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Party
Planning & Entertaining
 10
Tips for Effortless Holiday Entertaining Plus Easy Holiday
Entertaining Recipes
Recipes in this Feature:
~ Salmon Puffs
~ Dubliner
White Bean and Rosemary Dip
~ Cheddar and
Poppyseed Straws
~ Chocolate
Cherry Cheesecake in Mint Condition
~ Caramelt Your Heart
~ Bailey's
Butterscotch Dream
(Family
Features) - It's the most hectic time of the year. And yet, it's the
season when we all yearn to entertain. These tips can help you be a
gracious host without spending hours getting ready.
1. Mix
homemade dishes with store-bought items. Make sensational appetizers
and a fabulous dessert and just buy the rest pre-made - such as a
honey-baked ham, rolls and a big salad of pre-washed, packaged baby greens.
2. For
starters, think cheese. Imported cheeses are available conveniently
from the supermarket and are always crowd-pleasers. Try such cheeses
as Dubliner, Blarney Castle or Ivernia, made with milk from grass-fed
cows with no antibiotics or growth hormones. Arrange on a bread board
with a scattering of nuts and dried fruit and a bowl of chutney.
Surround with breads or crackers for an instant appetizer.
3. Skip the
baking and end the meal with a spectacular drinkable dessert. It's
easy to create a drinkable twist on traditional desserts - just start
with a base of Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur or one of Baileys
Flavors shaken with ice, pour in a martini glass and decorate with a
fun garnish like chocolate shavings, syrup or whipped topping. Guests
are sure to be impressed.
4. Organize
your shopping list by store - grocery, housewares, party supplies.
Keep lists handy and purchase staples when you are out and about.
5.
Anticipate serving needs. Lay out serving dishes on the table in
advance to make sure the platters fit the space and look harmonious.
Identify what food goes in which platter with a sticky note. Borrow
additional platters as needed.
6. Make a
schedule. Backing up from the party start time, note important time
needs: when to remove cheeses from the refrigerator to get them to
room temperature, when to preheat the oven to heat the hors
d'oeuvres, when to put the ham in the oven, when to start mixing
dessert drinks.
7. Set the
stage. Add instant enchantment throughout the house with inexpensive
pillar candles. Tuck branches of fresh evergreens at the base for
their heady scent.
8. Add
signature touches. Garnish ham with red and green grapes. Serve rolls
with a distinctive imported butter, such as Kerrygold pure Irish
butter. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds on the salad.
9. Save
your guests the hassle of finding a ride to the party. For friends
who live near each other, offer to arrange a carpool with a
designated driver or provide your guests with the phone number for a
local taxi service.
10. Select
from these appetizers and desserts to plan your menu. They can be
used for cocktail parties, dinner parties or large buffets; fill in
with purchased items for the rest.
 Salmon
Puffs
1 sheet puff
pastry, thawed
1 cup shredded
Kerrygold Ivernia Cheese
Freshly ground
pepper to taste
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 (4-ounce)
package very thinly sliced smoked salmon
Tiny fresh dill sprigs
Heat oven to
400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll puff
pastry into 14- x 14-inch square on lightly floured board. Sprinkle
evenly with cheese and pepper and cover with waxed paper; press
firmly into dough with a rolling pin. Cut dough into six equal strips
vertically and five equal strips horizontally to make 30 pieces and
place on baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Cool
completely. (May be prepared a day ahead and stored airtight.) Spread
equal dabs of creme fraiche on each puff. Top with salmon and dill
sprigs. Makes 30 appetizers.
 White
Bean and Rosemary Dip
1 (15-ounce) can
small white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded
Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons
chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground
pepper to taste
Dippers: colorful
vegetable pieces, baguette slices or crackers
Puree beans,
cheese, sour cream and garlic in food processor until very smooth.
Add rosemary; using on and off pulses, process until rosemary is
finely chopped. Season with pepper. Serve with dippers. (Dip is best
prepared a day or two in advance and refrigerated to meld flavors.)
Makes about 2 cups.
 Cheddar
and Poppyseed
1 (15-ounce)
package refrigerated pie crusts
1 cup shredded
Kerrygold Reserve Cheddar Cheese
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Garlic salt
Heat oven to
400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Knead all
ingredients except garlic salt together for a few minutes. Form into
walnut-size balls, then roll out to form long thin sticks. Place on
baking sheets and sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or
until golden. Makes about 32 straws.
 Chocolate
Cherry Cheesecake To Drink
2 1/2 ounces Baileys Mint Chocolate liqueur
1/2 ounce Smirnoff
Twist of Black Cherry Vodka
2 teaspoons
cheesecake pudding and pie mix
Garnish: whipped
cream, dark chocolate shavings, mint sprig, a maraschino cherry
Shake together
liqueur, vodka and pudding mix in cocktail shaker with ice, then
strain into martini glass. Garnish with whipped cream, dark chocolate
shavings, mint sprig and maraschino cherry.
 Caramelt
Your Heart
1/2 cup ice
1 cup caramel ice cream
1/4 cup milk
2 ounces Baileys
Caramel liqueur
1 1/2 tablespoons
hot fudge
Garnish: caramel
and whipped cream
Combine ice,
caramel ice cream, milk and liqueur in blender and blend until
combined. For more texture, add more ice. Drizzle caramel into tall
glass and then add mixture from blender. Heat up hot fudge and drop
into center of drink. Top with whipped cream and caramel.
 Baileys
Butterscotch Dream
2 ounces Baileys
Original Irish Cream liqueur
1 ounce Smirnoff
Twist of Vanilla Vodka
1/2 ounce
butterscotch syrup
Garnish: mint
sprig, cinnamon, brown sugar and crushed graham cracker mixture
Add ice to martini
glass to chill and place aside. In shaker, pour ice, liqueur, vodka
and syrup and shake. Empty ice out of chilled martini glass and rim
in cinnamon, brown sugar and graham cracker mixture. Drizzle
butterscotch syrup into martini glass to decorate. Pour contents of
shaker into glass and garnish with mint sprig.
SOURCE: Baileys
Irish Cream / Irish Dairy Board
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