Cooking with the Ninja: Green and White Party

Tonight, I am throwing a Green and White party. It's a very easy color theme when it comes to food! Even if you aren't throwing a party, the following makes for quick get together trays.

Cheese and Fruit Platter:

What you need:
*For the cheese, you can also buy the precubed bags, or large wedges to display on the tray. Cubed is best for informal, wedges are best for formal!
2 blocks each of:
White Chedder
Pepper Jack
Provolone
1 large bag of green grapes (About 5lbs depending on amount of guests)

What you do:
Rinse Grapes, drain on paper towel.
Cube cheese into small cubes unless serving in wedges
Lay grapes in center of rectangular serving platter
Sprinkle cheese around grapes

Remember, for the best cheese flavor, serve at room temperature!


Cold Cuts:

What you need:
2 packages each of:
Turkey Lunch Meat
Ham Lunch Meat
Salomi Lunch Meat

1 package each of:
Sliced Mozzarella
Provolone
Monterey Jack

Green Olives
Toothpicks
3 Place cards

What you do:
Take one slice of each lunch meat stacked on top of one another
Place one slice of cheese in middle
Roll cheese and lunch meat
Place a toothpick in the middle to hold roll together
Stick olive on toothpick

Serve on different platters, sorted by cheese
Write on place card what cheese is being served - place in front of platter

New York Cheesecake:

What you need
15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

What you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a 9 inch springform pan
In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter
Press onto bottom of springform pan
In a bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth
Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time
Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth
Pour filling into prepared crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour
Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking.
Chill in refrigerator until serving

Or just go to the store and buy a frozen cheesecake. Be sure to allow to thaw 1 hour before serving time


Drinks:
*Allow 2 glasses of wine for each person and adjust buying accordingly

3 bottles Chardonnay - Mirassou Chardonnay ($14) - Place several bottles of this and wine glasses around your cheese display.

2 bottles Krimskoye Sparkling White Muscat ($10) - Place these bottles around your cheesecake, and serve in short wine glasses.

Non-Alcoholic:
What you need:
1 bottle Ginger ale
1 container green sherbet

What you do:
In large punch bowl put sherbet and then pour Ginger ale over top
Serve in glass tumblers