The gauntlet has been thrown down...

After three too many glasses of wine last night I volunteered to host Tuesday Dinner next week.. .halloween!

I already always have the most people when it's my turn, partly because of my fantastic location and partly because I am one of the better cooks in the bunch...

What should I make???? I will need to feed 25-30 people... I am starting my epiciurious searches now...

You could serve a hearty soup in a hollow pumpkin. I've seen that done before. Or make individual bread bowls for stew, using Grands buscuits baked over larger custard cups.
Your menus seem a bit more "upscale" than anything I could suggest, tho, heehee, but I sure wish I could attend!! (We need a drooling smily-face!!)

Jen

_________________
Man cannot live on bread alone. That's why someone invented CAKE!!

I have a Halloween tradition of beef stew in a pumpkin. You can pre-bake the pumpkin (hollow out, rub inside with softened butter and sprinkle with a little sugar, then oil the outside and bake for about 30-40 min. Cool and refrigerate if you are doing the whole thing the next day.) You can also make a good beef stew a day or two before, then all you have to do the day of is put the stew into the pumpkin and heat through in the oven. I adapted this from a South American recipe and usually add ears of corn cut into 1-2 inch slices and quartered fresh peaches (both things I usually do not put into my beef stew.) I have served this to 12=15 people and usually had a lot left over, because you scoop some of the cooked pumpkin out with the stew when you serve. Coupled with a good salad, some great bread and a nice Halloween dessert makes it a pretty easy dinner for a crowd. If you add appetizers, it will stretch even further.
Whatever you do, have a hauntingly great time!
KathyB

Thanks for the ideas.. I think to serve that many people the hollowed out pumkpin might stress me out too much

I decided on the following:

Oven barbecue chicken drumsticks: thought it would look like blood and bones. Going to use the barefoot contessa recipe for the sauce - it's supposed to be fantastic.

Deviled eggs - putting a black olive in the middle so they look like eyeballs

Mashed potato "ghosts" - pipe mashed potatoes to look like ghosts and use black beans for eyes.

Snacks - pumpkin seeds, corn nuts, caramel corn, bugles, etc. I also found a cute carrot/cream cheese snack that you also use black olives to make them look like eyeballs.

Dessert - mm... still thinking of that one.. soo many choices on that one!

Catherine,

Check your e-mail...I'm going to forward a few menu suggestions your way. Came across a Daily Candy e-mail that had a recipe for a black cocktail that you might want to either copy or tinker with.

_________________
~T. Martin

Awesome thanks - I've been looking for a drink that appealed to me.. thanks!!!!!!

Sounds awesome. Let us know how it all comes off.
KathyB

Catherine,
I saw a recipe for cupcakes in the checkout line at the store yesterday. They were decorated with spiders and spider webs. I thought of you!

Scary Spiderweb Cupcakes

Ok, we'll see if that comes through right!
Diane

I've been out of town and can't think of foods, but I have a recipe from my Mayberry Cookbook that is for Radiator Flush Punch which is fun. If not for your halloween dinner, might be good for your car party. I really looks like something that you flushed out of the radiator, but is very tasty. Non alcoholic, but you could add vodka or rum to it if you wanted.

Prepared Tea
Fresh Orange Juice
Orange Soda
Lemon juice
Ginger Ale
Orange and Lemon slices

Here's another for a Gelatin Punch, which could be "blood":

Strawberry Gelatin, boiling water, cold water (per directions on the box)
sugar
cranberry juice
ginger ale

I'm sure you can wing it from the ingredients. If you want the exact recipes, I'll pm them to you.

I. am. tired.

Dinner was a success. Made the drumsticks, potato ghosts, deviled eggs, spiderweb cupcakes, chocolate covered cherry mice... a "punch" made with black cherry jello, lime vodka, and lime juice, with gummy worms. (The punch wasn't that good, but it looked cool)

Lots of candy, punmpkin seeds, caramel corn, and various other snacks.

I lost count of how many people there were but I can tell you than there are 17 empty wine bottles on my stoop at the moment.

For any music buffs out there, I played Nick Cave's Murder Ballads album all night. Very creepy.

Now tonight I have to go home and clean up the mess.

Hi Catherine,

Was hoping to hear from you . Thanks for posting and letting us know that dinner went well.



As you rightfully should be!





Sounds like a real good time if you ask me .



Will have to check this one out...



Ugh! Along with Tuesday dinners you all should institute something where the prior host helps the current host clean up afterwards. The clean up is never any fun.

_________________
~T. Martin

Well thanks T and everyone else for all of the suggestions!

RE: clean up... all of the other hosts use paper and plastic... I am the only glutton for punishment that uses all real china and wine glasses.

You're a classy gal and that's what classy gals do...unfortunately being blessed with the classy gene comes with a price.

It really sounded like a good time...wish I could have been there!

_________________
~T. Martin

Aw shucks!

If you ever come to Chi-town... make sure it's on a tuesday!