Fast and Easy Holiday Appetizers, Chocolate Martini

From Denny: Chef Sandra Lee over at Food Network is one of my favorites because she finds a way to cut the work in half and still have the time and energy to enjoy your guests! Watch one of her episodes and you will be hooked, even if you don't feel ambitious enough to do one of her awesome tablescape themed decorations. She has a great eye for staging, that's for sure.

Enjoy these easy and tasty appetizers for your holiday gathering! You will be the hit of the home you visit when you make and take one of these goodies. Many times my husband and I make these appetizer recipes as a light supper - all with the big excuse that we are trying out future recipes for entertaining. :)

Asiago cheese Ham Pinwheels
Roasted Pepper Meatballs
Festive Cheese Chips
Best Ever Finger Dogs
Choco-Mint Martini

Asiago-ham pinwheels

From: Chef Sandra Lee, "Semi-Homemade: Cocktail Time"

Makes: 16 pinwheels

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package directions
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 1 package (6-ounce) thinly sliced cooked ham

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, unfold puff pastry sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll sheet into 14 by 11-inch rectangle.

In a bowl, combine preserves and mustard. Spread mixture over puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with currants and cheese. Top with ham slices.

Starting with a short side, roll rectangle up in a spiral. Using a pastry brush, lightly moisten edge with water; pinch to seal seam.

Slice pastry roll into sixteen 1/2-inch slices. Place pinwheels, cut sides down, on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Red pepper meatballs

From: Chef Sandra Lee, "Semi-Homemade: Cocktail Time"

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For meatballs:

• Non-stick cooking spray
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil

For red pepper sauce:

• 1 jar (7 1⁄4-ounce) roasted red peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• Fresh thyme sprigs

DIRECTIONS

For zesty fried meatballs: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine ground beef, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, milk, and Italian seasoning. Form into 1-inch meatballs. In a bowl, beat together 1 egg and water. Place 1/4 cup bread crumbs in another bowl. Dip meatballs into egg mixture, then roll in bread crumbs.

In a heavy saucepan, heat oil over high heat. Working in batches, add meatballs to hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Remove meatballs; drain well. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through (160 degrees F).

For red pepper sauce, in a blender, combine roasted peppers, salad dressing, and Italian seasoning. Cover and blend until smooth. Serve meatballs with sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme.

Festive cheese chips

From: Chef Sandra Lee, "Semi-Homemade: Cocktail Time"

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag (5-ounce) potato chips
• 1/2 cup white sauce
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons crumbled Roquefort cheese
• 1 tablespoon half-and-half
• 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chips on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine white sauce, cream cheese, Roquefort cheese, and half-and-half. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Transfer hot chips to serving platter. Drizzle cheese mixture over hot chips. Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles over.

Best ever finger dogs

From: Chef Sandra Lee, "Semi-Homemade: Cocktail Time"

Makes: 48 dogs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (48) small cooked smoked beef sausage links
• 1 container (16.3-ounce) buttermilk biscuits
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Mustard or other condiments

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a grill pan, cook half of the sausage links over medium heat about 5 minutes or until sausage links are plump. Set aside.

On a clean surface, cut each of the biscuits into 6 pieces. Place cheese in a small bowl. Roll each piece of dough in the cheese; shape pieces into balls.

Gently stretch each ball to fit a sausage link. Partially wrap the dough around the sausage. Arrange pillow dogs 1 inch apart on prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve warm with mustard or other desired condiments.

Choco-mint martini

From: Chef Sandra Lee, "Semi-Homemade: Cocktail Time"

Makes: 1 drink

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces mint chocolate Irish cream liqueur
• 1/2 ounce vanilla flavored vodka
• Ice
• Small candy canes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a cocktail shaker, combine Irish cream and vodka. Add ice; cover and shake until very cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Embellish with a small candy cane (optional).

*** THANKS for visiting and have a great holiday season!

Richard Geres Bedford Inns Holiday Appetizer

From Denny: This certainly was an unexpected find today. Apparently, the two actors Richard Gere and wife Carrie Lowell own Bedford Post Inn, Bedford, New York. The actors and the chef look like they are simpatico and have a lot of fun together. You also get an inside peek at the Inn and its kitchen. What a beautiful place it is!

The Bedford Inn's restaurant has recently been named one of the top 10 restaurants in the country. Chef Lewis must be quite excited to receive such an honor. He shows us how to turn leftover risotto into a holiday appetizer.

Besides, mushrooms are brain food! Healthy food for your brain and a simple easy-to-make hot appetizer for the holidays. Works for me! :)

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Wild mushroom risotto

From: Chef Brian Lewis

INGREDIENTS

For the risotto base:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons minced Spanish onion
• 1 cup carnaroli rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups mushroom or chicken stock
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the roasted wild mushrooms:

• 1 pound fresh porcini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• 1 pound chanterelles
• 8 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

To make the risotto base:

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottom sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and season with salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the rice and stir together with the onions for 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

3. Add the white wine and let simmer and absorb fully into the rice, not stirring at this point, for 3-4 minutes. Once the wine has been absorbed and the alcohol evaporated, the rice will begin to toast and take on a nutty aroma.

4. Begin to add the chicken stock at this point, one cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon preferably. Stir constantly, allowing the rice to give off its creamy starch and create a delicate creamy broth with the stock.

5. Continue to cook and stir the risotto until all of the stock has been absorbed by the rice. At this point, remove the pan from the heat and add the cold butter, stirring it into the rice quickly, allowing the butter to emulsify with the rice.

6. Finish the risotto by adding the Parmesan cheese and the cooked porcini mushrooms.

7. Serve with a side of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

To roast the wild mushrooms:

1. In a heavy-bottom sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and season with a touch of salt, cooking gently until all of the moisture has evaporated and they begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Add the butter and sage, combining with the mushrooms and cooking until the butter is lightly brown and the sage has browned.

3. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

4. Keep warm until ready to add to the risotto.



Wild mushroom stuffed arancini (air-en-cheen-ee), also known as risotto balls

From: Chef Brian Lewis

INGREDIENTS

For the wild mushroom stuffed arancini:

• 2 cups wild mushroom risotto, cold
• 3/4 cup imported Taleggio cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3 quarts canola oil, for frying
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

For the fines herbs aioli:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fines herbs (equal parts minced tarragon, Italian parsley and chives)

DIRECTIONS

To make the wild mushroom stuffed arancini:

1. Fill a large, heavy-bottom sauce pot with the canola oil, making sure that the oil does not go higher than halfway high, to prevent the oil from spilling over.

2. Using a fryer thermometer, bring the temperature of the oil to 350 degrees F. Have a tray lined with paper towels ready to drain and season the fried arancini.

3. Using a tablespoon, form the risotto into equal-size balls, called arancini. Stuff each ball with small cubes of Taleggio.

4. Bread the arancini: Break the eggs into a medium-size mixing bowl and whisk with the milk and strain into another mixing bowl. Place the flour in a medium-size mixing bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, rosemary, sage and salt and fresh black pepper to taste.

5. Roll the arancini in the flour, then dip into the eggs and then roll into the bread crumbs.

6. Fry until golden brown for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and season with a touch of salt to taste.

To make the fines herbs aioli:

1. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife.

2. Whisk together yolk, lemon juice and mustard in a bowl. Combine oils and add, a few drops at a time, to yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. (If mixture separates, stop adding oil and continue whisking until mixture comes together, then resume adding oil.)

3. Whisk in garlic paste and fines herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste. If aioli is too thick, whisk in 1 or 2 drops of water.

4. Chill, covered, until ready to use.

*** Thanks for visiting and check out Winter Comfort Food from Chef Tyler Florence! And if you are a blogger, be sure to copy these great reindeer images - they are too fun!