1- 3oz package softened cream cheese
4 medium apples
1 1/3oz Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon dry white wine
Beat together both cheeses and the wine, with an electric or rotary mixer, until smooth. Core the apples and hollow out, leaving apple shells about 1/2 inch thick. Fill the apples with the cheese mixture and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Cut apples into 8 wedges.
This is by far one of my favorite dishes, one I am forced to limit to serving once a year because I easily make myself sick gorging on these. A store bought or homemade chutney is key, last year we used homemade spiced rhubarb chutney, this year will be homemade apple chutney. This is served in my family either on the Winter Solstice or Mother’s Night, depending on our schedule and the weather. This version is the American quick version, using ready made links. If time permits try using a “homemade” sausage (recipe below)
Sausage Rolls
1 egg, beaten
12-ounce package pork “breakfast” sausage links
1 pkg puff pastry sheets
Chutney of your choice
Unfold the puff pastry sheets (roll out if necessary) and cut into three-inch wide strips. Place a link of sausage on centre of each puff pastry strip, top with a 1/2 TB of chutney. Brush the edges of the strips with beaten egg, then roll up the filled puff pastry into cylinders (the seams should be on the bottom of each cylinder),
Brush the puff pastry cylinders with beaten egg, then cut into one and half inch rolls. Place the rolls seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a 400* oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the sausage rolls are golden brown. Serve while warm. Makes about 20 sausage rolls.
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note the above recipe’s one beaten egg, in this recipe below half of that beaten egg will be used in this meat mixture as a binder.
1lb bulk pork sausage
one medium onion, finely chopped
1/2c breadcrumbs, plain
1 1/2 Tb parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp thyme, dried, crushed
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cloves
Mix the above ingredients together, mixing well. Spoon a bead of this mixture about 3/4 of an inch long in the centre of the pastry section. Proceed the same as above.
1 pound dungeness crab; squeeze-dried
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 pinch salt; to taste
1 pinch black pepper; to taste
1/4 cup celery; minced
1/4 onion; minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 eggs
1/2 lemon; juice only
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate; undiluted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chutney
Blend the crab meat in a food processor at medium speed. Mix in the bread crumbs, salt and pepper, celery, onion, 1 teaspoon of curry, eggs, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco. Divide the mixture into 12 portions and cook in a skillet on medium heat.
To make the sauce, saute the garlic lightly in the olive oil, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the curry powder and blend in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, orange juice concentrate, sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of curry, and chutney and spoon over the crab cakes before serving.
Yield: 12 servings
3 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1/3 cup currants or small — seedless raisins
1/4 cup water
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 tablespoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 4 inch round brie
1 egg — beaten
Wash and pick over cranberries. Combine first 4 ingredients AND all the spices in a saucepan. Cook until cranberries pop, then cool completely. Open each can of crescent rolls. Divide each rectangle into 2 sections (each section will have 4 triangles) - press perforations together. Place one section on top of another section - YOU NOW HAVE TWO PIGGY-BACKED SECTIONS. Roll each section of two with a rolling pin into about 6″-squares.
Place each square in a small (about 8″) torte tin. Cut the Brie in half. Remove the crust. Plop on a generous amount of chutney. Pull the pastry up and gather at the top (so it looks like a pretty little bag that has been tied at the neck, kinda…sorta). Brush each one with egg. Bake in preheated 350oven for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly and pastry is browned.
Now - if you want to do without making the chutney, you just prepare the crescent rolls as described, put in a nice chunk of decrusted Brie by itself, and proceed.
1/2 pound bacon
1/2 cup chopped spring onions and tops
1/4 cup mayonnaise
24 slices party pumpernickel toast
Fry bacon until very crisp. Strain and crumble.
Combine bacon, onions and mayonnaise; blend.
Spread on toast and place in a 350F oven to heat through.
Serve immediately.
1 cup chopped hazelnuts, roasted
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz. brie cheese, rind trimmed, at room temperature
1 tart apple, grated
Blend well the cream cheese with the brie cheese. Add the hazelnuts and apple; blend. Spread on melba toast or crackers.
Chef: Kathleen Morrison
5 ounces hazelnuts
2 ounces sesame seeds
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped sage
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
4 tablespoons milk
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the sesame seeds and hazelnuts on separate baking trays. Lightly toast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. When the nuts are cool, rub off the skins. Grind the nuts and seeds together until they resemble fine crumbs. Or, if you prefer a coarse pate, grind half the seeds and nuts finely and half coarsely. Beat the cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, sage and oil together in a bowl. Add the nuts and seed mixture, combining well. Add the milk to give a moist consistency. The mixture needs to be fairly wet as the nuts will absorb some liquid.
Serve chilled in ramekins or on small individual salads with toast.
2 cups Pumpkin Puree- canned or fresh
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Ginger
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Package Cream Cheese, softened
Place pumpkin puree and cream cheese into a large bowl and mix together.
Add all other ingredients.
Mix ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.
Serve with Crackers, gingerbread, celery, carrots, etc.
Tips: For a lighter dip, substitute sour cream for cream cheese.
1 3 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup finely crumbled bacon, or bacon bit-type product
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 8oz package refrigerated crescent rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cream cheese, bacon, onion and pepper.
Separate crescent rolls into two rectangles. Pinch seams together.
Spread cheese mixture on each rectangle.
Roll up, starting at the longest side, and seal. Cut each roll into 16 slices.
Place slices cut side down, on greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Yield: 32 appetizers
Recipe inspired by : Pampered Chef
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
Rinse pumpkin seeds until all the pulp and strings are washed off.
In a medium bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, melted butter or
margarine, and salt. Add the seeds and stir until they are all
coated. Spread on baking sheet and bake at 225º for one to two
hours, until crisp. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Makes two
cups.
2-1/3 cups biscuit baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 TBS butter or margarine, melted
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a bowl, combine biscuit mix, milk and Italian seasoning. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 10 times. Divide into 30 portions; set half aside. Roll the remaining 15 pieces into 7-inch ropes for broom handles; fold in half and twist. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Shape reserved pieces into 2-1/2 inch circles; cut with scissors to form a bundle of broom twigs. Place below each broom handle; pinch edges to seal. Brush with butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or cool on a wire rack.
Kottbullar (Swedish Meatballs) (I use equal amounts of pork, turkey and or lamb instead of beef) 1/2lb fine ground beef 1/2lb fine ground lean pork 1/2lb fine ground lamb (all meat should be twice ground) 2 TB breadcrumbs 1/4 cup cream 5 TB butter 1/2 cup finely chopped onions 1 TB finely chopped shallot 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic 1 tsp grated fresh lemon rind 2 TB finely chopped parsley 1 TB salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1/2 tsp thyme 2 eggs 3 TB butter 2 TB vegetable oil For the Sauce 2 TB flour 1 cup stock 1/2 cup sour cream 2 TB finely chopped fresh dill or 1 TB dry dill weed 1/4 tsp lemon juice salt Prepare the meat balls at least an hour before you plan to cook them so they may be chilled before cooking. Soak the crumbs in the 4 Tb. of cream for 5 minutes, then put them in a large mixing bowl with the 3TB butter & ground meats. Melt the 2 Tb. butter in a small frying pan and in it cook the chopped onion, shallots and garlic over Moderate heat for 5 min. or until softened and color lightly. Add them to the mixing bowl then add the lemon rind, parsley, salt, pepper, and thyme. Beat the 2 eggs lightly with a fork and pour them over the meat. With a large spoon, beat this mixture vigorously until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the meat loses its granular texture. Form into small balls, about an inch in diameter. The quickiest, easiest way to do this is to drop a heaping teaspoon of the meat in the palm of your hand and after moistening the other hand with cold water, roll it lightly over the meat until you have shaped it into a ball. Place the meat balls, as you finish them, on a baking sheet or platter lined with wax paper. And refrigerate for 1 hour to firm the meatballs. For more firmly crusted meatballs, roll each lightly in flour just before frying them. Cover them with another sheet of waxed paper, and chill for at least an hour. When you are ready to cook the meatballs, melt the 3 Tab. butter and 2 Tb. oil over high heat in a large heavy frying pan. When the fat begins to sputter, lightly drop into the pan enough meat balls to cover the bottom about three quarters full. At once slide the pan back and forth over the burner so that they roll around in the hot fat; this will help them to keep their shapes and to brown evenly. After a couple of minutes, turn the heat down to moderate, and cook the balls 6-7 minutes longer, or until they are crisp brown all over and cooked through. With a slotted spoon, transfer the finished meatballs to a shallow casserole and continue with the remaining meatballs until they are all cooked. SAUCE: Make the sauce in the same frying pan. If the fat remaining in it is a good deep brown; pour off all but 3 Tab. of it, if not add 3 TB of butter. Remove from heat, with a wooden spoon, stir into the pan 2 Tab of flour and mix it to a smooth paste with the fat Return the pan to a low heat and cook this roux slowly for a minute of so, stirring all the while. Then add the cup of stock. Raise the heat to moderate and, with a wire whisk, beat this sauce together until it boils, thickens and becomes quite smooth. Then turn the heat down to low simmer. Still using the whisk, stir the sour cream into the sauce, about a Tb. at a time. Use more than ½ cup if you like the sauce fairly thin. At the last, add the fresh dill, lemon juice, salt to taste. Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the casserole. When you are ready to serve them, reheat the meatballs slowly without letting the sauce boil. Serve with extra sprinking of fresh dill.