Appetizers for the New Year!

December 28, 2007

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If you are planning a New Year’s Eve party or a day with family and friends add some of these appetizers to your holiday menu.

Brie and Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

18 large mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon Watkins Garlic Salt
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
3 ounces brie cheese, cut in 18 pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash and dry mushrooms, remove stems. Place mushroom caps on a cookie sheet. Brush caps with some of the butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.

In a skillet, saute the mushroom stems, onion and Worcestershire sauce using the remaining butter. In a bowl, mix crabmeat and mayonnaise. Fill caps with mushroom and onion mixture. Top with crabmeat and Brie. Bake for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted. Makes 18 mushrooms.

Spinach Cheese Mushrooms
Source: Light & Tasty magazine

1/2 pound torn fresh spinach
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
1 egg
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup water chestnuts, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, divided
56 large fresh mushrooms (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Refrigerated butter-flavored spray

In a saucepan, bring spinach and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain; squeeze dry and finely chop.

In a mixing bowl, beat ricotta and butter until smooth. Beat in egg. Stir in Parmesan cheese, water chestnuts, 3 tablespoons pecans and chopped spinach.

Remove stems from mushrooms (discard or save for another use). Spray inside of mushroom caps with butter-flavored spray. Place caps on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Stuff with spinach mixture; sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 28 servings.

Mashed Potato Timbales
Source: Light & Tasty magazine

2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 carton (8 ounces) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Watkins Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Pepper
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with butter and onion until small lumps of potato remain; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat ricotta cheese, sour cream, salt, garlic powder, rosemary and pepper until smooth. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until frothy; fold into cheese mixture. Fold into potato mixture.

Generously coat muffin cups with nonstick spray; evenly sprinkle muffin cups with bread crumbs. Fill with potato mixture; smooth tops.

Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 27-30 minutes or until edges of potatoes are lightly browned. Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen timbales from sides of muffin cups; invert onto a baking sheet to remove.

Bruschetta Duet
Source: Quick from Scratch - Italian

Use the same toast spread with two different toppings. The green-olive tapenade, which uses pre-pitted olives, can be made in minutes with a blender or food processor. The sauteed mushroom topping is equally savory hot or at room temperature.

8 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
3/4 pound mushrooms, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, 2 minced, 1 smashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh-ground Watkins Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Sage
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/3 cup lightly packed leaves
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Bruschetta
(Bruschetta is toasted bread seasoned with garlic and olive oil, commonly served warm as an appetizer, snack, or side dish. The name comes from the Italian word bruscare, which means “to roast over coals.” The simplest form of bruschetta starts with Tuscan bread, toasted either over coals or in a toaster. Rub the toasted slices with a cut clove of garlic, and then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper the prepared bruschetta if desired.)

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil with the butter over moderately high heat. Add the mushrooms, the minced garlic, the salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and the sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Remove from the heat.

In a blender or food processor, put the olives, parsley leaves, smashed garlic, anchovy paste, the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Blend or process to a coarse puree.

Spread the mushroom mixture on eight of the bruschetta, and the tapenade on the rest.

Variations:
Bruschetta can be topped with endless combinations of ingredients.
*Chopped tomato and basil
*Diced roasted bell peppers with crumbled goat cheese
*Drained canned tuna and capers
*Strips of Parmigiano-Reggiano
*A split garlic clove rubbed over the toast, followed by a generous drizzle of olive oil

Cheddar and Cranberry Cheeseball

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 dashes hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Watkins Pepper
8 ounces sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2 tablespoons store-bought chutney
3/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
Crackers

Put butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined. Divide equally among 3 medium bowls.
Stir cheddar cheese and chutney with base mixture in the first bowl. Form into a ball. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Roll cheese ball in cranberries to coat before serving. Serve with crackers. Makes three 4-inch cheeseballs; serves 8 to 10.

Artichoke-Cheese Braids
It’s almost too pretty to slice, but once you do, watch your guests gobble up every crumb!

3/4 cup drained finely chopped artichoke hearts (from 14-oz can), patted dry with paper towels
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 jar (2 oz) diced pimiento, drained, patted dry with paper towels
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix artichokes, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and the mayonnaise.
Unroll dough and separate into 2 long rectangles; place crosswise on opposite ends of ungreased large cookie sheet. Press each into 11×4 1/2-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.
Spoon half of artichoke mixture lengthwise down center of each rectangle in 1 1/2-inch-wide strip. Top each evenly with pimiento.
On long sides of each rectangle, make 15 cuts about 3/4 inch apart almost to edge of artichoke mixture. For braided appearance, fold strips of dough at an angle halfway across artichoke mixture with ends of strips slightly overlapping, alternating from side to side; pinch to seal.
Bring ends of each braid together to form ring; press ends together to seal. Carefully brush tops of rings with egg; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese.
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Carefully loosen braids from cookie sheet with wide spatula; slide onto serving plate. Cut between strips into thin slices; serve warm.
Makes two braids, 16 servings each.

Happy New Year!

Eleisia Whitney has a Watkins Home Business. She enjoys cooking and baking with Watkins extracts, spices, herbs, and sauces for healthy meals. Eleisia publishes a Watkins Newsletter, Around the Kitchen Table, that brings you recipes, cooking and health tips, and contests for free Watkins products.
Read the current issue at http://www.everydaynecessities.com/dec1-07newsletter.htm
Visit her at http://www.everydaynecessities.com and
http://www.WatkinsOnline.com/eleisiawhitney

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