Hard to say Maggie without knowing what you have on hand. I'm guessing you won;t have time to go out becasue you are looking for a freezer or pantry option.

I always have shrimp in the freezer. Also a good selection of cheese, olives, smoked oysters, crackers etc.

The Bailey's martini will be sweet so I think savory would be great. Diane's palmiers would be great but you need puff pastry and prosciutto or a nice ham. I've done them with smoked salmon too.

Tell us what you have on hand and we'll figure out something! Could be fun!

Oh and say hi to your Aunt from this O'Grady girl!

Salmon dip and crackers.
Antipasto tray.
Bruschetta.
Chips and salsa.
Variety of cheeses and crackers.
Brick of cream cheese with pepper jelly or salsa over it and crackers.
Cheddar cheese thumprint cookies.

Deanna

My favorite Christmas pretty drink is a Scarltee O'Hara....Love LOVE them...
They can be a lovely "lady drink" or they can knock you on your ear. For a lovely lady drink mix 3 oz cranberry juice cocktail with 1 oz Southern Comfort....shake with ice and serve in a martini glass with a wedge of lime ( red and green...get it??)
For the knock you on your ear variety, mix half cranberry cocktail and 1/2 100 proof Southern Comfort and pour over ice in a big glass!...Don't forget the wedge of lime!
But the sweet and the sour are wonderful!
Cheese and crackers goes well with the concoction.
Linda C

Linda - no soutern comfort here...

I can make cosmos - got all the stuff for that...or the baileys or a Chocotini...something with Irish Mist maybe...can't wait to see them!

Maggie these are wonderful , easy and fabulous with a cocktail.

La Gougere (Ann T)

NOTE: I do not make the ring , instead I drop from a Tablespoon and make individual ones.

H1 Cup water (or half milk/half water)
1/3 Cup butter
1/2 Tsp salt
fresh nutmeg, Grated (I use the canned spice)
cayenne pepper
1 Cup flour
4 eggs
1 Tbl Dijon Mustard
1 Cup gruyere cheese
1 Tsp milk
extra cheese for top

Bring the water/milk to a boil and add butter. When butter has melted remove pan from heat and add flour, salt, cayenne, nutmeg, pepper and stir vigorously with a big wooden spoon.

The mixture should come away from the sides of the pan and form a ball.

Place mixture in the bowl of a large mixer and add one egg at a time beating well, After you add last egg continue to beat well.
Mixture will be shiny. Add dijon mustard and taste for
seasoning. Adjust to your taste. Add coarsely grated cheese.

Butter a large cookie sheet and flour. Draw a small circle in the flour (about 2 inches wide) and proceed to drop thedough by tablespoon fulls around the outside of this hole, making a ring,
or a crown. Dough should be piled high.

Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle the extra cheese over top.

Bake the ring in the over for 45 minutes at 400F. Do Not Open Door.

After baking, open the door of the oven and leave the gougere in the oven for 5 minutes. It should be firm to the touch and golden brown.

The Gougere are on the left, to the back. Stuffed mushrooms on the right , to the front.

chase - if i catch you....
have it in the mixer and it is batter consistancy not dough...is that right?

it came away from the pot in a ball...

right...a thick batter not a dough

oh and DO NOT refrigerate the dough before cooking , it should be at room temp when cooked...ask me how I know : (

yippe!!!! still 45 min for ind. ones?
thanks!

Maybe not quite....just "peek" after 30 minutes. Are ready when they are golden and sound hollow when taped...oh and I use parchment paper rather than flour and grease a pan.

The batter is a thick batter though not a runny one. Should need finger "help" to off the spoon

I'm so tense! LOL

me, too! lol - yep they needed a push off the spoon. Trust me there isn't a thing that I haven't burned these days - so I am nervous! Total scatterbrain and I have a baby waiting here to be feed - she is actually waiting patiently! That is a first:)

Then off to do the 10 minute tidy - okay maybe make that half hour tidy!

I'll check back!

Thanks so much - these sound awesome.

So much so that I'm gonna make them tomorrow for Dick's soup night.

Oh maggie, it's too late for suggestions and I think those gougere are perfect anyway.

Kiss the Irish Aunties for me too, the Native American/Irish lass whose great-great-great-great Grandmother was named Bridget Murphy!

Annie

Take a look at today's New York Times Dining In/Dining Out section for Mark Bittman's 101 Easy Appetizers. ( I know, I do seem to be 'over the moon' with Bittman).

As one of the Carey girls, just wanted to say that I'm sure you had a nice time tippling with the girls! Hic!

can the gougeres be made ahead of time, and if so how far ahead of time?

Thanks Shelley

Hi!

Everybody, make these! They are outstanding. They only took 30 minutes in my oven - my oven must be fast - whew I didn't burn them!

Everything was on hand except the Cranberry Juice (had my sister pick that up) and I did get seafood salad from the deli. We had a nice little cocktail hour (or 3). Forgot my husband had his sportsman's club holiday party so it was just us girls which was nice - I love them! We had:

Cosmos
Gougeres
Thai Spring Rolls with Gyoza Dipping Sauce (Trader Joes)
Apple Tart (Trader Joes)
Min Fillo shells filled with Vegetable Tuna Salad and Seafood Salad
Chicken and Veggie Bruschetta
Spiced Almonds
Olives
Blue Corn chips and salsa
Chocolates
Peppermint Bark

{{!gwi}}


{{!gwi}}

My aunts brought a cheesecake! We had a little feast! Sorry the star attraction is in the corner - didn't realize when I took the pic.

OH - the peppermint bark - I was experimenting on making name tags for gifts - LOL. Bought food safe markers but they didn't work.

Thank you, Chase.
About making them ahead? I did notice they "fell" a little (aunts were late) but they were still great. I'll wait for the answer, too.

Maggie, hats off to you, you put together a really fantastic looking feast in no time! Looks great!

I bet you had a blast :)

Wow, Maggie, I'm impressed...nice spread in so little time! Glad you had a wonderful visit.

Jayne

OMG - Maggie - First Class (as my cousin always loves to say :)

I'm thinking your aunties aren't the "little old ladies" that I had in mind, LOL, they must be pretty hip-hoppin gals and I'll bet they think you really rock.

Great job Maggie!!!!

Nancy

Woodie, you gave me a laugh. In my email address instead of having my Aunt Barbara's name listed I have "she rocks" - lol. Aunt Audrey is 78 the 2nd oldest of 10 and is an absolutely beautiful woman. Her daughter lives in your neck of the woods. My Aunt Barbara is AKA "she rocks". LOL

Oh, and thanks to Ann T for the recipe.

Now, can someone tell me how to pronounce what I made?

OH - I just realized from the picture that I need Martini glasses! I always think I have them - the ones I have say Motown Cafe NYC - classy! (I worked there).

What a gorgeous spread! I knew a woman who kept gougeres in her freezer. I don't know if she froze them baked or unbaked.

I'll second the "gorgous spread"!!
And you made "Goo..jair"...Think I'll put them on my Christmas eve menu....
Wonder how they would work with an aged cheddar? Or maybe a good emmenthaler?
Linda c

Are you kidding? The Motown cafe NYC glasses are fantastic! I'd scoop them up in a second if I found them. I just love the spread and the fact that you put it together in no time makes it extra fabulous. Very, very nice.

Nina

Maggie great job! You sure as didn't need any help, that is a gorgeous spread.

I should have mentioned this when I posted the recipe. I think Gougere are best when cooked as close to preparing the batter as possible in order to get maximum "puff" and best texture. I'll add this note to my recipe.

I usually put them in the preheated oven about a half hour before I want to serve them (when doing the singles). Mind you these are lovely served hot or at room temp and I bet they would reheat quite nicely.

They will also spread if the batter is to thin. It should be a very stiff batter that does not move freely from the spoon. If using extra large eggs three may be enough.

Linda I think any hard cheese would work.

I believe the correct pronunciation is Goo-jair..but maybe Monique or Mitch can help.

Woo Hoo, Maggie, when I come to NY, I'm going to surprise you just so I can be a last minute guest!

Everything looks wonderful, and I'm stealing that idea with the candy cane hearts. Makayla is gonna love making some of these when she comes over on Saturday!

Annie