BoomerGirl Diary

Whether it's a group of women who meet monthly to roll the dice in a game of Bunco, a lively gathering of wordsmiths playing Scrabble, or maybe Monopoly among family, game night is an idea that doesn't go out of style.

And where people assemble there is food. Legend has it that the sandwich was invented when John Montagu, the fourth earl of Sandwich, requested a repast that wouldn't soil his fingers while he played cards.

"It's absolutely about food," says Alison Dylewski of Santa Ana, Calif. She has been a member of a Bunco group for nine years and has hosted family game nights since her first child was born nearly 17 years ago. "Sometimes people don't even want to play the game. That's why we have prizes," she says

While Sydney's game nights start with dinner, anything from a giant party burrito to a seated holiday feast, Dylewski likes a more homey approach. "I make a corn chowder," she says, and in the summer her Bunco group might be served a selection of hearty salads. "And themes are big," she continues. "We've had Polynesian night with a tropical chicken salad and coconut cake."

On a kid-inclusive evening, in which another family joins her family of five in a new game (such as Catch Phrase, an interactive game in which the object is to guess a word; a classic such as Monopoly; or the card game hearts), the emphasis is on kid-friendly fare. "The menus are simpler, with fresher ingredients," she says of the current dishes.

If dinner is to be served after a round of games, simple appetizers might be set out at the table. These might include hummus and pita chips; or tortilla chips and salsa; grapes; vegetables; something one can easily nibble while playing cards and visiting.

Game night appetizers should be tasty and salty, but they should never be fussy. For the health-conscious, a simple bowl of mini carrots served with a squirt of Meyer lemon and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt does the trick.

Among the card tables and slot machines at the Wynn Las Vegas, there's a nut and fruit mix offered in the casino-level Parasol Up bar. This luxurious combination of sesame sticks, almonds, spicy wasabi-covered peas and chewy, sweet dried cranberries offers a nice blend of flavors in every handful.

Rosemary Tobias, of Huntington Beach, Calif., serves huge vats of a sweet and savory cereal blend that takes the better part of morning to make. But it's hard to stop eating, so she says large amounts are required. "Once people taste it they can't stop eating it," Tobias says. In addition, the quantities called for in the recipe mean plenty will be left over to give as parting gifts so nobody, even those who don't win a prize, goes home empty handed.

Whether the evening starts with snacks, a delicious make-ahead dinner is a requirement.

Long deli sandwiches, sushi or foot-long burritos are just a few take-out options. But a party-size Reuben sandwich is nearly as easy. For this, order an unsliced, long loaf of seeded rye from a bakery and fill it with meat, sauerkraut and cheese, then heat, slice and serve. Team it with bread and butter pickles or long deli spears, along with a handful of chips or store-bought potato salad.

A casserole that has meat and vegetables and needs nothing more than a crusty loaf of bread to make it a meal is a good idea.

And it wouldn't be a party if it didn't end with something sweet. Dylewski agrees. "Even if dinner is a salad, there's always dessert," she says. "It might even be as simple as a Costco cake. But the evening always ends on a sweet note."

Sydney's game nights always include bowls of candy on the gaming tables. As a matter of fact, candy is often part of the decor. Laffy Taffy, bags of Gummy Bears, and boxes of Everlasting Gobstoppers are more likely to fill the crystal vases in her house than fresh flowers.

If one wants dessert to be more of an event that gets the guests involved, try a make-your-own ice cream novelty. Slap two large bakery-bought cookies on either side of a scoop of softened ice cream. Put out plates covered with nuts, coconut, tiny chocolate chips or cookie crumbs for guests to roll the edges in so they can create their own upscale ice cream sandwich.

Try these recipes at your next game night.

Rosemary's Chex mix

This recipe is more time-consuming than difficult, and can be doubled

Yield: about 30 cups

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoons salt

5 cups Crispix cereal, about half of 12-ounce box

5 cups corn Chex

5 cups rice Chex

5 cups pretzels, such as Tiny Twists

10 cups Honeycomb cereal

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

2. In medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter and margarine with Worcestershire sauce, sugar and salt; stir to combine.

3. In very large bowl, mix cereals and pretzels. Add butter mixture. Toss.

4. Place in a thin layer on at least three large rimmed baking sheets. Bake 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Remove from oven and quickly spread over towels or wax paper to cool and dry.

6. Serve or store in airtight containers.

Nutritional information (per ¼ cup): Calories 180 (31 percent from fat), protein 4 g, carbohydrates 29 g, fat 6 g (saturated 0.5 g), cholesterol 2 mg, sodium 460 mg, fiber 1.5 g

Source: Rosemary Tobias, Huntington Beach, Calif.

Oyster cracker nibbles

These tangy crackers also make terrific hostess gifts.

Yield: about 10 cups

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (powder)

1 teaspoon dry dill

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

½ cup vegetable oil

2 boxes oyster crackers

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl, whisk dressing mix, dill, lemon pepper and oil.

2. Place crackers in large bowl. Add oil mixture to crackers and gently mix with clean fingers or salad tongs. Cover and place in refrigerator 4-6 hours, stirring about once an hour.

3. Serve in decorative bowls at room temperature. Store in airtight plastic bags. Will freeze.

Nutritional information (per ¼ cup serving): Calories 300 (51 percent from fat), protein 6 g, carbohydrates 30.7 g, fat 17 g (saturated 2.5 g), cholesterol 27 mg, sodium 340 mg, fiber 0.8 g

Source: Marcia Kay Radelet, Huntington Beach

Parasol Up game mix

Yield: 6 cups

2 cups wheat sesame sticks, available in health food stores

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

2 cups dry roasted unsalted almonds

1 cup wasabi-coated dried peas

Procedure:

1. Mix everything in a large bowl. Serve or store in an airtight container.

Nutritional information (per ¼ cup serving): Calories 179 (52 percent from fat), protein 2.2 g, carbohydrates 19.9 g, fat 10.3 g (saturated 3.1 g), cholesterol 5 mg, sodium 562 mg, fiber 1.8 g

Source: Inspired by Parasol Up, Wynn Las Vegas

Herb roasted sausages with squash and potatoes

Yield: 10 servings

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed

3 red potatoes, cubed

1 to 1 ½ cups peeled baby carrots

6 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (flavored olive oil is preferred, such as basil olive oil)

1 tablespoon ground rosemary

1 tablespoon ground sage

1 tablespoon ground thyme

8 fully cooked chicken apple sausages (such as Emeril's) cut into bite-size pieces

Optional: 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Mix all ingredients except sausage and vinegar in a 2-quart (or 9-by-13-inch) baking dish. Bake loosely covered with foil for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in sausages.

3. Increase heat to 450 and bake for 30 additional minutes. Drizzle with vinegar and serve.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories 339 (53 percent from fat), protein 28 g, carbohydrates 13 g, fat 20 g (saturated 7.5g), cholesterol 46 mg, sodium 1,093 mg, fiber 1.8 g

Source: Heather Fernandez, Huntington Beach, Calif.

Party size reuben

Yield: feeds 4 to 6 people

1 long loaf seeded rye, unsliced

3 tablespoons good-quality thousand island dressing

½ pound thinly sliced corned beef

3 tablespoons yellow or deli style mustard

1 cup sauerkraut

¼ pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut bread lengthwise into uneven halves, leaving more on the bottom (the top of the bread should make a lid). Then hollow out the bottom portion, reserving the soft interior for another recipe or discarding.

3. Spread dressing on the bottom of bottom loaf, pile meat evenly and top with mustard, sauerkraut and cheese. Tightly wrap with aluminum foil (at this point the sandwich may be refrigerated overnight). Or heat at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or 45 minutes if starting chilled.

Nutritional information (per serving): Calories 458 (45 percent from fat), protein 46 g, carbohydrates 18 g, fat 21 g (saturated 9.1 g), cholesterol 75 mg, sodium 1,203 mg, fiber 1.7 g

Faux rocca

Yield: 30-40 pieces

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, plus additional butter for greasing parchment or foil

1 cup brown sugar

1 package saltine crackers, about 40

3 cups chocolate chips, semisweet or dark

1 cup slivered almonds

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line large cookie sheet with buttered parchment paper or buttered aluminum foil. Place crackers in even rows on prepared foil or parchment.

3. Melt butter with brown sugar in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat; boil gently 3 minutes (it should look like amber syrup). Pour mixture over crackers and bake for five minutes.

4. Remove from oven and top with chocolate chips. Spread as the chips melt. Sprinkle with almonds. Refrigerate until hard.

5. Cut or break and serve.

Nutritional Information (per piece): Calories 56 (72 percent from fat), protein 1.8 g, carbohydrates 3.9 g, fat 4.4 g (saturated 3.5 g), cholesterol 20 mg, sodium 80 mg, fiber 0.3 g

Source: "It's Bunco Time" by Leslie Crouch (Hyperion, $9.95)

Matzo toffee

Yield: 30-40 pieces

8 sheets lightly salted matzos

1 pound white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup shelled, salted, chopped pistachios, or any salty nut

1 cup dried, chopped cherries, or any chopped dried fruit or chopped candied ginger

Procedure:

1. Place matzos on baking sheet. Place in 200-degree oven about 10 minutes or until crisp. Cool on parchment paper or wax paper.

2. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring frequently.

3. Use a knife or pastry brush to spread chocolate over top of matzos, and quickly sprinkle with nuts and fruit. Cool and break into uneven pieces. Store airtight in containers.

Nutritional information (per piece or ¼ cup): Calories 250 ( 47 percent from fat), protein 5 g, carbohydrates 30 g, fat 13 g (saturated 5 g), sodium 84 mg, fiber 0.5 g

Source: Martha Stewart Living magazine