So, nobody loves a pool party more than this guy. Pitchers of a special cocktail, fun finger foods, games, music (I make annual pool party playlists on Spotify for friends to tap into every year).
To kick off the 2022 pool party season, I had a few friends over for some food and fun, and the food and drink were all big hits.
Cocktails du Jour: I made a pitcher of Dirty Shirleys. Basically, Shirley Temples with vodka. Yes, it's a thing - I got this recipe from The New York Times recently.
Party Food: I wanted to keep it simple, so I made two easy "snacks" - Cheesy Olive Puffs, and BLT Open Face Buns...
For the Cheesy Olive Puffs: These are so easy it's pretty stupid. Just mix together well a softened stick of butter, 2 cups of a cheddar cheese blend, a cup of flour, 1/4 teaspoon each of paprika, curry powder, red pepper flakes, and salt. Once well combined, take 48 manzanilla green olives (I like the pimento stuffed ones), and with your fingers wrap the cheese mix around each olive, making 48 little balls of fun. Bake at 400 for about 14 minutes, until they start to brown. Cool and serve!
For the BLT Buns: Take however many buns you want to serve - this recipe makes 12 larger BLTs, but you could do 16 slider-size. Take 6 hamburger buns of your choice (or 8 slider buns), open up, spray with cooking spray, throw on a little paprika, and broil for a few minutes until browned. Make a bacon mayo, mixing together a cup of mayo, a pack of cooked bacon slices crisped up and chopped, and about 1/4 chopped parsley. For some heat, I also stir in about a tablespoon of my fave thing, HOT HONEY. Put a slather of this mayo on each bun.
Make a lettuce/tomato topping: I combine around 6 chopped plum or Roma tomatoes and about a heaping tablespoon of diced basil, with a pinch of salt, and combine. To that
I throw in about a cup of shredded iceberg lettuce, and mix all together well. Put a small mound on top of the mayo slathered buns, put on a fun platter, and dazzle your pool party revelers.
Note: what are those little cookies? I cheated, and put out bowls of Trader Joe's new Ube-Shortbread cookies. They are impossible to stop eating.
WEAR SUNSCREEN!
Comments