HOW TO HOST

THE PERFECT DINNER PARTY

A complete guide (including a shopping list) on how to host the perfect Dinner Party

SEASONS FAMILY CENTREwww.seasonsfamilycentre.com

- NIKKI GOLDMAN-STROH-

A Publication of

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Shopping List

Appetizers

First Course

Main Course

Dessert

CHAPTER

1The Shopping List

The Shopping List

The last thing you want to be doing before a dinner party is be running all over the city looking for your ingredients. We’ve picked a menu that will allow you to do all your shopping at your local grocery store. Save yourself the running around, take a break instead, enjoy a coffee!

The One Stop Shopping List

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CHAPTER

2Appetizer

Baked Brie and Raspberry Jam Canape:•Ingredients•1 round of brie•1 cup of raspberry and cranberry Jam (recipe to follow)•1 box of Phyllo pastry •1 egg beaten• •Directions•Preheat oven to 350 F•Lay out the Phyllo pastry and using a knife cut into 6” squares.•Cut a small piece of brie and place in the middle of the square, top with a tsp of jam.•Place finished canapés on baking tray and brush with egg.

Cranberry, Raspberry JamIngredients

• 4 1/2 cups (625 ml) raspberries

• 2 cups (500 ml) whole cranberries

• 1 cup (250 ml) finely chopped apple, about 1 medium

• 3 -1/2 cups (875 ml) granulated sugar

• 1 cup (250 ml) liquid honey

• 1/2 tsp (5 ml) butter

• 1 pouch (85 ml) BERNARDIN® Liquid Pectin

Directions

• Place 6 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.

• Wash and drain raspberries, cranberries and apple. Peel, core and finely chop apple.

•• Measure raspberries, cranberries, prepared apple, sugar, honey and butter into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Cranberry, Raspberry Jam• Over medium heat, stirring frequently, bring fruit mixture

to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in liquid pectin and 1/2 tsp (2 ml) butter or margarine (to reduce foaming). Boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

• Ladle hot preserve into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more preserves. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining preserves.

• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 10 minutes.*

• When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

CHAPTER

3First Course

Butternut Squash SoupZucchini Salad

Butternut Squash SoupIngredients•1 butternut Squash (peeled and cut into cubes)•1 yellow onion•1 tbsp of butter•6 cups of stock (vegetable or chicken)

Directions•Melt the butter in a deep saucepan. Add the onion and fry for about 8 minutes.•Add the butternut squash to the saucepan.•Pour in the six cups of stock and bring to a boil, then let simmer for 20 minutes. •Using a blender, blend the soup into a puree.

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Zucchini SaladIngredients•1 zucchini•1 package of Arugula•½ cup of parmesan cheese, grated•½ a lemon•½ cup of pine nuts (toasted)•2tbsp of olive oil•¼ cup of basil (chopped)

Directions•Place Arugula in a bowl•Using a potato peeler, peel off the skin of the zucchini, then peel the rest off into strips. Add to Arugula.•Add basil, pine nuts and cheese.•Squeeze lemon over salad and add olive oil. Toss to combine.

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CHAPTER

4Main Course

Stuffed Rainbow TroutRoasted Vegetables

Stuffed Rainbow TroutIngredients

•Day old bread (your choice)

•1 cup of almonds (crushed)

•A handful of thyme (chopped)

•½ cup of marinated artichokes (chopped)

•1 clove of garlic (diced)

•2 tbsp of olive oil

•½ lemon

•2 pieces of trout (same size) roughly 500 grams

Directions

•Preheat oven to 350 F

•Tear up bread into pieces and place in a glass bowl. Add crushed almonds, artichokes, garlic and thyme.

•Pour olive oil on and squeeze lemon juice.

•Lay one piece of trout (skin side) down and place stuffing all along fish, place the second piece of trout on top.

•Bake in oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Roasted VegetablesIngredients

•1 sweet potato

•1 bag of small potatoes

•4 carrots (peeled)

•2 cloves of garlic

•1 yellow onion

•1/3 cup of olive oil

•1 handful of thyme, basil, rosemary each (chopped)

Directions

•Preheat oven to 400 F

•Chop and dice all vegetables into cube size pieces.

•Line roasting pan with parchment paper and vegetables.

•Sprinkle garlic and herbs over vegetables

•Add olive oil and toss vegetables.

•Put in oven at 400 F for about 14 minutes until vegetables turn brown and crispy and then turn down temperature to 350 F. Cook for another 30-40 minutes.

Mini Peach Cobblers•Ingredients

•Pastry Recipe (I used Martha Stewart’s pastry recipe, it’s really easy and can be stored in the fridge for a few days)

•3 ripe peaches, cut into small pieces

•roughly 4 tbsp of butter cut into tiny squares

•12 tsp of brown sugar

•Cinnamon (enough to sprinkle into each pie filling)

•Muffin tray with liners

•Directions

•Once your pastry has been chilled for the required amount of time, remove from fridge and let it warm up so that it is easy to work with. I rolled it out and cut it into 4 squares. I sort of folded each ″square up and then unfolded it into the muffin liner. Pressing into each side into the liner.

•Put about a tbsp of peaches into each mini pie and add a couple squares of butter, a tsp of brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

• To finish off the pie you could do either a full top or a lattice top, then use a fork and press along the edges.

•Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

“At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well and talk well, but not too wisely.”-W. Somerset Maugham, British Playwright