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The sundried tomato pesto added lots of great flavor to a simple hummus recipe. Try varying the pesto flavor (we're going to try it with sun-dried and black olive pesto next time!)
These slider-type burgers have chips and dips right in the burger!
These get their Greek flavor from the combination of mayo, feta cheese, black olives, and a little fresh mint.
A good bloody Mary mix is the key to this recipe.
These meatballs were extremely moist and tasty. The quinoa works as a great binder that doesn't make the meatballs crumbly.
More fun sliders! These had hashbrowns right in the burgers!
The wasabi is subtle and the salad is very refreshing.
One of the favorites of the event. Think of them as reverse potato salad
Before this recipe I had never met a margarita that really did it for me. This, however, was the best margarita I've ever had
Not for the faint of heart but this ice cream has to be tasted
This recipe was just plain fun! We used bison bratwurst which were delicious.
The curry isn't overwhelming and this recipe is loaded with tasty crab.
Another must try. Beware, the mousse is rich and dense but the caramel has a great kick to it
Very refreshing and not hot at all despite the size of the jalapenos used
I can see this recipe being a hit at the holidays. It's a beautiful dark red and the champagne is perfect in it
Don't judge this recipe before you try it, it's so simple it's ridiculous but it's really tasty!
It has bacon in it - what more needs to be said?
The other hit of the testing event. This guac was about perfect!
I think I have your next St. Patrick's day drink! This was tasty without being too sweet or tart.
A very classy but simple recipe. The flavors were amazing together.
These are so tasty you'll forget you're eating healthy!
A delicious and lower fat alternative to French fries. Made with polenta, salt, and ketchup or marinara sauce for dipping.
Recipe Extravaganza
by Guest Writer, Valerie WhitmoreWe test recipes nearly every week here at CDKitchen, but I have the most fun with our recipe testing events. Several times a year we gather our foodie friends together to feast on some good eats. It's a great way to test a lot of recipes at once (and a good excuse to socialize!)
I've found picking a theme for the event not only is fun for our guests but also makes the challenge more fun for me. We've done an "around the world" menu with every item from a different ethnicity. We did one very large event where every single recipe was something that could be made ahead of time (it was so nice to be able to relax the day of the party!). We even did a bacon themed event (before *everyone* was doing bacon).
For our latest event I chose "secret ingredient" as our theme. All the recipes selected had an unusual ingredient or twist to them. Everything was served in tasting-sized portions including some fun beverages.
I get a lot of questions at our taste testings so I thought I'd answer a few of them:
How do you pick the recipes you test?
I usually need to be "inspired" before I start looking for recipes. Once the theme is chosen then I consider who will be attending. Sometimes we have people with special dietary needs so I always make sure we have food to accommodate them. I also try to balance the recipes so we have a variety of foods or types of foods.
How do you prepare all these recipes at once?
This is the fun part! It takes lots of planning (including planning for the unexpected!). I make my menu weeks in advance and continue to refine it until I'm happy with it. I create a timeline of what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and how it will be prepped/cooked/served. Sometimes I need to make menu changes based on conflicts (such as running out of oven room). I also do as much as possible ahead of time. It's amazing how much time you can save the day of cooking just by chopping and dicing ingredients, like onions, the day before. I also plan more recipes than I need. I've had some recipes just not turn out so therefore we don't serve them (but of course, need something to replace them).
Can I help in the kitchen?
No, stay out of the kitchen. Trust me. I kick people out of my kitchen for two reasons. First, I was brought up being taught that guests are guests, they don't work for their meal. They are to relax and enjoy the occasion. Second, I find extra bodies in the kitchen to be distracting. I don't like to talk while I'm cooking because I'm constantly planning my next move in my head. If you distract me I will forget something. Also the more talking that goes on in the kitchen just means that the food will take longer to get done. If you don't mind eating at midnight then by all means come on in and chat but consider yourself warned :)
Now, what you've been waiting for... the recipes! All 25 of them! Click through to read the reviews and see the photos (if available - some recipes got consumed before I could get pictures!)
I've found picking a theme for the event not only is fun for our guests but also makes the challenge more fun for me. We've done an "around the world" menu with every item from a different ethnicity. We did one very large event where every single recipe was something that could be made ahead of time (it was so nice to be able to relax the day of the party!). We even did a bacon themed event (before *everyone* was doing bacon).
For our latest event I chose "secret ingredient" as our theme. All the recipes selected had an unusual ingredient or twist to them. Everything was served in tasting-sized portions including some fun beverages.
I get a lot of questions at our taste testings so I thought I'd answer a few of them:
How do you pick the recipes you test?
I usually need to be "inspired" before I start looking for recipes. Once the theme is chosen then I consider who will be attending. Sometimes we have people with special dietary needs so I always make sure we have food to accommodate them. I also try to balance the recipes so we have a variety of foods or types of foods.
How do you prepare all these recipes at once?
This is the fun part! It takes lots of planning (including planning for the unexpected!). I make my menu weeks in advance and continue to refine it until I'm happy with it. I create a timeline of what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and how it will be prepped/cooked/served. Sometimes I need to make menu changes based on conflicts (such as running out of oven room). I also do as much as possible ahead of time. It's amazing how much time you can save the day of cooking just by chopping and dicing ingredients, like onions, the day before. I also plan more recipes than I need. I've had some recipes just not turn out so therefore we don't serve them (but of course, need something to replace them).
Can I help in the kitchen?
No, stay out of the kitchen. Trust me. I kick people out of my kitchen for two reasons. First, I was brought up being taught that guests are guests, they don't work for their meal. They are to relax and enjoy the occasion. Second, I find extra bodies in the kitchen to be distracting. I don't like to talk while I'm cooking because I'm constantly planning my next move in my head. If you distract me I will forget something. Also the more talking that goes on in the kitchen just means that the food will take longer to get done. If you don't mind eating at midnight then by all means come on in and chat but consider yourself warned :)
Now, what you've been waiting for... the recipes! All 25 of them! Click through to read the reviews and see the photos (if available - some recipes got consumed before I could get pictures!)
The sundried tomato pesto added lots of great flavor to a simple hummus recipe. Try varying the pesto flavor (we're going to try it with sun-dried and black olive pesto next time!)These slider-type burgers have chips and dips right in the burger!These get their Greek flavor from the combination of mayo, feta cheese, black olives, and a little fresh mint.A good bloody Mary mix is the key to this recipe.These meatballs were extremely moist and tasty. The quinoa works as a great binder that doesn't make the meatballs crumbly.More fun sliders! These had hashbrowns right in the burgers!The wasabi is subtle and the salad is very refreshing.One of the favorites of the event. Think of them as reverse potato salad
Before this recipe I had never met a margarita that really did it for me. This, however, was the best margarita I've ever hadNot for the faint of heart but this ice cream has to be tastedThis recipe was just plain fun! We used bison bratwurst which were delicious.The curry isn't overwhelming and this recipe is loaded with tasty crab.Another must try. Beware, the mousse is rich and dense but the caramel has a great kick to it
Very refreshing and not hot at all despite the size of the jalapenos usedI can see this recipe being a hit at the holidays. It's a beautiful dark red and the champagne is perfect in itDon't judge this recipe before you try it, it's so simple it's ridiculous but it's really tasty!It has bacon in it - what more needs to be said? The other hit of the testing event. This guac was about perfect!I think I have your next St. Patrick's day drink! This was tasty without being too sweet or tart.A very classy but simple recipe. The flavors were amazing together.
These are so tasty you'll forget you're eating healthy!A delicious and lower fat alternative to French fries. Made with polenta, salt, and ketchup or marinara sauce for dipping.