Cheese-Stuffed Dates with Prosciutto

• ¼ cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese, a room temperature
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 16 Medjool dates (12 ounces), pitted
• 8 thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise
• Special equipment: 16 toothpicks or cocktail picks

1. In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and bail and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Gently pull the dates apart and stuff with about ½ teaspoon of the cheese mixture. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick.
3. Arrange the stuffed dates on a platter and serve.

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Mini Reuben Melts

• Creamy Caramelized Onions (see recipe below)
• 32 slices party pumpernickel bread
• 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces thinly sliced corned beef
• 4 ounces thinly sliced gruyere cheese, cut into 2-inch squares
• ⅓ cup bottled Thousand Island salad dressing

1. Prepare Creamy Caramelized Onions. Adjust oven rack so it is about 5 inches from the heat. Preheat broiler.
2. Brush one side of each bread slice with oil. Place half of the bread slices on a large baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven. Turn bread slices over to use for bottoms of sandwiches. Divide corned beef and the caramelized onions among bottom slices of bread; add cheese. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes more or until heated through and cheese starts to melt. Transfer to a serving platter.
3. Place the remaining bread slices on the baking sheet. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.
4. Spoon a small amount of salad dressing onto the bottom of each sandwich. Top with the remaining bread slices. Makes 16 appetizers.

Creamy Caramelized Onions

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound onions, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large heavy ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
3. In a small bowl, combine whipping cream; dry sherry; Dijon-style mustard; brown sugar; garlic; salt; ground allspice; and ground black pepper. Pour mixture over onions; stir to combine.
4. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

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Mini Apps

• 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 64 toothpicks

Smoked Salmon with Dill

• Dab cream cheese
• Thin slice smoked salmon, cut into quarters
• Fresh dill weed sprig

Shrimp and Cucumber

• Very thin slice English cucumber, cut in half, folded
• Fresh dill weed sprig
• Small cooked shrimp, tail shell removed

Caprese

• Slice small fresh mozzarella ball or string cheese
• Half grape tomato
• Tiny basil leaf or fresh basil leaf strip

Antipasto

• Half slice hard salami, folded into thirds
• Slice sweet banana pepper (from a jar)
• Kalamata or black olive

Dried Fig and Mascarpone

• Dried fig, cut in half lengthwise
• Mascarpone cheese star (using softened cheese)
• Grated orange peel

Roast Beef Roll-Ups

• Rare roast beef slice (spread with below)
• Garden vegetable cream cheese spread
• Fresh parsley sprig or tiny dill pickle slice

Cheese and Pimiento Olive

• Swiss cheese cube
• Half pimiento-stuffed green olive

Turkey Club

• Lettuce
• Crisply cooked bacon
• Turkey breast slice, rolled up, sliced
• Grape tomato slice

 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough onto cutting board. Cut in half crosswise and lengthwise on perforated lines to make 4 rectangles. Press diagonal perforations to seal.
2. Starting with long side of 1 rectangle, roll dough tightly into 6¼-inch roll; press seam to seal. Repeat with remaining dough rectangles.
3. Spray thin serrated knife with cooking spray. Cut each roll into 16 slices. On ungreased large cookie sheet, place 32 slices about ½ inch apart. Place remaining 32 slices on second ungreased large cookie sheet.
4. Bake 1 cookie sheet at a time 8 to 9 minutes or until slices are light golden brown.
5. Top baked slices using all 8 toppings and making 8 appetizers of each, or choose your favorite topping options and make as many of each as you’d like. All toppings are quick to assemble, taking only about 4 to 8 minutes to make 8 appetizers.

 

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Muffuletta Quiche Cups

Individual Italian-inspired quiche cups are surrounded by a flaky crust made easily with Pillsbury crescent rounds.

• 1 8-ounce can Pillsbury Place ’N Bake refrigerated crescent rounds (8 rounds) or 1 8-ounce can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 3 tablespoons finely diced ham
• 3 tablespoons finely diced salami
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
• ½ teaspoon oregano leaves
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper sauce
• 1 cup shredded provolone cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8 regular-size muffin cups (2¾-by-1¼ inches) with -stick cooking spray.
2. If using crescent rounds, remove from package, separate into 8 rounds. If using crescent rolls, remove from package, but do not unroll. Using serrated knife, cut roll into 8 rounds; carefully separate rounds. Press 1 round on bottom and completely up side of each muffin cup.
3. In small bowl, mix ham, salami, olives and oregano. In another small bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half and pepper sauce with fork until well blended.
4. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cheese into each muffin cup. Top each with about 1 rounded tablespoon ham mixture. Divide egg mixture evenly among muffin cups (about 1 tablespoon each). Top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until filling is set and edges of rolls are golden brown. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of each quiche to loosen; remove to cooling rack. Garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

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Jalapeño Poppers

• 24 fresh Jalapeño peppers (2 pounds)
• 1 8-ounces package Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 8-ounces package Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 8 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 40 Ritz Crackers, finely crushed (about 1⅔ cups)
• 2 cups oil

1. Cut lengthwise slit in top of each pepper; scrape out seeds and veins. Combine next 3 ingredients; spoon into peppers.
2. Roll peppers in flour; dip in eggs, then roll in cracker crumbs to evenly coat. Place in single layer in shallow pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in medium saucepan to 375ºF. Add peppers, in batches; cook 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

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Balsamic-Glazed Stuffed Mushrooms

• 20 cremini mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 medium shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Pinch crushed hot pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• ½ cup mayonnaise, divided
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
• 4 Tablespoons. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ¼ cup plain dry bread crumbs, toasted

1. Preheat oven 400°.
2. Toss mushroom caps with 1 tablespoon oil in large bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Arrange mushroom caps in 13-by-9-inch baking dish, stem-side-down. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove mushrooms; drain liquid. Return mushrooms to baking dish, stem-side-up.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and cook shallots, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in mushroom stems and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in hot pepper flakes, parsley and thyme. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Turn into medium bowl. Stir in ¼ cup Mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons cheese and bread crumbs. Evenly spoon mixture into mushrooms.
4. Combine remaining ¼ cup Mayonnaise with remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in small bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Drizzle over mushrooms, then sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until mushrooms are golden and heated through.

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Kolaches, Sweet & Savory

The sour cream-enhanced dough for these rich, tender buns is a real pleasure to work with, particularly after its overnight refrigeration. This recipe was inspired by one from the Texas Highways magazine Web site; it, in turn, was adapted from a recipe by Dorothy Kubena, “a long-time participant in Caldwell’s Kolache Festival.” We provide the directions for two different fillings: sausage (which requires a somewhat different shaping technique), and pineapple. The pineapple filling comes from the Christian Sisters, from the Taylor Brethren Church in Taylor, Texas (via the AARP Web site–see what I mean about “combining the best parts of several”?)

Dough

• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine*, melted
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast
• ½ cup lukewarm water
• 2 large eggs
• 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

*If you use unsalted butter or margarine, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Pineapple Filling

• 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained*
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch OR Instant ClearJel(r)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

*If you’re using cornstarch as the thickener, reserve 3 tablespoons of the pineapple juice, in which you’ll dissolve the cornstarch.

Streusel Topping

• ⅔ cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ⅓ cup (about 5⅔ tablespoons) melted butter

Dough:

1. Warm the sour cream gently, and combine it with the sugar, salt, and butter or margarine in a large mixing bowl, the bowl of an electric mixer, or the bucket of your bread machine. Cool the mixture to lukewarm (if it isn’t already that temperature), and add the yeast (if you’re using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the water first), warm water, eggs, and flour. Mix and knead the dough, using your hands, a mixer, or a bread machine, till it’s soft and smooth. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough overnight. Note: This dough won’t rise much, so don’t worry about having to put it in a huge bowl.
2. Next day, remove the dough from the fridge, and divide it into about 20 pieces, each 1¾ ounces, about the size of a golf ball. Place the pieces on lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about an inch between them. Flatten the balls till they’re about ½-inch thick, cover them with a proof cover or lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

Pineapple Filling: In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the drained pineapple to boiling. If you’re using Instant ClearJel(r), mix it with the sugar, and stir this mixture into the pineapple. Immediately remove the filling from the heat, and stir in the melted butter. Cool to lukewarm before using.

If you’re using cornstarch, mix it with the reserved pineapple juice. Stir the dissolved cornstarch and the sugar into the hot pineapple, and cook over medium heat, stirring, till the mixture thickens and becomes clear. Remove it from the heat, and let it cool to lukewarm before using.

Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, mix together the flour and sugar, then add the butter, stirring till crumbs form.

Assembly: Using your fingers, make a wide, deep indentation in the center of each flattened dough ball. Don’t be afraid of being decisive here; you want to make a deep enough indentation that it doesn’t just disappear as the buns rise and bake. Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling into each bun; crumble a little of the streusel on top. Cover the kolaches, and allow them to rise for about an hour; they won’t necessarily double in bulk.

Bake the kolaches in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, till they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm, or at room temperature.

Yield: about 20 kolaches.

Sausage Kolaches

The dough for these is the same as for the pineapple kolaches above; just the shaping is different.

1. Fry or boil 20 small (2½-inch or so) breakfast sausage links till cooked through. Allow them to cool.
2. Divide the dough into 20 pieces, and shape each piece into a flattened oval. Place a sausage on each oval and pull the dough over it, sealing the edge and ends, to enclose the sausage completely. Smooth out the kolaches as best you can, so they look nice. Cover them, and allow them to rise for 1 hour; they won’t necessarily double in bulk.
3. Bake the kolaches as directed above. Brush them with melted butter when they come out of the oven, if desired.

Yield: about 20 sausage kolaches.

Note: Though this probably isn’t traditional, I think a bit of shredded cheddar cheese, and/or a dab of mustard, would be good rolled inside the kolache with the sausage.

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Parmesan Cheese Twists

• ½ of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Stir the cheese, parsley and oregano in a small bowl.
2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise. Brush the halves with the egg mixture. Top 1 half with the cheese mixture. Place the remaining half over the filling, egg-side down. Roll gently with a rolling pin to seal.
3. Cut the pastry crosswise into 28 (½-inch) strips. Twist the strips and place on a baking sheet, pressing down the ends. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Tip: To make ahead, place the unbaked twists onto a baking sheet and brush with the egg mixture. Cover and freeze until firm. Remove the frozen strips from the baking sheet and store in a gallon size resealable plastic bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Bake the frozen pastries on a baking sheet at 400°F. for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.

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Spinach-Cheese Swirls

• ½ of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• ½ cup shredded Muenster cheese OR Monterey Jack cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 package (about 10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.
2. Stir the Muenster cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Top with the cheese mixture and spinach. Starting with a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 20 (½-inch) slices. Place the slices, cut-side down, onto baking sheets. Brush the slices with the egg mixture.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Tip: Make sure to remove as much liquid as you can from the spinach before adding it to the pastry. If it’s too wet, it may make the pastry soggy.

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Jalapeño Poppers in a Blanket

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 package (17.3 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
• 1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup finely shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
• 4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
• 3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 12 medium Jalapeño peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
2. Unfold 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 9-inch-by-12-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 (3-inch) squares. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.
3. Stir the cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic and bacon in a medium bowl. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half.
4. Place 1 filled pepper half diagonally, cheese-side down, onto each pastry square. Fold the pastry up over the pepper and press firmly to seal. Brush the filled pastries with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese, if desired. Place the pastries onto 2 baking sheets.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Let the pastries cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Ingredient Note: You can use store-bought roasted garlic or make your own. To make your own, cut ¼ inch off the top of a whole garlic bulb. Place the garlic onto a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap tightly and bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or until the garlic is very soft. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peel to use in this recipe.

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