I know sometimes entertaining guests can be extremely daunting, but the greatest thing about 4^th of July is it’s meant to be super casual! I have created a great list of recipes that allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests!

Appetizer:

Toasted Ravioli with Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 (25 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli, thawed
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• Marinara sauce for dipping (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Combine milk and egg in a small bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and seasonings in a shallow bowl. Dip ravioli in milk mixture, and coat with breadcrumbs.

2. In a large saucepan, heat marinara sauce over medium heat until bubbling. Reduce the heat to simmer.
3. In a large heavy pan, pour oil to depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium heat until a small amount of breading sizzles and turns brown. Fry ravioli, a few at a time, 1 minute on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately with hot marinara sauce.

Marinara Sauce:

• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely diced onion
• 1/2 cup white wine

Directions:

1. In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat and saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
3. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leftovers are great to use over pasta and can be frozen.

Drinks:

Non-Alcoholic

Flavored water: I love having flavored water at parties. The main reason is it’s so easy to create and incredibly refreshing! Here is what you need:

• Large Pitchers
• Green Apples
• Mint
• Raspberries
• Lemon Grass
• Ginger

1. Combine your favorite fruits and herbs in the glass. For example, it will great to combine green apples, raspberries, and mint together. Lemon grass and ginger would be great combinations.
2. Once you have created the combination of ingredients you would like, then try to emulsify the ingredients with a fork just to get the juices out.
3. Fill the pitcher with ice cold water and refrigerate.
4. Try to make this one hour before your guests arrive.

Alcoholic:

Lemon champagne Cocktail

• 4 ounces Champagne
• 1 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon super fine sugar
• 2 Maraschino Cherries

Directions:

1. Add the champagne, gin, and lemon into your serving pitcher.
2. Spoon the sugar until it dissolves.
3. Within each glass, place two maraschino cherries for garnish.

Main Course:

Indian Shakshuka — Poached Eggs in Curry Sauce

For 2-4 servings:

• 4-6 eggs
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno or other green chili, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium/large tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup water

Garnish: Handful of cilantro leaves

For serving: Baguettes

1. In a large pan, heat up oil on low/medium heat. Add the onion to oil, and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic and keep sauteing for a few minutes longer until the onions are translucent and the mixture is soft. Stir once or twice. This process is very quick. No need to caramelize onions.
2. Stir in tomatoes to onion mix and cook for a few minutes longer until the tomatoes cook through and are super soft. Add curry powder and salt to taste and mix. Add water, bring to a bubble and reduce heat.
3. Crack eggs into curry sauce and let cook until desired. If you like the poached eggs runny it should take few minutes. If you do not like your poached eggs runny, put a tight lid on your pot, and cook covered for a few minutes, until egg yolks firm up a bit. Garnish with a handful of cilantro leaves and serve with baguettes.

I highly suggest keeping the eggs runny! This recipe is so easy to create in large batches and doesn’t require utensils! You can even pre-make the sandwiches for your guests as well, but do not make them more than 20 minutes in advance because then the baguettes will get soggy.

Dessert:

Chocolate Chips in Raspberries and Blueberries

• 3 batches of Raspberries and Blueberries
• Chocolate Chips (Milk, Dark, and White)

Directions:

1. Fill every raspberry with chocolate chips within their cavities
2. Mix in a bowl with blueberries
3. You can always have a side of whipped cream to add a little extra sweetness!

These are just some of my favorite recipes to use for any party, but please share some of your favorite party recipes!

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I will be back soon!

 

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 24th, 2012 at 9:21 pm and is filed under Favorite Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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