Elegant Entertaining Made Easy

Whether you?re celebrating Mom on her special day, hosting a friend?s bridal or baby shower, honoring the graduate, or simply gathering the family for a sunny Sunday brunch, occasions abound in springtime for easy and elegant entertaining at home. Denise Vivaldo, a celebrity caterer who has hosted more than 10,000 parties, cites that the most important element to successful entertaining is to ensure that as much prep work as possible is done in advance. ?Professionals can cook for large groups quickly because they have sous chefs doing the prep work. When entertaining at home, my meal magician is this gadget called the Magic Bullet ? it chops, dices, purees, whips and grates my ingredients so I can prepare meals quickly while limiting kitchen clutter.?

Vivaldo?s Springtime Party Menu, adapted from her latest book ?Do It For Less! Parties? offers up four mouth-watering dishes that take advantage of spring?s bounty of fresh ingredients and
are appropriate for any midday party.
These recipes serve 12, but can easily be cut down or multiplied based on party size.

Strawberries and Chantilly Cream

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 pints large strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and sliced

1. Place cream, sugar and vanilla in tall bullet cup. Pulse until sugar is dissolved.

2. Continue beating mixture until cream forms soft peaks. (Dip can be made up to 1 hour in advance.)

3. Serve with strawberries.

Helpful Hint: Chantilly cream is lightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla or liqueur. For best volume, chill bullet cup in refrigerator or freezer at least 30 minutes before whipping the cream.
Peach Bellinis

1 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 (10-ounce) package frozen sliced peaches
1/4 cup orange liqueur, chilled
3 cups peach nectar, chilled
2 (750-ml) bottles champagne, chilled

1. To make simple syrup, bring water to boil in small saucepan. Gradually pour in sugar, stirring until dissolved. Skim any foam from surface and set aside to cool.

2. Place half of cooled simple syrup, peach slices and orange liqueur in large bullet cup. Puree until smooth. Spoon into large glass pitcher. Process a second batch with remaining simple syrup, peach slices and orange liqueur. Spoon into another large glass pitcher. Chill until ready to serve.

3. Just before serving, add champagne to each pitcher and pour into chilled champagne flutes.
Pecan-Crusted Halibut Fillets

12 (4-ounce) halibut fillets, skinned
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
7 ounces pecans
1 3/4 cups plain breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350?F .

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in mixing bowl.

3. In another bowl, whisk eggs and mustard.

4. Using the Magic Bullet, finely chop pecans
in small bullet cup.

5. In third bowl, combine chopped pecans and breadcrumbs.

6. Set the 3 bowls in a row, with baking pan at end for placing fillets. First dredge each fillet in flour, shaking excess back into bowl. Then dip fillet in egg mixture to coat, and place in pecan mixture. Press lightly to coat both sides of fillet with nuts and place fillet on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fillets. (Fillets can be refrigerated up to 2 hours before saut?ing.)

7. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saut? pan over medium heat. Add as many fillets as will comfortably fit in pan. Cook about 3 minutes per side, or until light brown. (Fillets can be drained on paper towels and refrigerated up to 6 hours before baking.)

8. Arrange saut?ed fillets on baking sheets and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with Dijon Cream Sauce.

Helpful Hint: To make chopping nuts easier, add a little sugar to bullet cup. Pulse to keep from grinding nuts too finely.
Dijon Cream Sauce

1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Combine cream and mustard in bullet cup and process until combined.

2. Pour mixture into large saucepan; heat on low until warm.

3. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste and ladle over fillets.

Baby Greens With Champagne Vinaigrette

2 1/4 ounces Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 1/8 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound mixed baby greens salad

1. Combine vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and olive oil in tall bullet cup. Process until emulsified. (Dressing can be made 1 day in advance and stored in refrigerator.)

2. Just before serving, place some baby greens in individual salad bowl and drizzle with vinaigrette.

3. Using tongs or hands (wear disposable plastic gloves), toss salad until well coated. Add more dressing to taste, being careful not to overdress leaves.

4. Repeat with remaining baby greens and vinaigrette.