3 Hors D'oeuvres to Serve in Tasting Cups

February 19, 2016 Callie Cagney

I love to put out an array of hors d'oeuvres for guests to enjoy when I'm hosting a cocktail hour. It's always nice to provide guests with a selection of foods to choose from so that even the most particular of guests will most likely be able to find something to eat. Unfortunately there is one problem I seem to always run into when I take this approach with serving appetizers at a cocktail party. The mess that usually results from sampling dips or spooning sauces onto appetizer plates is epic. By the end of an evening, it's not uncommon to find my buffet table looking like a battleground. So how have I addressed this issue?

I came across the Marta Tasting Cups at CB2 a little over a year ago and they have quickly become a staple in my serveware arsenal. I use these cups for serving chili toppings (in this post), serving spices alongside hot mulled apple cider (see this post) and now I also use them to create the most fabulous individualized hors d'oeuvres! Today I am sharing three favorite appetizers that are fabulous to serve in CB2's Marta Tasting Cups. These ideas are definite crowd pleasers, easy to assemble and the reduction in table mess post party is incredible! Suffice it to say, I highly recommend serving any of these tasty hors d'oeurves at your next party.

Classic Chips and Salsa

Blue and White/Yellow Corn Chips
A delicious Pico De Gallo/Salsa ( store bought or homemade)
Fresh Jalepeno (sliced thin)
Fresh Cilantro
Optional- Queso Fresco (crumbled) and or fresh lime zest

Lemon Hummus & Crudite

Lemon Hummus (I highly recommend Whole Foods brand)
Fresh Thyme Leaves
Belgian Endive (Red and Green)
Celery (sliced thin and some with leaves
Mini English Cucumber (sliced thin on the diagonal)
Fresh lemon zest (to garnish)

Shrimp Cocktail

Really Good Cocktail Sauce (Regular or Spicy)
Frozen Shrimp (thawed)
Slice of Meyer Lemon
Fresh Dill

34 Degrees Giveaway!

August 17, 2015 Callie Cagney

I am so excited to announce that this week I have partnered with 34 Degrees to bring you a very special (and my first) Instagram giveaway! As you all know, 34 Degree Crisps are a cheesescape and entertaining essential for me . The versatility of these delicious crisps has afforded me the latitude to not only create delicious cheesescapes (see here and here), but also creating delicious hors d'oeuvres and even desserts!

This prize package for this giveaway is the ultimate entertaining starter kit. Not only will the winner receive a complete set of 34 Degree Crisps (yep, every flavor!), but they will also receive a cheese pairing guide and a complete set of recipe cards that are chock full of ideas and inspiration for how to pair and share these delicious crackers. To round out this fabulous prize package, 34 Degrees will also be including one of their fabulous canvas tote bags and an array of fun buttons (I am personally obsessed with the I {heart} Cheese button…too cute!). This tote also makes for a great picnic basket for say, packing/carrying a delicious and romantic cheesescape for two!

Prize Details:

A set of 34 Degrees Crisps (all flavors)
34 Degrees Canvas Tote Bag and Buttons
34 Degrees Recipe Cards

How to Enter:

Follow both calliecagney and 34 Degrees on Instagram
Tag 2 friends to at least one of 34 Degrees Giveaway photos that I post this week. **The more tags and likes you make on photos posted by myself and 34 Degrees throughout the week increases your chances of winning.

Announcing a Winner:

On Friday, August 21st, 2015, we will select a winner and announce the results that afternoon on Instagram.

Even though this contest will only produce a single winner, 34 Degrees has recently partnered with Destini Store Locators to launch the most fabulous app, that anyone can use to locate every flavor crisp in their area.

For more information on the latest happenings and recipes from 34 Degrees I definitely recommend checking out their Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter accounts. I have found all of these resources to be extremely inspirational when preparing my cocktail menu for upcoming party. Stay tuned throughout the week for more ideas on how you can pair and share these most delicious crisps!

Thank you 34 Degrees for sponsoring this post.

Cheese Puffs

August 12, 2015 Callie Cagney

When hosting a cocktail party, I always like to serve at least one hot hors d'oeuvre (see this post). There are plenty of pre-made hot hors d'oeuvres options in the freezer section of your grocery store, but today I wanted to share this homemade hors d'oeuvre option with you all because it is beyond easy and I would venture to guess that you likely already have these ingredients sitting in your pantry!

Hot cheese puffs are a great addition to any cocktail party menu. They can be made to be vegetarian friendly, but also taste fabulous when made with bacon! Today's recipe can be made and garnished with a variety of ingredients. I have included a few suggestions below, but the flavor possibilities reach far beyond what I am sharing today. In addition to this recipe being delicious and versatile, prep + cook time for this hors d'oeuvre takes less than 15 minutes! This recipe is most definitely a staple in my entertaining menu repertoire and I think it should be added to your repertoire as well!

Ingredients

Slices of White Bread
1/2c Mayonnaise (Light Mayo is also fine)
1/2c Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2c Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Optional Ingredients

3 Tbs Finely Chopped Bacon
1 Tbs Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tbs Finely Diced Jalepeno
2 Tbs Finely Chopped Sundried Tomatoes

Garnish Ideas

Fresh Basil, Thyme or Rosemary
Smokey Spanish Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Sundried Tomatoes
More Bacon (is it ever possible to have too much?)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a bowl combine mayonaise, both parmesan cheeses and any optional ingredients of your choosing. Mix well and set bowl aside
With a very small biscuit cutter, cut rounds out of white bread slices and place on a baking sheet
Apply a light layer of the mayonnaise cheese mixture to each bread round
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes
Garnish with toppings of your choosing and serve promptly
**NOTE- If you notice that your cooked cheese puffs are no longer perfectly round due to an overflow of the cheese mixture melting off, take a clean pair of kitchen shears and trim off the excess edges.

Herbed Feta Appetizer

July 15, 2015 Callie Cagney

Thinking up quick and easy Summer hors d'oeuvre ideas for entertaining isn't always easy. Summer is a hot and very humid time of year in DC and when I think appetizers/hors d'oeuvres, my repertoire of recipes tends to consist of foods that are served hot (not too appetizing for this time of year).

After spending quite a bit of time researching and taste testing hors d'oeuvre ideas for summer, I have come up with an Herbed Feta Appetizer that easy to make and has a delicious flavor profile. Best part? This is a no-bake recipe, which makes it the perfect cool and refreshing hors d'oeuvre to serve during the hot Summer months.

Ingredients

Block of Feta Cheese
Fresh Dill (about 1 Tbs)
Fresh Chives (about 1 Tbs)
1 Lemon
Olive Oil
Freshly Cracked Pepper
Maldon Sea Salt
Baguette (Sliced thin on the diagonal and toasted)

Instructions

Place block of feta on a serving dish that has raised edges (like this CB2 Bento Plate)
Pull leaves off of dill stems and sprinkle on top of feta cheese
Using a pair of kitchen sheers, snip chives into finely cut pieces and sprinkle on top of cheese
Using a microplane, zest one half of a lemon over the top of the feta block
Then drizzle a high quality olive oil on top of the feta block
Garnish with freshly cracked pepper and Maldon Sea Salt
Serve with freshly toasted baguette slices and/or 34 Degrees Crisps

**Note- If desired, the addition of Capers and/or Diced Kalamata Olives to the top of this herb feta cheese block would also pair beautifully.

Spicy Eggplant Bites

April 20, 2015 Callie Cagney

I live next to this delicious mediterranean restaurant. It's a very casual place, but the food is fantastic and you can customize your order with a variety of toppings. One topping that I regularly order from this restaurant (and recently discovered that it is for sale in my local grocery store) is Harissa. Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste that I have found to pair beautifully with an array of dishes, including the recipe that I am sharing with you in this post.

This is another easy to make appetizer that has a delicious and unique flavor profile. It also makes for a great snack (which I have been a fan making on occasion). These Spicy Eggplant Bites are a must try for anyone who enjoys food with a little heat and/or mediterranean cuisine.