Lodge Food & Drink Ideas

Kick your theme party entertaining up a notch with mountain lodge and lake cabin themed savory and sweet hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, and drinks. Make it memorable and delight your guests when you add some fun with any of these cheerful additions to your party food spread.

Savory

Cucumber Fish Scales Dip

Scale up your appetizer presentation with a crab or shrimp dip that looks like a fish.

32 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Refrigerate up to 3 days

Option 1: Crab Dip Ingredients

• 1 pound flaked crab meat, drained
• 2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), softened
• ¼ cup chopped green onion (white part only)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt, to taste

Option 2: Shrimp Dip Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds boiled shrimp, chopped
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon curry powder

For the Fish

• 1 green bell pepper
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 black olive
• 1 large cucumber

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients for Crab OR Shrimp dip and chill until firm.
2. Using your hands, mold the mixture into a simple fish shape.
3. Use green bell pepper to make fins and a tail.
4. Cut crescent shaped slivers of red bell pepper for the gill and mouth.
5. Overlap thinly sliced cucumbers for the scales.
6. Make an eye with an olive or olive slice.
7. Serve with cracker rounds.

Source: delishably.com

Fly Agaric Tomato & Mozzarella Mushrooms

Line up this cheery version of mushroom hors d'oeuvres.

36 Servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 18 grape tomatoes, halved
• Mozzarella string cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 36 toothpicks

Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. With a pastry bag, pipe cream cheese dots onto the tomato halves.
2. Using a toothpick, skewer a tomato half and a mozzarella piece from the end.
3. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes & cheese.
4. Mix the vinegar and oil together in a small bowl for dipping.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Photo: www.allaboutami.com

Vegetable Fishing Bobbers

Add more bobber variety with celery instead of carrots, radishes in place of tomatoes, and squash rather than cucumbers.

8 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 cucumber slices, about 1/4 inch thick
• 8 carrot sticks, 4" x 1/4"
• Fresh dill or tarragon sprigs, optional garnish

Preparation

1. Pierce a small hole in the center of tomatoes & cucumbers with a sharp knife
2. Thread 1 tomato half, a cucumber slice and another tomato half onto each carrot stick
3. Garnish with tarragon or dill sprig "seaweed"

Source: www.tasteofhome.com

Hedgehog Almond Dip

This simple recipe makes a stunning presentation.

36 Servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Refrigerate dip up to 3 days

Ingredients

• 5 slices bacon
• 1-1/2 cups whole almonds, raw
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 black olive, garnish

Preparation

1. Cook bacon until evenly brown and crisp. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
3. Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, watching and stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
5. Remove and set aside to cool.
6. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients, except black olive garnish.
7. Form mixture into your hedgehog shape and place on a serving platter.
8. Beginning at the back of the hedgehog with the points facing upward, press cooled almonds gently into the almond dip with each point slightly overlapping the bottom of the almond above.
9. Randomly place almonds in between some of the placed almonds for authenticity.
10. Cut one end of the black olive for the hedgehog nose.
11. Cut a slice of black olive, then cut in half to create two crescent shaped eyes.
12. Serve with crackers.

Recipe: www.allrecipes.com

Sweet

Crescent Bear Claws

The almond flavor highlights the special filling in these delicious pastries.

6 Servings
Prep Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons almond extract

Glaze

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Rolls

• 8-ounce can crescent dinner rolls
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons water

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat egg lightly. Place 1/2 of the egg in a small bowl and beat in the milk until well blended to make an egg wash. Set aside.
3. To the remaining egg, stir in breadcrumbs, sugar, melted butter, water, and almond extract until well blended.
4. Glaze
1. In a 1-quart heavy saucepan, mix glaze ingredients.
2. Heat to boiling, then remove from heat
3. Set aside to cool.
5. On a lightly floured surface, unroll crescent roll dough.
6. Press into a 12x8-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.
7. Spoon filling into a 12x2-inch strip lengthwise down the center of 1/3 of the dough.
8. Fold 1/3 of dough over filling; then, fold the filling-topped 1/3 section over the last 1/3 of dough, so the seam is on the bottom.
9. With hand, gently flatten 1-inch wide strip of dough along one long side of the folded dough.
10. Cut folded dough crosswise into six (2-inch) pastries. Along the flattened edge of each pastry, cut 1-inch long cuts about 1/2-inch apart.
11. Place almonds on a plate, then lightly brush the egg-milk wash over a pastry,
12. Invert pastry over the almonds, pressing gently so the almonds stick to the dough.
13. Repeat for each pastry.
14. Sprinkle remaining almonds over pastries.
15. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.
16. Remove to wire rack for 5 minutes.
17. Drizzle cooled glaze over each pastry.
18. Icing
1. In a small bowl, mix icing ingredients until smooth. If too thick, add 1/2 teaspoons of water until drizzling consistency.
2. Drizzle icing over cooled pastries.

Source: www.food.com

Campfire Cake Topper

Crackly hard-candy flames and rolled-wafer cookie logs will light-up any dessert.

Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• Small bag of yellow butterscotch hard candy
• Small bag of red cinnamon hard candy
• Pirouette Rolled Wafer Cookies

Preparation

1. Make your favorite 9-inch round cake with chocolate frosting.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Unwrap butterscotch candies and put into a sandwich bag, then crush candies until they are pea-sized or smaller.
4. Repeat this process in a separate bag with the cinnamon candies.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Add a spoonful or two from each bag of crushed candies to form a mound in the center of the parchment paper. Don't overmix the colors.
7. Form 2 more mounds of crushed candies to the left and right from the center, several inches away to avoid them joining when they melt.
8. Bake for 5-7 minutes until candy liquefies. Watch closely for the candy to melt, but not bubbling.
9. When the candy has melted, remove from the oven.
1. Use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to "pull" out flame shapes from the centers of liquid candy
2. Pull in a single direction.
3. Avoid letting the candy get too thin at the tips of the flames or it may break.
4. If the candy starts to harden too quickly, put it back in the oven for a minute or two.
10. Once you have created 3 flames, make another round of flames, varying the sizes of your mounds.
11. Makes about 6 to 9 flames for plenty to work with when assembling. 
12. Let them cool on the counter; do not refrigerate.

Source: www.hallmark.com

S'mores On a Stick

These cute s'mores on a stick are always a crowd favorite.

20 Servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 20 large marshmallows
• 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips or candy melts
• 6 graham crackers, crushed
• 20 bamboo skewers
• Cardboard box for drying

Preparation

1. Punch holes in the bottom of the cardboard box with a bamboo skewer, place upside down.
2. Push the flat ends of the bamboo skewers into the marshmallows.
3. Add the crushed graham crackers to a plate.
4. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 20-30 seconds and stir; repeat in 10-15 second increments until melted.
5. Working quickly, dip each marshmallow into the chocolate and roll in crushed graham crackers.
6. Slide the s'mores into the upside down cardboard box to cool, about 10 minutes.

Recipe: www.inspiredtaste.net

Pretzel Trees

Serve up a sweet & salty chocolate forest of evergreen and birch pretzel trees.

50 Servings
Prep Time: 1 hour

Option 1: Evergreen Tree Ingredients

• 24 oz bag of pretzel rods
• 2 cups green candy melts or white baking chips & green food coloring
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
• Green sprinkles

Option 2: Birch Tree Ingredients

• 24 oz bag of pretzel rods
• 2 cups white baking chips or candy melts
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate chips/candy melts

Preparation

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.
2. Evergreen Trees: Add green sprinkles to a plate.
3. Melt candy melts/baking chips and vegetable shortening in a glass measuring cup or tall glass; A deeper cup is better for dipping the pretzels.
4. Heat for 30-40 seconds and stir; repeat in 10-15 second increments until melted. Do not overcook.
5. Dip the pretzel rods into melted chocolate, tilting the glass as needed. Allow the excess to drip back into the cup.
6. Evergreen Trees: Roll in green sprinkles. 
7. Lay covered pretzels flat on parchment paper.
8. Birch Trees: Add the birch tree markings:
1. Place milk or dark chocolate in heavy-duty zip-top bag.
2. Melt chocolate chips in zip-top bag for 20-25 seconds; squeeze bag until candy is melted and smooth.
3. Cut a tiny corner in the bag and sparingly drizzle the chocolate horizontally across the dipped pretzel rods.
4. Alternately: Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle from a spoon.
9. Let set for about 30 minutes.

Snowy Mountain Cookies

Top off your food fun with snowy mountain no-bake chocolate cookies.

12 Servings
Prep Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups quick oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 medium-sized drink cups
• 12 small plastic bags
• 6 oz green candy melts
• Pastry brush
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the plastic bags into the cups, forming a cone shape inside the cup with one corner of the bag pointing down.
3. Combine the sugar, butter, milk and cocoa powder in a large saucepan.
4. Stir and heat on high to boiling. 
5. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
6. Add peanut butter, quick oats, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. 
7. Drop spoonfuls of the cookie mixture into the plastic bags, forming the mountain/cone shapes.
8. Allow the cookies to cool inside the bags. About 10 minutes.
9. Remove the cookies from the bags and shape, as needed.
10. Place the cookies cone-end up on parchment paper.
11. Heat the green candy melts in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and stir; repeat in 10-15 second increments until melted.
12. With a pastry brush, paint the bottom 1/3 of the mountain with the melted chocolate.
13. Set for 30 minutes.
14. Dip the tops of the mountain cookies into powdered sugar to make the snowcaps.

Source: www.sheknows.com

Drink

S'mores Martini

Adapted from HungryCoupleNYC.com

• Rim & Garnish
• Graham crackers
• Chocolate sauce
• Large marshmallows
• Cocktail
• 2 oz Marshmallow vodka
• 1 oz Creme de Cacao (dark)
• 1 oz Chocolate liqueur
• 2 oz Heavy cream

1. Rim a martini glass with chocolate sauce and crushed graham crackers.
2. Mix marshmallow vodka, creme de cacao, chocolate liqueur, and cream in a shaker with ice.
3. Shake for 30 seconds and strain into the glass.
4. Garnish:
1. Option 1: Skewer the marshmallows with a wood or metal pick and lightly toast with a kitchen torch.
2. Option 2: Skewer the marshmallows with a pick or cocktail straw and roll in chocolate sauce and graham crackers.
5. Add marshmallow garnish to the glass and serve.

Lake Water

Serve over ice in mason jars. Optionally, top off with ginger ale and garnish with a lime slice.

Source: www.farmwifedrinks.com