Ever have one of those long days that goes into late-night, and you want to go home and have some food ready to go or cook quickly with your friends. You know it is going to happen, so plan ahead and get things ready so you can avoid a call to Papa Johns…
Here are some ideas:
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Benjamin Franklin
Notice we have not suggested any deep frying…
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings with Cilantro Sriracha Blue Cheese Sauce
This mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar and Sambal sauce creates tangy marinade for the small chicken wings and drums. Be sure to marinate for 24 hours and grill on a very hot grill to char the chicken. The sauce is easy to make with Marie’s Chunky Blue Cheese dressing. Just add Sriracha and chopped…
Claridge’s Late-Night Pizza, with Store-Bought Ingredients
This is an emergency dish with many variations. If I was asked for a recipe that can be made with all store-bought ingredients from a regular neighborhood grocery, this pastry dough pizza is one of the best options. Ingredients Pre-made pastry dough, most likely Pepperidge Farm or Dufour, thawed 2 cups Rao’s marinara sauce 16…
Double Stuffed Pizza
Claridge’s Hotel in London has had the tastiest pastry dough pizza on their late-night menu for more than a decade; it’s always been a great way to wind down at 3am. Here, we expanded on their original dish and turned it into a feast perfect for a casual gathering, or whenever you might want a…
Hot Dogs in a Blanket
Hot dogs can be a delicious treat all year round and when cold weather comes and you don’t feel like grilling outside, try wrapping them in flaky puff pastry. It’s the meal size version of pigs in a blanket but you have to go to your butcher and get their hand-made dogs that are a…
Tzatziki with Fresh Herbs
There are so many variations of tzatziki sauce it is hard to keep up with. I like a very robust and rich sauce. It is important to make at least 4 hours ahead to ensure all the flavors blend together. This is great to make and just have in the refrigerator for a quick snack…
Spiced Lamb on Hummus
Beirut. We always try to land at the airport just before dinner so we can go directly to our favorite haunt in the old part of the city. The food is fresh and amazing. The chef was kind enough to give us the secrets of some of his favorite dishes. I simplified his hummus recipe…
Charcuteri, Burrata and Crostini
After a summer of tomatoes and burrata what do you do? Replace the tomatoes with freshly sliced prosciutto and crostini toasts. It’s a well received, hearty and cold weather starter for any dinner or cocktail party. If you seriously think people want to head over to your house for a party and be greeted with…
Mini Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs
Don’t judge. Sometimes a tasty snack that reminds you of growing up can be a delicious party treat. I buy high quality mini hotdogs and wrap them in thickly-sliced hickory smoked bacon from the butcher, and they are always the first to go. I am a big fan of “Fork in the Road” min dogs…
Mini Wagyu Ground Beef Bites
These mini treats are rich with flavor and adding some deeply golden onions and a touch of Sriracha brandy aioli over a toasted brioche roll make a delicious start to any party. Like any burger the main attraction is the quality of the beef so plan ahead and go to Kow Cattle Company and order…
Mini Puff Pastry Pizzas
The after hours menu at Claridge’s Hotel in London is a spectacular celebration of late night food which is troublesome, especially with their puff pastry pizza option dangling out there at 2 AM or so. It’s too delicious to pass up but do you really need a sheet of pastry dough drenched with cheese, sauce…
Mini Bacon Toasts with Herbed Mayonnaise
This is a simple appetizer or if you want to get fancy then you can go ahead and call them canapés. Either or, we have a host of different variations of BLTs, such as: Roasted Bacon, Tomato and Lettuce Mini Sandwiches or Bacon, Cheese & Crisp Lettuce Rolls but this is the smallest of them all and perfect for…
The “Morton’s” Steak Sandwich
When we were interns and wanted a big night out on the town, we would make our way from Georgetown University summer housing (we were squatters, not students) to Morton’s for happy hour. We’d have enough money for two glasses of wine, but the bartender would bring out complimentary steak sandwiches which we would devour…
Bacon, Cheese & Crisp Lettuce on Toasted Rolls
A simple snack that can be served all day long should be just that, simple and tasty. A fresh toasted potato roll, three strips of roast bacon, and a thickly cut slice of sharp cheddar cheese make a delicious treat. Each ingredient is key so get the best bacon from your butcher, top quality extra…
Fontina wrapped with Prosciutto “Crudo”
We would often go to the Capital Grille In Washington for lunch as it sits just below the US Capitol and is popular steakhouse for politicians and those who like to spend time with them. This steakhouse has perfected the prosciutto wrapped mozzarella served with balsamic vinegar. They are very delicious but I was…
Mini Cheddar Bacon Burgers
I have a love/hate relationship with mini-burgers that are also known as sliders. They are served just about everywhere and though I do love our mini bourson burger there is also another tasty version that has Chimichurri Rub, chopped red onion, parmesan cheese, Sriracha sauce, salt and pepper mixed in. We then put extra sharp cheddar cheese, pickle…
Planning for a party is critical but think the long game for the late-night fun.
Or dig in and make what you want…
This lineup is as solid as it gets. Thanks for sharing Jimbo.