1970′s Theme
The 1970′s have been known as The Disco Decade, the decade of peace signs and flower power! The Vietnam War dragged on into the seventies and war protests continued. However, on April 30th, 1975, the longest war in American history ended. Inflation and unemployment soared the later part of this decade. This decade is remembered for the Watergate Scandal and Vietnam War. The nation was desperate to find a leader to give confidence back to the people. It was a decade of hope and dreams!
During this time, Billy Bush was born on October 13th, 1971. During this time Billy was living in New York. His mother cooked dinner every night, so I was inspired to do some of the classic homemade dishes, Chicken Pot Pie and Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, his mother served with a fun twist of making everything miniature. During the 70′s, the Creamsicle was a huge fad, so I used that to inspire the 70′s cocktail.
Mini Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
Meat Loaf
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup finely chopped onion
1 celery rib, chopped fine
1 carrot, chopped fine
1 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Ketchup
1 ½ pounds of ground chuck
¾ pound of ground pork or veal
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten slightly
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Directions:
- Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a large heavy skillet cook the onion, garlic, celery rib, carrot in butter over medium heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Cover the skillet and stir occasionally until the carrots are tender, about 5 more minutes. Stir in salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and ¼ cup Ketchup. Cook for 1 more minute.
- In a large bowl, combine the meats, eggs, vegetables, breadcrumbs, and parsley. Scoop the mix into mini loaf pans, top off with Ketchup and bake for 45-60 minutes.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 lb. baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
- In a small saucepan heat butter and milk over low heat until butter is melted. Using a potato masher or electric beater, slowly blend milk mixture into potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To Make the Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes:
- Slice the mini meat loaf into halves.
- Top with a dollop of mashed potatoes
- Sprinkle with chopped chives
Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Ingredients:
3 cans Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup
2 packages of Grand Biscuits
2 9 inch unbaked pie crusts
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Using a mini muffin pan, fill the pans with unbaked piecrusts for 10 minutes.
- After allowing the pie crusts to cool for a few minutes, scoop the cream of chicken soup onto the baked piecrusts.
- Top with biscuit dough sealing the edges.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Personal Crudities
Ingredients:
Ranch Dressing
Carrots
Blanched Asparagus
Red Peppers
Directions:
- Using small votive candle holders, fill 1/3 of the way.
- Cut the carrots, blanched asparagus and red peppers into bite sized sticks.
- Fill the votive with the veggie sticks and serve.
Creamsicle Cocktail
Ingredients:
1 oz. vanilla vodka
½ oz. triple sec
orange juice
half and half
Directions:
- Pour the vodka and triple sec into a mixing glass filled with ice.
- Fill with equal parts of orange juice and half and half.
- Shake well.
Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
1970′s Inspired Playlists
Here is a great playlist to get your party guests enthralled into the 1970′s.
- Disco Inferno – The Trammps
- The Hustle – Van McCoy
- Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
- Shake Your Booty – The Hit Crew
- Bad Girls – Donna Summer
- Ladies Night – Kool & The Gang
- Turn the Beat Around – Vicki Sue Robinson
- Le Freak – Chick
- Don’t Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
- Knock on Wood –Amii Stewart
- If I Can’t Have You – Yvonne Elliman
- Hustle It – The Hit Crew
- Burn Baby Burn –Disco Inferno
- Rock Freak – GQ
- Toot Toot Beep Beep – Donna Summer
- Do the Boogie – FatBack
- Shake, Shake, Shake – KC & The Sunshine Band
1990′s Theme
The 1990′s is the Decade of Disasters because lots of disasters happened. The Y2K bug, the earthquakes, the Gulf War, etc. This is the Decade of Discovery. Scientists discovered how to clone animals, and they released the Hubble Telescope.
During the 1990′s, Billy Bush was a student at Colby College in Maine. I was inspired to do some New England style foods and a “White Mule” cocktail which is the mascot of Colby College. In 1998, Billy Bush married his lovely wife, Sydney.
Mini Lobster Roll
Ingredients:
hot dog buns
chives
premade deli lobster salad
Directions:
- Cut hot dog buns into thirds.
- Fill hot dog buns with lobster salad.
- Garnish with chopped chives.
Dirty Fries
Ingredients:
1 package frozen crinkles fries
Old Bay Seasoning
Tarter sauce
Directions:
- Sprinkle the fries with Old Bay Seasoning.
- Follow the instructions on the back of the package to bake the fries.
- Serve in paper cones.
- Cut a circle out of paper.
- Fold the circle into quarters.
- Cut one triangle out of the circle.
- Fold the circle, overlapping the edges a bit.
- Tape to close together.
- Serve with a dollop of tarter sauce.
Gazpacho with Guacamole and Crème Fraiche
Gazpacho
Ingredients:
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 cups tomato juice
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients.
- Blend slightly to desired consistency.
- Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend.
Guacamole
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
½ red onion, minced (about ½ cup)
1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
2 tbsp. cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp. of fresh lime or lemon juice
½ tsp. coarse salt
a dash of freshly grated black pepper
½ ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
Directions:
- Cut avocados in half. Remove pit. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.
- Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness, add the amount of your choice.
- Keep tomatoes separate until ready to serve.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidations from the air reaching it.
- Refrigerate until ready.
- Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.
To make Gazpacho with Guacamole and Crème Fraiche:
- Fill a votive holder 1/3 of the way.
- Garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche and guacamole.
White Mule Cocktail
Ingredients:
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. crème de cacao
light cream
Directions:
- Pour vodka and crème de cacao over ice cubes in an old-fashioned glass.
- Fill with light cream and serve.
1990′s Inspired Playlist
Here is a great playlist to bring your guests to the 1990′s.
- Mr. Jones – Counting Crows
- Hey Jealous – Gin Blossoms
- Sex and Candy – Marcy Playground
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something
- Runaway Train – Soul Asylum
- All I want – A Day To Remember
- Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong - Spin Doctors
- Brick – Ben Folds Five
- Everything Falls Apart – Fee
- Lump – The Presidents of the United States of America
- Freshman – The Verve Pipe
- No Rain – Blind Melon
- Pets – Porno for Pyros
- Steal My Sunshine -Len
- Fade Into You – Mazzy Starr
- Mother Mother – Tracey Bonham
- Save Tonight – Eagle Eye Cherry
