IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME FOR DINNER PARTIES

As event planners, food is a big part of what we do and we know that the holiday season is packed full of holiday parties. Here are two simple hors d oeuvre recipes that we have found are a hit with guests.

Tomato Tart:
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup crumbled Chevre (goat cheese)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, basil, marjoram, thyme) 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425F. Roll out the pastry into a 10-inch tart pan and bake it for 18 to 22 minutes until it puffs and turns golden brown. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. 

Spread the Dijon mustard in an even layer over the browned pastry, leaving 1/2-inch of the edges empty.  Arrange the tomato slices over the mustard. Sprinkle the tomato slices with the sea salt, pepper, goat cheese and herbs. Serve the tart at room temperature or chilled. This goat cheese and tomato tart makes 8 to 10 servings. 

Cheesy Mushroom:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 
• 1/3 cup shredded Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese 

Preparation: 

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. when butter is foamy, add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned,stirring constantly.

Whisk together the sour cream, egg yolk, and salt and pepper; stir into the mushrooms. Heat through, stirring. Spoon mushroom mixture into a shallow baking dish; sprinkle with the chopped parsley and shredded cheese. Bake at 425F for ten minutes, until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

Bon appetit! We wish you a very happy holiday with lots of happy gatherings. Please let us know how the dishes tasted at your dinner party.

And if you find that you could use a few more elves in the kitchen, Paragon Events offers several catering options for your special event.