It's party season !

[sjMagoo]

Tired of the same old nibbles at holiday parties? As I plan for a couple of get-togethers, these three return as No-Fail-Favorites I thought I would share.


Amaretto Spread
8 ounces Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Amaretto
1 to 2 Tablespoons of orange zest

Stir and serve with Ginger wafers (I found some at Costco)

This is delectable! Enjoy with a glass of Chardonay or Chenin Blanc and it transports you!!!


Everybody enjoys little smokies - here is how we spice them up:

Gently warm on a low burner till combined:
1 8oz jar of Dijon mustard
1 12oz jar of Smuckers Currant Jelly

Add a large package of little smokies and let them simmer for a bit until warmed through. Nummy!!


An old stand-by, but irresistible - this will get anybody to eat their veggies !

Veggie Dip
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. chopped parsley
1 t. dill seasoning
2 t. Beau Monde seasoning


So what are your favorites for party snacks? I'd love some of your ideas

[Oscarman]

Make some tiny meatballs with a bit of garlic and ginger, seasoned nicely and brown in a small amount of oil. Toss into some commercially prepared Spicy Sweet & Sour Sauce and let simmer to meld the flavors.

Purchase a smaller wheel of triple cream Brie, top it with a good quality apricot or raspberry jam and bake until bubbly, bulging and melted. Serve with knife, spoon and some really funky crackers, like Lesley Stowe raincoast crisps (they are outstanding!). You could of course peel some garlic cloves and toss them in xtra virgin olive oil and then rub that all over the cheese before baking it until the garlic is soft and mellow (low heat please!)

[cb977]

Simple...simple...simple:

Get a nice crusty round loaf of bread, cut the top off so that you get enough of an opening to fit in a wheel of brie. Remove enough of the inside to insert the cheese, wrap the whole thing in foil and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Let it sit and rest for a few minutes, then remove from the foil and slice the entire loaf into wedges, not quite separating them at the bottom. The wedges spread out a bit and the cheese is a little oozy and warm and creamy...I want some right now!!!


...and that Amaretto Spread will definitely be on my table next week! Yummy

[cb977]

The Amaretto Spread was a big hit! Delicious!!!
I also used a little smear of it on a piece of gingerbread and a dollop of whipped cream...yummy!!!

[justatypn]

Will have to post this secretly...not the cook in the house and like to keep it that way A few years ago in my mother-in-laws honor after she passed I put together a cookbook of her favorite recipes and here are two from the book that she always had on the party table...enjoy!

~SPINACH DIP~
1 teaspoon horse radish
1 jar dried beef (chipped)
1 package of cream cheese
1 loaf of pumpernickel bread
1 package of Birds Eye Cream Spinach

DIRECTIONS:
Cook creamed spinach according to directions and pour over cream cheese. Hollow out the Pumpernickels bread keeping the pieces. Mix all the ingredients together and place inside the hollowed out bread. Place the bread on a platter and place all the pieces of pumpernickels around the edges of the stuffed bread, don’t forget the pieces to dip the spinach with.

~CRAB DIP~

1 ¼ lb. of crab
16 oz sour cream
3 cups of cheddar cheese
1 stick of butter
Bread-crumbs to consistency
1 teaspoon lemon
Salt and pepper
dash of dill

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350  oven.

[sjMagoo]

Thank you Dave! the meatballs w/ginger is a keeper

and, Sue, I'm definitely trying the spread on gingerbread (which is a favorite already).

I had this tasty treat last night at a New Years celebration - yeah, early, but I love New Years and 4th of July best of all the holidays so we make them last . I'm not brave when it comes to raw anything, but I really like Ceviche and this one was outstanding ( plus, the seafood was gently poached first ) so I wrangled the receipe from the hostess:

Ceviche
In a saucepan, combine:
8c. water
1/4c. salt
1/4c. lemon juice
2 bay leaves
a few sprigs of parsley
In this combination, poach gently for about 3 min.:
1/2 lb. sm. bay scallops
1/2 lb. sm. shrimp
1/2 lb. clamari
Remove seafood from poaching liquid with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add the following and toss:
1/2 c. thinly sliced fennel bulb
1/2 c. thinly sliced red onion
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 finely chopped, seeded jalapeno pepper
1 t. finely chopped ginger
1 sm. orange - peeled, membrane removed, and broken into chunks
1/2 c. each of: fresh orange,lemon,lime juices.
salt to taste
Cover and chill at least 1 hour, up to 4.

Sauce:
puree the following -
2 T. sour cream
1 t. hot sauce
1 T. chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime

This was served on a small amount of shredded lettuce in a martini glass....with Perfect Margaritas in hand and Jimmy Buffett on the player, of course

[Oscarman]

You are welcome Sarah!

When speaking of cooking, other that the color and flavor changes we are so familiar with, it is basically coagulation (fiming up) of the proteins. When making Ceviche, this is easily accomplished with the acidity of the lime juice. The result is the most delicate and tender seafood.

Don't be scared - Start with the freshest ingredients, don't marinate too long and savour the freshest and most exciting way to eat seafood.

[GreggC]

that you make and cook up and put into a mix of chili sauce and grape jelly? Great stuff.

Also, how about shrimp rumaki? All you need is some cooked and deveined shrimp, some water chestnuts for crunch and some bacon strips. You may not even need a whole strip-maybe just a half. In order to fix, take a shrimp, put the water chestnut in the hole and wrap with the bacon, skewer and put under the broiler and cook until bacon is crisp. Yumm!