So glad you've joined me for day three of our online release party for A Season to Wed. I hope you know how much your visits mean to us. We love that you let us into your lives through blogging, and that you choose to spend some of your time here on the blog with us. Your presence means so much!
If you've recently joined us, WELCOME! We are glad to have you.
We've been celebrating the release of my November novella release from Zondervan titled A Season to Wed. It's a three book anthology that includes my story, Serving Up a Sweetheart.
Since the book features a caterer, I thought it would be fun to share your favorite buffet style recipe. Something that feeds a group...since my heroine has to feed a ton of people...and use her former bully's kitchen to do it! Oh, how we authors love to put our characters in those predicaments. :-)
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Thank you all so much for being part of my release celebration! Don't forget to leave a comment by 11pm CST tonight to have a chance to win a free copy of A Season to Wed.
If you don't happen to win and would like to read it, it can be purchased anywhere books are sold. Here's the Amazon link.
Blessings and don't forget to share your favorite buffet style recipe, or one that will feed a group of people.
Thanks all!
Cheryl Wyatt
Here's one of my favorite buffet recipes, Cheryl. Now I'm hungry!
ReplyDeleteBarbecue Meatball Recipe
This particular recipe uses minced onion, brown sugar, and vinegar and tomato sauce to give it that BBQ taste. Seasoned salt with its savory combination of spices and herbs, whether store bought or homemade, ads the extra kick of flavor.
Its ingredients differ, but the general base of garlic, onion and black pepper really does make a difference compared to most meatballs.
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 cup minced onion
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
Directions:
1. Combine first seven ingredients and shape into 12 meatballs.
2. Brown in oil in skillet, remove excess fat.
3. Combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and seasoned salt. Pour over meatballs.
4. Simmer over low heat 10-15 minutes, turning frequently until meatballs are well glazed. Serve over rice or noodles.
Oh my word! This sounds WONDERFUL! Thanks Jill for the recipe and also for coming by today. Always good to see you!
DeleteSounds very yum!!
DeleteHere's my favorite one to serve. Easy and guaranteed a party favorite. Chicken Wings!!! Who doesn't love wings?
ReplyDeleteChinese Coca-Cola Wings (from Better Homes & Garden magazine - forgot when)
2.5 lbs of chicken wings (individual pieces)
1 Cup of Coca-Cola
1/4 C of reduced sodium soy sauce
2 TBS of dry white wine
3 thin slices of peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS sesame seeds, toasted
Directions:
1. Place wing pieces in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish.
2. In small bowl, combine soda, soy sauce, wine, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Pour over chicken wings. Seal bag; rub and turn to coat chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, or longer, turning bag occasionally. Drain chicken wings, reserving marinade. Pat wings dry with paper towels.
3. In a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken wings: cook for about 10 min or until brown on both sides, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Drain off fat. Pour the reserve marinade over chicken wings.
4. Bring to simmering. Cook, covered, for 5 min. Cook, uncovered, about 10 min more until chicken is no longer pink and marinade is slightly thick. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with sesame seeds (unless you're making ahead - see below).
I know it sounds not so easy, but it is and easy to make ahead. Make a day or two ahead, then put it in the fridge, sealed with wrap. Then bake at 375 for about 10 minutes to reheat. If you are making ahead, don't garnish with sesame seeds yet!
Oooh! Never heard of this one. I'm glad you posted it! Thank you!
DeleteMy recipe is for Mexican Holdover
ReplyDeleteIngredients
Hamburger Meat
Onions
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
mushroom soup
cheddar cheese soup
Rotel Tomatoes
Fritos
DO NOT ADD SALT. The fritos contain enough to season the dish.
Brown Hamburger meat, drain and then add onion and cook until soft. Season with pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Add a can of cream of mushroom soup and cheddar or nacho cheese soup. Stir in a can of Rotel tomatoes. You can double or triple the recipe depending on the number of guests. This can all be done days before needed. Then, when you are ready you can warm the sauce and layer the sauce and some fritos in a baking dish. Top with some shredded cheddar cheese. You only need to put it in the oven long enough for the cheese to melt and then serve it. YUM. My brother used to eat it cold the next morning for breakfast.
This is a great dish to have when you are expecating guests but don't know what time they will arrive.
Jan, I love that your brother ate it cold for breakfast! :)
DeleteI LOVE Mexican food! This will be tried very soon. Thank you Jan! LOL about your bro.
DeleteJan, congrats! You won the book drawing for Day 3. Contact me at cheryl@cherylwyatt.com to work out the details. Blessings!
DeleteCheryl
My pastor makes a yummy chili! I don't have the recipe.
ReplyDeleteI love chili, especially in winter. I like it chunky but my husband and kiddos like it not so chunky...so I make it like they like it then add fire-roasted tomatoes and onions to mine.
DeleteBroccoli Salad . . . .
ReplyDelete2-3 stalks broccoli
1 green onion, chopped
1 c. chopped celery
2 slices bacon
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. raisens
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1 1/2 c. mayonaise
1/4 c. sugar
4 t. lemon juice
Cut broccoli fairly fine. Place in a serving bowl with onions and celery. Fry bacon crisp and crumble (I bake mine! much less mess!) In a separate bowl combine mayo, sugar and lemon juice. All all other ingredients. Toss together.
Ohhh, my daughters would love this one. They like broccoli. And bacon! Thanks for posting.
DeleteI love this deviled egg recipe from bhg.com:
ReplyDeleteBacon and Cheese Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
12 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled (optional)
Chopped green onion (optional)
Directions:
Halve eggs lengthwise and remove yolks. Set whites aside. Place yolks in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, honey mustard, salt, and pepper. Fold in 4 slices crumbled bacon and cheese.
Stuff egg white halves with yolk mixture. Cover and chill until serving time (up to 24 hours). If desired, garnish with additional bacon and green onion.
My tween makes deviled eggs for her teen sisters so I will definitely pass this on to her. Thank you for posting!
DeleteMum was the cook not me but she would make lots of cakes etc. When she would make cakes she would make a double or triple batch and make maybe 2 cakes and than 2 dozen little or cup cakes at the same time. Or if making slices would make 4 at a time. Or Cream puffs would make 4 trays at a time. So If I had to do something I would make cookies.
ReplyDeleteYoyo Cookies and triple the recipe.
2 oz icing sugar
6 oz butter
2 oz custard flour
6 oz plain flour
pinch of salt
cream the butter and icing sugar, then and the flours. Then use a cookie press to make the cookies or roll into balls and use a fork to press them down. cook in a moderate oven for 12 mins. join them together with icing/frosting.
This sounds yummy. My mother-in-law also doubles/triples/quadruples recipes for a crowd. Thanks for sharing sweet friend!
DeleteCheryl - you are hitting all my buttons this week! First was sharing my treasured wedding day memories - with the Alaskan gold rush "heirloom" necklace, the bouquet that never quit, and my Army drill Sergeant father "marching" me down the aisle - and now you've authored a story on what is my profession - - yes, I'm a chef / caterer. So needless to say "A Season to Wed" has now risen to the top of my TBR pile. And although I do have a large array of "feeding the five thousand" recipes (although our Lord did a much better job than I'll ever do) - - I would rather serve up another "behind the scenes" tidbit of the life of a chef/ caterer/ "you must be a crazy woman to do this" memoir. This was early in my catering career and being a starving "newbie" chef / caterer - you're willing to take on anything and do it for near-to-nothing just to get the business & exposure. And that means trying to be a one-woman show to keep down costs. I had taken on a job to cater a wedding for 200. I'm thinking "no problem" - you just have to be VERY organized, have "to do" lists neatly arranged for each day from 2 weeks out to final "R" day ( Reception) - and drink lots and lots and lots of highly caffeinated anything!! Ok - - I get down to the evening of the day before "R" day. Now things get critical. For some reason I thought I could make 500 tiny tea sandwiches with pink, mauve and teal fillings, 400 deviled eggs, & cut up 50 pounds of fruit into these cute little doves and butterflies using an exacto knife with a hand that is now shaking uncontrollably due to an over abundance of caffeine & a lack of sleep. I suddenly remember that I needed to get some catering items out of a closet & pack them in my "bring this stuff or die" tote bag. Do you have one of those bags?? Everybody needs one. Anyway - - This was one of those closets with the sliding doors. I grab the door to slide it to the right and . . . it won't budge - - it's stuck. So I give it another heave-ho & another - but no - it's stuck. So I muster all the strength I've got in reserve and give it one last mighty SHOVE - - and it now becomes a greased monkey. It takes me barreling to the opposite side of the closet door frame and I have now rammed these sliding doors into my right hand. Yes - - my right hand - - the "I am right side dominant" type of right handed person. As I gently pull my embedded hand from between the sliding doors & the door frame and cradle it in my "not dominant" left hand, I begin to see the wisdom of why caterers charge so much, hire a massive crew and only drink water. OK - the fingers of my right hand are now actually going to be a nice match for this wedding as they are turning a lovely shade of mauve and teal - - although the massive size of my fingers is going to hinder the preparation of said food for this wedding. I am home alone - a funny movie - but not funny if you're a caterer. I decide to call my husband who is meeting with his buddy car enthusiasts at their "rally" meeting. For the life of me, I still don't know why I called him as he can not cook or even boil water - so he wasn't going to be any help with preparing anything to feed 200 wedding guests unless peanut butter sandwiches works for everybody - and the crusts will not be removed. But I was in pain & needed some kind of sympathy or maybe a ride to the emergency room. - - Whoops - I've written too much and have to make this a 2 Parter - to be continued below.
ReplyDeleteOh fun! About you being a chef/caterer...and oh dear! Your hand...oh my word! How painful! I would have been yowling! The description of this...you are SO meant to be a writer. LOL!
DeleteWhen he picked up the phone I was engulfed in sobbing & between great gulps of tears & pain I tried saying to him "I've slammed my hand in the door" - he said "What? What did you say?" & again I tried to get out the words between my sobs and I yelled - "I've slammed my hand in the door!!!" - to which he replied, "Well, get a gun and shoot it!!" Now I'm thinking - - "Ok - I've got a wedding reception for 200 guests in about 24 hours - I've got tons of food that still needs preparing - I've possibly got a broken hand / fingers - and I'm married to an idiot!!" I wasn't sure which needed attention first. I finally stopped sobbing long enough to put a sentence together & said "I slammed my hand in the door - why are you telling me to shoot it???" He said "Oh - I thought you said "there's someone sneaking around outdoors" - so I thought you should get the gun and shoot'em!" Needless to say - this was many years ago - and my husband is not an idiot but a very loving man who came home and helped me the best he could & called my mother-in-law & father-in-law who came over & we pulled an all-nighter preparing for this wedding reception which turned out very lovely - - and with a LOT of hard earned lessons learned. 1. Don't drink your weight in caffeine and weld a knife at the same time. 2. Don't think you're a one woman show - get help - and lots of it - your husband will thank you. 3. Never underestimate the power of prayer and over worked in laws. Both are needed!!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh! No...LOLOL! He told you to shoot it...I can't breathe I'm laughing so hard. I am so glad you had family able to help. My inlaws are a tremendous blessing to us as well, and so are my parents. You should write a devotion...this story...the lessons learned. I'm serious. I'm going to pester you until you do it. LOL.
DeleteSorry, no recipe, but would love to win the book. :-)
ReplyDeleteHe he! This would be me. Gotcha down.
DeleteI am baking challenged. I am the one who does not bring homemade items to family parties. Lol. I cannot supply you with a recipe! You probably wouldn't want it even if I did. Nothing I try turns out. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel ya! My husband says we know dinner is ready when the smoke alarm goes off...when I'm cooking at least. LOL!
Delete