Engagement Party Appetizer Menu

Isn't it great to be at the beginning before the showers, rehearsal and the epic reception? How about a sweet little gathering to kick it off…an engagement party!

An engagement party is traditionally thrown by the bride's parents, but many gatherings are hosted by the groom's family, friends, or the couple themselves. The purpose of an engagement party is to introduce immediate family and close friends. Guests invited to an engagement party will need to be invited to the wedding so keep your guest list small.

Plan the event within a few weeks to a couple of months after the engagement, to not crowd the events surrounding your wedding. Your entertaining style should allow guests to meet and mingle, so consider appetizers on a buffet as an option.

Marscapone Stuffed Strawberries

When deciding on a buffet appetizer menu, choose foods that are portable, simple to eat, and appeal to multiple generations. Even if you know the bride and groom, you may not know any special diets or eating patterns of the other guests. Having a varied menu will make your guests feel comfortable.

Caprese Skewers on Buffet

The following is a menu from an engagement party for 40 guests. It offers a balance of hot and cold appetizers, as well as many meat-free and gluten-free choices. Links to the recipes are on highlighted menu items.

Appetizer Engagement Party for 40 guests

Stuffed Eggs

Caprese Skewers drizzled with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

Goat Cheese Tart with Red Onion Marmalade and Crackers

Cabo Shrimp Cocktail 

Panko Crisp Crab Cakes with Spicy Caper Sauce

Steak on a Stick with Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

Phyllo Triangles with Spinach, Fetta and Pine Nuts

Chicken Satay with Thai Peanut Sauce

Sweetened Marscapone Stuffed Strawberries

Goat Cheese Tart with Red Onion Marmalade

Sweetened Mascarpone Strawberries with Honey Lavender Syrup

These stuffed strawberries were just a happy accident. One day after cleaning up a party, my catering crew and I started scooping strawberries into the leftover mascarpone cheese mixture that was a filling for a fresh crepe station. Dipping the cheesy strawberries into the homemade honey lavender syrup made the combination even better. This great idea became the stuffed strawberry and a popular item on my menu.

The recipe for the crepes is actually in the “Cook like a Caterer Party Sized Recipe” book. The crepes and stuffed strawberries are best when they are fresh and at peak flavor. Strawberry season in California runs from January to May, but I find they are still tender and sweet into the summer.

As a filling, mascarpone's creamy and rich character, with the added hint of orange, balances a strawberry's natural sweetness. Honey lavender syrup adds a touch more sweetness and floral flavor that is perfect for a spring or summer day.

Marscapone Stuffed Strawberries

Here are a few tips for success in making the stuffed strawberries;

• Gently wash large strawberries and allow them to air dry on paper towels.

• For the filling, it’s helpful to have a micro plane to zest the oranges or you can use the small side of a box grater.

• Hull and slightly hollow out the strawberries. Place upside down on paper towels to remove extra moisture.

• The Honey Lavender syrup needs time to cool and thicken, so best to make it a day or more ahead.

• Once mixed, the mascarpone filling needs to chill until it firms up, but is still soft enough to push through a piping bag.

• Load the mascarpone filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe into the strawberries, starting at the bottom of the hollowed space. End at the top with a swirl of filling, just above the top of the strawberry.

• Top the strawberries with a bit more of the orange zest and drizzle with honey lavender syrup just before serving.

The stuffed strawberries are best served chilled. They can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Sweetened Mascarpone Strawberries with Honey Lavender Syrup

Filled with sweetened Mascarpone cheese and drizzled with honey lavender syrup, these stuffed strawberries work well on a brunch menu. Because they are smaller in size, they are perfect for any appetizer party.

Makes about 24-30

LARGE RIPE STRAWBERRIES about 24-30

SWEETENED MASCARPONE CHEESE FILLING

2 oranges 1 cup powdered sugar

16 ounces mascarpone cheese 4 ounces cream cheese

1. Zest and juice oranges, set aside all but 1 tablespoon of juice. Use the remainder of juice in Honey Lavender Syrup recipe.

2. In a mixer fitted with paddle, blend mascarpone cheese, cream cheese until smooth. Mix in orange zest and 1 tablespoon of orange juice.

3. Sift powder sugar, fold in then blend in with cheese mixture.

4. Pipe into clean, dry hulled out large strawberries. Top with a sprinkle of orange zest and drizzle with honey lavender syrup before serving.

HONEY LAVENDER SYRUP

½ cup honey

1 cup sugar

½ cup water

orange zest and juice from above recipe

2 tablespoons lavender

¼ cup orange marmalade

1. Stir sugar and water over medium heat until completely dissolved.

2. Add orange juice and zest and bring to low boil. Remove from heat add lavender and allow to steep at least 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Pour liquid through a fine strainer over a bowl to strain out lavender and orange zest. Stir in marmalade and honey into liquid until blended, allow to cool.

Chocolate Madness Cake Recipe

Weddings, birthdays, graduations, showers and retirement parties, these events traditionally feature a cake. As a caterer I realized the need to find a dependable bakery to supply cakes for special events. After frustrating years of lost orders, wrong orders and late deliveries from contracted bakeries I realized I needed to figure out how to make them in house.

I sought out recipes for the most popular flavors, tweaking and adjusting them to fit our needs. This cake was from an old Hershey’s Chocolate recipe, the boiling water is the secret to it’s success. The heat seems to activate the cocoa powder producing a rich decedent chocolate cake. My kitchen crew started calling it “Chocolate Madness” The name stuck and it became the most popular cake on our menu.

Chocolate Madness Cake

15-20 Servings

Decadent deep dark chocolate cake and rich dark chocolate frosting.

One recipe makes an 8-inch diameter cake. Three times the recipe makes a 14-inch diameter cake.

2 cups sugar

1¾ cups all purpose flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup boiling water

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8 inch round baking pans. Cut parchment paper into two 8 inch diameter circles and place in the bottom of the pans.

2. In a 5 quart mixer bowl stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

4. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

6. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

5¼ cups confectioner's sugar

1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1¼ cup unsalted butter

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup cream

1. Sift together sugar and cocoa into a mixing bowl.

2. With paddle attachment, mix in butter and vanilla.

3. Heat and add warm cream, mix until smooth.

How to Make Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

It’s strange that snickerdoodle is written as one word. I gave my version of cinnamon rich softly sweet cookie two separate words, snicker as in “laugh” and “doodle” for kinda like messing around making fun things. This recipe makes a bundle of lovely sweets that are a cookie classic. Perfect for any occasion and suitable for all ages, this traditional favorite is so easy to make, store, ship…you will have the last laugh!

Snicker Doodle Cookies

Makes 60 3½ inch round cookies

7½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups margarine or butter at room temperature

4 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs large

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

CINNAMON SUGAR ROLLING MIXTURE

6 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Stir together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon and salt.

2. In a 5 quart mixer, blend margarine for 30 seconds; add the sugar and beat till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated. Drizzle in milk and vanilla, beat well.

3. Remove mixing bowl from stand mixer, fold in dry ingredients, return bowl to mixer. Beat until just combined. Chill 20 to 30 minutes (best chilled overnight).

4. Using a 1.3 ounce scoop, portion balls and roll each in the mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Place balls 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

5. Bake in a 375°F preheated oven for 16 to 17 minutes or till light golden. Cool on baking sheets until set, cool completely.

Cook Notes: Cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use. Just put frozen dough into fridge to thaw until it is “scoopable”. Because they aren’t frosted, cookies ship well and make great gifts. Baking ahead and freezing cookies works well too. Make sure cookies are fully cooled before you stack for storing to prevent sticking together. Oven temps vary so if your doodles are too dark try lowering the oven to 350 degrees. To get nice round cookies, give dough room to spread on parchment lined baking sheet.