Recipe(tried): b-day dinner party tonight

OK it's show time!!! i have prepared most of the dishes for chris' b-day dinner tonight. it will be a 12-ppl dinner party. i would like to enjoy the company so i have prepared most of the dishes ahead. i have been busy since yesterday... i made julie's orange cake w/ the beautiful icing. (her rec. can be found here on tkl.) however, i didn't make that crystalized orange slices as i don't know how... Well, it should look fine when 24 candles fill the top! i also made some vanilla slices. this time they look great!!! thanks to those ppl who provided me w/ the tips about handling the puff pastry. i baked the pastry in between baking sheets. (the techniques r posted in the baker's board.) below are the dishes i am going to serve. i have adjusted some amount to suit our dinner but i post the originals here. they are from various websites. we bought Leeuwin Estate 1996 Riesling, Vasse Felix 1995, & Yalumba Museum Show Reserve NV Rutherglen Muscat to go w/ our dinner. And there will be tea and espresso to serve w/ the orange cake & the vanilla slices.

ps: since we have friends who don't eat beef or pork so i ended up with mostly seafoods and chicken... Oh, yeah, w. little skill, i did manage to arrange a "ceter piece" w/ some flowers...

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients
12 to 14 stuffing mushrooms (medium size)
1 Tablespoon of butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
1 can of flaked crab meat (6 oz. - drained)
1 can of water chestnuts (5 oz. - drained and chopped up)
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
6 slices of bread made into bread crumbs in a food processor
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a frying pan and saute the chopped garlic and green onions. Add the flaked crab meat and bread crumbs. Remove from heat and add water chestnuts, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture sticks together. Quickly wash the mushrooms and pat dry. Remove the stems. Fill the mushrooms with the bread crumb mixture and pat into a ball. Put mushrooms on a baking tray (does not require to be greased) and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until mushroom caps start to brown. The water chestnuts give the mushrooms a delicious crunch.
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Salmon and Avocado Salad with Greek Vinaigrette
Makes 4 cups. Refrigerates for several weeks.

A great way to dress up leftover poached salmon. The vinaigrette works with any green salad and for tossing warm, new, small potatoes.
Leftover poached salmon, in generous bite-sized chunks - as required.

Prepared plates of Bibb and Romaine lettuce
Large diced tomatoes
Avocado wedges
Minced hard boiled eggs
Lemon zest
Fresh minced oregano
Parsley

Dressing:
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 tbsp. oregano
3 cups canola oil

For vinaigrette, put everything but oil in processor (this should be a large capacity processor - otherwise, work with half recipe at a time). Drizzle oil in a very thin stream until all is incorporated and thickened.

To serve:
Place salmon on top of greens with avocado wedges and diced tomatoes. Drizzle on vinaigrette. Garnish with lemon zest, herbs and hard boiled eggs.
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Manhattan Clam Chowder Serves 6

1/4 cup finely cut-up bacon
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cans (8 ounces each) minced clams (i use fresh clams.)
2 cups finely diced potatoes
1 cup water
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook and stir bacon and onion in large kettle until bacon is crisp and onion is tender. Drain clams, reserving liquid. Add clam liquid, potatos, water and celery to bacon and onion. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add clams, tomatoes (with liquid) and the remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally
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Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken From Rao's Restaurant
Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients
Two 2 and 1/2 to 3-pound broiling chickens, halved
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Lemon Sauce (see recipe below)

Directions
1. To attain maximum heat, preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes before using.
2. Broil chicken halves, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden-brown and juices run clear when bird is pierced with a fork.
3. Remove chicken from broiler, leaving broiler on. Using a very sharp knife, cut each half into about 6 pieces (leg, thigh, wing, 3 small breast pieces).
4. Place chicken on a baking sheet with sides, of a size that can fit into the broiler. Pour Lemon Sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in half and do this in two batches.
5. Return to broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece and broil for an additional minute.
6. Remove from broiler and portion each chicken onto each of 6 warm serving plates.
7. Pour sauce into a heavy saucepan. Stir in parsley and place over high heat for 1 minute. Pour an equal amount of sauce over each chicken and serve with lots of crusty bread to absorb the sauce. (I bought some french sticks to serve w/ this dish.)

Lemon Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions
Whisk together juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Whisk or shake vigorously before using.