Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Let the White Elephant Hunt Begin!

Last year people complained that I sent out too many notices about the White Elephant party. This year I’m determined to wait until late September to send out the first notice. That’s going be tough! But as a way of getting in the White Elephant spirit in July as I usually do, Denis and I spent a leisurely dinner discussing the possible menu for the party. WOOT!

Now, Denis committed a couple weeks ago to only making 10 hors d’oeurves, but we all know we’ll end up with 13-14 when all is said and done. But as of a discussion we had on Tuesday night, these are the ten we’re most likely going to make:

1. Mac and cheese bites – these were new last year and a huge hit. We’ll make half plain and half with bacon.
2. Lobster puffs – these were new last year too, and absolutely delicious.
3. Moroccan meatballs – another new recipe from last year, and easily the favorite hors d’oeurves of the night. It would be a sin not to bring it back.
4. Stuffed mushrooms – an oldie, but a goodie. Everyone loves when Denis makes these and last year there were several disappointed faces when people were told he didn’t make them.
5. Bruchetta – we usually do a regular version and a goat cheese version. This year we’re going to find two new variations to try.
6. Bacon filets – these were a hit a couple years ago. As we both plowed into our steak dinners (filet mignon – yum!) last night we decided to put it back on the menu but use bigger pieces of filet this time around.
7. BBQ chicken fingers – this will be a new recipe this year.
8. Shrimp cerviche – this will be a new recipe this year.
9. Colletti Special – this will be a new recipe this year, using an old friend-of-the-family dinner recipe but making it bite sized. I made it for book club recently as a test round and it was a hit, so on the menu it goes!
10. Spinach artichoke wontons – this is only tentative. If we find a new recipe that we really like, this will NOT get made. But it’s an easy vegetarian hors d’oeurves if we can’t find something else we’d prefer to make.

I think that menu reflects a nice mix of new and old dishes, a good balance of flavors as well as providing for seafood/vegetarian/meat-lover preferences.

Now if only September would get here so I can send out the invites!!