I am the midst of party prep mania for my daughters 2nd birthday party this weekend. I am making all the food myself as well as the decorations etc.. I love planning a party! I especially love spending time on all the little details to make it super special for the birthday girl and her guests. I thought it would be fun to share all the yummy recipes with you throughout the week. I wanted a really fantastic party but we also needed to keep it on budget. I also feel there is a bit of pressure to make the food a little extra yummy and healthy considering the business I am in but I also wanted to make sure it was kid friendly AND adult friendly as well. We are also doing the party off site instead of in our home due to the fact that 12 toddlers in our 1000 sq ft bungalow makes for complete chaos. So all the recipes had to be able to be served at room temperature and easily transported. Instead of ordering pizza I decided to make Tomato & Mozzarella Tarts - easy, inexpensive, and super duper tasty!
Tomato & Mozzarella Tarts:
recipe makes one tart adjust for number of people you need to feed
Crust:
1 package of ready made frozen puff pastry
fresh mozzarella sliced thin
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts* see Cook's Note below (optional)
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt
For the crust:
Directions
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the puff pastry dough and brush with olive oil.
For the pesto:
In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth and thick consistency. Add the Parmesan and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using a spatula, spread the pesto over the cooled crust. Arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella on top of the pesto and garnish with the sliced basil . Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.
*Cook's Note: To toast pine nuts, place on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly browned.
Tomorrow we will talk turkey meatballs!
Love this post!!! Any ideas for a party of 1 year olds? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Just think of making everything in small bite sized finger food portions. Turkey meatballs are great for that age group as well as mini pizza pockets. Simply purchased ready made pizza dough and fill it with a little cheese, marinara, and even finely chopped Spinach. Make them super small for little hands to grab. You can make little sandwiches with cream cheese and avocado spread or mini grilled cheese sandwiches. Those were a big hit at my daughters first party. I also made mini quiches. Want some more ideas we actually have a class for moms and dads to learn some fun kid & adult friendly party foods and drinks! Check it out on www.stirtolearn.com - the class is February 19th at 6:30pm!
ReplyDeleteHey Nicole- thanks SO much for the ideas. Oh how I wish I lived in the area...I am a friend of Sarah's from Oregon. I love your blog and one of these days I am hoping to make it to Colorado and I will be able to drop in on a class. You guys are doing wonderful things! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! Thanks for the kind words! I wanted to tell you that for many kids' first birthdays, I've seen really small finger foods that the kids could eat with dixie cups near the bowls for parents to pick them out (veggie puffs, o's, etc.) along with mini muffins instead of cupcakes. Nicole's ideas are great too!
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