people who are new to this tradition always ask me.....why? is it somebody's birthday? some little known holiday? what is so special about this time of year?
the truth of it is, i hate february. it is a cold, dark and dreary month. the holidays are over, so nothing is covered in pretty sparkly decorations. but the weather hasn't started to warm, so there are no cook outs or winery trips to plan. in past years, i found that this month was when i was at my lowest. depressed and lifeless. and i began to realize that many other people were in the same doldrums.
to keep myself from succumbing to this horrible downward spiral, i decided to throw a party. this was many years ago when i was in undergrad. i made a cheesecake. and invited a handful of people over to enjoy it with me. it kept me busy, it kept me active and it kept me motivated. and it gave my friends something to plan. something to look forward to.
and so a tradition was born! this party (or SJ Fest as it has come to be known) serves as a wonderful platform for me to try out new recipes for appetizers. and i do so love appetizers! and i'll be honest, this is a totally self indulgent opportunity for me to gorge on all the things i crave. the day after they party? it's jammies and leftovers on the couch. and it is an absolutely wonderful day. second only to the day after thanksgiving.
there are a few recipes that over the years have become turned out so well they've become permanent fixtures. and a CLASSIC party favorite is crockpot meatballs. the kind you make with chili sauce and grape jelly. which is the strangest sounding combination. but we all know this dish. and we all LOVE this dish! sometimes i do meatballs. sometimes i do lil smokies. this year? i threw all convention to the wind and put both IN THE SAME CROCKPOT!!!!! madness! chaos! deliciousness!!!!! there was another crock pot warming with a buffalo chicken dip, but i totally forgot to snap a picture of that one!
the biggest hit from this year was the platter of "mini chicken and waffles" i set out. this was a test run for something i want to serve at a brunch i'm making for my parents later in the year. it's super simple. chicken nuggets (we got a tray from chick fil a, 'cause let's be honest, there are no other nuggets worth eating) on mini waffles (eggo freezer waffles heated in the oven until crips work quite nicely). i had maple syrup and chick fil a sauce on the side for people to have options for dipping. sooooo gooooood! i'm very excited to make these again!
i wanted to sneak some vegetables into the mix. so i made "spinach balls". i was thinking these would be untouched. who wants to eat something green when there are crockpot meatballs to be had? but they were surprisingly successful! savory bites of spinach mixed with onion, parmesan and egg. the secret to these? is stuffing mix. the cheap boxed kind. it serves the purposed of bread crumbs (soaking up excess moisture) while providing a nice herbed flavor.
i like to have at least a few relatively healthy options laid out. this year i made up a "mediterranean 7 layer dip". a lighter, and in my opinion tastier, version of a mexican 7 layer dip. instead of refried beans? there's hummus. instead of sour cream? tzatiki. instead of cheddar? feta. then green pepper, cucumber, red onion, tomato, and kalamata olives. i guess that makes it an 8 layer dip? all the same, very filling, and actually really healthy. look at all the layers of veggies! and with pita chips? it almost stands on it's own as a meal.
following on the tastes of the mediterranean flavors, i made some "antipasto" cups. made in....muffin tins!!! slices of salami are baked into cup shapes until they becomes crisp. then filled with a mixture of marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and pesto. i drizzled a little balsamic glaze over them just to add that final touch!
one of the recipes from the past i get multiple requests for is "bacon wrapped dates". i mean, anything wrapped in bacon is fantastic. and these dates are stuffed with maytag bleu cheese, which takes a delicious morsel and multiplies it exponentially!
my other bacon-y dish this year was a sriracha bacon cheese ball. this one has a fair amount of heat, so not for the weak of palette!
i made the little brie/phyllo cups as well (which i posted about previously). this time i used cherry preserves mixed with a little balsamic as the fruit base. always a popular option!
my taste buds lean to the savory, but of course i had options for sweet teeth as well. this recipe is one i am very proud of! mini chocolate mousse parfaits. layers of chocolate mousse, whipped cream and dark chocolate ganache. set into 2 oz shot glasses, so everyone gets their own individual portion. these are super rich, but not overwhelmingly sweet. a wonderful and decadent few bites are the perfect end to the night. and even better start to the day after!
ever since "cake bon-bons" became a popularity, i have been obsessed with them. this fits so perfectly with my love of individual, bite sized servings of dessert! the endless combinations of cake/frosting/coating flavors is so fun to experiment with. tonight's cake bon-bon was a special request from tony. devil's food cake and buttercream frosting on the inside. butterscotch coating on the outside. (tip. if you're using butterscotch chips as a coating for something? mix a bit of creamy peanut butter into them when melting....it makes them a little smoother and works so well with the flavor!)
as big as my love for chocolate is, i like to offer an alternative dessert. i find that lemon-flavored sweets are an excellent counter. something tart and light. this year i made lemon cookies. small, wafer style cookies topped with a very thin lemon glaze. just a taste of sweetness and citrus to cleanse the palette!
and a party isn't a party without drinks! to keep things easy, i usually stick to having wine, beer and a pre made punch or two. this year i put out two punches. the first was a bourbon punch made with white grape juice and ginger ale.
the second was the "snow drift" that tony and i came up with during our last big snowstorm. i laughed at how many people started the night saying "no thanks, i don't like the taste of gin" but ended the night happily drinking a glass (or three) of this happy pink punch!
so mark you calendars. the last saturday of february, next year and every year. stop on by!
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