Monthly Archives: December 2015

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Appetizers and Finger Foods, Holiday Specialties

New Year’s Eve Appetizers

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I’m going to give you a few easy to do appetizers. These are great anytime, watching a game or just as a snack.

Prosciutto Rolls
12 slices of Prosciutto (the DiParma is the best)
4oz cream cheese, softened
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 TSP dried basil
small pkg fresh Arugula
1 small bottle Balsamic Glaze

Mix the ingredients except the prosciutto, arugula and the glaze.
Lay the prosciutto flat and cover with a layer of the cheese mixture.
Lay the arugula on top and then roll. Cut into 1/2 rolled pieces.
Squirt with glaze and chill until served.

 

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
6 eggs, hard boiled and chilled, then peeled and sliced in half
1/4 cup mayo
3 TBLS soft cream cheese
1 TSP Dijon mustard
2 TSP fresh preferred, dill weed+some for garnish
dash of salt & pepper
4oz pkg smoked salmon

Mix the egg yolks with all other ingredients except the salmon and dill for garnish until creamy. Stuff the egg white halves. Top with pieces of salmon and dill. Serve chilled.

 

Brie Honey Apple Bites
1 TSP lemon zest
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts for garnish
2 med apples, finely diced
1/4 cup honey
8oz round of Brie or Camembert cheese with rind, diced into 1/2″ cubes
2 pkgs prepared mini phyllo shell cups, about 24-30 cups.
Preheat oven 400.
Mix together zest, honey and apple. Place a cheese cube in each phyllo cup and top with the apple mixture.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, top with walnuts and serve warm.

Beverages, Holiday Specialties

Holiday Punch

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This punch can be made full sugar or substitute diet for any of the ingredients or replace the champagne with ginger ale. Be sure the ingredients are all cold before mixing the punch.

Make the frozen floats the night before.
In a reg size muffin pan;
Fill 1/3 with any flavor cranberry juice and freeze. Add maraschino cherries and slices of fruit such as orange, lime, lemon or pineapple. Add water to fill the muffin cups and freeze again.
In a large punch bowl mix;
1 bottle dry champagne (Korbel is suitable)
1 liter lemon-lime seltzer
1 small frozen limeade concentrate
32oz cherry juice
2 cups orange juice

Dip the muffin pan in water to release the frozen floats and place them in the bowl along with 4 large scoops of sherbet on the top.

Baking, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday Specialties, Italian

Italian Sponge Drop Cookies

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This Italian Sponge Drop Cookies recipe is a classic Italian holiday cookie. This recipe dates back more than 50+ years.

Italian Sponge Drop Cookies
Italian Sponge Drop Cookies

Ingredients;
4 eggs
1 cup Crisco, melted and cooled, measure when cool
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 TSP vanilla
Directions;
Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Ingredients;
4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
4 heaping TSP baking powder
Directions;
Sift together flour and baking powder. Add slowly to the egg mixture just until smooth and blended. Drop tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 until bottoms are slightly light brown, about 8-10 minutes. Cool and glaze tops with the glaze below.

Glaze;
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 TSP lemon or any flavor extract
2 TSP melted butter
a few drops pf milk, just enough so glaze is loose and coat the tops of the cookie. Blend together until smooth. Glaze cookie and decorate with holiday colored nonpareils. Let dry 1 hour before storing.

Baking, Desserts & Sweets, Holiday Specialties

Tasse Cups

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These Tasse Cups are similar to a mini pecan pie but made with walnuts. So rich in taste.
They are also pictured in my site header.

Tasse cups
Tasse cups

Shell;
8oz cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
Directions:
Ingredients should be at room temperature. Blend together and mold a tablespoonful into a mini muffin pan.

Filling;
3 eggs
3 TBLS butter
11/2 cup light brown sugar
2 TSP vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1 cup finely chopped raw walnuts
Directions:
Place all ingredients except the nuts into a sauce pan. Heat on low stirring until warm and blended. Add the nuts. Fill shell lined mini muffin cups 3/4 full with filling. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, tops will puff.

Baking, Desserts & Sweets, German, Holiday Specialties

Spritz (German Butter) Cookies

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These Spritz Cookies are a very old German holiday butter cookie recipe.  Spritz Cookies are easy to make once you practice using a cookie press. This recipe dates back to my 8th grade home economics teacher, it was her German Grandmothers recipe !!

Spritz Cookies
Spritz Cookies

Ingredients;
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
4 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2 TSP vanilla or almond extract

Directions;
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, blend. Add the balance of ingredients and blend until smooth.
Fill cookie press and place desired disk design and tighten cap. You can use an electric press or the old style hand crank type. Press cookies onto a cookie sheet. Decorate with holiday sprinkles and bake at 350 for 10 minutes, just until set but barely brown on the edge. The cookies are very white in color even when set and done. Store in a tin can and keep them in a cool place, They will last for 10+ days.