My Top 10 Party Food

INGREDIENTS:-

450g dark or milk chocolate
400g can condensed milk
50g butter

METHOD :-

1. Line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with foil or
baking paper.
2. Chop the chocolate up into small pieces.
3. Put the chocolate, condensed milk and butter into a medium
saucepan and stir them over a low heat until the chocolate
has melted and the mixture is smooth.
4. Pour the mixture into prepared tin and smooth the surface with a
bladed knife.
5. Put fudge in the refridgerator for 3-4 hours or until fudge is firm.
6. Take the fudge out of the tin and cut it into bite size squares or
triangles to serve.

INGREDIENTS:-

850ml can unsweetened pineapple juice
3 cups apple juice
450g can unsweetened crushed pineapple
750ml chilled lemonade or dry ginger ale
mint sprigs and glace cherries, to decorate

METHOD:-

1. Put the pineapple juice, apple juice and crushed pineapple into a large punch bowl and stir gently to mix. Cover and refridgerate for 1 hour or until well chilled.
2. Just before serving, add the lemonade or ginger ale to pineapple mixture.
3. Decorate with the mint and glace cherries and serve immediately.

ADULTS ONLY :- To turn this great punch into an adult only refreshment add vodak to taste.

INGREDIENTS:-

4 sheets frozen puff pastry
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
500g chicken mince
500g pork mince
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

METHOD:-

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place pastry sheets on bench to defrost. Place carrots, onion and parsley in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
3. Add mince, salt and pepper and puree until smooth. I did this in batches, combined all ingredients in a large bowl and did the final mixing with (clean) hands.
4. Divide the mince mixture into eight equal portions.
5. Slice each sheet of pastry in half. Place a portion of mince on the middle of the long-edge of the pastry and pat the mince into a long sausage shape.
6. Brush the sides of the pastry with egg, peel the pastry away from the plastic backing and fold the bottom edge over the mince and then roll it over to seal. Do this as firmly as possible so the pastry is tight and neat - makes for better presentation.
7. Brush the top of the pastry with egg and then cut each roll cross-ways into about 8 small rolls.
8. Place rolls on prepared trays about 2cm apart. Bake for 20 minutes until pastry is puffy and golden and the mince is cooked through.

French Onion Dip -

Low fat sour cream or cream cheese, mix powder french onion soup alittle bit at a time, tasting as you go til the flavour is just right. Chill and serve.

Hummus Dip -

1 can of chick peas
30 mls of olive oil
1 tablespoon of Tahini
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
one clove of garlic
Add up to 40 mls of milk, water, the liquid from the chickpeas or more lemon juice until you get a consistency you like in a food processor. Use some horseradish as an option to add a little bite to it.

Corn Relish Dip -

Small or medium jar of corn relish
Low Fat sour cream or cream cheese
1 chicken stock cube
Mix all ingredients until completely combined, chill and serve.

Guacamole -

2 avocados, peeled, stones removed, roughly chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tomato, finely diced
1/4 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
Place avocado in a shallow dish and mash with a fork until smooth. Add onions, tomato, coriander, 2 tablespoons lime juice and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill and serve. For a creamier taste, add 1/4 cup sour cream.

Spinach Dip -

250g sour cream
1 packet spring vegetable soup mix
250g packet frozen spinach (or equivalent fresh spinach, steamed and finely chopped)
Mix sour cream, soup mix and spinach together. Chill and serve.

Layered Nacho-style dip -

250g cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 avocado, peeled and mashed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
375g jar tomato salsa
½ cup grated tasty cheese
1 packet taco seasoning

Mix cream cheese and sour cream with electric beater for 4 minutes or until smooth. Add taco seasoning to taste. Spoon into a large, flat (8 cup size) serving dish.
Combine avocado, garlic and lemon juice and spread over cream cheese mixture.
Pour over a layer of salsa and top with grated cheese. Serve with savoury crackers or corn chips.

Mango Fruit Dip -

1 cup of chopped ripe mango (peeled and seeded)
1 cup marshmallow creme (40 regular (white) marshmallows melted.
To melt them either put in the microwave on low in 10 second bursts or over a low heat on the stove. It is better in the microwave though.)
1 package cream cheese
Puree mango in a food processor. Then add marshmallow cream and cream cheese to the food processor and blend well.

Cream Cheese and Pineapple Dip -

250g package cream cheese, softened
2 cups crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Mix together cream cheese, crushed pineapple, onion powder and garlic. Mix in reserved juice from pineapple as desired. Chill and serve.

Serve dips with vegetable sticks, fruit kebabs, your fav crackers, chips and breads.

INGREDIENTS:-
1 tablespoon butter
300g chicken breast, diced small
1 cup leeks, finely sliced (approx 15 cm piece will be enough)
salt and pepper
½ lemon
4 eggs
½ cup thickened cream
½ cup milk
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
2-3 sheets puff pastry
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:-

1. In a frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat and add seasoned diced chicken. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add leeks. Stir to combine, then squeeze juice from half a lemon and put on a lid. Sauté for five minutes.
2. Remove from heat and place mixture in a small bowl to cool.
3. Take pastry sheets from the freezer and allow to defrost on bench.
4. In a jug, combine eggs, cream, milk, salt and pepper. Mix with a fork and leave in fridge until ready.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray 2 muffin tins with oil and cut out pastry rounds approx 8 cm in diameter and place one inside each muffin mold, gently pushing it toward the bottom.
6. When the chicken and leek mix is cool, add a small amount to each pastry round, followed by the cream mixture.
7. Just before you pop them in the oven add grated cheese on top.
8. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes then cool on a wire rack.

NOTE -
If your pastry is too soft, put it back in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up and you will have a better puff!
If you have extra liquid in the bottom of your cooked chicken/leek mix, drain before use.
You can also use pork or chicken mince if you don't want to dice up the chicken; just make sure you separate the meat when cooking.

INGREDIENTS:-
12 frozen mini sweet shortcrust pastry cases
2 egg yolks
2 tbs caster sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) thickened cream
1 1/2 tbs strawberry jam
6 small strawberries, hulled, halved
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD:-

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Place the frozen tart cases on an oven tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar by hand until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the cream.
4. Spread the base of each tart case with 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam. Place a strawberry half, cut-side down, in each tart case.
5. Spoon the egg mixture evenly around the strawberries, then bake for 10-12 minutes until the custard is set.
Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then remove the foil cases. Place on a platter and dust with icing sugar to serve.

INGREDIENTS:-

375g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, roughly chopped
1 egg
1 tablespoon finely-chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons plum sauce
1 teaspoon salt-reduced soy sauce
1 cup rice bubbles crushed

METHOD:-

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a baking tray.
2. Place chicken, egg, chives, oil and sauces in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth.
3. Place crushed rice bubbles in a shallow dish. Shape heaped teaspoons of chicken mixture into balls. Roll each ball in rice bubbles to coat.
4. Place nuggets on prepared tray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve.

INGREDIENTS:-

Meatballs -
3/4 cup dried diced apricots
2 tbsp brandy
1 lb/455 g prime ground beef
1 medium onion, very finely
chopped
1 slice white bread, crusts removed
and soaked in 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg
oil for frying

Apricot Dipping Sauce -
1/2 cup dried diced apricots
1 cup water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger juice

METHOD:-

1 First, make the meatballs. Soak the diced apricots in the brandy for 1 hour. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with the remaining meatball ingredients except the oil. Knead well with your hands for 2 minutes to distribute the ingredients evenly and to make a textured mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavours to blend.
2 Take a heaped teaspoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball with wet hands. Flatten slightly and press your thumb in the center to form a deep depression. Place 1/4 teaspoon of the soaked apricots in the centre and remold the ball to cover the apricots. Place on a tray and roll the remaining balls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before frying.
3 Pre-heat an electric fry pan on high, reduce heat slightly before cooking the meatballs. Fry the meatballs in 2 or 3 batches, rolling them around the pan to cook them all over and to keep their shape. Drain on paper towel. Place on a heated serving platter, with the Apricot Dipping Sauce in the center and toothpicks for serving.
4 To make the Apricot Dipping Sauce, place the diced apricots and water in a saucepan with any remaining brandy-soaked apricots. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until very soft. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, and teriyaki sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Purée in a blender or pass through a sieve. Stir in the fresh ginger juice. Serve with the apricot meatballs.

INGREDIENTS:-

2 x 180g bar white eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
125g pink and white marshmallows, chopped coarsely
150g turkish delight, chopped coarsely
¼ cup pistachios, chopped coarsely
¼ cup shredded coconut
1 cup Rice Bubbles
2 tablespoons shredded coconut, extra

METHOD:-

1. Grease 19cm deep square cake pan; line base and sides with 2 strips baking paper, extending paper 2cm above sides.
2. Stir chocolate with a metal spoon in medium heatproof bowl over saucepan of simmering water until melted.
3. Cool 5 minutes.
4. Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Stir in chocolate, working quickly; spread mixture into prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle over extra coconut.
6. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm before cutting.

NOTE - If you prefer, omit the turkish delight and replace with more marshmallows. This recipe also works well when milk or dark chocolate is used instead of white chocolate.

INGREDIENTS:-
150g (1 cup) plain flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
200g (1 cup firmly packed) brown sugar
150g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease
395g can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbs golden syrup
125g good-quality milk chocolate

METHOD:-
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush two 12-hole non-stick mini-muffin pans with melted butter.
2. Combine the flour, coconut, sugar and butter in a bowl then use teaspoons of the mixture to line base and sides of each muffin hole. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and gently flatten the mixture against the sides and base using your fingers or the handle of a wooden spoon.
3. Place the condensed milk and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly so the mixture does not catch, for 5 minutes until light golden and thickened. Set aside to cool slightly, then place a teaspoon of the caramel into each tart shell. Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
4. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack.
5. Melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, then carefully spread over each tart. Set aside to cool completely.