washed
• 6 slices bacon, cut in half widthwise
• 12 x toothpicks
• 6 slices smoked salmon
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• Alfalfa sprouts, or other sprouts

Directions:

Crispy Bacon Rings with Smoked Salmon Mousse

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cut carrots into 2-inch pieces from the thick end, so there are 12 pieces.
3. Lay the 12 pieces of bacon on a flat work surface and then place a carrot piece at the end of each slice.
4. Roll up so that the bacon is wrapped around the carrot pieces and secure with a toothpick.
5. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until the bacon is golden and crispy.
6. Remove toothpicks and carefully slide the bacon rings off of the carrots.
7. Discard carrots and cool bacon rings on a rack.
8. Puree the smoked salmon and cream cheese in a food processor.
9. Spoon into a piping bag, or freezer bag with the tip cut off and pipe mousse into the bacon rings.
10. Garnish with sprigs of sprouts.

The Chef's Home Brewed and Heavenly Hued Pineapple Powered Colada Concoction

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Brewed and Heavenly Hued Pineapple Powered Colada Concoction

• 1 x pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks, reserving 10 thin wedges
• 2 cups vodka, or pineapple vodka, or pineapple liqueur
• 2 cans of coconut cream
• 1/2 cup grenadine syrup
• 10 x Maraschino cherries

Directions:

Brewed and Heavenly Hued Pineapple Powered Colada Concoction

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Serve in fancy cocktail glasses and garnish with a wedge of pineapple and a cherry.

Nacho Chips with Bacon, Jalapenos and Cheddar

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Nacho Chips with Bacon, Jalapenos and Cheddar

• 6 slices bacon, roughly chopped
• 2 x onions, finely diced
• 1 x jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 bag restaurant style tortilla chips

Directions:

Nacho Chips with Bacon, Jalapenos and Cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon.
3. Let brown and then add onions and jalapeno and cook until they have softened and are beginning to caramelize.
4. Cool slightly and then pour into a bowl and add grated cheese.
5. Toss to combine.
6. Spread the tortilla chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet and top each one generously with a spoonful of the cheese mixture.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or so until chips are golden and cheese is melted and bubbling.

‘Sangrita’ in Cucumber Cups with Tequila Shots

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

'Sangrita' in Cucumber Cups with Tequila Shots

• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Dash Tabasco sauce, or other hot sauce
• 2 x English cucumbers

Directions:

'Sangrita' in Cucumber Cups with Tequila Shots

1. Pour juices into a pitcher.
2. Add Worcestershire and Tabasco and stir well.
3. Trim ends from cucumbers and then cut each one into 6 pieces, about 2 inches in length.
4. Using a melon baller, scoop out the seeds and flesh to create a 'cup', leaving enough flesh at the bottom to hold the Sangrita.
5. Pour Sangrita into cucumber cups and serve with shots of tequila.

Portobello Pizzas

Yield: 6

Ease of Preparation: Easy
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Portobello Pizzas

• 12 x large Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
• 1 cup tomato or pizza sauce
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Portobello Pizzas

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place the mushrooms top side down onto a baking sheet.
3. Spread each one with tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle tops with mozzarella and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until mushrooms are soft and cheese has completely melted and is bubbling.

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