Happy Beginnings

Nothing sets the tone for a lovely evening like some yummy hors d’oeuvres to start your party when you are hosting family and friends.  And if they happen to be really easy to make and easy to eat….well …all the better 🙂
Offering your guests a drink of some kind and some simple finger foods allows everyone to relax and wind down from their busy day. Taking time to let people arrive and settle in for a nice evening is such a pleasant and happy way to start any party.  Sometimes we have hosted parties that are only drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Instead of sitting down to dinner as one usually would, 30 minutes or so after guests have arrived, we have spent our evening mingling and grazing, as it were, around a table full of delightful little tidbits.  It is quite easy to make a meal out of lots of little bites and can be a a very fun alternative to sitting down to dinner.

But whether your small bites are just the beginning of your evening or you are serving them as your meal, we have a couple of good ideas that are very simple and always well received.

The first is roasted asparagus with a lemon dijon mayonnaise.  Actually it tastes very similar to a hollandaise sauce but it only takes a minute to make and can be made even a day ahead of time.  Take a bunch of asparagus (I prefer the thinner stalks). Cut off the tough ends and lay them on a baking sheet.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss lightly to be sure all the stems are covered.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.   Roast for 3 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  The stems may seem underdone when you remove them from the oven but they will actually continue cooking for a couple more minutes while they sit on the hot pan.  (If you are using thicker stemmed asparagus add a another minute or two to cooking time.)  Allow asparagus to cool to room temperature.

While it is cooling mix together 1 cup of Best Foods mayonnaise, 1/4 cup dijon mustard and the juice of 2 lemons.

Whisk together well and pour some of the sauce into a decorative glass and serve with asparagus spears neatly stacked up.

The second appetizer is one I learned to make from some friends who are French and live in Paris.  Every time we visit they serve us a glass of champagne and these delightful toast triangles with smoked salmon.  They are so easy to make and taste delicious but I must confess, as good as they are, they never taste as good as the ones in Paris do.  I think maybe it is because everything tastes better in Paris!

Simply take a few slices of good quality white sandwich bread and trim away the crusts.  Then cut the bread in two on the diagonal forming triangles.  Spread the bread generously with butter and toast on a baking sheet for  3-4 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  The toasted triangles will look very light on the top and slightly more browned on the bottom.

Allow then to cool to room temperature.  Next spread each triangle with some of the lemon dijon mayonnaise and top with slices of smoked salmon.  A  4 oz. package of salmon will make 8 toasted triangles.  After salmon is arranged on the toast, sprinkle everything (including the plate for decoration) with some dried dill and voila!  A beautiful and delicious appetizer awaits you.
We couldn’t talk about hors d’oeuvres without mentioning our two favorite stand-bys, hot artichoke dip and deviled eggs.  Over the years we have found that consistently these are enjoyed by everyone.

Whether you try one of these recipes or have some good recipes in your own collection, remember to start your party on the right foot and make sure everyone enjoys their Happy Beginnings.  Bon appetit!