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.

Hot Colby Ham Sandwiches

From: Quick Cooking – a magazine from the Spokane library

 

½ cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons mustard

1 tablespoon dried onion, minced

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

2-3 tablespoons sugar

15 slices Colby cheese

15 dinner rolls – about 3” in diameter – sliced

15 thin slices deli ham (about 1 pound)

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

In a small bowl, combine the butter, mustard, onion, poppy seeds and sugar. Place roll bottoms, cut side up, in an ungreased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Top each with Colby cheese, ham and mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with half of the butter mixture. Replace roll tops. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nancy’s Notes: Tammy sent this recipe via e-mail Feb. 23, 2005. I came across it this week and since I had ham slices in the frig I decided these sandwiches would pair nicely with my homemade split pea soup. I halved the recipe. One bite and we knew this was a winner. I would never have read this recipe and thought it would be so good. Steven seems to have a real knack for reading a recipe and translating that to taste. He rarely picks a bad one. I used sliced mozzarella – not as messy. It will be interesting to see how the leftovers warm up.

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.

Grilled Apple Sandwich

From: Colorado Classique – Junior League of Denver

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

½ Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese, or baby Brie cut into small cubes, rind

removed

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Place 1 slice of bread, olive oil-side down, into skillet. Arrange apple slices evenly over bread. Sprinkle with cheese and top with remaining slice of bread, olive oil-side up. Cook until bread is golden brown, then turn sandwich and cook 1 t- 2 minutes longer or until the other side is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Nancy’s Notes: Made 11-1-09 for Sunday lunch – I used Jonagold apples and Dubliner cheese. Next time I would thinly slice the cheese instead of shredding, would be easier to arrange on the sandwich without having pieces of cheese melting on the hot skillet.

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.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

From: Beyond the Rim – Junior League of Amarillo, page 65

¼ onion, chopped

¼ cup (1/2 stick) margarine

2/3 to 1 cup flour

3 (10-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 ¼ cup chopped celery

1 ¼ cups chopped carrots

1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli

1 pound Velveeta cheese, diced

2 cups half-and-half

Cook the onion in the margarine in a large pan over medium heat until the onion is translucent. For a thinner soup, stir 2/3 cup flour into the margarine; for a thicker soup, use 1 cup flour. Add the broth and whisk. Pour into a slow cooker. Add the celery, carrots, broccoli, Velveeta cheese and half-and-half. Cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Nancy’s Notes: Made Nov.16, 2009 – I used 2 crowns of fresh broccoli, lightly steamed, then chopped. I made on the stove, keeping the heat on low so I didn’t scorch. I didn’t have celery since I used it all in the dressing – would be a good addition. Used 3 (14-ounce) cans of chicken broth and 2/3 cup flour, created a soup thickness I like, neither too thick or thin.

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.