Another Tax Party - at 30%

Still working on your taxes?   If your finding out your going to have to shell out more than you expected, you can still have a great gathering!

Have another Tax Party - at 30%!

Appetizers: Baked Artichoke Dip in a Sour Dough Bread, Fresh Crudités, Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks & Water

Baked Artichoke Dip in Sour Dough Bread

Purchase the biggest round Sour Dough bread you can find. On the top of the sour dough bread carve a circle and scoop most of the soft filling but try and keep it as intact as possible so you can cut it in nice chunks and use it to dip.

Filling:

2 cans of artichoke hearts drained and chopped

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese – use the cheese from the green can, it works well.

1 cup mayonnaise

5 cloves of garlic finely chopped

Directions:  Mix all the ingredients together and spoon into the hollowed out sour dough bread.  Bake in a 350º oven for approximately 20 minutes or until there is a nice golden color on the top of the dip.

Serve:  Place bread bowl on a wooden cutting board or a big shallow basket. Surround the bowl with the reserved bread chunks, crackers, celery, carrots, radish and cherry tomatoes.

                                                                  The Main Course

Main Course:  Shepherd Pie, tossed Mixed Green Salad with Candied Nuts, Dinner Rolls & Butter

Shepherd's Pie (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef

1 package Brown Gravy Mix or Onion Gravy Mix

¾ cup water

Instant Mashed Potatoes - 6 servings or 4 cups of prepared mashed potatoes

2 cups frozen peas – thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium heat until completely cooked.  Drain the fat from the cooked beef.  Combine the gravy mix with the water in a small bowl and pour it over the cooked beef. Return the meat with gravy to a medium heat and cook until it bubbles. Turn the heat down and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.   Transfer the meat onto a 1 ½ quart baking dish. Top the meat with the thawed peas and top the thawed peas with the mashed potatoes.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the mashed potatoes are slightly browned.

Tossed Mixed Greens

Get 2-3 bagged artisan salads (you can find in the produce section of the grocery store) that includes nuts and dressing. Quite often the bagged salads are on sale.  Empty the salad in a nice wooden or ceramic bowl.  You can toss the salad just before serving.  If you don't like the dressing that is included use what you do.

                                                                       For Dessert...

Dessert:   Cheesecake with Berries, or Lemon Cake with Berries, Coffee and Tea

The dessert should be purchased.  When you are serving the cake garnish it with fresh sliced berries and a piece of chocolate.

I know celebrating at Tax Time seems weird, but it's a good excuse to have a get-together, and everyone you invite can have THEIR say, the IRS doesn't care!  Why not have some fun anyway?