March 27
Kathy
Easy Apps for Busy Folks
Fun! A few months back, the Porch Club in Riverton, NJ invited Forking Delicious to create an event for their membership. After some brainstorming, we thought quick and easy appetizers would be a good topic for a quick demo.
On Monday last, we sharpened our knives and delivered an impromptu demonstration teaching slam dunk, easy appetizers that will leave you with lots of time to enjoy your guests. The Porch Club had opened the event to the general public. We had seventy guests and about an hour to present our ideas.
Renee began with a tribute to pesto, waving a deep green, fragrant bunch of leaves and encouraging everyone to grow it this year. Renee's main points were that a) pesto is fast and easy to make, b) it can be frozen for fast use on busy days, and c) pesto can become practically anything... sauce for an entree, in a pasta, in a pasta salad, or swirled with a soft cheese and dolloped on crackers/bread.
Next, we handed round a creation of Donna's - champagne jello. Substitute champagne for water in the recipe and add a little sparkle to your jello treats.
Donna took the stage at this point to share her mother's "chicken in a basket" spread for crackers. Could not have been faster... and although everyone is skeptical when they hear the ingredients, this is a universally popular recipe. (Cream cheese and deviled ham mixed and spread on a Pepperidge farm chicken in a basket cracker. The cracker is key.)
Next up, I presented a very simple, last minute appetizer - bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella balls) with red pepper jelly. The red pepper jelly is sweet/spicy within a little kick. It pairs beautifully with the cool, creaminess of the cheese. Cut a slit in the top of the cheese ball and dollop a bit of jelly inside. Alternatively, you can cut slides from a larger mozzarella balls and drop a spot of jelly on top... but the bite-sized bocconcini are more fun!
To finish things up, Tinamarie and Donna talked about the versatility of spring roll wrappers and, with some help from volunteers, showed everyone how easy they are to fill and wrap. Over the years we have done a lot with spring rolls. Renee made fabulous buffalo chicken spring rolls a few years back. Donna brought the Phila cheesesteak wraps last month. We've had them with sauteed vegetables, with roasted duck... Spring rolls are a perennial favorite at Forking Delicious events.
We did, of course, have a featured cocktail and a fancy punch. Tina and her husband Jonathan (our photographer for the evening) have been experimenting with coconut vodka. Tina made an orange juice-based summer cocktail. I made a sparkling peach punch (with snazzy decorative ice ring) and bottles of champagne. Some folks topped off their punch with bubbly and created quick bellinis. Others enjoyed a lower octane version of punch.
Lesu provided an invaluable service. She did not want to present anything, but she came along to be the behind the scenes stage manager- keeping the kitchen organized and providing extra hands, as needed. We were able to present a smooth, fun demonstration with her help.
A good time was had all around... we fielded lots of questions and made some new friends!
