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!

Funny Political Cartoons Sampler 12 Dec 2009

From Denny: C'mon, Life isn't Life without our favorite editorial cartoonists' opinions! Right or wrong, they are funny. Here's a sampling of what I have parked over at The Social Poets today for your grinning pleasure:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Nate Beeler - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Pat Bagley - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Adam Zyglis - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Pat Bagley - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by John Cole - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

*** For the rest of the funny post every Saturday at The Social Poets, check out all the other funny editorial cartoons about the news of the day, go here.

Daisys Never Fail Divinity Fudge

From Denny: For all you sugar junkies eager for your next holiday high download check out this white divinity fudge recipe to enjoy! This one came from a lady in Louisiana where we love to make sweets during the holidays.



Photo by plain_jane53177 @ flickr

Daisy's Never Fail Divinity Fudge

From: Daisy Gardiner

Makes: about 48 pieces

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup cold water
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (or as many as you like)

Directions:

1. In a heavy, 2-quart saucepan, stir sugar, corn syrup and water together until mixture comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved. At that point clip the candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan, making sure the bulb does not rest on the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture reaches 235 degrees on candy thermometer or until the mixture forms a soft ball when a bit of it is dropped into a cup of water.

2. Meanwhile, using a free-standing, heavy-duty mixer, begin beating egg whites until stiff peaks form. When syrup reaches desired temperature (235 degrees Fahrenheit), continue beating while slowly pouring HALF of the syrup into the beaten egg whites. Pour only a thin stream at a time. Syrup will not blend if you add the syrup too fast.

3. Place remaining half of the syrup mixture back on the heat and cook until it gets to 275 degrees. At this point, Daisy said, the syrup, when dropped in a glass of cold water forms a hard ball and will make a cracking sound, not a thud, when it hits the side of the glass. Gradually add remainder of syrup to egg mixture while continuing to beat.

4. Add vanilla and beat until mixture is thickened and just begins to lose its gloss. At that point, stop beating and quickly add nuts. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper or parchment paper.

5. If mixture gets too thick before you finish spooning it out, you can add a few drops of hot water to thin it.

*** THANKS for visiting!

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Holiday Cooking For Crowds, 5 Recipes

From Denny: It's the holidays and you are in a rush. You just got home from work or your house is overflowing. You are feeling a bit overwhelmed, even downright frazzled. What do you feed everyone? Here are few easy ideas to help you through the holidays so you can truly relax and enjoy your guests which is what the holidays are supposed to be all about!

Mark Bittman, a food writer for The New Yorks Times, who wrote the book "How to Cook Everything," is a bit of a worrier and perfectionist himself. If he can relax, armed with these quick and easy recipes, so can you. He equips you with some great tips to wow your family and friends this holiday season!

He advises you can create a quick no fuss room temperature dish you can bring to a gathering, a cake that withstands living in the freezer before the big day, a yummy cheesy cookie so quick to make all you need is 30 minutes, a soul-satisfying Italian dish to warm and impress the whole crowd and an easy breakfast pancake batter you can make ahead and store in the fridge for hungry tummies.



This video was not available for embedding, to watch go here.


Ravioli nudi

From: Mark Bittman

Yield: About 4 servings

Bittman: Here's a celebratory dish that comes together quickly and can also be made ahead. Nudi means what it sounds like: "naked." And it refers to ravioli filling without the noodle wrapper, so they're a little like meatballs only fancier. Serve them with or without pasta — as you like. They're also good with tomato sauce if you have some handy. For a vegetarian version, see the variation below this recipe. Time needed: 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces each ground veal and pork or any combination of ground meats you prefer
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus cheese for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound any pasta, fresh or dried (optional)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 20 fresh sage leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the meat in a bowl with the egg, cheese, parsley, onion and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mix well but do not knead. Form into tiny balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter, and put on cookie sheets. Refrigerate until you're ready to cook, or up to several hours. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.

2. Cook the meatballs in the boiling water for about 5 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Cook the pasta, if you're using it, in the same water until tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, cook the butter and sage together in a small pan over medium-low heat until the butter is light brown, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving a bit of the cooking water, then toss it with the butter-sage mixture and enough of the reserved water to make the mixture saucy. Top with the meatballs and serve, passing more Parmesan at the table.

To make vegetarian ravioli nudi, substitute 1 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh, for the meat. Add another egg and increase the Parmesan to 3/4 cup and the parsley to 1/2 cup. Allow the bread crumb mixture to rest for at least 10 minutes before shaping into balls. Proceed with the recipe, cooking the dumplings until they rise to the surface, about 3 minutes.

Cheese shortbread

From: Mark Bittman

Yield: 30 to 40 puffs

Bittman: Here's a fun, snacky thing for impromptu guests. There are so many ways to vary these quick, savory cookies. See the variations below this recipe for additional ideas to get you started. Time needed: 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cubed
• 2 cups grated Emmental, Gruyère, cheddar or other semihard cheese
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon paprika or ground cumin (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; do not over process. (You can also use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the mixture to the same consistency in a bowl.) Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until you're ready to bake the puffs. (Or roll the ball into two logs, wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month.)

2. Form the dough into 1-inch balls. (Or cut the frozen dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices). Put the balls or slices on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between them. Slightly flatten each ball with your fingers. Bake until the pastries puff and turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, then sprinkle with additional paprika and serve.

crumbled blue cheese for a cup of the Emmental cheese.

To make pecorino cheese shortbread, substitute 1 cup each grated pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheese for the Emmental.

To make herbed cheese shortbread, add 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs, like parsley, chives, dill and/or basil, with a little tarragon.

To make spiced cheese shortbread, use 2 to 3 teaspoons garam masala or curry powder for an Indian flair, caraway for an Eastern European flavor, pimenton (smoked paprika) for a Spanish-style snack, or toasted cumin seeds for a North African twist.

To make prosciutto shortbread, reduce the cheese to 1 cup and use finely grated Parmesan. Chop several thin slices of prosciutto into pieces and add them to the food processor in Step 1.


Butter-almond cake

From: Mark Bittman

Yield: At least 8 servings

Bittman: Need a cookie or cake for the freezer for last-minute gatherings? Here's a cake that's rich enough to withstand freezing and thawing or gentle reheating. Plus, it's excellent served warm. Time needed: About 1 hour.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus some for the pan and the paper
• All-purpose flour for the pan
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 8 ounces almonds
• Grated or minced zest of 1 lemon or orange, or more if you like

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-inch-deep, 10-inch layer cake or springform pan; cover the bottom with a circle of wax or parchment paper, butter the paper, and sift flour over the whole pan; invert and tap to remove the excess flour.

2. Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Separate 3 of the eggs and reserve the whites. Beat in the yolks one at a time, until the mixture is light in color.

3. Grind the nuts in a food processor until they are the consistency of meal. Turn them into a bowl and mix them with 3/4 cup of the remaining sugar and the citrus zest. Beat in 3 whole eggs, one at a time, blending well. Wash the beaters thoroughly and beat the egg whites; when they are foamy, gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, until the whites hold soft peaks.

4. Combine the butter and nut mixtures and stir. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites and pour into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold. Store at room temperature, covered with wax paper, for up to a day or two. (Or wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze it for up to a month. Keep it wrapped and thaw in the fridge overnight or thaw and warm slowly in the microwave or a low oven.)

Roasted broccoli gratin with blue cheese

From: Mark Bittman

Serves: 4

Bittman: Here is a room-temperature dish you can bring to a potluck. Feel free to switch out the cheese if blue isn't your favorite; Emmental, Gruyère, goat cheese, Gouda or any good melting cheese works fine. You can also substitute cauliflower, broccoflower, Romanesco, asparagus or broccoli raab for the broccoli. Time needed: About 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds broccoli, trimmed, the stems cut into pieces no more than 1/8-inch thick
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed in the skins
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the broccoli in a bowl, drizzle on the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper while tossing to coat; transfer to a gratin dish or any ovenproof dish. Nestle the garlic in the broccoli and cook until the tops are browning and the stems are crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Remove the dish from the oven and fish out the garlic. Sprinkle the top of the broccoli with the blue cheese and then the bread crumbs. Return to the oven and cook until the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden. Serve hot or warm.


Everyday pancakes

From: Mark Bittman

Bittman: Here's something to make for or with kids. It's amazing how quickly you can whip up this batter, even with kids helping. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days. To adjust the consistency of the batter, add more milk if you want it thinner, or flour for thicker pancakes. Time needed: 20 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
• 2 optional tablespoons melted and cooled butter, plus unmelted butter for cooking, or use a neutral oil like grapeseed or corn

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat while you make the batter.

2. Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs into 1/2 cup of the milk, then stir in the 2 tablespoons cooled melted butter if you're using it. Gently stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten the flour; don't worry about a few lumps. If the batter seems thick, add a little more milk.

3. Use a little butter or oil each time you add batter, unless your skillet is truly nonstick. When the butter foam subsides or the oil shimmers, ladle batter onto the griddle or skillet, making any size pancakes you like. Adjust the heat as necessary; usually, the first batch will require higher heat than subsequent batches. The idea is to brown the bottom in 2 to 4 minutes, without burning it. Flip when bubbles appear in the center of the pancakes and the bottoms are cooked; they won't hold together well until they're ready.

4. Cook until the second side is lightly browned, a couple more minutes, and serve or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200-degree-F oven for up to 15 minutes.

*** THANKS for visiting! All these Christmas animations are FREE for use on your blog or site, enjoy!

Easy Fun Holiday Crock Pot Candy

Photo from 2theadvocate.com

From Denny: This little easy gem of a recipe was in our local newspaper's food section this week. It is funny how your mind can get stuck in a rut - like thinking crock pots are only good for savory meals.

I was literally bowled over by how ridiculously simple and delicious it is. Now why didn't I think up this creative one? Oh, well, someone else did. And, most importantly, they decided to share with the rest of us! :)

Holiday Crock-Pot Candy

From: Nordeen “Dee” Barlow, her grandmother's recipe


Makes: approximately 7 dozen pieces of candy

Ingredients:

1 (16-oz.) jar unsalted peanuts
1 (16-oz.) pkg. shelled pecans or walnuts
1 (12-oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
1 (4-oz.) pkg. German chocolate baking squares
1-1/2 pkgs. (24 ozs. each) almond bark

Directions:

1. Layer ingredients in slow cooker. Set on Low for 2 hours. Do not open lid. After 2 hours, stir mixture.

2. Cook 2 minutes. Stir again.

3. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Note: Watch the time carefully. Do not overcook.



*** Thanks for visiting! For more recipes check out Comfort Food From Louisiana!