#51: Try a new recipe.

Date Completed: 10/9/2010

Things I learned the night I threw a “Girls Night In” party at my place:

1. Everyone should own a food warmer. It was one of my smartest purchases…right up there with the pineapple corer.
2. Girls love kitchens. Don’t worry about preparing other areas of the house. It’s all about the stories, laughter and munchies. Just bring out the folding chairs and enjoy!
3. It’s fun to try new appetizers, but remember that nothing beats a ham/pickle rollup so you don’t actually have to be gourmet.
4. Stemless wine glasses rock. Buy them. Lots of them.
5. Don’t even attempt to stuff cherry tomatoes. They’re so not worth it.

Below is one of the new appetizers I made.  It was a huge hit!

Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
2 T. honey, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1/4 C. orange juice
2-3 heads of Belgian endive leaves
1 small tub of crumbled goat cheese
2 navel oranges, peeled and segmented

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Toss walnuts and 1 T. honey; spread on baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake 10 minutes at 350°, stirring after 5 minutes
• Combine 1 T. honey, vinegar and orange juice in a small saucepan; bring to a boil (be careful it doesn’t boil over) and cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons
• Cut orange segments into pieces (I made three pieces out of each segment)
• Arrange endive leaves on a serving plate; fill each leaf with 1-2 orange sections; top each section with cheese and walnuts
• Drizzle a small amount of the vinegar mixture evenly over leaves