Catering with St Cloud-The Grill

A few weekends ago, I got to help St. Cloud with catering again.  This time the event was for 3 graduating law students.  Boy, it was the hippest party I've attended as part of catering team and any party.  Everyone was dressed freshly out of a hip magazine party.  There was also reality show sighting too.  Ash Fulk from last season's Top Chef was there.  I played it cool and didn't bother him but of course wanted to ask him all kind of questions.  


My job that day was to grill.  I am a veggie so I don't grill that much and when they asked me if I could do it, I said of course!  Well, I had to figure out quick.  I've grilled mostlt on charcoal but not much from propane gas grill.   Well...let me say, it was an experience.  Eventually I got the hang of it and grilled the Chicken Skewers, and then made the Mini Sliders.  It brought me memories of making hamburgers at Dairy Queen when I was a teenager.


Here is the menu:

• Lemongrass Shrimp Skewers
• Asian Marinated Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce
• Rosemary and Shallot Spiced Nuts
• Stuffed Mushrooms with Spinach Fontina, Carmaelized Onion and Pinenuts
• Cruite Platter of Lightly Steamed broccoli, cauliflfower, carrots, asparagus, and red/yellow peppers
• Carmaelized Onion and Grilled Pear and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
• Vietnamese Style Avacado Spring Roll Slice on Crispy Wonton with Wasabi Mayo
• House Smoked Columbia River Stellhead Sekwers with Orange Citronette
• Mini Sliders with Secret Sauce
• Mini Open-faced Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches with Watercress Mayo and Roasted Red Peppers

Sorry I didn't get any pics. The food was beautifully plated and served.  Good news is that John Platt, the owner of St. Cloud gave me the okay to bring camera and take pic, as well as post on this blog so next time I help them, I will get great pics.

Party Food

Last holiday, I had one get together with some friends.  It was just an "apps and wine" event.  Here are some things from that event.

Large platter of nibbles.  It's your basic fruit and cheese platter.

  

These are mini cheese and herb biscuits.  They look big here but they are small one bite size.  I made these quite a bit last winter because they were easy and good potluck food.

These are bacon wrapped dates filled with parmesan cheese.  They never go out of style and people just love them.  It's a good combo of sweet by the dates, salty by the cheese and bacon. I've made vegetarian version of these by substituting with fake bacon.  You really can mix up all the ingredients and come up with your own.  It's so easy and your guest will be oooing and ahhhhing the whole time.
Bacon Wrapped Dates

10 slices of "thick" cut bacon

30 dried dates

1/4 lb of parmigiano reggiano cheese

30 tooth picks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut bacon into 1//3 strips, you should have 30 pieces to work with.  

If your dates have pits, remove by cutting a slit at the center of the date.  If no pits, still cut a slit at center of the date.

Cut up your cheese into small 1/4 inch thick sizes that will fill your dates.  You should have 30 pieces.

Fill all dates with cheese pieces by inserting them into the slit.

Wrap each date with the bacon.  Stretch the bacon a bit if too short.  Bacon should wrap fully around the date only once, the ends should meet with one one top of the other.  Poke a toothpick right where the ends top another. 

Place them onto a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil.

Bake for about 10 min, flip them over by using the toothpick as handle, and bake for 10 more in or until crispy and golden brown.  Let it cook in it's own fat and the bacon will crisp up.  

You can sprinkle with fresh herbs or black pepper to finish.  Serve hot while cheese is melted but cool for about 5 min so it doesn't burn tongues.

Bite size Korean Taco.  My interpretation of the trendy Korean tacos inspired from the taco trucks.

Pineapple Cilantro Pesto Shrimp.  

My friend Carolyn makes the best vegetarian Pot pie.  She made this one for me.  Yum!

Peppermint Chocolate Cake Pudding.  That's right, cake pudding.  Instead of bread puddings, I make cake puddings.  Maybe because I'm baking all the time or I live alone, but I always have leftover cake.  I freeze them and make cake pudding.  They are very decadent!  I usually make a warn caramel or chocolate sauce and pour before serving.  Let me know if you want the recipe.