Carlyn's 5 Tips To Being A Guest At Your Own Party
Friday, Feb 1, 2008
Top 5 tips to being a guest at you own party:
1. Simplify the menu
Tip: pick items that can be pre-made and hold under manageable temperatures
2. Use plastic ware
3. Pre-planning
Tip: Make lists of menu, timing, and supplies
4. Plan what people can bring
5. Pre-Organize
Tip: Clean your house, make supplies easily accessible and calculate food demands!
Berghoff Chili
Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 medium white onions, chopped
3 pounds ground beef or turkey
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
28oz can whole tomatoes, chopped
28oz can kidney beans, drained
8oz can beef broth
1 bottle Berghoff beer
Instructions
Heat oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, sauté till transparent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, sauté 1 minute. Add beef, sauté until brown, breaking up with back of fork, about five minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika and crushed red peppers, then mix in tomatoes with juices, bean and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chili thickens and flavors blends, stirring occasionally. About 45 minutes. Skim any fat from surface of chili.
(Can be made 2 days a head. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to a simmer before consuming, stirring occasionally.)
For best Chili & Chips
Ladle over tortilla chips and top with your choice of the following:
Sliced olives, chopped jalapenos, shredded cheddar, chopped scallions, chopped whole tomatoes, fresh cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce.
Berghoff Beer Hot Wings
Ingredients
18-24pcs Chicken Wings
2 1/2 cups of Berghoff Beer
1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 to 4 tbsp Tabasco sauce
2 cups flour
Instructions
Take the chicken wings and place in a large bowl. Give them a cold water rinse. After rinsing, drain and remove as much water as possible. Combine all other ingredients in a large bowl with the exception of the flour, add the hot sauce if you want your wings to be spicy. Add the wings and cover, place in the refrigerator for at least 6 to 8 hours. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Preferably in a deep fryer. Otherwise pour oil to a depth of one inch in a skillet. Remove the wings from the marinade, drain and dredge the wings in the remaining flour. Fry the wings in several batches until golden brown for 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the wings, turning wings once.
Mac & Cheese Bar
Ingredients
1 box raw elbow pasta
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup heavy cream, or milk for a lighter sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 cups finely grated processed American cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
peeper to taste
Topping Ideas
2 cups cooked crumbled bacon
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded Parmesan
2 cups chopped scallions
2 cups blue cheese
2 cups roasted red peppers
2 cups peas
2 cups sautéed mushrooms
2 cups onions
2 cups chopped sausages
(Pick favorites - 5 is a good number)
Instructions
Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until done, about 15 minutes. To make the cheese sauce, heat milk and butter in a heavy saucepan until steaming hot; do not boil. Stir in cheese, heating and stirring until cheese starts to melt. Remove from heat; stir until all cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Add pepper and paprika to taste. Combine with pasta. Serve with topping on the side.
Or use your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. The concept is to allow guests the ability to mix it up with fun toppings. Other fun toppings are peas, prosciutto, mushrooms, onions, sausage, and peppers. Have fun!
Killer Upside Down Bloody Mary Bar
To infuse your vodka
(750-ml) bottle best quality vodka
1 fresh green jalapeno pepper, slit in 1/2 lengthwise, stem left intact
2 cloves garlic, peeled
A few tips for peppers:
Peppers can be left whole, or cut in half if you want to increase the rate of infusion.
Stronger flavored fruit and herbs/spices take less time to infuse and softer flavor and fibrous fruit take longer. The most accurate method is to continually taste them until the flavor reaches your preferred intensity.
Have fun!
Garlic and Jalapeno infused Vodka shooter shaken with fresh tomato juice served with a celery salt rim. Accompanied by skewers of olives, onions, cheeses, salami, radishes and peppers
1 1/2 ounces (1 jigger) vodka
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Combine the vodka, the tomato juice, the lemon juice, cup ice cubes, shake the mixture well, and strain it into celery salt rimmed shooters filled with ice cubes.