Party Food

Last night about 20 people showed up at Casa Medlock to eat, drink, and be merry. Everyone brought eats to share. Though most of it was store bought, a couple of people brought perennial party favorites like spinach dip in a bread bowl, crispy crust pizza covered with thinly sliced tomatoes, black olives, and artichoke hearts, and (of course) cheesecake. For our part, we provided a clean home, drinks, and some food to get everyone started.



On the kitchen table, easily accessible from the bar area, we usually add bottles of wine and an assortment of glasses. (I don't really like sipping cocktails from plastic cups.) Since the bar is in the kitchen, other drinks (like water, soda, lemonade, and beer) are on ice in a large tub on the patio. This arrangement works well to avoid congestion and prevent condensation from the ice bucket dripping on the floor. Since we live in the Valley of the Sun, the patio is a nice temperature on early December evenings.



I always think it is better to put the desserts on a table separate from the main munchies. Plus, moving the bar to the kitchen frees up our sideboard for the sweet goodies. This tiered tray stand holds a couple of desserts I made just for the party along with a couple of goodies I already had on hand. Using some things I'd already made cut the party prep time quite a bit while still providing many choices for guests. If you're in a pinch, you can also make one or two easy dishes and supplement with pretty store bought cookies or chocolates arranged on a tray interspersed with homemade sweets.



These are mock Girl Scout cookies that were super easy to make and super delicious. They are simply Ritz crackers dipped in doctored chocolate. (I melted a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips with just a little Crisco - to make the chocolate smooth and glossy - and about half a capful of peppermint extract. The microwave works well for this. Just put everything in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute on high. Stir the chocolate well to help the chips melt. If it isn't quite dipping consistency, put the chocolate back in for another 30 seconds.)

 

These are red velvet cake balls dipped in milk or white chocolate. I made a red velvet cake mix and then crumbled it up when it was cool. Next, add a cup of store bought frosting (I used cream cheese, of course) and form the mixture into balls. Stick them in the freezer for a little while (I think mine were in for an hour while I did other things.) to help them set up and retain their shape. Finally, dip them in melted chocolate or candy coating and return them to the cold tray so they set up quickly. Stick them back in the freezer to finish setting and make them easier to handle.

 

This is left over persimmon pudding that Jeff's mom made for us. I cut it into small bites to make it easier to try since most people won't recognized it. Once they had a bite, though, many guests went back for a couple more.

  

These are ginger cookies I made and iced last weekend. They are a holiday favorite.

 

To keep food prep easy, I made assorted nacho toppings and served them in three small crock pots. This one is like chicken enchilada filling. I made white sauce on the stove top, added salt, pepper, a can of green chilies, and shredded cooked chicken. Once the topping was ready, I put it in the ceramic crock pot and stored it in the fridge until about 30 minutes before the guests arrived. At that point I warmed it up in the microwave, gave it a good stir, and set the base to warm so it would stay nice and toasty throughout the party.



In addition to the chicken, I made regular taco filling for the nachos. I actually used ground turkey because it was on sale and had less fat than the beef, but I treated it like ground beef and I don't think anyone actually noticed. I simply browned the meat and added some chopped onions, a can of fire roasted tomatoes (with the liquid), and a packet of taco seasoning. Once done, I again stored it in the fridge in the ceramic pot and reheated it before setting into the crock pot base to keep it warm.

Finally, I filled the third pot with cheese sauce, which is super easy. Chunk up a block of Velveeta, pour salsa (or Rotelle tomatoes) over the top and microwave it all until it melts. Then, just put it on the warmer to keep it ready for dousing the nacho chips.



I rounded out the whole deal with some condiments, scoop-shaped chips, a dish of guacamole, and Mexicali corn dip, which was simple and easy. Combine two 11 oz. cans of  Mexican-style corn (well drained) with a can of green chilies, a cup of mayo,  an 8 oz carton of sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. At this point, you can add some chopped (and seeded) jalapeno peppers or some chipotle sauce depending on how hot you want the dip to be. This is better after it sits in the fridge for awhile, so make it well ahead and let the flavors meld together before serving.