Tasty Tuesdays: Mini Tomato Pies and a Supper Club Recap

Hi readers!!  I thought I'd update you on the outcome of my Citrus Inspired Supper Club!  I am proud to say that this round of supper club went off without a hitch!  I adapted this inspiration tablescape to one that was composed of items I could find in our local stores (fake lemons from Belks, gladiolas from Publix, lime green linen napkins from Tuesday Morning, and lemon Jelly Bellys from The Chocolate Tree).  I wanted the table to feel bright and fresh and perfectly set for summer.

Inspiration Tablescape

Actual Tablescape

                                                            

I sugar rimmed the glasses that we used to serve the limoncello champagne cocktails and added a quarter of a chewy lemon candy for a playful touch.

Supper Club Tips

• It's good to try new things, but maybe not right before your guests arrive.  Take a little stress off yourself by preparing dishes you feel comfortable making.
• Make sure you account for what pots/baking dishes you will need during preparation so that they are all available when you need them. 
• Find a few menu items that you can complete well before serving time.  I always have some kind of tasty nut mix available for people to munch on because you can make them the day before.
• Scrap any last minute ideas that you simply don't have time for - no one but you will know you didn't finish that task.  For instance, I thought as a party favor/placecard I would get baggies of lemon drop jelly bellys and attach a fake lemon leaf to each with a green ribbon.  On each leaf I would write the guests name in a silver calligraphy pen.  Sounds awesome, right?  And if I had come up with the idea two weeks ago, it would have worked.   But I was scrambling around Friday afternoon trying to figure out where I could find fake lemons leaves.  It was better just to punt the idea, and go with what I had.  No one knew the difference.
• You must make the lemon basil pesto!  It was to die for, and you could easily pair it with pasta or grilled shrimp kebabs.

For the appetizer, I wanted something I could assemble ahead of time and pop in the oven just before our guests arrived.  One of my favorite lowcountry dishes is a good old fashioned tomato pie.  I looked for a recipe that would turn this favorite of our into a bite sized treat, but didn't have any luck.  So I went to the guru of all things cheese and mayonnaise, Paula Dean, to find a recipe I could adapt.  Here was Paula's recipe for a whole pie, and here is my adaptation...

Mini Tomato Pies

• 
  
   1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 
  
  2 tsp dried basil
• 
  
  1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 
  
  3 boxes frozen mini phyllo shells (45 total)
• 
  
  1 cup grated mozzarella (I used pre-shredded to save time)
• 
  
  1 cup grated cheddar
• 
  
  1 cup mayonnaise
• 
  
  Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake phyllo shells for 5 minutes to crisp the bottoms.  Set aside.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle tomatoes with dried basil.  

Spoon the seasoned tomatoes into the shells until full but not overflowing.

 Combine the grated cheeses, green onions, and mayonnaise together. Spoon about a teaspoon to a teaspoon and a half mayo mixture onto each shell.  Sprinkle with additional dried basil.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.  I broiled mine for about 2 minutes to bring the cheese to a golden color.  Remove from baking sheet and place on serving tray.

Have any supper club or dinner party tips you'd like to add?