Pimiento Cheese

I was looking for a "southern" appetizer to go with my Soul Food theme for a dinner party I was having and I found this recipe.  It is so yummy!  I've made it several times since then, and it is always gobbled down by guests.

I prefer to make it with finely shredded cheese.  And I didn't want to grate an onion just for 1 tsp., so I used dried onion instead.

Click here for the original recipe on the Southern Living website.

Basic Pimiento Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. finely grated onion
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 (8-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheese. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Marinated Olive and Cheese Ring

This recipe is FABULOUS!

Ir is much easier to make than it looks.  All you have to do is cut up cheese, put it in a circle, plop olives in the middle, and mix up a quick dressing.  Use whatever olives you like.  I just got a variety at the olive bar at our grocery store.  I used dried spices, but using fresh as directed would punch it up even more.  (1 Tbsp of most fresh herbs = 1 tsp dried)

It comes from the December 2013 issue of Taste of Home.

Marinated Olive and Cheese Ring

1 pkg cream cheese, cold (it's easier to cut it when it's cold)
1 pkg sharp cheddar (the recipe says white, but I liked the variation of white and yellow)
1/3 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
1/3 cup pitted Greek olives

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp minced fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar 2 oz pimiento strips, drained and chopped

Toasted French bread baguette slices (I served it with crackers)

Cut cream cheese lengthwise in half; cut each half into 1/4 in slices.  On a serving plate, arrange cheeses upright in a ring, alternating cheddar and cream cheese slices.  Place olives in center of ring.

In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, parsley, basil, and garlic until blended.  Drizzle over cheese and olives.  Sprinkle with pimientos.

Refrigerate, covered, at least 8 hours or overnight.  Serve with baguette slices.

Caramelized Ham and Swiss Buns

These are FANTASTIC!!  The sweetness of the brown sugar combines with the horseradish to make an unbelievable taste in your mouth.  Simply divine.

You make them a day ahead and bake them before you want to serve them.  They are easy and delicious!  I made them for our Christmas party, but they would make an excellent brunch or dinner anytime.  You could also serve them as an appetizer before dinner.

I will definitely be making these again!  This time I doubled the recipe, but forgot to double the sauce.  It was a happy accident because I wouldn't have wanted more sauce!  The amount was just perfect.  I think I might half the sauce if I only made 12 sandwiches in the future.

Based on the leftovers, I think I better make 36 instead of 24 for next year's party!

The recipe comes from the December 2013 issue of Taste of Home.

Caramelized Ham and Swiss Buns

1 package (12 ounces) Hawaiian sweet rolls, split

1/2 cup horseradish sauce
12 slices deli ham (I used Black Forest Ham from Giant Eagle's deli)
6 slices Swiss cheese, halved (I bought a brick and shaved it on the cheese grater)
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard (I used Dijon because that's what I had)
2 tsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Spread roll bottoms with horseradish sauce. Layer with ham and cheese; replace tops. Arrange in a single layer in a greased 9 in.square baking pan. 

In a small skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour over rolls. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake, covered, 25 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Crab Rangoon Dip

We served this yummy hot dip at our Christmas party last year and it was a big hit!  I served it with crackers last year, but I bought plain pita chips this year.  It would also be delicious with bread.

The recipe comes from the December 2011 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Crab Rangoon Dip

Makes 3 cups
Total time: 25 minutes

Mince:
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 Tbsp each chopped fresh cilantro and ginger
1 tsp sugar

Add:
2 pkg cream cheese, softened (8oz each)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
salt to taste

Fold:
1 can lump crab meat (6.5oz)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degress.  Coat a 3-cup ovenproof dish with nonstick spray.

Mince scallions, cilantro, ginger, and sugar in a food processor.

Add cream cheese and lime juice; pulse to combine.  Season with salt and transfer to a bowl.

Fold crabmeat into cream cheese mixture.  Transfer to prepared dish.  Bake dip until hot in center and bubbly, 15 minutes.  Serve dip with fried won ton chips.

Artichoke Dip

This is a recipe that came in the instruction booklet for the Hamilton Beach Party Crock I received last year. The beauty of it is that it doesn't take any space in the oven on a holiday! I served it for an appetizer with crackers and vegetables for dipping before Christmas dinner. It was a rousing success! I would think that any small slow cooker would work, although you might have to adjust the time.

2 cans (14-oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped (note, I could not find them in water, brine only, so I rinsed them before chopping)
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated and divided

1. In cast iron dish, mix artichoke, onion, mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup cheese.
2. Cover and cook on Medium heat for 2-3 hours.
3. One half hour prior to serving, reduce temperature to warm, top with additional 1/2 cup cheese, and cover. 8 Servings

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Black Bean and Corn Salsa (totally the easy way out):

Ingredients:

1 package Steamfresh frozen corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes (or, you can dice 15 oz. yourself)
1/3 cup diced red or white onion
1 avocado, diced
oregano, to taste
cilantro, to taste
juice of 1 lime

Combine beans, tomatoes, onion, avocado in bowl.
Prepare corn according to directions (microwave 4-5 minutes)

Pour corn over other ingredients. Add juice of one lime.
Mix and blend ingredients together. Sprinkle with oregano and cilantro as desired. Squeeze other half of lime over mixed ingredients. Mix again.
Cover and let flavors develop overnight. Serve with blue corn tortilla chips.

Voila!

Wine Pairing: Tempranillo, or a Temp/Grenache blend. Good fruit, but with some spice. Or, you know...beer.

Caprese Skewers

Caprese Skewers (courtesy of Williams-Sonoma Small Plates cookbook)

Ingredients:

12 fresh mozzarella balls, halved

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

12 fresh basil leaves, torn in half

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt and pepper to taste

Bamboo skewers (available in the International Foods department of major grocery stores)

Directions:

1) Thread one tomato half, 1 mozzarella ball half, and 1 basil leaf half on a wooden skewer. Repeat.

2) Arrange on a platter and drizzle with olive oil, and then season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 24 skewers.

Wine pairing: Nero D'Avola or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (light Italian reds, good for appetizer-type dishes)

Tomato Gallette

Tomato Gallette (courtesy of The Essex, Essex Junction, Vermont)

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese (Maytag, Bayley Hazen Blue, or Point Reyes)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced tomatoes

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley leaves

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2) On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out pastry into a rectangle roughly 17 by 15 inches and trim edges to forma 16 by 14 inch rectangle. Halve pastry lengthwise, forming two 16 by 7 inch rectangles.

3) Brush edges with water and fold in edges to form a1/2 inch wide border on each rectangle. With tines of fork, press border to seal. Transfer rectangles to a large baking sheet.

4) Sprinkle each tart with Parmesan. Arrange tomato slices in one layer on cheese. Scatter onion slices and herbs over tomatoes and sprinkle blue cheese and salt and pepper to taste

5) Bake in upper 1/3 of oven 13 to 16 minutes.

Wine Pairing: Riesling. Nothing's better with blue cheese.