SHARE THE FUN

When it comes to entertaining, everyone is always on the lookout for new ideas and variations on old favorites. We are all pretty familiar with “potluck” dinners at church socials, or family reunions.
One variation on this concept is a “Participate and Enjoy” party. A menu is created by the host/hostess. The recipes are typed out and given to the participating guests. This is usually done about two weeks before the event date. Each person has an assigned part of the menu, as well as the recipe to use. Sometimes they can be traditional, stand-by recipes or it can even be more fun with “new”, never tried, and just found in your favorite magazine type of party. This also gives you the advantage to test these recipes or better yet to taste them without all the work.
Your Participate and Enjoy party will be the full-course variety. Someone will make the punch, the appetizers, salad, hot bread, vegetables, main course, dessert, and beverages. If you invite more guests, then your snack food, fruit, or pasta courses can be included. It is a fun way to have a party, a great way to taste new recipes, and a lot of fun for those participating because no one really knows the outcome.
Also, a nice side note is to have the recipes typed out in a small “memory” booklet featuring each recipe used, who made, and a space for thoughts and comments. Whenever
anyone rereads their “take home” gift, they not only have great recipes, but a lot of fun remembering this special kind of party.

Here are a few recipes to get you started:

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SEAFOOD DELIGHT

1 8-oz. carton dairy sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tbs. parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. white onion, finely chopped

1 pkg. imitation crab meat

1 pkg. salad shrimp

Dippers: celery sticks, green onions, green/red pepper strips, cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, torn pieces of rye bread, butter-flavored crackers

In a bowl, blend the sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire and onion.

Flake apart the crab meat into small pieces. Rinse and dry the salad shrimp. Stir the crab
meat and shrimp into the dressing mixture. Chill for about 2 hrs. Serve on a plate surrounded with your choice of vegetable dippers or crackers.

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STRING BEAN MEDLEY>br>
1/2 lb. hickory or maple-flavored bacon, diced

2 lbs. fresh picked young green beans, washed, trimmed, but left whole

4 red-skinned new potatoes, unpeeled, and cut into small cubes

1 large onion, sliced thinly

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tbs. fresh summer savory or 1/2 tsp. dried

1-12 cups chicken stock, preferably home-made but canned will do

1/4 cup chopped parsley

In pot, over medium-high heat, brown the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Pour off fat from pot, as much as possible. Add the green beans, potatoes, onion, salt, pepper, savory and chicken stock. Stir gently. Simmer 25 mins. or until potatoes are tender and beans are crisp-tender. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped parsley and add a lemon twist for color.

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Assorted Sandwich Tray-

Using rolls, bread (white, wheat, nut, raisin, rye, or specialty), pita, or French bread-

*

Chopped chicken, raisins, mayonnaise

Roast beef, sliced onions, anchovy fillets, mustard

Peanut butter, crisp bacon

Mashed sardines, dry mustard, hard-cooked egg, sweet pickle relish

Avocado, chopped onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, crisp bacon

Sliced American cheese, boiled ham, mustard

Chopped frankfurters, dry mustard, sweet pickle relish, salad dressing

Sliced turkey, tomato, bacon, lettuce

Or a combination that you have never tried before

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ORANGE CREAM

2 pkgs. (3 ozs.) orange flavored gelatin>br?
1-1/2 cups boiling water

2 cans (11 ozs.) mandarin oranges, drained

1 can (8 ozs.) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

1 can (6 ozs.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Topping:

1 pkg. (8 ozs.) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1 pkg. (3 ozs.) instant vanilla pudding instant

In bowl, dissolve the orange gelatin in the boiling water. Stir to complete dissolve.
Add the fruit and the orange juice. Do not dilute the orange juice with water, just take it directly from the can.

Coat a pan with non-stick spray. Do not use butter or shortening. Add the gelatin mixture.
Refrigerate until firm.

In a bowl., beat the cream cheese in a mixer until very light. Slowly add the whole milk
and the pudding. Continue blending until smooth with no lumps. Spread over the fruit layer. Chill until firm.

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Whatever your choice of dishes, you can have a lot of fun with friends and family. In fact, this party theme can be used for picnics and outdoor cooking. Have someone bring kabobs, another stuffed hamburger patties. Ice cold salads, and smooth, tasty desserts will round out the menu.
Everyone feels they have contributed to the party, they take home a great gift they use over and over again, and you will have had the opportunity to try a dozen different recipes, while only preparing one. Not a bad compromise!

ENJOY

©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 April