The Party's Over

Over and done for another year.  The house was packed.  Thanks to wonderful helpers there's not a lot of clean up to do.  Well, that's a relative term when you've had close to 170 people in your home.  We had a bit of snow and some really cold temps so that kept a few folks home.  All in all, we thought it was pretty successful. 

It's interesting to see which food goes fastest.  As you might guess, the beef tenderloin, crab cakes and the shrimp both go really quickly.  The wrapped waterchestnuts in a chili sauce disappeared post haste.  And, so did the rumaki!  I always thought most people really didn't like chicken livers.  But, when I put a crockpot full of 200 rumaki out and they're gone in three hours, well, more than a couple of folks clearly like chicken livers!

We'd cut the bar cookies on a large cutting board and put the leftovers on the bar.  Folks kept walking by and eating those.  So, early on, the desserts were pretty well gone. A couple of desserts I'd not really been excited about making were the most popular.  So, I'll make sure to make them next year.

When I made a trial run of the buffalo wing eggrolls done in wonton wrappers so as to be one-biters, I wasn't too thrilled with the outcome.  The filling to dough ratio was just wrong.  So, I turned the filling into a hot dip.  Now, that was popular stuff.   

Connie particularly loved the bourbon cured salmon.  It's easy to make so we'll make it again sooon just for us.  There's not one particular dish that I crave more than the others.  I always enjoy the rumaki and the bacon wrapped waterchestnuts.  I guess the surprise winner for me this year was one that didn't make it out to the table - smoked salmon tartare.  I'd make smoked salmon deviled eggs and the leftover mixture - sans egg yolks - went out instead of the smoked salmon tartare.  Saturday morning I discovered the tartare so I took it to work with me for lunch.  It was so wonderful that I really had to force myself to quit eating it! 

There were a couple of things that just weren't popular.  Cracker spreads are slow movers.  The clam dip and the mushroom truffle pesto were both barely touched.  I need to break down and just make ranch dip for the veggies since my favorites aren't as popular. 

I'll follow up with links to recipes I've already posted and will work on posting the rest of the recipes over the next couple of weeks.  Please leave me a message if there's anything you'd particularly like to see.

Here are some photos of the serving tables:

Hot plates awaiting buffalo chicken dip, brie with cranberry chutney and crab rangoon dip.

Meat tray with beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, ham and turkey

Smoked salmon - we wound up flaking this.

Bourbon cured salmon - we wound up removing the skin and slicing this.

Crab cakes and pizza bites

Chips with mexicali scoop, black bean salsa and smoked salmon dip.  Then, lots of antipasto.

Didn't Ashley do a magnificent job on this platter of antipasto veggies?

Hard cooked eggs with anchovy crumbs in the foreground.  Greek salad stackers behind them on the table.

A small portion of the dessert table.