A tradition unlike any other: Masters Golf Party

This is a first for me. Sharing a post of several recipes. But I just wanted to give you this all in one place. My husband loves golf. So I started to learn it since it's so important to him, and I fell in love. I like playing and I like watching. But my absolute favorite time of year, is Masters weekend. His family taught me this love from the moment we started dating. Masters weekend is an event  for them. 3 years ago, we started throwing a Master's party for our friends and I have tried to take it up a notch each year. 5 staples always on the party menu: a Bloody Mary Bar, pimento cheese sandwiches, Bourbon-soaked grapes on golf tees, Caprese salad on a golf tee, and hummus and broccoli shaped into a golf green complete with sand traps. This time I did a bunch of finger sandwiches and pinwheels (because I had stuff left from the cutest baby shower, I'll post that soon). I also did some quick pizzas and prosciutto wrapped melon . I have listed everything I did and how I did it below. These sandwiches are perfect for any party or shower and I would highly recommend them. I took some shortcuts to make life easier and everything was still a hit. The recipes for the pinwheels will come in the Baby Shower post.    

 

 

Easy Pimento Cheese Sandwich:

• 1/2 pound Deli made pimento Cheese (I buy this from the gourmet cheese section, or the from behind the deli counter. It's made with real shredded cheese, not the cheese spread thing)
• about a loaf of white bread

1. Spread about 1/3 cup of pimento on a piece of bread, not going all the way to the edges.
2. Top with another piece.
3. Cut off the crusts.
4. Cut down the middle on a diagonal to get triangles for easy finger sandwiches.

Ham Apple and Brie Sammies

• 1 French baguette
•  About 5 oz. crème de brie (this is the creamier, more spreadable brie)
• 1 granny smith apple thinly sliced
• about 9 oz. thinly sliced deli ham (I used honey ham from Hillshire Farms)

1. Spread a thin layer of brie on both top and bottom sliced of baguette.
2. Layer on apple slices and ham on bottom slice of bread.
3. Put sandwich back together and cut into mini sammies about 2 inches wide.

Cucumber Sandwiches

• One English cucumber thinly sliced
• 4 oz. spreadable garlic and herb flavored cheese (I used Alouette's)
• 6 slices white bread

1. Spread cheese on 2 bread slices. Layer cucumbers on one slice. Put together both slices.
2. Cut off  crusts of sandwiches and then slice into long finger sandwiches. Repeat. You'll get about three out of each sandwich.

Prosciutto Wrapped Melon

• One cantaloupe, cut into bite sized cubes (my Kroger sometimes has it already cut up, and it's amazing - I get about a pound worth)
• One package thinly sliced prosciutto (about 3 oz.)

1. Cut or tear prosciutto into pieces that will wrap just once around melon
2. Stick a toothpick through it to hold in place. Done.

Blue Cheese Pizza

• One thin pizza crust (pre-baked, I like Mama Mary's )
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 one red onion very thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup blue cheese

1. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Add onions and sauté until caramelized
2. Brush the pizza crust with one tablespoon olive oil.
3. Sprinkle crust with onions and half the blue cheese.
4. Top with spinach and then other half of the blue cheese.
5. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese just starts to get gooey and spinach wilts.
6. Let cool for a couple minutes then slice into about 8 pieces, perfect size for snacking.

Margarita Pizza

• One thin pizza crust (pre-baked, I like Mama Mary's )
• One tablespoon olive oil
• one cup basil leaves, pull out 3 leaves and slice into thin strips
• one cup mozzarella cheese
• one large tomato sliced thin (or 2 mediums, or 3 Romas)

1. Brush crust with olive oil.
2. Layer tomato, basil leaves, and mozzarella.
3. Top with a sliced basil leaves.
4. Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted
5. Let cool for a few minutes, then slice into 8 pieces for snack sizes.

Hummus Golf Green

• 3 crowns of broccoli broken up into various chunks to shape into a golf green
• One container of your favorite flavored hummus (I used Sabra garlic)
• Pita Chips for serving
• Tooth pick and yellow post it cut into triangle to make a flag for the green

1. On a long skinny platter first create two "sand traps" with your hummus.
2. Then shape the broccoli around those traps.
3. Place the flag in a broccoli crown towards the back
4. Serve pita chips in a bowl on the side.

Caprese Tees

• 8 oz package of Ciliegine: or "Cherry Size" Fresh Mozzarella balls
• One package (usually a pint) of grape tomatoes
• about a cup of fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• About 30 white golf tees

1. Reduce the vinegar to thicken it by heating on the stove on medium for about 6 minutes.
2. Assemble caprese skewers on golf tees by first putting a basil leaf (I fold in half if they are big) then a tomato, then a mozzarella ball.
3. Lay down on a plate and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

Bourbon-Soaked Grapes

• About a pound of green grapes, separated from their stems
• about 750 ml of your favorite bourbon
• about 30 white golf tees

1. Put the grapes in a sealable container.
2. Cover with bourbon until they are all covered and soaking.
3. Soak overnight
4. The next day skewer 2 grapes on each golf tee.
5. Serve in a bowl with a little of the bourbon they soaked in at the bottom.

Bloody Mary Bar

This one you can really do however you want based on your favorite Bloody Mary toppings. This combo always goes over well at our parties.

• Vodka
• Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix
• V8 juice (for those who want to spice themselves)
• Tobasco sauce
• Wochestershire Sauce
• Lime juice
• limes
• lemons
• salt
• pepper
• celery salt
• String Cheese Sticks
• Pickle spears
• Pickled Okra
• Slim Jims
• Garlic stuffed olives

Watermelon- Feta Salad

 It's watermelon season and this salad is a huge hit every time I make it. Its the perfect refreshing side for barbecue, burgers, steaks etc. It combines some of my favorite herbs and flavors. I have seen several spins on this, and I basically just combined them all! A lot of recipes I found on pinterest just had mint. But I recently had watermelon paired with basil and loved it - so I did both here. This is super easy.

Watermelon-Feta Salad

• 4 cups watermelon cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 one red onion very thinly sliced
• 1 cup feta cheese (I use reduced fat because it's healthier and I can't taste the difference)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste (about a teaspoon of each)
• juice of one lime
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Combine watermelon, onion, mint, basil, lime, olive oil, salt and pepper and lime in a big bowl.
2.  If you are making ahead and storing for a while. Stop here and either top each bowl with feta basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar at the last minute. 
3. If you are serving a big bowl for a buffet style - still add the basil, feta and balsamic towards the end.

**Makes about 4 servings depending on how many other sides you have

**This is a 2 on Bryce's dish scale. Cutting board and you can make it in the bowl you serve it in.

Spin on the brown bag lunch: Hummus Avocado and Tomato Sandwich

I wanted to share with you an easy, healthy lunch if you are looking for a new spin on the brown bag. I got the idea after picking up some hummus and other veggies from our Farmer's Market. If you are in Central Arkansas - you must check out Geek Eats hummus. They are usually at the Hillcrest farmer's market on Saturdays. Below is the recipe I came up with after looking for a new way to eat the Hummus. I tried the original with Lemon Hummus, and have since had it with Siracha and chipotle flavored hummus and it gave it a nice spicy kick.  You could use your favorite flavor and make it work. The below recipe makes one sandwich. There are also times when I can't find watercress or basil,  so I have been using basil from our garden and it's delicious! Another key to this being good, is using good bread. Don't skimp on the bread! (try multigrains and things like Quinoa bread to change it up)



Avocado-Tomato- Cucumber Hummus Sandwich

• 6 tablespoons flavored hummus (Lemon or Spicy or whatever!)
• 2 slices heirloom tomato
• 4 slices English cucumber
• 3 thin slices of avocado
• one tablespoon Watercress leaves or 3 basil leaves or micro greens
• salt and pepper
• 2 slices whole wheat or multigrain bread (the big sandwich slices)

1. Spread 3 tablespoons of hummus on each piece of bread. This helps hold the sandwich together better.
2. Top one side of the bread with the tomatoes. Then sprinkle with a little salt and pepper
3. Layer with cucumber, avocado and watercress sprigs.
4. Top with other bread slice and done!