After Golf Party for Pals
There’s nothing better than a round of golf with pals.
The gorgeous weather, beautiful landscapes, wildlife…three tries out of the trap…the putt that is short by 1-inch…
You venture into the woods to find that slice of a drive….
…Yes, nothing better!
EXCEPT maybe the after-golf dinner with those same pals.
After a sip or two of wine and a taste and chomp on a few nibbles, that round of 95 is in the books and you’re on to the next date.
Who’s in??
A gazillion and a half years ago, when my book At Home Entertaining was published, I was fresh out of our catering company, Memorable Occasions, where my two partners and I had produced some very innovative parties for clients who were mostly our friends.
We figured out a way to divide and conquer the tasks while working around a gaggle of small children.
I learned at lot back in the day, tools that I still use. Mostly, I learned that a big party idea can be broken down into its smallest tasks and spread out over several days.
This is the secret to entertaining: Enjoying your party as much as your guests.
I dusted off my copy of the book and started thumbing through the pages. I realized that there are still some great ideas here.
The book is divided into themes for small groups (starting with two) and increasing the party size to large groups.
There’s over four dozen party themes complete with menus, décor ideas and a countdown timeline that helps you manage the tasks.
And yes, there is a party plan for an after-golf dinner!
It was hard to pull out just one party plan to share from At Home Entertaining, but I think this one might be perfect for a casual, fun, evening with pals.
You can insert your favorite recipes here; This one includes a FUN seafood dish.
But you can use your favorite chicken dish if you want.
It’s the party plan and breakdown I’m focusing on.
Once you learn that entertaining can be FUN, I think you’ll enjoy it more and more!
Party Motivation
The girls getting together to celebrate a special occasion, a couple’s block party, good golf pals reuniting for the evening, all are great reasons to celebrate and relax style.
Party Menu
- Tomato Onion and Cucumber Salad with Black Bean Vinaigrette
- Mussels and Shrimp in Cajun Butter Sauce
- Garlic Toasts
- Rustic Peach and Blueberry Tarts
Over-The-Top Suggestion
This rustic stew is jam packed full of great tasting mussels and shrimp. Feel free to substitute with your choice of the freshest fish you can find. Add clams or lobster tails. You can include scallops or cubes of cod. Everything will work in this yummy sauce!
Party Strategy
Everything is prepared in advance for this party so that you can enjoy your guests and your supper. One day ahead prepare the sauce, cover, and refrigerate.
The evening before prepare vegetables for the salad. Make the vinaigrette. Set your table.
Four hours before prepare the rustic tarts.
Two hours before make the garlic toasts.
One hour before warm the sauce for the fish.
Immediately before your guests arrive place the fish in the broth and simmer until cooked.
Toss the salad and bake the tarts.
Shortcuts
Make the tarts the day before and reheat just before serving.
Party Backdrop
Set the mood as the first glimpse of Spring. Seat inside or out, depending on the weather. Place small vases with stems of tulips on the table. Unscented candles in jars work well here. Use casual placements and plenty of cloth napkins (this is a really hands-on menu) so roll up your sleeves and then invite the group to dig in.
The Table Setting
Arrange the salad on a large platter or piled into a shallow bowl. Serve vinaigrette from a ceramic pitcher. Pour the mussels and shrimp into a large bowl or better yet serve from a huge soup pot. Provide a slotted spoon to scoop out fish and a ladle to spoon extra sauce. Set each place with salad plates, a shallow bowl for the stew, and an empty bowl for the shells. Fish forks and shell crackers are the perfect utensils for the meal. Serve the dessert warm on confectioners’ sugar-dusted plates with a scoop of ice cream and a sprig of mint.
Mussels and Shrimp in Cajun Butter Sauce With Garlic Toasts
Serves 4 to 6
Time To Prepare
30 minutes ’til it’s ready
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, 1 stick
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup chili sauce
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 lemons, sliced
- Juice from 1 large lemon, about 3 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2 pounds fresh jumbo shrimp (about 21–25 per pound), peeled and deveined, tails on
- 1 pound fresh mussels
- Garlic toasts
Directions
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan or pot with lid.
Stir in the olive oil, chili sauce, Worcestershire, lemon slices, lemon juice, Cajun seasonings, garlic, parsley, oregano, and hot pepper sauce.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the shrimp and mussels.
Reduce the heat to medium. Cover with the lid.
Cook until the shrimp is opaque, and the mussels have opened, about 4 to 6 minutes
Ladle into bowls and serve with garlic toasts for dipping.
