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| Each year on Christmas Eve, my husband and I host an open house. We began the custom when my mother visited us and complained that none of her friends had their huge, Italian Christmas Eve feasts anymore - so I said, why not? Our first menus were non-meat, in keeping with the Italian tradition, then I started slowly adding in a meatball here and a Honey-Baked Ham there (for variety sake). This year we're doing something different - we're getting together with just a few neighbors and everyone's cooking - yay! The menu below is a selection of the appetizers/hors d'oeuvres we'll be serving. I've given the recipes unless they're available elsewhere on the web - then I've linked the name to the appropriate URL. Hope you like them and have a wonderful Holiday season! | |
3/4 C finely shredded Swiss Cheese (3 oz.)
1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper of plain brown paper. Set baking sheets aside. Combine cheese and thyme.
2. Roll one sheet of pastry dough on floured surface into a 14 x 10" rectangle. Sprinkle rectangle with half of the cheese mixture. Lightly press into dough. Fold the two short sides, beginning with a 1" fold on each side, to almost meet in the center. Cut the pastry into 1/4" thick slices. If the roll is too soft to slice easily, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Place the slices 1 1/2" apart on the baking sheets.
3. Bake at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes or till golden and crisp. Remove from baking sheets. Repeat with remaining piece of dough and cheese mixture. Serve warm. Makes about 64.
Polynesian Meatball Kabobs
1 beaten egg
Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1. Combine the egg, bread crumbs, cilantro, gralic, red pepper, and 1/4 tsp. Salt in a bowl. Add beef and peanuts. Mix well. Shape into 1" meatballs. Place in a 15x10x2" shallow baking pan.
2. Bake in 350 oven 20 minutes or til no longer pink. Drain. (or cook meatballs; cool. Cover, chill up to 48 hours).
3. Thread a sweet pepper chunk, pineapple, or papaya chunk, and meatball on a wooden toothpick. Return to baking pan. Make skewers with remaining fruit and meatballs. Brush with Sweet & Sour Sauce.
4. Bake 5-8 minutes or till heated through. Heat remaining sauce in a small saucepan til bubbly. Brush onto kabobs. Serve remaining sauce in a bowl with kabobs.
Sauce
Stir brown sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Stir in chicken broth, red wine vinegar, corn syrup and gingerroot. Cook and stir til thickened and bubbly. Cook 2 minutes more.
Roasted Red Potatoes Stuffed with Smoked Trout Brandade
15 small red bliss potatoes
1. Cut red potatoes in half on the bias, and trim the bbottom of each half so that the potato will sit flat. Scoop a hole in the center of each half.
2. Toss potatoes in 1 Tbs. oilive oil and salt. Place on a sheet pan, and roast in a 350 F oven for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
3. Peel the russet potato, cut into quarters and boil in unsalted water until soft. Drain and reserve the potatoes. Cut trout into small pieces. Heat 3 Tbs. olive oil in a small saute pan, add garlic, and saute over medium heat. Add trout, milk and cooked russet potatoes. Simmer on low for 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon juice. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 20 minutes. In a food processor, puree trout mixture until smooth. Fold in cracked black pepper and chopped chives.
4. To assemble, use a small spoon to fill red potatoes with the trout mixture. This can be done a few hours in advance. Reheat briefly, about 5 minutes in a 300 F oven. While potatoes are reheating, chop remaining chives. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and sprinkle a few chives over each potato.
Smoked Trout Quesadillas
1 5.3 oz. package soft goat cheese
Horseradish Habanero Cream
8 oz. Carton sour cream
1. Spread a scant 2 Tbs. of the goat cheese over each tortilla. Arrrange some of the trout, red onion, and sweet pepper on half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with pepper. Fold each tortilla in half over the filling, pressing gently.
2. Cook one or two quesadillas at a time in a lightly greased hot 10" skillet or on a griddle for 3 to 4 minutes or til tortillas are lightly golden and crisp, turning once. Remove quesadillas from skillet; place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 300 oven. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
3. To serve, cut each quesadilla into four wedges. Dollop with Horseradish Habanero Cream. Garnish with cherry teomato wedges and cilantro, if desired. Makes 10 servings.
Habanero Cream
Stir together sour cream, horseradish, lime peel, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days.
Hot Artichoke and Roasted Pepper Dip
1 medium leek, thinly sliced and quartered, or 1/3 C sliced green onion
1. If serving dip immediately, preheat oven to 350. In a medium skillet cook sliced leek in hot butter until tender but not brown. Remove from heat. Stir in artichoke hearts, 1 C Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise or salad dressing, roasted red peppers, and pepper.
2. Transfer to an 8" quiche disk or 9" pie plate, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with the 2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese and the parsley. If desired cover and chill for up to 24 hours before baking.
3. To serve, bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until heated through. Or microwave on medium-high power for 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through, turning dish halfway through the cooking time.
4. Serve with assorted cut-up raw veggies, flat bread, or crostini.
Mapled Brie and Apples
1 8 oz. Round Brie cheese
1. Place Brie on an ovenproof platter; bake in a 350 oven about 15 minutes or til warm and soft but not runny. (or microwave for 40 seconds).
2. Meanwhile, stir together brown sugar, maple syrup, and brandy or rum in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovred, about 5 minutes or till slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts. Pour over softened Brie. Serve immediately with Crostini or crackers and apple slices.
Smoked Salmon w/Caviar on Sesame Semolina Crostini
1 loaf Sesame Semolina bread, sliced about 3/4" thick
Brush both sides of Sesame Semolina bread with olive oil, then grill on top of stove in cast-iron grill pan til lightly browned. Store in plastic bag.
Mix sour cream and horseradish to taste - you should be able to taste horseradish.
To serve: Spread each slice of bread with horseradish/sour cream mixture. Sprinkle some caviar on top of mixture, add sprinkle of red onions, then top with slice of smoked salmon. Add sprig of dill on top. Arrange on platter and serve as appetizers.
Creamy Chocolate-Raspberry Fondue
1 pkg. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
For Dipping:
Srawberries, sliced bananas, fresh pineapple cubes, angel food or pound cake, cut into bite-size pieces
1. In small saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine all ingredients, except (dipping ingredients). Cook stirring constantly until mixture is melted and smooth.
2. Transer mixture to ceramic fondue pot; keep warm over burner. Serve with fruit or cut-up cake.
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