Cocktail party food

by Mrs Marvel

There is something really special about the food at cocktail parties. My folks used to have a cocktail party every year and we looked forward to the menu because certain special foods would occasionally make an appearance. Stuffed mushroom caps, a whole smoked salmon, sausage puffs, and cheese blocks were among the favorites. If you are planning a cocktail party for this holiday season, let’s get you started with some ideas, shall we? Click on the recipe card to enlarge.

Guacamole

3 avocados coarsely mashed

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp tobasco

1 clove garlic – crushed

2 med tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped

Combine & cool.

Serve with chips.

Spinach Dip (Bena Rushing)

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dressing

1 c mayonnaise

1/2 c buttermilk

chopped green onion

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach

Cook spinach until tender. Drain and cool. Chop onions. Mix dressing well with mayonnaise and buttermilk. Add to well-drained spinach and chopped onions. Serve with raw vegetables or chips.

Cheese Ball (Helen Graham)

3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese

1 pkg thin sliced ham

Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning

1 bunch green onions

Worcestershire sauce

Save 4-5 slices of ham. Put remainder of ham and green onions in food processor. Add chopped ham and onions to soft cream cheese. Add Worcestershire sauce and creole seasoning to taste. Mix well; form into a ball and wrap in the 4-5 remaining ham slices.

Jackson’s Vanilla Wafer Fruit Cake

by Mrs Marvel

Here we have a new recipe author, who I will call Mrs. Wilson. She lived in Louisiana and was associated with the medical profession. That’s about all I know about her, but her recipes look pretty good! This fruit cake reminds me a bit of the one Gram made from graham cracker crumbs. Continue reading →

Hamburger Pie

by Mrs Marvel

This reminds me a teeny tiny bit of shepherd’s pie, although that is made with mashed potatoes. Maybe more like a pot pie? It sounds like a straight up comfort food and also sounds pretty easy. Continue reading →

Beverly’s Cranberry Tart

by Mrs Marvel

Photo credit Paula Leedom

I came across this recipe in the “grandmother’s best” recipe contest I entered last summer. This was submitted by another contestant, and even back then I knew I’d be trying the recipe. Well, I tried the recipe this past weekend – twice! I made two versions of this tart, and set them on my coworkers for a taste test. The results are fairly even. At the end I’ll share some of the feedback I received as well. Continue reading →

Cranberry Sauce

by Mrs Marvel

This looks like a delicious cranberry sauce that you can make to grace your holiday table. Cranberry sauce was popularized during the American Civil War when General U.S. Grant had it served to his troops during the siege of Petersburg in 1864. However, cranberries have been used for hundreds of years. They are a known food that was discovered by the Pilgrims to be tasty and the local Indians knew of the preservative properties of cranberries for many years prior to that. It was mixed into their pemmican (dried meat) to extend it’s shelf life. Continue reading →