<p>We’re having a wine tasting next weekend. Very casual. We’ll be tasting a bunch of wines we got for $3 a bottle an estate sale. They may all be vinegar, so we have back-ups, but there are potentially some excellent wines there that are probably past their prime. We have about a dozen coming, at least some of whom I think eat no meat, and some who only eat fish. </p>
<p>We may break down and eat with knives and forks, but my preference would be for things you can eat in one hand and hold the wine glass in the other. I’d also like suggestions for things that don’t involve bread, pasta or pie crust to hold the vegetables for the low carb crowd. </p>
<p>We will have the obvious bread, cheese and crackers.</p>
<p>We have hosted wine tastings as well and here is a good one to try:</p>
<p>Shrimp Cocktail</p>
<p>1/4 C catsup
1/4 lime juice
1-2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 C chopped tomato
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 C cilantro
1 lb. tail off shrimp
2 avacados</p>
<p>Mix first 6 ingredients, add shrimp and let marinate 2-4 hours. Add chopped avacados right before serving. I put a pretty bowl and serve with toothpicks. I have also served it on a small platter surrounded by Carr’s water table crackers which it tastes great on but I know you said you prefer no crackers, etc. Either way it’s great.<br>
I love the suggestion by SteveMA - those are fantastic!</p>
<p>I do a pea and mint pesto that works really well in the spring. I am at work but this recipe is really close – but I use fresh peas if I have them, although frozen work well too. This is good on crostini, like she suggests or on vegetables or water crackers or almost anything.</p>
<p>If you do the crostini make lots and then you could also do another favorite which is chick peas pureed with a little lemon, olive oil, water and salt, spread on a crositini and top with a arugula.</p>
<p>I have an easy recipe for spinach balls but it does include some bread crumbs. You serve it warm or at room temperature. They’re yummy! Let me know if you want me to pass along the recipe…</p>
<p>I have a simple recipe for pinwheels. I use low carb (joseph’s) wraps so they are good for your low carb friends. </p>
<p>Spread whipped cream cheese (you can use low fat if you like) over entire wrap, sprinkle on some capers, add lox and fresh dill. Roll up tightly and let set for about 1/2 hour in the fridge, then slice into pinwheels.</p>
<p>chocchipcookie, happy to have the spinach balls. DH will eat them especially if he doesn’t know there’s bread hiding in there! There are some great ideas here. Making my list…</p>
<p>Yummy Spinach Balls (makes 60-70 balls, but you can also cut the recipe in half)</p>
<p>2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach
2 cups Herbal Stuffing Mix (like pepperidge farm)
6 beaten eggs
2 small to medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup melted margerine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper & thyme</p>
<p>Cook spinach, and drain well. Beat the eggs and then combine all the ingredients together. Mix well and form into bite sized balls. Place them onto an ungreased cookie sheet & place in freezer overnight. Loosen from tray and store in a freezer bag until ready to serve. To serve: heat spinach balls in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy! :)</p>
<p>Mathmom: another easy peasy thing I do is make antipasti skewers. Marinate vegetables like cut up cucumber, olives, red pepper, cherry tomatoes and also small balls of mozzarella cheese in an olive oil and vinegar mixture with italian spices. You can also use cut up salami and I have also used cooked tortellini. Any type of vegetable will do that’s easy to skewer. Marinate veggies overnight and then put on some plastic gloves and take the veggies that have been marinated and load onto skewers. It’s always a big hit at parties! have fun! :)</p>
<p>How about gougeres (cheese puffs)? Here is the recipe from the Silver Palate:Hhttp://community.cookinglight.com/archive/index.php/t-91310.html I make these every New Years Eave, and there’s nothing better with wine.</p>
<p>I love blue cheese or gorgonzola stuffed dates…but I wrap mine in bacon and bake until the bacon is crispy. Yum. Prosciutto is a great idea, too!</p>
<p>I also like to serve a platter with great olives, cheese, crackers, prosciutto, and seasonal fruit.</p>
<ul>
<li>watermelon, piece of ricotta salata cheese and piece of mint on
skewer</li>
<li>cherry tomato, piece of mozarella, piece of bacon on skewer</li>
<li>cherry tomato, piece of mozarella, piece of basil, sprinkled with
basalmic vinegar, on skewer</li>
<li>cherry tomato hollowed out and stuffed with salmon cream cheese &
parsley on top</li>
<li>1" piece of persian cucumber, scoop out some and fill with creme
fraiche, top withnpiece of smoked salmon, top with black sesame
seeds</li>
<li>cooked, cooled & halved small red potatoes, filled with creme fraiche,
topped with bacon bits</li>
<li>endive leaves with a tsp of purchased crab salad on tip</li>
<li>small piece of steak, horseradish on skewer</li>
<li>small piece of ahi tuna, bit of wasabi on skewer</li>
<li>prawn, cherry tomato drizzled with kalamata olive oil on skewer</li>
<li>proscuitto wrapped melon, sprinkled with mint </li>
<li> small mushroom caps filled with polenta, topped with blue cheese</li>
<li>scallop wrapped in bacon or proscuitto, small piece of sushi ginger, drizzled with teriyaki glaze</li>
</ul>
<p>Pretty much all of these can be made early in the day or the night before…</p>
There are some great ideas here. Making my list…</p>