Throwing a Gold Star Oscar Party *As Seen on CT Style*

English Cucumber with Kalamata Olive Tapenade and Feta

Served on a refreshing cucumber instead of a cracker, you get a sweet crunch without the crumbs. The kalamata olives and soft feta cheese mimic a Greek salad in one bite.

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber (The extra long seedless kind)

1 jar kalamata olive tapenade

1 package crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

Peel cucumber and slice into 1/2″ rounds. Top with spoonful of tapenade and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Mashed Potato Station with Toppings Bar

This is a great interactive way to stir up conversation. Guests have creative freedom to choose their own toppings to suit their taste buds. You can whip up mashed potatoes from scratch or take a short cut with your favorite store-bought brand. It’s comfort food in a cocktail glass. How fun is that?

Ingredients:

Mashed Potatoes

Toppings such as: Bacon, caramelized onions, shredded cheddar or parmesan cheese, black olives, sour cream, tomatoes and chives.

Instructions:

Scoop mashed potatoes in martini glasses. Serve with toppings bar of your choice.

Roasted Vegetable Dip

A nice break from all the heavy, creamy dips.

Ingredients:

2 red peppers

1 large eggplant

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup good olive oil (Like Valderrama)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup Rawmesan or parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel eggplant and cut into rounds. Cut and slice red peppers. Coat vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. On a foil coated baking sheet, roast eggplant and peppers for 40 minutes, until browned. Turn the vegetables halfway through during the cooking process. Pour roasted vegetables in food processor, with oil from baking sheet. Add garlic cloves and lemon juice. Pulse until pureed, adding more olive oil if needed. Dip should have some texture to it. Serve with crostini, pita chips and bread sticks.

Mini Open Faced Falafel

For your vegetarian/vegan guests, or anyone who loves this Middle Eastern treat! You can make your own falafel with the recipe below, or use Dr. Praeger’s frozen falafel flats for a quick fix that fits perfectly on mini pitas.

Ingredients:

1 package mini pita rounds

Homemade falafel shaped with a melon baller, or packaged falafel flats

1 package hummus, any flavor

Paprika

Instructions:

Spread mini pitas on a plate

Place one falafel round on each pita. Top with a dollop of hummus. Sprinkle with paprika.

A healthy, vegan baked falafel recipe I love:

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans

1 small onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put in a medium-sized bowl and smash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls, about 1 1/2″ in diameter and slightly flatten. Place onto an oiled baking pan.

Bake for 15 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Scewers Two Ways

Garlic Stuffed Olive and Manchego Scewers

These are so simple, and keep your plate clear from rolling olives and lost bits of this sharp Spanish cheese.

Ingredients:

Garlic stuffed olives

1 block manchego cheese

Instructions:

Cut manchego into cubes. Slide one cube of cheese and one olive onto each scewer and serve.

Caprese Scewers

Because everyone loves food on a stick.

Ingredients:

1 package fresh mozzarella balls

1 package grape tomatoes

1 package fresh basil

Instructions:

Stack each scewer with one piece of mozzarella, one grape tomato and one torn basil leaf, folded in half. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette.

Goat Cheese Filled Peppadews

Sweet and spicy piquante peppers with a rich, creamy filling.

Ingredients:

1 jar/tub of peppadews

Goat cheese

Instructions:

Spoon goat cheese into peppadews (they come hollowed out) and serve. Couldn’t be easier or more delicious.

Pomsecco Red Carpet Cocktail

Bittersweet. Like some of the Academy Awards results.

Ingredients:

1 bottle Prosecco

1 bottle pomegranate juice

1 package pomegranite seeds

Instructions:

Place about a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds at the bottom of a champagne flute. Fill champagne flute 3/4 of the way with Prosecco. Some of the pomegranate seeds will float to the top, ooh la la. Top it off with a splash of pomegranate juice.

Gold Star Party Popcorn

What’s a TV event without a little popcorn?

Ingredients:

Air popped popcorn

1 tablespoon butter

Gold sugar gems

Gold jordan almonds

Instructions:

Make air popped popcorn in machine or microwave. Store bought air popped works as well. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and pour over top. Immediately sprinkle with gold sugar and stir to coat. Toss in gold jordan almonds for extra pizzazz.

Hollywood Walk of Fame Cookies

Give all your guests a spot on the walk-of-fame with these themed party favors to remember the evening.

Ingredients:

Sugar cookie dough

*Yellow cookie icing

*Red writing icing

     *Be sure it’s the kind that hardens so you can wrap it in cellophane.

You will also need:

Star-shaped cookie cutters

Cellophane bags

Gold wire ribbon

Instructions:

Using your favorite recipe or pre-packaged sugar cookie dough, cut out stars. Bake according to your directions. Once cooled, coat cookies with yellow cookie icing. Allow to dry and use red writing icing to draw names of your guests on the stars. Once dried, display them on plate, or wrap in individual cellophane bags and tie with gold wired ribbon.