Pimiento Cheese

From: Bon Appetit – December 2009, page 50

1½ cups (packed) finely grated extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

1½ cups (packed) finely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup diced drained pimiento peppers from jar, roasted red peppers, or piqullo peppers (about 2½ ounces)

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients in medium bowl. Mash with fork to blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Serve with celery sticks and Ritz crackers or, if desired, spread between 2 slices of white bread and cut diagonally to make 4 sandwich triangles.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Christmas 2009 – I like this “old fashioned” spread.

Pineapple Cheese Spread

From: Colorado Cache – Junior League of Denver, page 18

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

1 8½-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt

Soften cheese and mix with pineapple, pecans, green peppers, onion and salt. Pack in a crock and refrigerate or you may roll the mixture in a ball and cover with more pecans. Serve with crackers. Makes 5 cups.

Nancy’s Notes: I’ve made this several times over the years. I like –  time to revive this one.

Hot Ryes

From: Colorado Cache – Junior League of Denver, page 19

1 cup finely grated Swiss cheese

¼ cup cooked and crumbled bacon

1 4½-ounce can chopped ripe olives

¼ cup minced green onions or chives

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup mayonnaise

party rye bread

Mix together all ingredients except bread. Spread on party rye or pumpernickel and bake at 375° for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned.

Note: These may be frozen after baking and reheated.

Nancy’s Notes: I first made these Christmas 1982 with the note of “Great!”

Italian Olive Bread

From: Glitter to Gourmet – Junior League of Las Vegas, page 14

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 small garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 loaf Italian bread, split lengthwise

Paprika to tast

½ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives

½ cup sliced black olives

Mix the cream cheese, butter, mayonnaise, garlic, salt and oregano in a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Spread on the cut surfaces of the bread. Sprinkle with paprika; top with the sliced olives, Reassemble the loaf and wrap in foil. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Remove the foil. Slice the bread and serve warm.

Nancy’s Notes: Serve as an appetizer.

Olive Cheese Ball

From: Glitter to Gourmet – Junior League of Las Vegas, page 25

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened

2/3 cup drained chopped black olives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or green onions

½ cup chopped walnuts

Blend the cream cheese, bleu cheese and butter in a bowl. Stir in the olives and chives. Chill the mixture slightly. Shape into 3 balls and roll in the chopped walnuts to coat. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Serve with assorted crackers.

From: Glitter to Gourmet, the Las Vegas Junior League cookbook.

Nancy’s Notes: I used kalamata olives which made the mixture very salty, perhaps too strong for some. Instead of rolling in nuts I filled small bowls and sprinkled with paprika.

Melted Brie with Winter Fruit

From: Glitter to Gourmet – Junior League of Las Vegas, page 27

¾ cup chopped pitted dates

1 small apple, peeled, cored, chopped

1 small firm pear, peeled, cored, chopped

½ cup currants or raisins

½ cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup rose wine or apple juice

1 (16-ounce) wheel of Brie cheese, well chilled

Thin baguette slices

Combine the dates, apple, pear, currents, pecans and wine in a small bowl and mix well. Let stand for 2 hours.

Place the Brie on a cutting surface. Slice into halves horizontally. Place the bottom half cut side up in a shallow round 10-inch baking dish. Spread with 2 ½ cups of the fruit mixture. Cover with the top half of the Brie, cut side down. Spoon the remaining fruit onto the center of the Brie.

Bake at 350° degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese melts at the edges and the center is warm. Place on a hot place to keep warm. Cover and chill. Yield: 16 servings.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Christmas 2007 and 2008 – Wonderful! A five-star winner.

Christmas Grazing

This year we chose to skip Christmas dinner and serve a grazing menu. Most all dishes can be prepared ahead of time. I prefer to work hard the day before and enjoy my guests instead of being in the kitchen trying to get a big dinner on the table. 

Christmas 2008 Grazing Menu

• Monkey Bread
• Sausage Rolls
• Little Smokies in Big Papa’s BBQ Memphis Sauce
• Italian Pizza Rolls
• French Triple Cream Cheese served with apple and pear slices
• Dubliner Cheese
• Olive Cheese Ball
• Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
• Melting Moments Cookies
• Enstroms English Toffee
• Hammond’s Ribbon Candy
• Mulled Apple Juice – using William Sonoma Mulling Spices
• Eggnog

A menu sorely lacking in vegetables – but it was Christmas. No one went away hungry.

Monkey Bread

4 cans refrigerated biscuits
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a zip lock bag.

Open the cans of biscuit and cut each biscuit into quarters.  Place quarters into zip lock bag with cinnamon and sugar.  Shake well to cover biscuits.  Place into a bundt pan. Do this in multiple batches to make sure biscuits are well coated.

Melt 1½ sticks margarine in a pan on the stove.  Add 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the butter and bring to a boil.  Pour over the biscuits in the bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Remove from oven and turn upside down on a serving plate.  Be careful of the hot sugar.

Nancy’s Notes: I don’t remember where or when I got this recipe but for our family it isn’t Christmas without a pan of Monkey Bread. Add an extra touch by sprinkling chopped pecans and dried cranberries between biscuit layers.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

 

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

¼ cup (½ cup) butter, melted

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

 

Mix the vanilla wafer crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of a 9-0inch springform pan. Beat the cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and vanilla at medium speed in a bowl until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

 

Reserve 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture and set aside. Add the pumpkin, ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the remaining cream cheese mixture and beat well. Pour half the pumpkin batter into the crust. Top with half the cream cheese batter. Repeat the layers. Cut through the batter several times with a knife for a swirled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

 

Yield: 10-12 servings

 

From: Glitter to Gourmet, the Las Vegas Junior League cookbook.

 

Nancy’s Notes: I used a graham cracker crust because that’s what I had in the house. Baked the crust 5 minutes before adding the pumpkin mixture. Pumpkin flavor was very slight. When I served it I ringed the cheesecake with pecan halves and drizzled caramel sauce on the top.

 

 

Caramel Sauce

1 cup butter

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 cup whipping cream

Heat the butter over medium heat in a saucepan until melted.  Stir in the brown sugar and whipping cream.  Cook over low heat until blended, stirring constantly.  Serve warm.

Note:  May be prepared in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.  Reheat before serving.

From:  Made in the Shade, by the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale.

Nancy’s Note: I’m sure this sauce flows directly into the arteries but what a way to go! 

Melting Moments

1 cup butter (Not margarine)
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
¾ cup cornstarch
1 cup flour, sifted

 Frosting
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Light cream

Cream butter, gradually add sugar.  Add cornstarch.  Add sifted flour.  Mix well.  Chill one hour.  Form into irregular heaps on ungreased cookie sheet.  Allow one heaping teaspoon per cookie.  Bake at 350 degrees until just barely brown on bottom – about 15 minutes.

Frosting Directions:  Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and enough light cream to make a spreadable mixture until smooth.  Tint frosting red and green for an attractive holiday plate of goodies.

Nancy’s Notes: I always make a double batch and sometimes triple if I’m planning to give some away. I use a spring-loaded scoop for forming the cookies – much easier than spoons. Buy in several sizes, depending on size of cookies. A larger one is great for muffin batter.

Olive Cheese Ball 

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened

2/3 cup drained chopped black olives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or green onions

½ cup chopped walnuts

Blend the cream cheese, bleu cheese and butter in a bowl. Stir in the olives and chives. Chill the mixture slightly. Shape into 3 balls and roll in the chopped walnuts to coat. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. Serve with assorted crackers.

 From: Glitter to Gourmet, the Las Vegas Junior League cookbook.

Nancy’s Notes: I used kalamata olives which made the mixture very salty, perhaps too strong for some. Instead of rolling in nuts I filled small bowls and sprinkled with paprika.