New Cocktail Party Classic - Everything Pigs In a Blanket

I have long contended that in the wide world of bagel flavors, the Everything is, hands down, the most quintessentially New York. In a related story, it also happens to be THE BEST. How could it not be? It's got it all - something for everyone, just like the city I associate it with. This is why I've had big plans to concoct my own Everything Topping for quite a while now. Since I don't do too much in the way of baking, I had visions of working it into hors d'oeuvres.

"Everything" Pigs In A Blanket, Photo: NK

Everything Topping! Photo, NK

It was in brainstorming this year's annual Mad Men premier recipes (prior viewing party menus here and here) that it dawned on me that adding Everything Topping to everyone's favorite hors d'oeuvre, you guessed it - Pigs in a Blanket, would be the perfect way to make a classic cocktail party favorite new again while also making it a little more "New York." 

These Everything Pigs In A Blanket are incredibly easy to make and have just the right amount of wow factor to make them the perfect party offering that will also please a crowd. I like to serve them with grainy mustard for dipping, but they are delicious on their own as well. 

Use good quality Hot Dogs and if possible, serve them fresh from the oven. You can also microwave the pigs in 20 second intervals if you need to heat them from room temperature.

Now it wouldn't be a Mad Men premier without at stiff cocktail, so we've included a purist version of the Old Fashioned - a favorite of Don's, minus the muddled fruit, and presumably the truest form of the classic drink.  

Everything Pigs In A Blanket 
Makes about 20
Adapted from Food.com 

Cook's Note: The Everything Mix below is formulated specifically for use in these Pigs In A Blanket because the salt content needed to be balanced with the salinity of the Hot Dog. If you would like to make true Everything Topping for use on something more plain, such as rolls or, of course, bagels, simply use 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt rather than the 1/4 teaspoon required below. 

Ingredients 

1 Package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

8 Hot Dogs, we prefer Applegate Farms Natural, cut into equal thirds

Grainy Mustard for serving, optional

Everything Topping:
2 teaspoons Poppy Seeds

2 teaspoons Dried Onion Bits (We used Frontier Brand) 

2 teaspoons White Sesame Seed

2 teaspoons Dried Minced Garlic or Garlic Granules (not Garlic Powder)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 egg lightly beaten 

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 with the rack in the middle.

2. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the Everything Topping. 

Prepped and ready to bake, Photo: NK

3. Unroll the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls on a work surface. Carefully pull apart each triangle and cut them the long way using a sharp knife in order to create 3 skinnier triangles.

4. Starting with the base of each triangle, roll each Hot Dog third up in one piece of dough. When finished, press the point of the triangle into the dough to seal. Repeat until all the dogs are wrapped.

5. Using a pastry brush, paint the Egg Wash across the top of each Pig. Press 1-2 generous pinches of Everything Topping into the dough.

6. Place the pigs in the oven and bake 18-20 minutes, turning the pan midway through the baking, until pigs are golden brown and puffed.

7. Serve warm with optional grainy mustard! 

Now for your official Mad Men cocktail, we give you 
The Purist's Old Fashioned

A purist Old Fashioned, Photo: NK

CLICK HERE for the recipe.

Cheers! 

Welcome Weekend - Cocktail: The Gin Hound

      Weekend Update: 

You need a drink. And if you don't, we do. We recommend it be The Gin Hound. 

The Gin Hound, Photo: NK 

Gin has been the alpha and the omega in the cocktail evolution of my life thus far. The first "real" cocktail I ever consistently enjoyed was the Gin and Tonic. They were my go-to whenever I was out on the town for quite a while. I'd sweeten them with a splash of grenadine, ending up with a more drinkable yet still seemingly adult version of a Gin Rickey. 

The next spirit to spark my fancy was also in the clear family - Vodka. Thus, my drink of choice became the Screwdriver. Goes down easy, right?  When a maturer palette allowed me to actually appreciate the taste of certain liquors, I moved to the browns, Whiskey, Bourbon and Scotch, specifically. This also also coincided with the popularity of Mad Men and a major return to classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan. Good times! 

These days, I've come full circle. I still like all the others but I've come to appreciate the clean, herbal qualities of Gin all over again. Though it may be at its best with only light embellishment - give me a Gin and Cucumber-based cocktail any day - Gin also does great when paired with big flavors like Grapefruit. There's no need to dispense with fruit-driven libations when the winter months roll around. Grapefruit just happens to be great right now. You may even want to cook with it. Enjoy and thanks to the Food52 contributor who came up with this easy and delicious cocktail. 

The Gin Hound
Recipe from Food52/JRDSquared
Yields 2 Cocktails
Ingredients: 
3/4 Cups fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice
1 Tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
4 Ounces of Gin *we like Bombay Sapphire
1 Ounce Sweet Vermouth
Ice 

Method: 
Combine the Lemon and Grapefruit juices. Fill a shaker with Ice and add the Gin, Vermouth and Juice. Shake well and serve on the rocks. We like to garnish ours with a wedge of Grapefruit. Cheers!

Mad Men Season 6 - Sixties-Inspired Party Bites

Season 5 Spoiler Alert! 

We left Don Draper in a familiar place at the close of season 5 of Mad Men - sidled up to the bar, deep in thought, with beautiful strangers buzzing around nearby. When one of the women propositions him on behalf of her friend, Nancy Sinatra's ominous rendition of "You Only Live Twice," swells even louder.

Then the screen goes black. 

Photo Courtesy of AMCTV.com

So we begin the penultimate season of our most favorite show with great anticipation. Will he or won't he? The suspense has been killing us for a year. 

Whether or not Don will return to his skirt-chasing ways, we are surely back to our old tricks with yet another Mad Men Premiere Party Menu. The success of last year's (check it out HERE) made us even more excited to create the spread that we'll feature today. 

Yet again, we set out to remake some mid-century classics, but this time, we are focusing on retro-inspired finger foods that are party-ready and easily adaptable to feed a crowd. Naturally, cocktails will also be involved. If you're waiting to watch Season 6 on tivo and looking for some easy to make nibbles, you're in luck: 

Coconut Shrimp, Photo: NK

Mad Men Menu for 4

Cocktail - Moscow Mule 


Baked Coconut Shrimp Served in a Pineapple


Steak Satay "Diane"


Dessert - New Ambrosia Fruit Dip 

COCKTAIL:

The Moscow Mule originated several decades before the Mad Men days, but it does make our list of cocktails that our favorite ad execs would have enjoyed. A party-ready drink that can be assembled right in the glass, the Mule is, as classic cocktails go, somewhat under appreciated. We chose it for its refreshing character. A healthy squeeze of Lime pairs with a clean Vodka base while slightly sweet and refreshing Ginger Beer (we prefer Gosling's brand) rounds out the drink. Toss in a sprig of Mint for color. 

Want other ideas? Check out AMC's Official Mad Men Cocktail Guide: HERE.

Moscow Mule

Recipe from AMC's Mad Men Cocktail Guide

Makes 1 Drink

Ingredients:

1 1/4 Oz Vodka

3 Oz Ginger Beer

1 teaspoon Simple Syrup

1/4 Oz Lime Juice

1 Sprig of Mint

1 Slice of Lime

Method:

Pour Vodka over Ice in a short glass or copper mug. 

Add Lime Juice and Simple Syrup

Top with Ginger Beer and stir.

Garnish with a Mint Sprig and a slice of Lime. 

Enjoy! 

Moscow Mule, Photo: NK

PARTY BITE # 1:

Our first shareable dish is Baked Coconut Shrimp served in a Pineapple. A nod to the fact that all things Polynesian often dominated Sixties cocktail parties, the presentation and some of the ingredients of this dish are also inspired of my grandma, Dolly. One of her standard party classics, she would coat the Shrimp in a little Bisquick and Egg batter before rolling them in Sweetened Coconut Flakes and deep frying them. Grandma was always focused on smashing presentation,  so she'd serve these crowd-pleasers in a hollowed out Pineapple. While we won't be deep frying our Shrimp, we will use her serving method and will also adapt her standard Duck Sauce accompaniment to add a bit of spice and a bit more tanginess. She liked to use Saucy Susan brand Duck Sauce. I hope you enjoy! 

Lighter Baked Coconut Shrimp Served in a Pineapple with Lime Jalapeno Duck Sauce

Adapted From The Girl Who Ate Everything and My Grandma, Dolly

Approx 24 Shrimp - Serves 8 as a Cocktail Nibble, 4 as an Appetizer 

Ingredients:

1 Lb Large Shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail on 

1/2 a whole Pineapple, hollowed out (flesh reserved for other use - like our dessert!)

2 Egg Whites

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

2 Cups Sweetened Coconut Flakes

1/2 Cup Duck Sauce

1.5 Tablespoon Lime Juice

1.5 Tablespoon Jalapeno, chopped finely 

1/8 teaspoon Salt

Method: 

For the dipping sauce - combine Lime Juice, Jalapeño, Duck Sauce and Salt. Stir and set Aside.

Preheat oven to 400 and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Spread Coconut Flakes and Cornstarch on two different plates.

Place Egg Whites in a bowl and whisk vigorously until frothy.

Holding Shrimp by the tail, dredge in Cornstarch, dip in Egg Whites, and finally, roll in the Coconut Flakes. When finished, sprinkle all the Shrimp very lightly with a pinch of Salt. 

Place Shrimp on cookie sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes until they become golden. Make sure to turn in the middle of the cooking process, at around 8 minutes in.

Place Shrimp in the hollowed out Pineapple with the dipping sauce on the side. 

Serve and enjoy!  

Baked Coconut Shrimp in a Pineapple with Lime and Jalapeño Duck Sauce Dip, Photo: NK

PARTY BITE # 2:

Our second shareable party bite is derived from an uber popular Sixties dinner party dish - Steak Diane. The earliest mention of Sauce Diane comes from French culinary master, Escoffier, around the turn of the century, but in the Sixties, Steak Diane was de rigueur for any elegant soiree. How do you translate this sit down dish for a crowd?  I decided to make it handheld by putting it on a stick just like you would Beef Satay. Steak Diane's typical cream sauce laced with flambeed Cognac and Beef Broth can be drizzled over the Satay or served in a small bowl. Either way, the dish that was once the hallmark of haute cuisine (and fittingly for Mad Men, is said to have originated in New York) deserves a remix. 

Steak Satay "Diane"

Adapted from Saveur and Epicurious 

*Cooks note - start marinating the steak at least 2 hours ahead 

Serves 8 as a Cocktail Nibble, 4 as a Light Entree

Marinade Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 Cup of Vegetable Oil 

Tablespoon of Chopped Chives

Tablespoon of Chopped Parsley

1 teaspoon Dry Mustard

Ingredients for the Skewers:

1 Lb Flank Steak 

Salt

At least 25 Long Wooden Skewers 

Sauce Diane Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Beef Stock

2 Tablespoons Salted Butter

3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

1 Large Shallot, minced 

Black Pepper

4 Oz Cremini Mushrooms, roughly chopped

1/4 Cup Cognac

1/4 Cup Half and Half

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco Sauce

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard 

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

3 Tablespoons minced Chives plus extra for garnish

1 Tablespoon chopped Parsley

Method: 

Several hours before, whisk the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Put Steak in a large ziploc and pour Marinade over Steak.  Let it sit refrigerated for at least two hours or overnight.

Soak wood skewers in a bowl for at least a half hour. 

When ready to cook or an hour before, slice Steak against the grain into centimeter wide strips. Thread a strip of Steak onto each wooden skewer and when done, sprinkle them all with a pinch of Salt. 

Put Beef Broth in a medium sauce pan. Over medium high heat, cook for 15 minutes until reduced to about a 1/2 to 3/4 cup. Remove broth to a bowl and set aside.

Reheat the Saucepan and melt 2 Tablespoons of Butter in it. Next add Garlic and minced Shallot and cook for another 2 minutes until softened. Add the Mushrooms and cook, stirring, another 4 minutes until tender. Add Cognac to the sauce pan.

Carefully light the Cognac aflame using a long match. Allow to flambée until the flame dies down naturally. Next, stir in your Beef Stock, Cream, Mustard, Worcestershire and Hot Sauce. Cook another 4-5 minutes until sauce thickens a bit. Finish with a sprinkle of Black Pepper. Turn flame to the lowest heat to keep warm. 

Heat up a grill or grill pan over high flame. Cook each skewer about 2 minutes per side until medium rare or done to your liking. Stir Parsley and Chives into the Sauce Diane and remove it to a small bowl. Serve with Skewers around the sauce and garnish with extra Chives and Parsley.

Enjoy!

Steak Satay "Diane," Photo: NK

DESSERT:

Since everything old is new again, I figured why not revamp another Sixties' holdover: Ambrosia Salad. Ambrosia is said the be the nectar of the gods, but this questionable creamy Fruit Salad with Coconut and Mini Marshmallows appears to be anything but. Still very popular in the southern states, there's no doubt that Ambrosia can indeed be incredibly delicious, but I think we can agree that the standard presentation leaves much to be desired. If you fancy traditional Ambrosia, I really love the following recipe and post from a blog called The Country Cook HERE. To modernize this dish and make it more visually appealing, we took all the creamy, marshmallowy goodness of it and turned it into a more palatable fruit dip. This recipe is easily adaptable to any fruit that suit your tastes, and bonus - our version is deliberately lighter in calories and fat. A sprinkle of toasted Coconut enhances both the taste and visual appeal. We hope you take a dip!

New Ambrosia Fruit Dip 

Adapted from Taste of Home

Serves 4 to 6 

Ingredients: 

2 Cups Strawberries

1/2 a Pineapple, cut into bit size wedges

3 Fresh Mandarin Oranges, peeled and sectioned

Fruit Dip and Topping

1/4 Cup Sweetened Coconut flakes, lightly toasted for 2 min in the toaster oven* 

4 Oz Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened

3 Oz Fat Free Greek Yogurt (we like Fage brand)

4 Oz Cool Whip Free

4 Oz Marshmallow Fluff

1 Heaping Tablespoon Confectioners Sugar

Method:

*When toasting Coconut, keep an eye on it as it burns and smokes easily. Once golden brown flakes begin to appear, it is done enough. 

In a large bowl, combine yogurt and cream cheese until well incorporated. Gently stir in Marshmallow Fluff, sprinkle on Powdered Sugar, and add Cool Whip. Stir to combine.

Add half of the Toasted Coconut to the mixture and stir again to incorporate. Serve Dip in a bowl surrounded by assorted fruits. Top the Dip with the remainder of the Toasted Coconut and sprinkle additional Coconut over Fruit as well. Refrigerate dip until ready to use. Enjoy!  

New Ambrosia Fruit Dip, Photo: NK

We hope you enjoyed our Mad Men Party Bites Menu. Until next season! And enjoy the show!

Retro Food Redux - Mad Men Viewing Party Menu

NK's favorite show, Mad Men, is finally returning to AMC after an excruciatingly long hiatus. We just can't wait, and I know we aren't alone. What better way to celebrate our favorite cocktail-swilling, angsty and adulterous ad execs, than with a Sixties-style menu? To put our own mark on tonight's offerings, we've modernized them just a bit - mainly to increase the ease of preparation. Below, you'll find quite a few tasty bites, just like him:

Don Draper, Photo Courtesy of AMC TV

Mad Men Menu:

Pre-Dinner Bite - Mock Rumaki and Pineapple Skewers

Cocktail - Don Draper's Rye Old Fashioned  

Main Course - Easy Deconstructed Beef Wellington 

Dessert - Grasshopper Ice Cream "Pie" Sundaes

Got your Sixties duds ready?  

Now eat up, and happy Mad Man premier night to you all!

Pre Dinner Bite: 

Back in the Sixties, Rumaki was as pervasive at cocktail parties as pigs in a blanket are today. Their invention, which most likely occurred a decade before, is widely attributed to Vic Bergeron of Trader Vic's Restaurant in San Francisco. But what in the world is Rumaki? Traditionally, it's a chicken liver and water chestnut wrapped in bacon and dipped in a sweet and savory sauce. It was said to be Polynesian-inspired with Asian origins.  Back in the Fifties and Sixties, Polynesian food and Luau themed party foods were all the rage. Need more proof? Betty Draper serves Rumaki in season two during the episode, A Night To Remember. 

Our update of Rumaki was two-fold: first, I eliminated the chicken liver component. I wanted to simplify, and though I like various liver-based foods (especially foie gras, which pops up later in our menu), I hadn't yet tackled the liver of a chicken. Secondly, because pineapple was such a favorite addition to any party skewer back in the Sixties, I felt that adding a pineapple cube would add some extra flair and color, while increasing the sweet/savory flavor or these little bites. I have to say, they came out really good.  

Mock Rumaki and Pineapple Skewers

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Serves 3-4 as a light cocktail bite

Ingredients:

1 Lb Bacon, each slice cut into thirds (you'll need 1/3 of a slice of bacon/piece Rumaki 

2 cans Whole Water Chestnuts, drained on paper towels 

Small Pineapple cubes. 1 for every Rumaki bite

1 cup Brown Sugar

4 Tablespoons Ketchup

3 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard of your choice. We used regular yellow deli mustard

2 Tablespoons Butter

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

Method:

Preheat oven to 350. 

Wrap bacon around the water chestnuts and secure with a toothpick.

Set on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes if you like bacon crispy. Less time, if not. 

Bacon should be golden brown.

Drain skewers on paper towels.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a small to medium sized saucepan and heat through until sugar is dissolved and sauce is hot.

Cook one minute longer, and then transfer to a small bowl. Top each skewer with one cube of pineapple, then dip skewers into sauce and set on a serving plate.

Enjoy! 

Rumaki and Pineapple Skewers! Photo: NK

Cocktail: 

Rendezvous Rye, High West Whiskey, Photo: NK

Our cocktail of the night is not just retro, but very retro. The Old Fashioned is a drink that actually dates back to the late 1800's. There's plenty of hard drinking on Mad Men, and the more drama-stacked scenes just would not be complete without a finger (or three) of scotch and a Lucky Strike. I wish drinking at the office like Don does was still acceptable. Wouldn't that be something? The Old Fashioned is definitely Don's go-to drink, and it was also quite popular in the Sixties and has experienced a resurgence during the last decade as well. Here's a great scene where Don jumps behind a bar to make one himself in Season three's episode, My Old Kentucky Home. Check it out: Don Draper making an Old Fashioned This time around, his chosen spirit is Rye, but Old Fashioned's can also be quite nice with bourbon. After sampling quite a few of both varieties lately, I think Rye makes for a smoother cocktail. 

Don Draper's Old Fashioned

Yield: 1

2 ounces Rye Whiskey

A few dashes Bitters

1 sugar cube

1 drop of Club Soda 

1 orange peel or 1 wedge of orange

Garnish with an orange peel or orange slice. A cherry makes a nice touch too

Don's Favorite Old Fashioned, Photo: NK

What to do: 

Add orange peel or wedge to the bottom of a short rocks glass or tumbler.

Add sugar cube and bitters. 

Pour club soda on top of the sugar cube and muddle carefully as sugar dissolves.

Add Rye, ice, and stir.

Serve with your chosen garnish.

Now look brooding as you sip, like Don. Cheers.

Main Course: 

Beef Wellington was a staple dinner party offering in the Sixties, and a dish that I have always wanted to attempt. Trouble is, it's notoriously difficult to make. A traditional Wellington will be made with a large tenderloin roast, coated with a mushroom and foie gras mixture, then wrapped in a sheet of puff pastry before cooking. I wanted to eliminate the puff pastry wrangling, so I opted for ready cut puff pastry cups to hold our deconstructed Wellington. My variation was inspired by Martha Stewart's "Beef Wellington Tarts." 

Easy Deconstructed Beef Wellington

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Serves 3

Ingredients: 

2 Beef Tenderloin Filets, a half pound a piece

Salt and Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 package frozen Puff Pastry Shells (packages come six per, you'll use 3)

1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

1 package Cremini Mushrooms, sliced thin

1 Tablespoons fresh Thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

1 Garlic Clove minced

1/2 cup dry White Wine

4 oz Foie Gras Mousse (available at specialty food shops)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Season beef with salt and pepper. 

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat.

Add medallions of beef and cook about 1 minute per side until nicely browned.

Browning Tenderloin, Photo: NK

Place skillet in oven and cook to desired doneness, about 17 minutes should get you to a nice medium rare. The thermometer should register an inside temperature of 130 degrees.

Transfer beef to a plate and let rest, uncovered. Next, turn oven up to 425 and set the puff pastry rounds, one per person, on a cookie sheet. Cook for 20 minutes until they are puffed and golden brown. If cooking directions on the puff pastry box differ, follow them instead.

Meanwhile, melt butter with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic, cooking until mushrooms are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving the liquids in the skillet.

Add foie gras mousse to the same skillet and reduce the heat to low. 

Stir until just melted and remove from the heat. You'll want the texture to be a bit runny so it works like a sauce, so feel free to thin it out with a bit more wine if need be.

Note: Your meat will be cold by now. If this bothers you, other variations I would recommend would be:

1. If you are lucky enough to have a large toaster/convection oven or second stove, you could opt to cook the puff pastry at the same time you cook your tenderloin. None of these options applied to me, so I went with the second option.

2. Quickly flash-warm the meat in a pan for about a minute, just to heat it up a bit. If you do choose this option, you may want to shave a few minutes off the original cook time so you don't over cook it.

3. Keep in mind, Filet is pretty delicious even at room temperature and both your foie gras topping and mushroom will be hot.

To assemble: Take each puff pastry round and remove its middle. It should appear like a cup shape. Next, cut about a three inch slice out of its side, leaving the pastry base but removing a portion of the puff pastry wall. Thinly slice beef and arrange a few slices inside the puff pastry circle, spilling out through the cut in the pastry wall. It will look like this:

Assemble like so, Photo: NK 

Place a few more slices of beef between the inside and outside of the puff pastry. Top with the mixture of mushrooms and thyme then drizzle with the foie gras mousse. Serve immediately with some thyme sprigs as garnish and Enjoy! 

Deconstructed Beef Wellington, Photo: NK 

For more Wellington adventures, check out Martha Stewart's hors d'oeuvre adaptation here:

Mushroom Wellington Cups Recipe

Dessert:

Grasshopper Pie is traditionally a chiffon pie of creme de menthe and gelatin in a chocolate cookie crust. Though likely originating in the Fifties, this pie enjoyed great popularity during the Sixties, primarily around the time when all things Jello were incorporated into party dishes (including Jello salads!). You may recall a cocktail called the Grasshopper, also popular during the Sixties, which was made with a concoction of Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cacao, and milk. You haven't really experienced a spinning room until you've overindulged in grasshoppers. I once served them at a party I hosted in my (very) early twenties, and the results were messy, to say the least. They basically taste like a delicious mint chocolate chip shake so it's easy to overdo them... Anyways, never again.  Since we were only serving three people tonight, I felt making a whole pie would be overkill. When I came across this easy, no bake, Grasshopper Ice Cream pie, Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie I got an idea. 

Why not adapt this into more of a sundae? It would be easy to create single serve portions in dessert cups and guests could have fun topping them themselves. Problem solved.

Grasshopper Ice Cream "Pie" Sundaes

Serves 4

Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients: 

1 Pint of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

15 chocolate wafer cookies such as Famous brand. 

2 Tablespoons Butter, melted in the microwave

Toppings: Chopped Mini Oreos, Smucker's Magic Shell Chocolate Topping, Dark Chocolate Mint Bar shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler.

Sprigs of Mint - as an optional garnish

Method:

Place chocolate wafers into a zip-loc bag, press out the air, and seal.

Using the bottom of a pan or a rolling pin, press the cookies into crumbs, taking care not to pierce the bag. Remove crumbs to a small bowl and pour in melted butter slowly, until a  crust comes together. If you need a bit more liquid you can add a bit of water. Spoon even amounts of crumbs into each cup, and press moist crumbs into the bottom with your fingers. This can be done in advance if you like. 

Chocolate Crust, Photo: NK

When ready to serve, top with a few scoops of ice cream. Drizzle with Magic Shell chocolate topping, and serve with mini oreos and chocolate curls on the side for guests to add as they like. Garnish with mint if you like. 

Grasshopper "Pie" Sundae, Photo: NK

Thanks for checking out our Mad Men Season Premier menu. For more great ideas on how to throw a Sixties cocktail party, check out AMC TV's Mad Men Party Planner:

AMC's Mad Men Party Guide