The Hip Hostess

Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!

Mother Nature Inspired Mother’s Day Menu May 9, 2009

Filed under: Dinner,last-minute parties,Local Menu,menus,Mother's Day,Seasonal,Spring,Theme Parties — hiphostess @ 12:00 pm
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spring farmer's market, rhubarb

Still looking for ideas for a Mother’s Day fete?  Throw a “mother nature” inspired dinner party by using spring’s bounty as the basis for your menu.  Hit your local farmer’s market or look for locally grown produce at your regular grocery store.  All of these recipes can be made year-round, but using seasonal/ local ingredients will up the “wow” factor in the flavor department.
 

This menu is fairly simple, even for a novice host/ hostess.  Several components of this menu can be made in advance to streamline your cooking schedule and minimize your cooking time during the party.  Make the spiced nuts up to 2 weeks in advance; the dip, oven dried tomatoes and biscuits for the cobbler can be made up to 2 days in advance; the wheatberry salad can be made 2 days before the party (wait to toss the greens with the dressing until you are ready to serve), and the popover batter and basil pea puree can be made up to 8 hours in advance.  Set our your crudites, dip and nuts while you sear the scallops, heat the pea puree and bake the popovers.  Put your cobbler in the oven when you sit down for dinner and it will be bubbly and perfect by the time you are ready for dessert.  

 

Mother Nature’s Spring Menu

Crudités (blanched asparagus, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, etc.) with Creamy Dill Dip
Maple Spiced Nuts
Wheatberry Salad with Arugula, Goat Cheese and Green Olives
Seared Scallops over Basil Pea Puree with Oven Dried Tomatoes
Herb Popovers
Mango Rhubarb Cobbler

 

Tips:

  • Look for some interesting vegetable varieties, such as candy stripe radishes and purple carrots to serve with your dip
  • Unless you love shelling fresh peas, using frozen peas for the basil-pea puree is perfectly fine (the peas are flash frozen and, unlike other frozen vegetables, the flavor is not compromised by the freezing process) 
  • If you don’t have time to make the Maple Spiced Nuts buy some nice flavored nuts and set those out instead
  • Substitute good quality bread for the herb popovers if you aren’t up for baking
  • If you don’t have time to make the cobbler, buy or bake vanilla cupcakes, top with vanilla frosting and garnish with organic edible flowers for a simply beautiful spring dessert

 

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

http://hiphostess.wordpress.com/2008/04/20/wheat-berry-salad/

http://hiphostess.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/seared-scallops-over-basil-pea-puree/

http://hiphostess.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/mango-rhubarb-cobbler/

 

Hip Tip – Party-Worthy Pickles September 30, 2008

Filed under: Appetizers,Dairy-free,Gluten-Free,Hip Tips,Local Menu,party food,Products,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 8:00 am
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I am always on the look out for interesting but simple additions to add to a hors d’oeurve or cocktail party spread.  Pickled veggies by rick’s picks fit the bill.  Rick uses local cucumbers to make varying types of pickles and other local produce - such as asparagus, okra, beets and green beans - to make unusual but delicious pickled treats.  The Windy City Wasabeans (green beans in a soy-wasabi brine) are my personal favorite, but they are all worth trying.  All of rick’s picks are super flavorful, easy to eat and make a great addition to a veggie, cheese, cured meat or mezze platter.  They are sophisticated enough to serve at a more formal party, just use a crystal dish with mini silver tongs as your serving piece.

 

You can sample rick’s picks at the NYC Green Market in Union Square on Wednesdays. 
Order rick’s picks online at http://rickspicksnyc.com/order.php ($10.99 per 15oz jar)

 

Fiesta Menu August 8, 2008

Filed under: Cinco de Mayo,Dinner,Fiesta,Local Menu,menus,Summer,Theme Parties — hiphostess @ 10:00 am
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A fiesta makes for a great summer theme party.  A south-of-the border menu lends itself to some simple, no-cook recipes and delicious frozen drinks.  I used the menu below for a summer fiesta theme party I threw on my roof-top.  The menu was based on fresh, local ingredients that are at their prime this time of year.  Check back over the next few days for posts with recipes and pictures.

   

Fiesta Menu

 


Appetizers

Warm Peach Salsa & Goat Cheese Dip with Cumin Dusted Pita Chips

Texas Caviar (Bean) Dip with Fresh Sliced Vegetables

Tortilla Chips with Salsa Fresca, Chipotle Salsa & Avocado Dip

Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dipping Sauce

 

Main Event

Black Bean Enchiladas

Organic Beef Taco Bar (warm corn tortillas, beef taco filling, shredded chipotle cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa fresca & guacamole)

Chipotle-Citrus Slaw

 

Dessert

Margarita Key Lime Pie with Toasted Almond & Graham Cracker Crust

Mellon Ball Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Mexican Chocolate Brownies

 

Drinks

Mexican Beer (Corona, Negra Modelo)

Frozen New Jersey Peach Margaritas

 

Favors

Sweet and Spicy Toasted Pepitas

 

Mango Rhubarb Cobbler June 24, 2008

Filed under: Backyard BBQ,Dessert,Local Menu,Memorial Day,Recipes,Seasonal,Spring,Vegetarian — hiphostess @ 8:00 am
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Rhubarb and mangos are both at their peak, so I combined them to make this sweet and tart cobbler.  Serve it for dessert at a backyard BBQ.  It’s easy to transport if you make the biscuits ahead of time, prep the fruit, and bake it at your destination while dinner is cooking.

The recipe for the biscuit topping is inspired by Mesa Grill’s signature Blueberry Cobbler (recipe by Bobby Flay). 

 

Mango Rhubarb Cobbler

 

2 C. all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter (cold), cut into small pieces

¾ C. light cream, plus 2 Tbs. to brush on top

1 large egg

2 Tbs. sugar in the raw (or 1 Tbs. sugar), reserved

6 large stalks of Rhubarb

2 large Haitian mangos (or 3 small Mexican mangos), peeled and diced

¼ C. sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbs. tapioca (powder), optional

 

1.         Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, sift together first 4 ingredients (flour through salt).  Add the butter to the flour mixture using your hands or a pastry cutter until crumbly.  Combine the cream and egg in a small bowl and whisk.  Add the cream to the flour mixture and fold just until combined (do not over mix).

 

2.         Lightly flour counter or marble slab, place dough on counter and pat dough until it is about ½” thick.  Using a biscuit cutter or the mouth of a glass, cut dough into 10 circles.  Place biscuits on a nonstick cookie sheet.  Brush biscuits with remaining cream, sprinkle with sugar in the raw, and bake until slightly golden brown but slightly undercooked, about 10-15 minutes.  

 

3.         To make the cobbler, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place fruit in the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.  Mix in sugar and tapioca (if using).  Top with biscuits, spread evenly over the tops of the fruit.  Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the fruit is soft but not mushy when tested with a fork.  Let the cobbler cool for 20-30 minutes before serving.  Serve a scoop of the filling topped with a biscuit in a bowl, and top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

 

 Check out the Farmer’s Market Fare for other seasonal recipes and more:  http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/07/01/farmers-market-fare-11/

 

Farmer’s Market Spring Dinner Menu May 16, 2008

Filed under: Dinner,Eco Friendly,Local Menu,menus,Seasonal,Spring — hiphostess @ 9:12 am
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After a stop at my local farmer’s market I was inspired to make the following menu for a dinner in honor of my mother-in-law.

 

Asparagus and rhubarb are at their best time time of year, as are ramps. 

  • As rhubarb cooks, its juices act as a natural thickener, making it an amazing sauce for ice cream or cake.  Rhubarb’s tart, vibrant flavor is amazing when sweetened with a little sugar. 
  • Ramps are young, wild leeks with tender leaves that have a mild garlicy flavor.  They are wonderful sauteed in a little olive oil. 
  • Remember to bring a cooler or insulated cold bag with you if you are going to puchase your meat and/or cheese at the market.   

 

Don’t forget to buy flowers while you’re at your local farmer’s market.  I had been looking for lily of the valley all week (they are my mother-in-law’s favorite) and although May is one of the few months they are in season, I was quoted $50 for one small bunch.  I was able to get 4 bunches for $12 when I was at the market!  

 

 

Seasonal Spring Dinner Menu


Appetizers

Local cured meats
Olives in Dijon mustard
Assorted local cheese and crackers


Main Event

Local flat iron steaks with red wine, shallot and thyme sauce
Asparagus with sautéed ramps (wild leeks), lemon and thyme
Roasted red mountain (pink flesh) potatoes

 
Dessert

 

Sweet corn cake with pinot noir rhubarb compote and vanilla ice cream

 

 Check out the following site for more farmer’s market tips, ideas, recipes and stories:  http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/04/28/farmers-market-fare-3-2/

 

 
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