Fun Help....Plan My Housewarming Menu!

Hey Girls!

I am dying to get some ideas for our housewarming party which is next weekend. We are going for a Tropical/Caribbean theme in honor of our honeymoon. We aren't doing a LUAU (which of course is Hawaii)...but I am still looking for tropical-type food to serve.

I'll probably cater a lot because I have only cooked once in the two months of marriage....so give me your best ideas!!!!

All I have so far is Dessert - Rum Cake (mmmm..I'm going to make this!)

HELP!

Brings back some wonderful memories!!!

Here is a Crab dip my mom makes!!

CREAM CRAB DIP APPETIZER
INGREDIENTS

1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. hot pepper
1 can crab meat
potato chips or corn chips

METHOD
1. In medium bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic, lemon juice and hot pepper
2. Stir in crab meat
3. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving to blend flavors.
Serve with potato chips or corn chips for dipping.

Here is a website that specializes in Caribbean Recipes!! You can even do a dish from each island you visited!!!

Caribbean Recipes

my best friend makes the world's best sangria! I have yet to taste anything better in the restaurants or bars: (Sometimes I substitue the fruit and have put grapes and/or blackberries of rasberries)

One large bottle of fairly cheap red wine. I usually use a cabernet
> sauvignon or merlot, there are strong reds.
>
> Assorted citrus fruit
>
> Club soda
>
> Orange juice
>
> Brandy - I use a cheap brandy as I don't use for anything else.
>
> Sugar
>
> Start with the following:
>
> Entire bottle of red wine, 1 cup club soda, 1 cup orange juice,
> about 1/2 cup brandy and about 1/8th of cup sugar. Mix well and taste,
> you may need to add some additional orange juice and club soda.
> Mix in the cut up fruit, saving a few slices for the cups.

My DH and I just had a BBQ at our house last weekend and I made Sangria.

1 orange (sliced)
1 apple (sliced)
8-10 rasberries
1 lemon (sliced)
1lime (sliced)
5-7 strawberries (sliced)

1. Pour in 1 cup of brandy
2. Pour in 1/4 cup of triple sec
3. Pour in 3-3 1/2 cups of chianti or shiraz
4. Refrigerate with all cut up fruit for 2-3 hours
5. Pour into glass and top with club soda.

Delicious!!!

Eyeball liqour when pouring in, it doesn't have to be exact

Oh gosh, thanks so much for the Sangria recipes....but that is the ONE thing we KNOW how to make!

We made it for our eng. party and it was so much fun!

ceviche always remonds me of a great caribbean holiday..this recipe is SUPER easy and delish

Crab Ceviche

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package imitation crabmeat, flaked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
3 serrano peppers, finely chopped
2 limes, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
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DIRECTIONS:
Place the shredded imitation crab into a glass or porcelain bowl. Plastic or metal are not
recommended. Stir olive oil into the crabmeat until well coated, then stir in the cilantro,
onion, tomato and serrano peppers. Squeeze the lime juice over everything, and mix well.
Season with plenty of salt and pepper. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.

How about serving chicken or fish with tropical salsas. Like teriyaki chicken and pineapple salsa. We make it all the time. Yum.

And, what about key lime pie, black beans and rice, mango salad...

Make some Mohitos - those are really good and refreshing - tropical.
Make some skewered chicken kabobs with peanut sauce - you can get a jar of that in the grocery and cut up some chicken breasts baste on the peanut sauce.