Vernalisa's Summer Party
Cooliest Summer Pool Party
Don't be afraid to be different don't blend into the crowd. Throw the best pool party with frozen cocktails best when fruit is at its finest. Delicious margaritas and smoothies from peach mango or how about some banana coladas for an example.
Enjoy your party by serving very simple and easy finger foods .Do a simple vegetable tray using a pretty basket .Serve the dips in hollowed out red and green pepper cups.
FILET STEAK
BITES
2 pounds filet mignon
1 cup bourbon
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large white onion, sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
1 baguette French bread
½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the filet mignon in a bowl. Pour bourbon over steak and marinate for 1 hour. Remove the filet mignon from the bourbon and season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to a hot sauté pan. Sear the filet mignon on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Place the meat in the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until medium rare. Remove the meat from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice the filet in half lengthwise. Slice each half into 18 thin slices so you have a total of 36 slices. In another sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced white and red onions. Caramelize the onions until they are deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. Slice the baguette into 36 ¼ to ½ inch thick slices. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and the horseradish. Place a piece of filet mignon on each slice of bread. Top with some of the caramelized onions. Place a small amount of the horseradish sour cream on top of the onions. Garnish with parsley.Yield: 36 hors d'oeuvres
Prep Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
CHERRY TOMATOES
STUFFED
WITH SPANISH OLIVE TAPENADE
For the tapenade:
1/2 cup Spanish olives with pimento
1 1/2 teaspoons drained capers
1 teaspoon brandy
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
32 small cherry tomatoes
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Make the tapenade: in a food processor, pulse the olives until chopped fine. Add the remaining tapenade ingredients and pulse until olives are minced. With a sharp knife, slice the stem end (1/4-inch down) and the bottom (1/8-inch up) from each tomato and discard. Using a 1/4 teaspoon, remove the juice and seeds from each tomato half, leaving the outside shell intact. Spoon a generous 1/4 teaspoon of the tapenade into each shell and garnish with the parsley.Yield: 8-10 servings
CHEESE
PUFFS
Makes 20 appetizers
Ready in: 16 mins.
Serve these broiled appetizers straight from the oven when you need to throw a party together in a hurry.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon sliced green onion
2 teaspoons diced pimientos
1 teaspoon GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
Dash liquid hot pepper seasoning
20 TRISCUIT Wafers
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix mayonnaise, cheese, green onions, pimientos, mustard and hot pepper seasoning in small bowl; spoon onto wafers.
2. Place wafers on baking sheet. Broil 4 inches from heat source for 1 to 2 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Bread Stick Ham n
Cheese Snack
Makes 4 dozen appetizers
Ready in: 1 hr. 30 mins.
Cream cheese and ham combine with snack sticks to make a tasty appetizer or snack.
INGREDIENTS
1 (8-ounce) container whipped cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh chives
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 (6.5-ounce) package STELLA D'ORO Cracked Pepper Snack Stix
12 slices ham, cut into 4 strips each
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix cream cheese, parsley, chives and pepper in bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
2. Spread approximately 1 teaspoon prepared spread around one end of each snack stick. Wrap with ham strips. Arrange on platter.
NOTES
Variation: Omit ham and serve as a dip with snack sticks.
SPICY CHEESE STRAWS
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or sharp cheddar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper
Rectangle of store-bought puff pastry, about 9 by 12 inches
In a bowl combine the cheese, paprika, salt and cayenne and chill until later. Roll the rectangle out slightly larger than it is and cover right half of it with cheese and paprika. Fold left side to cover the cheese and press edges together. Roll dough out again to a rectangle which is 9 by 12 inches. Refrigerate dough on a cookie sheet while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Preferably with a pizza wheel cut dough into 1/2-inch wide by 12-inch long strips. Twist the strips into corkscrew shapes and set on a baking pan, pressing ends down so they stick to the pan (helps keep the shape) Bake for 20 minutes. Cut into smaller "straws". Yield: 36 cheese straws
FRESH FRUIT DIPPED
WITH CHOCOALTE
2 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pound red seedless grapes, stemmed, washed and dried
3/4 pound dried pineapple slices
3/4 pound dried peach halves
3/4 pound dried pear halves
2 pints strawberries with stems, lightly rinsed and dried Heat 1- inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 1 pound of semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with plastic wrap. Allow to heat for 12 minutes. remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing the plastic wrap. Use a rubber spatula or whisk to stir until smooth, and continue to stir until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the grapes in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the melted chocolate over the grapes. Use a fork to transfer the chocolate-drenched grapes, one at a time, onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate the chocolate-drenched grapes for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened. Transfer the grapes to the center of a large serving platter and refrigerate. Heat 1- inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 1 pound of semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover with plastic wrap. Allow to heat for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before removing the plastic wrap. Use a rubber spatula or whisk to stir the chocolate until smooth, and continue to stir until the temperature of the chocolate is reduced to 90 degrees. One at a time, dip 3/4 to 1-inch of each dried fruit into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip into the top half of the double boiler before placing the drenched fruit onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate the chocolate-drenched fruit for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened. Transfer the chocolate-covered fruit to the large serving platter, arrange the fruit near the outside edge of the platter, and return to the refrigerator. Place 1/2 pound of semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Proceed as in above method. Holding the strawberries by the stem end, dip 3/4 to 1-inch of each berry, one at a time, into the melted chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip into the bowl before placing the drenched strawberries onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate the chocolate-drenched berries for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chocolate has hardened. Transfer the chocolate-covered berries to the serving platter, placing them in between the grapes and the dried fruit, and return to the refrigerator. Keep the drenched fruit refrigerated until 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Prep Time: 1 hours 0 minutes
ARCTIC FREEZE MANGO
MARGARITA
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
2 medium mangoes, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup vodka
2 cups ice cubes
Combine the sugar, water and ginger in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 1 hour. Strain. Puree mangoes in a blender. Pour into measuring cup. Return 3/4 cup puree to blender. Add 1/2 cup ginger syrup, vodka and ice cubes to blender. Blend until smooth. Serve in martini glasses.
BANANA PINA COLADA
6 ripe bananas, peeled and quartered
36 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
1 small 6oz can pineapple chunks
8 ounces coconut milk
6 ounces dark rum
4 cups ice
1/2 cup toasted coconut
Place bananas and pineapple chunks and juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Add coconut milk, rum and ice and mix until frothy. Garnish with toasted coconut.
CHAMBORD-RASPBERRY
MARGARITAS
4 cups frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 ounces tequila
2 ounces Gran Marnier
3 ounces Chambord
2 cups ice
Whole, fresh raspberries, for garnish
1 cup sugar, for glasses
In a blender, combine frozen raspberries, lemon juice, tequila, Gran Marnier, Chambord and ice and blend until smooth. Pour sugar onto a small plate. Wet the rim of 4 margarita glasses. Dip the rim in the sugar. Pour the raspberry margaritas into the prepared glasses. Yield: 4 servings
FROZEN BANANA
DAIQUIRI
8 ounces light rum
1/2 C banana liqueur
6 tablespoons lime juice
4 small banana, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups crushed ice
Combine all ingredients in an electric blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Pour into a large saucer champagne or similar glass.
Frozen Kahula Coffee
At Its Best
2 cups brewed coffee, cooled
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Kahlua
3 ounces Frangelico
3 ounces Vodka
3 cups ice
1 1/2 cups whipped cream, for garnish
6 mint sprigs, for garnish
In a blender, combine coffee, milk, Kahlua, Frangelico, vodka and ice and blend until smooth. Pour into 6 frozen glasses and garnish with whipped cream and mint sprigs.Yield: 6 servin
Pineapple Island Sunset
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
½ cup coconut milk
1 cup dark rum
3 ounces triple sec
2 ounces grenadine
3 cups ice
6 pineapple wedges, for garnish
6 orange twists, for garnish
In a blender combine pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut milk, rum, triple sec, grenadine and ice. Blend until smooth. Garnish with a wedge of pineapple and an orange twist. Pour into 6 frozen glasses.Yield: 6 servings
RED RED STRAWBERRY
DAIQUIRI
2 Cups strawberries
3 tablespoons lemonade concentrate
1 shot of rum
Ice cubes
Cut off tops of strawberries and place on cookie sheet. Freeze. Once frozen, place in blender with concentrate, rum and a hand full of ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups and serve
VANILLA-PEACH
SMOOTHIE
2 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 cup ice cubes
1 cup brandy
2 ounces peach schnapps
In a blender, combine peaches, ice cream, ice cubes, rum and schnapps and blend until smooth. Pour into 4 frozen glasses.Yield: 4 drinks
FROZEN VODKA WATERMELON
SLUSH
4 cups watermelon, seeds removed
Simple syrup, to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup Vodka
2 ounces melon liquor
4 lemon twists, for garnish
In a food processor, puree the watermelon flesh. Pour the pureed watermelon into empty ice cube trays and freeze for at least 4 hours. In a blender combine the frozen watermelon cubes, simple syrup to taste, lemon juice and vodka and blend until smooth. Pour into 4 frozen martini glasses and garnish with a lemon twist.
Yield: 4 servings
