Blog Party#16: Take-Out Party

Odds are, if you're reading this, you love food. That's why we're called food bloggers.

But not all of us like to cook. Some just like to eat!

And even those of us who bake our own breads, and make our own stocks, and hand-dip our own truffles and are occasionally called 'crazy' by friends because we offer to cater a party for twenty friends (not after, as they're all too busy stuffing their faces with all the yummy food we've made); even we have our 'off' days.

That day when you look in the refrigerator and think 'there's nothing to eat!'. Or when that strange sensation comes over you and suddenly you realize: you don't want to cook!

It's ok. It happens to all of us.

For those rare days, we have take-out menus.

It can be anything...pizza, sushi, Mexican, Chinese; doesn't matter. Often, our order choices reflect a need for a sort of comfort food (not many people call in and ask for a light salad, fat-free dressing on the side, with steamed fish).

Some people order the same things, every time. Others experiment, working their way through the menu. Some get their food delivered, others run out for a pick-up, figuring half an hour in the car is still better than half an hour in front of the stove.

And with the holiday season approaching, with all the shopping and cooking and cleaning staring us in the face...and face it, the holiday season isn't going to blink first...a night of take-out food is starting to sound good, isn't it?

Now hold on! I'm not suggesting we all order in from our favorite restaurants this month; on the contrary.

There's still time before the big holiday rush, so put the phone back in the cradle and step away...slowly.

No, this month, we're recreating our favorite take-out foods at home!

(Did you really think I'd let you off the hook that easily?)

For November, grab a menu from your favorite take-out place and recreate your most-loved dishes into appetizers. And don't forget the drinks!

While Blog Party is a cocktail party, not everyone drinks alcohol (yours truly, for example). So, whatever you'd normally drink with your take-out food...iced tea, pop/soda, wine, beer, or a glass of milk...is ok!

Of course, if you want to get creative, feel free. We encourage that sort of behavior around here.

So for this month's Blog Party, turn your favorite take-out foods into home-made appetizers!

Now, here comes the fine print.





For those new to the event, Blog Party is a virtual cocktail party for food bloggers. It's a chance to make those little bites and fantastic drinks we all love, but never make. Blog Party is about taking time for us: setting aside some time to cook (which, clearly, we all love), to prepare appetizers we want to eat but never get around to. And best of all, it's about getting together, albeit via the Web, with like-minded friends.

You can read up on the inner-workings of Blog Party, as well as read up on a whole year's worth of parties, here.



Now, for the 'rules'.

What, in my opinion, qualifies as cocktail food:

• Finger foods: anything that can be picked up, carried around and eaten with one hand...the use of the second hand as crumb catcher is perfectly acceptable


• Dippers: vegetables, crackers, bread, chips, breadsticks and any inventive foods which are used for scooping or spreading dips and uh...spreads


• Miniature meals: by this, I mean a normal-sized dish, cut or displayed as individual servings. A quiche, cut into small enough pieces to be eaten in less than four bites would be accepted.

All you have to do is make ****AT LEAST ONE appetizer AND cocktail**** (that's a minimum of one EACH); take some photos, and write about it. It's pretty easy, really.

So for November, gather up your take-out menus, and get working on those home-styled, restaurant-worthy, appetizers and cocktails!

Post your dishes no later than Thursday, 16 November (a full week before Thanksgiving in the US)...early is always good...and get your links to me either by posting in the comments, or by emailing me at thehappysorceress at gmail dot com. I'll post the party round-up Saturday, the 18th, and I hope to see you there!



Tagged with: Food and Drink + Blog Party + Events + Appetizers + Cocktails + Take-Out + Parties + Restaurants + Blogging