A GrownUps Birthday Party

Last Friday night I finally got to realise my dream of a grown-ups party under our grape vine. The occasion was Mr G's birthday, and I have to say it was a lovely night.

We had the patio heater going, fairy lights, flaming torches and candles, mood music, platters of nibbles and drinks on ice; there was good company, great conversation and a few laughs in a relaxed and (I think) magical setting.

Here's a few of my quick and easy recipes for the next time you have a grownups party to do...

Home-Made Pita Crisps

Ingredients

1 packet of 8 mini-pita pockets
olive oil (in spray bottle is easiest)

cracked black pepper & sea salt

parmesan cheese, garlic salt (optional)

Cut pita pockets in half, then in quarters then in 8ths so you have triangle-shaped wedges. Split each wedge in two (pita pockets have two layers) and then lay on trays lined with baking paper, with the rough side facing up. Spray or brush with olive oil, sprinkle with black pepper and rock salt (and parmesan cheese or garlic salt salt if you like). Bake in oven for 10 minutes on 180oC or until crisp and golden. Serve with hummus and other yummy dips, like Home-Made Guacamole.

Home-Made Guacamole

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons of lite sour cream
Sweet chilli sauce, lemon juice, cracked black pepper

Mash up the avocado, add sour cream, a squirt of lemon juice (prevents browning), a good sprinkle of pepper and a splodge of sweet chilli sauce. Mix together and serve with carrot sticks, pita crisps and corn chips.


Easy Canapes

Ingredients
3-4 pre-rolled Pastry sheets
4 Tablespoons Lite cream cheese mixed with 1 Tablespoon Basil pesto
Cherry tomatoes, cracked black pepper

Cut each pastry sheet into 9 squares and place on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Use a glass to mark a circle into the middle of each pastry square. Put a small splodge of basil cream cheese mixture into the midle of each square and top with half a cherry tomato cut in quarters; dust with pepper. Bake at 180oC for 10-15 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serve when cooled.

Variation: Mix a little with of tinned salmon into the cream cheese for a different flavour.


Cheats Strawberry Gateau

Ingredients
1 unfilled sponge cake from the supermarket
125ml Cream whipped with icing sugar and vanilla until stiff
2 cups of strawberries, hulled and sliced
Plum or strawberry Jam
Crumbled Cadbury Flake Bar or grated milk chocolate

Spread the bottom layer of the sponge cake with jam, then a layer of strawberry slices, then spread with cream. Place second layer of cake on top and spread liberally with more cream. Arrange the strawberries on top; sprinkle with the flaked or grated chocolate.

Yummo! So easy to do, very cheap to make and yet still impressive!

The perfect drink to accompany all this? Sangria of course! Click here for my Sangria recipe...