Fun Baby Shower Theme: Baby Sized Food

I really love planning menus and throwing showers and parties to celebrate new things in friends and co-workers lives. I was recently able to team up with an awesome co-worker and throw a fun baby shower. I haven't done many baby showers and I saw so many fun themes online I got overwhelmed. We ended up picking a Baby theme, as in all the food I made was baby versions of things. Baby Chicken and waffles, baby pigs in a blanket (which we called baby blankets) baby quiches, baby pinwheels, and baby sandwiches! Some of the recipes for sandwiches you can find on my blog post I did for a Master's Golf party too. We have a weird tradition at all of our work events where someone HAS to bring buffalo chicken dip, so I had to find a way to incorporate that too. Answer: Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels. I also did a couple of colorful things like fresh fruit skewers and of course made Deviled Eggs. I made a punch but didn't love it, so I wont bother sharing. Another big hit was a giant water pitcher where we tossed in some limes, lemons and cucumber to give it flavor. I got most of the ideas from Pinterest and adapted.

 

 

Baby Quiche Bites

• 1 15 ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust (2 crusts)
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion (optional)
• 1/4- 1/2 cup finely grated or crumbled cheese of your choice
• 1/2 cup bell pepper finely chopped (I did a combo of a couple of small orange and yellow peppers)
•  1/2- 1 cup crumbled bacon

1. Let piecrust stand according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 425.
3. In a large measuring cup  or bowl with a pouring spout, beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper chopped green onion.
4. If you have a 2 1/2- or 3-inch round cookie cutter, use it to cut circles from pie crust and place in ungreased 1 3/4-inch muffin cups. (I didn't have a cookie cutter because I don't bake and I used the top of a cup!)
5. Put a pinch of cheese, bacon, peppers, onions  meat or vegetable in each pastry shell. Pour egg mixture over filling.
6. Bake  for 13 to 15 minutes or until filling is puffed. Cool for a few minutes, then carefully remove each quiche.

Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup Franks Red Hot sauce or
• ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup colby-jack cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 12 oz can of chicken breast (break up well with a fork)
• 5 large flour tortillas (burrito sized)

1. In a big bowl use a mixer to beat together cream cheese, hot sauce, blue cheese, cheese, green onions and ranch. Fold in shredded chicken.
2. Spread a even layer of mixture over a tortilla. roll up tightly. Cut off ends, then cut into one inch pinwheels.

Turkey Pesto Pinwheels

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup pesto
• ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 5 large flour tortillas
• 1 pound thinly sliced turkey

1. Use a hand mixer to beat together cream cheese, pesto and parmesan cheese.
2. Spread a thin layer of pesto cheese mixture on the tortilla. Cover with a layer of turkey. Roll up tightly.
3. Discard ends, cut into one inch pinwheels.

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pinwheels

• 2 packages 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 5 slices  cooked bacon, crumbled
• ½ teaspoon parsley flakes
• ½ teaspoon dill weed
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 large tortillas

1. Using a hand mixer, beat together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Spread mixture in thin layer no tortilla, roll up tightly. This is one I liked to let sit in the fridge all rolled up for a little bit and then cut at the last minute
3. Do the same as with the other ones, cut off ends, discard, and cut into one inch pinwheels.

  

Pineapple Cream Sandwich (note I didn't love this one, but it was very popular and a nice sweet change up from all the savory)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 20 slices white bread
• 10 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup pineapple, finely chopped and drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts ( I used walnuts)

1. Beat together butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream cheese, pineapple and nuts.
2. Spread evenly on 10 slices of bread.
3. Top with other half of bread, cut off crusts and cut into finger sandwiches.

Baby Pigs in a Blanket

• one can crescent roll dough
• one package cocktail weenies (like lil' smokies)

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Unroll the dough; separate into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle in half in a way that it forms two triangles.
3. Place sausage on shortest side of each triangle. Roll up each, trying to make it where it looks like a baby in a blanket - so a head is poking out.
4. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 12-15 minutes making sure not to bun the bottoms.

Chicken Salad on stuff

(note I buy premade chicken salad from Fresh Market because it's delicious, saved me some time on a complicated day and I don't see the need to make it from scratch)

• One quart of chicken salad
• 1/2 pound of fresh snow peas
• 3 granny smith apples
• 1 cup of walnuts, halved

1. Steam the snow peas just slightly, the bag I bought of peas at Kroger was a steamable bag so it was perfect. You want them to still be pretty raw, but cooked enough to make them easier to stuff and eat.
2. Use a sharp small knife, or even something as simple as a tooth pick to start opening up the pod on one side, then it should pop right open.
3. Use a small spoon or a teaspoon to stuff the peas.
4. Slice your granny smith apples thin, but not so thin that they will be flimsy, think of them as a cracker.
5. Put about a tablespoon of chicken salad on top of each slice of apple, then top with a walnut.

 

Chicken and Waffles

(I totally took the shortcut on this one too, and it was probably the most popular dish)

• One box of Eggo mini waffles, toasted in the toaster oven (this is 10 sets of 4, which is 40 waffles - which makes 20 bites)
• 2 12 packs of chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-a
• maple syrup
• plastic shot glasses for the syrup

1. After you have toasted the waffles, place a chicken nugget in between 2 waffles and skewer it with a good thick toothpick.
2. Arrange on a tray
3. I placed tiny plastic shot glasses filled with syrup around the tray and let people pour their own syrup.

 

Deviled Eggs
(I can't eat eggs now, but people tell me these are delicious )

12 eggs hardboiled
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons well-drained pickle relish (I use dill)

1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise, remove yolks, and reserve whites.
2. Mash yolks until smooth.
3. Combine yolks, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, garlic salt, pepper, and mix until smooth.
4. Stir in onion, and pickle relish.
5. Spoon mixture into center of egg whites.
6. Sprinkle tops with paprika.

Fruit Skewers
I seriously just layered strawberries pineapple, cantaloupe and grapes on skewers.

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