The Hip Hostess

Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!

Mediterranean Baked Olives October 26, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Cocktail Party,Dairy-free,Fall cocktail party,Gluten-Free,healthy recipes,Mediterrannean,Panini Party,Recipes,Tapas,Wine Tasting — hiphostess @ 7:00 pm
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marinated olives recipe

Imagine the best olive mix you’ve ever bought.  The marinated olives you can make at home are infinitely better.  Combine a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your house (garlic, wine, bay leaf, oregano, etc.), bake them with your favorite mix of olives, and serve them with crusty bread for a simple tapas-style appetizer.  The smell of these olives cooking will elicit moans from anyone in the vicinity of your kitchen.

Mediterranean Baked Olives

1 cup Kalamata olives

1 cup green olives, such as Picholine

1 bay leaf

3 cloves garlic, 1 sliced and 2 minced

1 tsp. oregano

1 Tbs. parsley

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

½ cup dry white wine

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1.            Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Combine olives, bay leaf, sliced garlic and wine in baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Bake in single layer, covered, for 45 minutes or until olives are fragrant and swollen.

2.            Meanwhile, combine minced garlic, parsley, oregano and olive oil in mortar and pestel until it resembles a thick paste.   When olives are done baking, pierce each olive with a knife or fork, and add parsley mixture, along with olive oil and crushed red pepper, tossing to combine.  Serve immediately or cool and store at room temperature for up to a week.

Serves 6-8

 

Butternut Squash Soup September 22, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dairy-free,Gluten-Free,Halloween,Harvest Party,healthy recipes,Recipes,Soups,Thanksgiving,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 6:00 pm
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vegan butternut squash soup recipe

This soup is the ultimate comfort food: It’s warm and creamy but completely dairy-free and healthy.  I like to make it for lunch on the weekend with grilled cheese or crostini topped with goat cheese, thyme and honey.  It’s equally great for entertaining.  I’ve served it as the first course for fancy 5-course dinner party wth rave reviews.  Butternut squash soup is one of my all-time favorite recipes that I make over and over again.

Butternut Squash Soup

3 lbs. Butternut squash (about 1 large)

1 med. onion, chopped

8 cloves garlic (5 if they are large), minced

3.5 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

Optional: add Nutmeg (1/2 tsp.), cinnamon (1 tsp.) and cloves (1/4 tsp.)

Plain yogurt or low fat sour cream for garnish (optional garnish)

Chives or fresh thyme, minced (optional garnish)

1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.  Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds and bake, cut side down, on pan covered with tinfoil and nonstick spray for 40-50 minutes (until completely soft).

2.  Meanwhile, in a large pot sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 cup broth (if you are using nutmeg, etc., add it here).

3.  Scrape squash flesh from peel and add to onion mixture; add broth at same time.  Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, with the lid on, for 20 minutes.

4.  Put soup into blender (1/3 at a time) and puree.  Serve in bowl with dollop of plain yogurt swirled in and minced chives or thyme sprinkled on top.

 

Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt Dill Sauce August 13, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Gluten-Free,healthy recipes,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 8:00 am
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Here’s another great zucchini recipe for those with a bumper crop.  These savory pancakes are light, yet filling enough for dinner when paired with salad or corn on the cobb.  I used yellow summer squash for the batch pictured, but generally makes these with zucchini.  A combination of both zucchini and summer squash is a nice alternative too.  Using garbanzo bean flour makes these pancakes gluten-free and adds some protein, as does the tangy yogurt sauce.  The pancakes can be prepared in advance and kept warm in the oven; the yogurt sauce can also be made in advance and kept separate from the pancakes until ready to serve.

Zucchini Pancakes with Yogurt Dill Sauce

For pancakes:

2 small or 1 medium to large zucchini (or yellow squash), grated

¼ medium onion, grated

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

6 Tbs. garbanzo bean flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbs. fresh dill, chopped

½ tsp. salt

Fresh-ground pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

For yogurt sauce:

6oz plain Greek yogurt (fat free or 0% works well)

½ Tbs. fresh dill, chopped

Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

Additional sprigs of dill, as garnish (optional)

1.            Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and set aside.  Combine grated zucchini, onion, eggs, garlic, garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in medium bowl and mix well.  [If your batter is very loose, you may need to add an additional 1-2 Tbs. garbanzo bean flour; the consistency should be similar to a thick pancake batter.]

2.            Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in 12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Scoop ¼ cup of batter into pan a spread lightly with the back of measuring cup to flatten.  Repeat and cook 4 pancakes in the pan at a time.  Flip when bubbles begin to form around the edges and cook until moderately firm and golden brown on both sides.  Remove from pan, place on prepared baking sheet and keep warm in pre-heated oven while making the next batch.  Add remaining Tbs. olive oil to pan and make 4 more pancakes (recipe makes 8 pancakes total).

3.            Place additional cooked pancakes on baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve (up to 30 minutes).  Make yogurt sauce by combining yogurt, chopped dill, salt and pepper.  Serve warm pancakes with a dallop of yogurt sauce and a spring of dill, if using.

 

Tomato-Melon Gazpacho July 18, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dairy-free,Garden Party,Gluten-Free,healthy recipes,Tapas,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 7:00 pm
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This beautiful chilled summer soup is a twist on traditional tomato gazpacho – one of my favorite warm-weather appetizers.  The combination of sweet cantaloupe, acidic tomatoes and fresh basil make this gazpacho spectacular.  The ingredients are quite simple, so the flavor of the soup really depends on the quality of the ingredients you use.  I only make this gazpacho when tomatoes and melon are in season: Ripe tomatoes that taste earthy and acidic, and sweet melon that’s beginning to melt in the center are the two ingredients that make this soup.

Don’t let peeling the tomatoes deter you from making gazpacho.  It’s really very simple if you follow this method:  Cut a small x in the bottom (non-stem end) of the tomatoes and drop them into boiling water for about 10 seconds; immediately plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.  When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, you’ll be able to easily remove the peel.  While peeling the tomatoes isn’t absolutely necessary, it makes the soup more refined and is really worth the extra step.

Serve this soup as a summer appetizer for a dinner party, or serve it in martini or tall shot glasses at a tapas-style party.  Remember to chill the bowls or glasses (keep them in the fridge or freezer for a few hours) before serving.  If you want to make this more of a meal, add some grilled prawns (large shrimp) and sourdough rolls.

This recipe is inspired by Jean-George & Mark Bittman’s recipe in Simple to Spectacular.

Tomato-Melon Gazpacho

1 medium cantaloupe (2 ½ – 3 lbs), seeded and cut into chunks (discard the rind)

5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium tomatoes (about 1 ½ lbs), cored, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” pieces

1 ½ C. cold water (or 1 C. water and ½ C. ice cubes)*

12 basil leaves, divided

salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

1.            Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in medium skillet over high heat.  Add melon to pan and cook until juicy (about 1-2 minutes).  Remove melon from the pan and place in blender.  Wipe pan clean and heat 1 Tbs. olive oil again over high heat.  Add tomatoes to pan and cook until juicy (again, about 1-2 minutes).  Remove from heat and add tomatoes to blender.

2.            Add water (and/or ice cubes), 10 basil leaves and remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil to tomato-melon mixture.  Puree until mostly smooth, leaving some chunkiness.  Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve cold, topped with chopped basil.

*I like to sauté the melon and tomatoes in advance and refrigerate them in the blender before pureeing the entire mixture so they have time to chill (you want to serve the soup nice and cold).  If you don’t have time to chill the ingredients after cooking, use ½ C. ice cubes in place of the water to keep the mixture cool.

 

Smoky Roasted Red Pepper & White Bean Dip June 18, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Argentinean Grill,Backyard BBQ,Dairy-free,Gluten-Free,healthy recipes,party food,Recipes,Tapas,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 8:00 am
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This dip is a smoky, creamy and filling – a delicious alternative to hummus!  You’d never guess that it’s super healthy too.  I usually have all the ingredients for this dip on hand, which makes it great for last minute entertaining.  It’s a real crowd-pleaser too.  Serve it with toasted pita, breadsticks or tortilla chips.

I like to serve this dip as part of an Argentinean Grill or Tapas theme menu.  It would also be a great appetizer for a backyard BBQ.

The dip can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in an air-tight container (bring the dip to room temp before serving and wait to garnish with the cilantro until then).

This recipe is a variation on Bobby Flay’s awesome dip from Mesa Grill.

Smoky Roasted Red Pepper & White Bean Dip

2 (9oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large roasted red bell peppers, peeled & seeded, or 1 (8oz) jar roasted red peppers

3 Tbs. red wine vinegar

½ – 1 Tbs. canned chipotles in adobo (use mixture of peppers and adobo sauce)

1 Tbs. honey or agave nectar

salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste

¼ C. cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Combine all ingredients (other than cilantro) in a food processor and process until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

 

Hip Crudités: Blanched Asparagus with Creamy Mustard Dip April 17, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dairy-free,Gluten-Free,healthy recipes,Recipes,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 4:00 pm
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Try serving blanched asparagus spears with a tasty dip made of wholegrain mustard and a bit of mayonnaise for a seasonal alternative to traditional crudités.

Blanched Asparagus with Creamy Mustard Dip

1 bunch asparagus

¼ cup wholegrain mustard

1 Tbs. mayonnaise (regular or light)

To blanche asparagus:  Fill a bowl with ice and cold water to make a water bath.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  While waiting for water to boil, trim asparagus spears to where they snap when bent.  Place trimmed asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute, or until bright green.  Immediately plunge asparagus into water bath to stop cooking.  Once cooled, remove asparagus and refrigerate until ready to use (can be made up to 1 day in advance).

To make dip:  Mix mustard and mayonnaise and serve in a small ramekin with blanched asparagus spears.

 

Green Pea “Guacamole” February 5, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dairy-free,Fiesta,Gluten-Free,healthy recipes,Recipes,Super Bowl,Tapas,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 12:00 pm
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A friend of a friend shared a recipe for green pea “guacamole” with me after I mentioned my love of cilantro.  I made a few variations and came up with this recipe, which is really a very tasty Mexican flavored dip.  This “guac” has a nice, bright flavor from the cilantro, a bit of tang from the lime and a little kick of heat thanks to the chipotle chilis.

Serve it game-day, as you would a regular guacamole.  I like to serve it with tacos as a topping – even with breakfast burritos.  It’s also a great topping for fish or grilled chicken.

Green Pea “Guacamole”

1/3 medium red onion, finely chopped

4 Tbs. olive oil

Juice of 1 lime (about 4 Tbs.)

1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed

½-1 tsp. chipotle chilis in adobo sauce or 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded

10 oz frozen peas

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. salt

Chop onion in food processor until finely chopped.  Place onion in a medium bowl and set aside.  Combine oil, lime juice and cilantro in food processor until roughly pureed.  Add chili, peas, cumin, salt and blend until almost smooth (should be some chunks left).  Stir in red onion.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a bit of chopped red onion.  Serve with tortilla chips or toasted pita.

  • You don’t need to defrost or cook the frozen peas before pureeing them, but I do let the dip sit at room temperature for about a half hour before serving.
 

Goat Cheese Artichoke Dip December 21, 2010

Filed under: Appetizers,Cocktail Party,Gluten-Free,Recipes,Vegetarian,Wine Tasting — hiphostess @ 10:00 am
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I love to serve a warm dip during the holidays, like this Goat Cheese Artichoke Dip.  It can be prepared several days in advance and popped into the oven right before guests arrive, filling your house with the inviting smell of cheesy goodness.  This dip is a huge crowd-pleaser, so I always double the recipe when serving as part of a cocktail party menu.

Although this dip is cream cheese based, it freezes surprisingly well.  I often make an extra and freeze it (unbaked) so I have a delicious dip on hand for impromptu holiday entertaining.  If you aren’t a fan of goat cheese, use sour cream in place of the goat cheese.  Either way, this dip is absolutely delicious.  Serve with warm whole wheat pita wedges, baguette slices, or whole-grain crackers.

Goat Cheese Artichoke Dip

½ C. low-fat mayonnaise

8oz low-fat cream cheese or Neufatchel cheese, softened

6oz goat cheese, softened

½ C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 can (14oz) water-packed artichoke hearts, drained

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1.            Combine mayo, cream cheese, goat cheese and Parmesan in food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Add artichoke hearts, onion and garlic and pulse until combined, leaving some texture to the mixture.  Transfer mixture to a 6” soufflet or casserole dish.  (You can refrigerate this mixture for up to 2 days).

2.            Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake dip for 30 minutes, or until warm and bubbly.  Serve immediately.

 

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Parmesan November 19, 2010

Filed under: Appetizers,Christmas,Cocktail Party,Gluten-Free,New Years Eve,Recipes,Tapas,Thanksgiving — hiphostess @ 8:00 am
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These decadent bites are not the pretties appetizer, but they are one of the most popular that I serve.  People talk about them for days after the party.  I can understand the draw – they are sweet, sticky and salty bites of deliciousness.  What doesn’t taste good wrapped in bacon?

Bacon-wrapped dates are a great make-ahead appetizer.  Pit the dates up to a week in advance, stuff them with Parmesan up to 2 days in advance (refrigerate until ready to wrap in bacon), wrap in bacon up to 1 day in advance and pop these in the oven right when your guests arrive.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Parmesan

24 Medjool dates

½ lb. Parmesan cheese, cut into 24 pieces

12 slices bacon, cut crosswise in half

Arugula, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in middle of oven.  Cover rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.  Cut dates lengthwise to remove pit, then place Parmesan inside.  Seal by pinching the sides together over cheese.  Repeat with remaining dates.  Wrap each date in bacon and place on prepared baking tray, about 1” apart, seam side down.  Bake for 5 minutes; turn dates over to continue cooking until bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes more.  Remove from oven and drain on paper towel.  Serve over bed of fresh arugula, if desired.

  • Be sure to use a rimmed baking sheet or a shallow baking dish.  The bacon will render some fat into the pan.
  • If you cannot get the bacon to hold in place use a toothpick to secure it.

 

Hip Halloween Menu October 28, 2010

Filed under: Appetizers,Cocktail Party,Fall,Fall cocktail party,Halloween,Harvest Party,menus,party food,Recipes,Seasonal — hiphostess @ 5:00 pm

You don’t need a menu filled with ghoulish dishes for a festive Halloween party. Use seasonal flavors in creative ways to create a hip party menu that will please the adult palate.

Hip Halloween Menu

Pumpkin hummus served with blue corn tortilla chips

http://hiphostessblog.com/2009/10/25/pumpkin-hummus/

Fried pumpkin ravioli

http://hiphostessblog.com/2010/10/28/pumpkin-ravioli-appetizer/

Black olive tapenade crostini

http://hiphostessblog.com/2008/04/12/savory-black-white-cookies/

Lamb chop lollipops with chimichurri sauce

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chimichurri-Sauce-107159

Carrot raisin salad

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/kathleen-daelemans/carrot-quik-slaw-recipe/index.html

Maple-spiced nuts

http://hiphostessblog.com/2008/03/06/go-nuts-for-maple-spiced-nuts/

Pimiento-stuffed green olives (store-bought)