Party Treats

If you're cooking for your bachelorette dinner, there are some easy snacks you can prepare that are delicious and more sophisticated than general party food. Explore the possibilities of pumpernickel topped with contrasting flavors, simple desserts and dips. Here are some recipes:

*pumpernickel canapés – cut circles in pumpernickel bread. Lightly whip some low-fat cream cheese to aerate it, and place onto the circles. Cut red peppers in half and put under the grill, skin up, until the skin blackens. Peel off the skin and cut the pepper into strips, then lay strips over the cream cheese.

*guacamole – mash an avocado and add one teaspoon of lemon juice, some finely chopped onion and a half-teaspoon of freshly chopped chili. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.

*tzatziki – take one cup of natural yogurt, add finely chopped cucumber and half a teaspoon of fresh garlic. Cover and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

*easy mille fieulle – cut sheets of puff pastry into squares around 10cm x 10cm each. Gently trace another square 1cm inside each square piece, then brush with some milk and bake. The squares should puff but have a border. Allow the squares to cool, then whip some cream with a little sugar and pipe on top of each pastry, adding strawberries and a sprinkling of icing sugar.