My friend Stephanie is amazing. She is our MOPS coordinator and she is fun, creative and beautiful {inside and out}. She is a total foodie and has done catering for years {oh yeah and she is a pastry chef & mom of two}. Somehow she manages to whip up amazing food & great decor for her home and for church events, she organize MOPS seamlessly and takes care of her family all while looking cute.
Here is the display and food she shared with our group last week and some great catering/party advice! Hope you appreciate her advice and recipes as much as I do!
{P.S. I took these pictures very quickly and apologize for their poor quality}
::Party Food Tips::
Appetizers:
- If you’re having just an evening function with no dinner, plan on at least 10 – 15 pieces per person. Round up, especially if it’s going to be served buffet style, as people tend to eat more than if a tray is passed.
- If you’re serving pre-dinner appetizers, plan on 3 – 5 pieces per person, and choose lighter food options, as dinner will follow.
Beverages:
- Plan on about 3 beverages per person for party, with coffee drinkers consuming on average one cup every 1 1/2 hours
Breakfast:
- People usually drink 2 beverages on average – either juice, coffee, tea, etc.
- Plan on a main entrée per person, along with two sides, including bread. Fruit makes a great and healthy breakfast dessert. Estimate about 3 – 5 pieces of cut fruit per person, or one cup or less of fruit salad.
- If you’re serving pastries only, plan on 2 pieces per person.
Lunch:
- For hors d’oeuvres, plan on 2 – 4 per person.
- Offer a main entrée with 2 – 3 sides, including a starch and a dessert.
- Offer a selection of drinks, including soda, beer, lemon water, etc.
- If you’re having sandwiches, allow for 1 -2 per person (cut in half).
Dinner:
- Have 3 – 5 hors d’oeuvres per person, depending on the number of courses.
- Plan on a main entrée and 2 – 3 sides, either veggies, beans, pasta, etc.
- Offer small portions of bread, salad, or soup.
- Always have water, along with other beverages.
Desserts:
- Plan on 1 – 3 servings per person. (Depending on size)
- Offer one slice of cake, tart or pastry, or small serving of a creamy dessert, i.e. mousse.
- If you have a large variety, serve smaller portions. (2-3 per person if doing small portions)
- Coffee consumption peeks after dessert is served.
Homemade Caramel Dip
Ingredients:
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Small Mason Jars for Storing
Crock Pot
Directions:
1. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into glass jars that will fit in your slow cooker. You can cook this right in the can, but I’m leery of the lining of the can. You’re going to store it in something after you cook it, anyway, so just pick some jars you like with tight-sealing lids. Tighten them as much as possible, so nothing leaks in or out.
2. Place the jars in your slow cooker and cover with water. It’s important that they be covered with water, or they could explode. No, mine didn’t, but I didn’t want to test it! Put the slow cooker lid on, turn it on low, and let it cook 7 to 8 hours, until the caramel is, well, a caramel color. The water should be simmering, but not boiling. I had to turn mine to high for a couple of hours at the beginning to get the water temp high enough.
3. Remove from the hot water and let cool, then enjoy with sliced apples. Store any extra in the refrigerator, since we didn’t really process these like you would in canning to make them shelf stable.
One can of sweetened condensed milk made one full jar and about 2/3 of the other 8 oz jar. It doesn’t expand or contract while cooking, so the amounts in the jars will be the same after cooking as before. This would make an AWESOME hostess gift!
Recipe from ChaosServedDaily.com
Prosciutto Pinwheels
Ingredients:
1 Box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
2/3 cup Dijon mustard
¾ lb. prosciutto, thinly sliced
Provolone cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Working with one sheet of the puff pastry, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a 14-inch square. Brush with a thin layer of mustard (using 1/3 cup). Cover with half the prosciutto and half the Provolone, leaving ½” uncovered along all four edges.
2. Roll pastry tightly from one edge. Pinch seams to seal Cut into ½” pieces and place cut side down on baking sheet, 1” apart.
3. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet.
4. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes
Mini Brie en Croute with Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
– 1 box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed
– 1 – 8 oz Brie wheel
– Cranberry Sauce (homemade or store-bought)
– Mini Muffin Tin
Directions:
- Spray muffin tin, and cut thawed puff pastry sheets in 3”x 3” squares.
- Place 1 square into each muffin tin, and fill with a piece of Brie and a spoonful of cranberry sauce.
- Bake in the oven according to package or until puff pastry is golden brown.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
“Triple Berry Sauce”
Recipe in MOPS cookbook page 25
Ingredients:
– 1 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
– 1/3 cup sugar, plus a little more depending on taste
– 12 oz. fresh cranberries, washed and drained
– ½ cup dried cranberries
– 3 tbsp. orange marmalade
– 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
– 2 tsp orange zest
– ½ tsp. ground allspice
– Dash of cinnamon
Directions:
- Combine cranberry juice and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Add fresh and dried cranberries. Cook until dried berries soften and fresh berries pop. Stir often for approx. 7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Cool Completely.
- Cover and chill until cold, about 2 hours.
- Can be made 3 days ahead. Enjoy!
Wine & Cheese Pairing:
Brie – Chardonnay
Gouda – Merlot
Sharp White Cheddar – Cabernet Sauvignon
Parmesan – Chianti
Gruyere – Sauvignon Blanc
Blue – Riesling
Ricotta – Pinot Grigio
Mozzarella – Sauvignon Blanc
Fun Water Combinations:
Just add ingredients to water. It adds flavor and looks pretty too!
– All Citrus
– Raspberry Lime
– Watermelon Rosemary
– Blackberry Sage
– Pineapple Mint
{from theyummylife.com}
{Compiled by Stephanie Mcdaniels, over 10 years of experience in the Hotel & Restaurant Industry}
