Hors D'oeuvres for a Pink Party

[JungMann]

I am attending a Pink Cocktail Party this weekend and have been charged with bringing an hors d'oeuvres. I am not certain what cocktails will be served, but given that they will all be pink, I am guessing they will be tooth-achingly sweet: cosmos, watermelon martinis, strawberry margaritas, pink slippers, etc.

With so much sugar going around, I don't want to bring a dip that will fall flat on a palate overworked by alcopops. I'd also prefer something that won't upset stomachs sensitive to sweet drinks. Unfortunately, the hostess is also a very picky eater so there can be no meat, bell peppers, eggs or mushrooms inter alia. Other guests are playing it safe with cheese and crackers, salmon dip, lox on cucumber rounds and a cream cheese crostini. Any suggestions on what I should make? No-cook options are preferable as I have to bring the appetizer to work before the party.

[pescatarian]

Guacamole and or seven layer dip with different colour (including pink) tortillas

party sandwiches - tuna with gherkin in the middle, for example

sun-dried tomato hummus

grilled eggplant pinwheels - grill lengthwise slices of eggplant (grill well, nothing worse than underdone eggplant), spread with cream cheese or hummus, maybe put a couple capers in the middle or gherkins, etc., roll up and keep rolled with toothpicks

figs, cut open and grilled last minute with dabs of goat cheese and a honey drizzle

[JungMann]

The thought of guacamole had occured to me; but I was hoping to go a little more upscale since it's a special ocassion and it's assumed that as the resident foodie I'm going to bring something "fancy." Fancy in our case, however, refers to anything with body. Even fried mac-n-cheese squares would fit the bill for this group of 20-somethings.

[gourmanda]

How about white bean dip w/ sundried tomatoes and rosemary...serve with toasted pita chips.
Small goat cheese balls rolled in different coatings--cracked pepper, herbs, crushed pine nuts. You could serve as is w/ toothpicks or with those little toasts and spread the cheese on.
Caprese salad skewers

[drewb123]

cranberry sauce and creamcheese blended togehther and served with crackers. YUM! If you can find the fancier kind of cranberry sauce not ocean spray.

[harryharry]

Just did beet and parmesan bruschetta - from Babbo cookbook - a bastardized version - roast, peel & cube beets - add olive oil, s&p, some chives, thyme, lemon juice - chop parmesan into little cubes - I waited until the last minute to mix, however, if you mix the parm in earlier, it will turn pink quickly - the texture (hard crunchy parm)and the flavor (sweet beets & nutty & fruity parm) go surprisingly well together. Top with some fresh snipped chives

[MMRuth]

http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp... - haven't tried this "beet tartare" recipe from Vegetable Harvest yet - cookbook of the month - but it sounds tasty and would have your color profile, I think.

[JungMann]

The hors d'oeuvres don't have to be pink; it can be anything that would match what I imagine will be very sweet and fruity drinks. Your rec, however, does sound like a great recipe and stunning presentation.

[MMRuth]

Thanks - it's on my list to try - the saltiness might be a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of those pink drinks!

[WendyBinCT]

Beet dip may sound ghastly, but it's really delicious and the color is gorgeous.

Rosy Beet Dip

1/2 medium onion, diced
Optional: 1 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. oil
1 16-oz. can beets, drained and chopped
3/4 cup (1 6-oz. tub) plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper

In a skillet, heat oil and sauté onions. If desired, add garlic for the final minute of cooking. Let cool.
In a food processor, combine beets, onions, garlic (if using), yogurt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crudités, crackers or wedges of pita bread.

[Jeserf]

dip....maybe make something with roasted beets?

i make a watermelon/feta/kalamata olive salad. that's kind of pink. I modified it from Nigelas recipe.

[ESNY]

A feta and roasted red pepper dip will be some measure of pink depending on the amt of peppers put into it. There is a great recipe on epicurious.com.

[Pawsinhand]

We had a Pink Party in June..it was a fun theme. Everyone wore something pink and the food and beverages were pink too. I did salmon for the main event and served shrimp cocktail for a starter. You could do a fruit salad using “pink” fruits…watermelon, raspberries. One of the items I was going to do but did not was a dip that I was going to use natural food coloring to tint pink (I believe it is made with beetroot). You could do something like that. Have fun.

[littlegreenpea]

Watermelon radish salad with watercress and pink peppercorns.

[lawgirl3278]

Proscuitto is kind of pink...maybe you could wrap it around cheese or some garlic breadsticks?

[Candy]

If you hard cooked some eggs this evening and put them in a pickle brine with beet juice they will be a beautiful pink by the weekend. Make them in to deviled eggs. Of course the longer you can leave them in the brine the pinker they will get. This is assuming you can refrigerate them at work.

[HillJ]

thin slices of ginger root, cucumber and steamed asparagus tied around a fresh precooked medium shrimp that has been lightly marinated in soy dressing. Packed in a small cooler with a bottle of frozen water should keep them fresh thru work.