alku, how young is your crowd? If 'very', I honestly don't think I'd assume they've eaten beforehand...

You definitely need one heavy option. Meatballs are good. And maybe stuffed mushrooms. Have you ever made Brown Sugar Smokies? Guys freak out over them!

Add a couple of dips, and you'll be good to go!

I agree with steelmagnolia, folks will probably not eat a full meal before coming. if anything, they'll probably have something lite.

I would definately recommend one hot dish. I have done a few cocktail parties and make a variety of hors d' oevres depending in the crowd - some hot and some cold, and one main event. it's enough to fill up the average person for sure.

Not sure how many folks will be there, but here's some ideas that you can size to the crowd:

All should be easy to eat without a knife, and not messy like ribs!

Ideas for the MAIN dish:
-Lionshead meatballs (Cooking Light)- these are delicious. I make them small. they can be made a few days before and heated before serving.(this is a good substitute for Swedish meatballs)
-Tortellini with vodka sauce. I have great Italian stores nearby and they always have their own for purchase. i don't like the jarred kind...to many preservatives. Cook pasta ahead and then douse with hot water to refresh. heat sauce separately and don't add to pasta until ready to serve (or the pasta will soak up the sauce and everything gets mushy!).

I usually serve one hot dip and will make either a creamy crab dip with good quality lump crab, or another favorite: prosciutto, artichoke, goat, walnuts, and blue cheese with a little cream cheese and some mayo. serve with toasts and some carrot chips (slice carrots on a hard diagonal) and endive, for those watching their carbs.

if not having crab dip, i would premake crab cakes, and heat them before serving.

Also nice and easy are scallops wrapped in bacon. easy and delicious.

A small assortment of cheese is nice, with grapes. I like to serve goat gouda (everyone seems to love this) and prima donna gouda (looks and tastes like parmesan cheese, not at all like gouda)and a creamy domestic brie. have a small basket of crackers nearby.

a cold low-cal dip with a veggie basket will satisfy the dieters. arrange a variety of veggies in a basket or on a pedestal plate with the dip in the middle.

I always have a fresh green salad with carrots, olives, tomatoes, and croutons (on the side) too - dress right before serving.

An alternative to some of the cold ideas above is an antipasto platter with dried salami, prosciutto (parma is best) mixed olives, grilled artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, asiago cheese, stuffed sweet cherry peppers). serve with bread sticks and toasted baguette.

Hope that helps.
sue

Sounds yummy-when do I show up? I also agree with Sue on the vegie platter. There are many who are trying so hard not to gain over the holidays and more choices is always worse as we want to try everything!! :( A fruit tray is always nice; although this time of year our selection is limited.Plus, make sure you can have some fun and not be constantly filling trays. Keep it simple. Have fun! Deanna

Yes, veggie platter for sure. Since it's after dinner, I'd go heavy on desserts - including fruit. Fruit salad in champagne flutes garnished with a mint leaf is very pretty.

Some other ideas:

A sushi platter. That always goes over well at our parties.

Spiced nuts - easy, filling and festive.

Deviled eggs - also filling. Top with caviar to make them fancy and party-worthy.

Soups - have some in a crock pot or simmering on the stove with small mugs so you don't really need spoons (but have some spoons out anyway).

Sounds fun!

AM
The Dinner Chronicles

Truthfully, there is so much food everywhere you go these days - I would keep it as advertised and strictly a cocktail menu.

I do like AM's idea of soup, though - that would be nice. A beautiful cheese board and breads and crackers along with antipasto heavy on the vegetables. I would add some truffles to your chocolate dipped strawberries and make sure there is chilled champagne.

Do you have a mini muffin pan? I've got a few bitesize ideas for that size pan.

I agree..some fresh fruit, veggies..and for me there'd have to be wheat free crackers. My favorite chip/cracker's are made with brown rice from Lundberg Farms. The sea salt "flavor" is really good with hummus!

Think that some finger foods are a must when serving drinks. Drinks just need nibblies! LOL

A cheese and fruit selection is always a hit. Don't cut the cheese into little chunks, serve it whole with cheese knives. Mix up color, texture and strength. Be sure it is at room temp , or close, when you serve it. To make it special serve with a selection of rustic breads instead of crackers. Also provide a few choices of olives near the cheese offering. Always well received. I've included my recipe for homemade Boursin which is a nice addition to a cheese table.

Have bowls of nuts out. Two recipes from this site that are very popular are Spicy Pecans and Sour Cream Walnuts.

Make at least one hot thing. Diane's Prosciutto Palmiers are easy and delish! My stuffed mushrooms are good and easy peasy as well. Neither is heavy but they do hit the spot.

A very easy yet elegant appetizer is smoked salmon on dark rye bread squares that has been spread with cream cheese and then topped with a bit of thinly sliced onions and a few capers.

Here are the recipes in case you are interested.

Homemade Boursin With Fresh Herbs

1 lb Farmers cheese or 1/2 lb cottage cheese & 1/2 lb Ricotta
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter,softened
4 large garlic cloves,minced
2 medium shallots,minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley,chopped finely and packed tight
1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme OR 2/3 cup fresh dill chopped finely
1/3 cup chives,chopped finely
1 tsp pepper,freshly ground
1/4 tsp cayenne

Blend the cheeses and butter, add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Store in small crocks or ramekins in the fridge until well chilled.

Sour Cream Walnuts

1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup white sugar
1/2 Cup sour cream
1 Tsp vanilla
3 Cup walnuts

Cook and stir sugars and sour cream to soft ball stage (240 degrees F on candy thermometer). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add walnuts stirring gently till coated. Spread on pan to cool.

One forum member used all white sugar but substituted 1/4 cup of maple syrup for 1/4 cup of the sugar. That earned raves and is a variation I plan to try this season. I'm also wondering how maple sugar would work in lieu of the brown sugar. Now that might be interesting.

Carol (Readinglady)

Spicy Spanish Walnuts Or Pecans (MQ)

2 Tbl butter
3 Tbl sugar
2 Tsp each orange and lime Grated peel
1 Tsp ground coriander , cinnamon,and cloves 1/4 Tsp each red pepper Ground (cayenne) and salt
2 Cup walnut or pecan halves

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan on low heat.
2. Add sugar, peels and spices.
3. Toss nuts w/spice mixture. Spoon onto cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes or until nuts are toasted. Stir every 5 minutes. Let cool.

Palmiers With Honey Mustard And Prosciutto (Craftyrn)

1 sheet puff pastry -- 18 x 11"
3 Tbl honey mustard (or any good mustard just not the hot dog stuff)
4 Ounces prosciutto -- thinly sliced
1 Cup Parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
1 egg
2 Tsp water

Place the puff pastry on a work surface and spread the mustard over the top.

Arrange the prosciutto evenly over the mustard to cover all the pastry, and then sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Lightly press the cheese into the prosciutto with a rolling pin.

Starting at one long edge, roll up the puff pastry like a jelly roll just to the middle of the dough; then roll up the other side in the same fashion, making two rolls that meet in the center.

Using a serrated knife, cut the rolls crosswise into 1/2" slices. Place the slices on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and press lightly with your hands to flatten.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes or longer. IMPORTANT STEP
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush the top of each palmier with the egg wash. Bake until puffed and lightly golden, about 10minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Servings: 20

Stuffed Mushrooms

20 large white mushrooms
1/3 Cup butter (maybe a bit more)
4 or 5 green onions chopped fine
2- 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar
1/3 Cup bread crumbs
salt

Clean mushrooms and carefully remove stems. Chop stems finely (I use the food processor). Melt butter in a saute pan. Saute mushroom stems and onions over medium heat until soft but not browned and the stems have given up their juices. Mixture should be quite moist. Add the bread crumbs, only enough to absorb the liquid. Add the grated cheese and stir just until it has melted. Don't worry if the oil separates from the cheese. Stuff the mixture into the caps and sprinkle with a bit of salt (or you can salt after they come out of the oven...which is what I usually do). Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the caps are nice and soft.

Shrimp with cocktail sauce is always popular. For a heartier dish you could serve a spiral cut ham (can be at room temp) with diffrent mustards/chutneys and mini rolls.

So many great ideas! And lots of them very easy too.

The RSVPs are still coming in, so it's hard to judge the final count, but I expect we'll be around 14-16 possibly more. The crowd is all in their mid to upper thirties.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Cheese and olives
Fruit and veg tray
Spicy Pecans (thanks for the recipe!)
Prosciutto Palmiers (ditto, and can these be refrigerated for an hour or so instead of 15 minutes before baking?)
Sushi rolls
Quiches
Meatballs
Chocolate dipped strawberies and truffles

Should I add a hot crab or artichoke dip? Another dessert? Or should I do fewer items?

Thats a lovely menu....

Yes the palmiers can be refrigerated way before....several hours actually. Just make sure they are covered in a plastic wrap.

Yes and yes. Lots of people do not like chocolate, hard to believe but true. And a dip would round things out. I like both kinds but artichoke appeals to a broader range since you already have sushi.

I have a quick and tasty artichoke dip I can whip up.

So about my one extra dessert...what has the widest appeal that would be a good foil to the chocolate strawberries and truffles? A cookie of some type? Or perhaps a mini cheesecake? Or should I try and think of something very light to contrast with the richness of the chocolate items?

The strawberries are light, the truffles are dense so a cake would be nice or something carbohydratey. What you are looking for is a different texture. A shortbread cookie would be good for instance.

One consistent winner for us is a variety of sausages such as chicken/apple, sundried tomato, Italian, etc. We pre-cook them, slice at about 1 inch per piece, and place in our biggest chafing dish. Then we serve three kinds of mustards (spicy, grain, honey) and set some toothpicks nearby. It doesn't seem to matter how many I make, they're always gone!

It sounds like fun!!

I made BLACK PEPPER ALMONDS for TG nibbles while watching the game and they were very good and easy. Also had some left over garlic butter with a bit of basil and mixed it with almonds and baked them along with the Pepper Almonds.

BLACK PEPPER ALMONDS

Butter for foil (I just sprayed with Pam)
cup unsalted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons water
4 cups (1 pound) whole almonds, skins on
1 tablespoon black pepper (freshly ground pepper for up-front pepper heat, commercially ground pepper for background bite)
2 teaspoons table salt

Preheat oven to 300F. Line one or two rimmed baking sheets with lightly buttered foil.

Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet on medium heat. Add the brown sugar and water, then stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the almonds, pepper and salt. Cook at a fast bubble for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Spread nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet(s). Bake for 30 minutes or until the nuts turn a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit, then separate the nuts into individual pieces. Keep separating the nuts until theyÂre fully cooled and dried. If nuts are sticky, store in frig.

Michelle

Mmmm, gourmet sausages! Perhaps those might displace the more common meatballs. Thanks for the almond recipe. I figure I can put bowls of nuts in a few places like the end tables etc, so I appreciate the variety.

As for the extra dessert, I'm thinking about possibly pecan or almond sandies. I haven't made them in ages, and I think this season is a great time for nuts.

Not sure where you live....but anywhere I have been to a "cocktail party"...one advertised as such, meant drinks before dinner. There is a cocktail buffet which implies a little heavier line of food, that one could make a dinner out of.
But if I were invited to a "Trim the Tree Cocktail party" at 7:30, I would not know what to expect....frankly I might feel that maybe the offering might be a meal...but maybe not.
I would send invitations as simply a trim the tree party...and then serve drinks and also coffee...maybe with liquors, and desserts as well as appetisers.
But I guess the invitations are out....so too late for those thoughts.
Regarding your menu...I think that at that hour people won't want to eat a lot....but if the party lasts until 10:30 or so....then that's the time for the more filling stuff.
Think either "dinner" or "midnight snack".
Linda C

a fondue with dippers of peppered pork tenderloin and apple chunks would be a nice addition.

Nice menu! I copied both the nut recipes.

My party is the same time and date as yours...The menu looks very nice....I never assume people eat because even if they did usually there picking all night anyway...I know my friends do...Have fun!!!

I'm starting to prep today for saturday's party! If I make the Sour Cream Walnuts today, will they keep for saturday night? Should I refridgerate or just place them in an airtight container?

I just started,and I must admit I am enjoying the set up I love my annual cocktail party and all my friends cant wait to get here!! I premade Pomtini's infused with lemon and orange rind the other day its just sitting in the freezer waiting to be assaulted!

Well, the menu was a big hit last night! Thanks for all the great suggestions.