Parties are meant to be fun. A time meant to laugh with friends, recounting memories of the past while creating new ones you will look back on someday.
Parties are not meant to be spent hovering over the stove stirring, whisking or making sure nothing is burning. Even if you are not the host, no one wants to attend a party where everyone is so tired from preparing the food they can’t manage to have some fun.
Both of the appetizers below can be made in advance and put in the oven once you arrive at your final party destination or your guests start appearing. Either way, they’ll be on the table in a flash & compliments will soon be coming your way.
Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
These stuffed mushrooms are made for crowd roaming & socializing. Practically bite size, there are no knives & forks needed here. Using a crusty bread & not over cooking the green pepper gives these mushrooms a good balance of texture combined with the creamy blue cheese.
Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
(makes 25 mushrooms)
25 cremini, de-stemmed & cleaned*1 cup white button mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup diced green onion
1 cup small bread pieces (I used a french baguette torn into about quarter inch pieces)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock (or broth)
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
* If serving these as appetizers and not first course or part of a meal, cremini mushrooms work better since they are smaller and more flavorful than the larger stuffing mushrooms. If you prefer, feel free to use the larger stuffing mushrooms.
Directions:
In a large skillet, melt 2 tbs. of the butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and cook about 3 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the onions and cook for another 3 minutes before adding another tbs. of butter and the green pepper. Cook the mixture for 1 minute.
In a large bowl, combine the bread pieces with the mushroom, onion and pepper mixture. Fold in blue cheese crumbles. Once combined, add chicken stock and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Drizzle cremini mushrooms lightly with olive oil. Stuff mushrooms with mixture, about a teaspoon each (varies depending on size of mushroom. Place on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the stuffing is hot.
Turkey, Pear & Brie Sandwiches with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Turkey, Pear & Brie Sandwiches with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
(makes approximately 15 small sandwiches)
1 French baguette, sliced in half lengthwiseMelt 1 tbs. butter in skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add onions & season with salt. Cook until the onions are brown and soft, about 20 minutes. While the onions caramelize, cook the bacon in skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool on a plate lined with paper towels.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread both sides of the baguette with 1/2 tbs butter. Place the turkey in a single layer on the bottom half of the baguette. Continue by adding the pear in another single layer (you may need to turn slightly on a diagonal depending on width of the baguette). Place bacon on top and then the brie. On the top half of the baguette spread out the onions.
Bake, open faced, in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until the cheese begins to melt. Slice into two inch pieces and serve.
P.S. Sorry there is no photo of the finished sandwich (it had just come out of the oven). I was too excited to party!
Thank you for sharing. Cheers!
These sound delicious! I LOVE both combos, great recipes!
Mushrooms and blue cheese that must be delicious.
A great combination!
Great party dishes! The mushrooms with blue cheese sound excellent and I just love the combo of pears and brie on the sandwiches, yum!
Thanks, Natasha! Basically, brie + anything = good!
I definitely want to try those mushrooms!!
Hope you enjoy them if you do! They really are easy and very tasty