Party Recipes

1½ inch plain cookie cutter

Makes 24 canapés.

Method:
Cut 24 rounds (1½ inches each) from the toasted bread.  Work the spinach in a blender until pureed.  Heat the butter, add the spinach and cook, stirring until dry.   Take from the heat, add the minced clams and spread the mixture on the toast rounds not more than 3 hours before serving, broil until browned and serve hot.

Paper decorating cone and a small star tube

Makes about 30 according to size of grapes

Method:
Rinse the grapes, pat dry with paper towels and carefully remove from stems.  Make shallow splits in the stem ends of the grapes and lift out seeds with a pointed knife or rounded end of a sterilized bobby pin.  Work the cream cheese with salt and pepper to taste and put in paper decorating cone fitted with a small star tube.  Fill the grapes generously with seasoned cheese.  Dip the tops into the chopped almonds to cover them lightly on top.  If you like, spear each grape with a toothpick.

for caviar filling:
small jar of black caviar
juice of ½ lemon
finely chopped hard-cooked egg white (optional)

Method:
Wash the cherry tomatoes and pat dry with paper towels.  With a sharp, pointed knife cut a slice from the stem end.  Use a demitasse spoon to hollow out a little of the tomato flesh.  Spoon a little caviar into each cavity, add a squeeze of lemon juice and, if you like, sprinkle with egg white.

Makes 35-40 straws.

Method:
Set oven at moderately hot (375 degrees).  Cut the butter into the flour, then rub with the fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs.  Add the cheese and egg yolk, lightly beaten with the water, and continue working to form as smooth a dough as possible.   Chill at least 1 hour before rolling out to about ¼ inch wide and 4 inches long.   Shape 6 strips into rings and leave the remainder flat.  Lay on a baking sheet and bake in heated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden.  When cold, lift the straws from the baking sheet and slip 4-5 into each ring.  Arrange the carefully on a platter because they are very fragile and break easily.

Method:
Separate the slices of dried beef carefully.  Spread each slice with cream cheese mixed with the horseradish.  Roll up the beef like a jelly roll and cut into pieces about 1½-2 inches in length.  Fasten each little beef roll with a toothpick.

Egg and Cheese:  sandwich pumpernickel bread with layers of thinly sliced Gruyere cheese and hard-cooked egg, chopped and mixed with mayonnaise to bind and chopped dill pickles to flavor.

Ham and Pate:  sandwich whole-wheat bread with layers of liver pate and ham.

Ham and Salami:  sandwich white bread with layers of ham, salami, sliced tomato.

Neuchatel:  sandwich rye bread with sliced Gruyere cheese and finely chopped cooked ham or tongue, bound with mayonnaise and well seasoned with Dijon-style mustard.