Category: Appetizers

Prosciutto Wagon Wheels

Anything with puff pastry looks fancy, add prosciutto and you have a winner!

Ingredients:

  • 1 box frozen puff pastry (17 ¼ oz, 2 sheets) thawed
  • 2/3 c Dijon mustard
  • ¾ lb prosciutto, very thinly sliced, divided (easiest to use pre-packaged)
  • 2 c provolone cheese, shredded, divided.

Directions:

  1. Work with 1 sheet of puff pastry, keeping remaining sheet wrapped and cold.
  2. Roll out 1 sheet of puff pastry on floured surface to a 14 inch square.
  3. Brush with a thin layer of mustard.
  4. Cover with half the prosciutto slices, slightly overlapping and leaving a ½ inch border around the edges.  (Transfer prosciutto on paper and then remove paper.)
  5. Sprinkle with one cup on the cheese.
  6. Roll pastry tightly.
  7. Pinch seams to seal.
  8. Chill 1 hour.
  9. Repeat with remaining sheet.
  10. Preheat oven 425°.
  11. Grease large baking sheet.
  12. Cut rolls into ½ inch slices and place cut side up (discard ends) and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.
  13. Bake 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves: 50 pieces

Source: Bless the Cook – St Thomas Episcopal Church, Sun Valley, Idaho

Salt Lake City Rosemary Fillet of Beef

Great for that cocktail/dinner party.

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs beef tenderloin, room temperature (approximately 2-3 inches diameter)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 loaf French bread (baguette about 2-3 inches in diameter
  • herb butter
  • watercress for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°.
  2. Rub tenderloin with salt, pepper and rosemary.
  3. Place in shallow pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until internal temperature is 120°
  4. Let meat stand for 20 minutes and then refrigerate (Meat can be cooked severalhours early, chilled, and hors d’oeuvre assembled before serving.)
  5. Slice bread ¼ inch thick.
  6. Spread bread slices with herb butter.
  7. Brown under broiler.
  8. Slice beef very thin
  9. Pile several thin slices of beef on bread.
  10. Garnish with watercress.

Herb butter:

  • 1 c unsalted butter, softened (½ pound)
  • 2 Tab fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 Tab dill, chervil or tarragon, finely chopped

Make herb butter by chopping herbs in food processor, add butter, mix well.

Serves: 75 pieces

Source: A Pinch of Salt Lake, The Junior League of Salt Lake City, Inc.

Simply Heavenly Oyster Crackers

How long has it been since you made these?

Ingredients:

  • 2 pkg oyster crackers (12 oz each)
  • 1 c salad oil
  • 1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch dry dressing mix (3 Tab)
  • ½ tsp lemon pepper
  • 1 tsp dill weed
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

  1. Mix oil, dressing mix, lemon pepper, dill and garlic powder thoroughly.
  2. Pour over crackers in a covered container.
  3. Let stand at least 24 hrs.
  4. Turn container over occasionally until the crackers have absorbed the liquid.
  5. Place in 2 or 3 bowls to serve.

Serves: 8 cups

Source: Mollie Alexander, Simply Heavenly The Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Twin Falls, Idaho

Grand Tetons Turkey Cranberry Minis

Try turkey when it is not Thanksgiving – people are always surprised.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 c mayonnaise
  • 4 tsp minced parsley
  • 4 tsp honey mustard
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 3 c cooked turkey breast (about 1 ¼ lbs)
  • 1/3 c chopped celery
  • 1/3 c dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/3 c Swiss cheese shredded
  • ¼ c chopped pecans, toasted
  • 60 fold-over sliders

Directions:

  1. Cut turkey in ¼ inch cubes.
  2. Mix mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, pepper.
  3. Add turkey, celery, cranberries, cheese, pecans.
  4. Toss to coat.
  5. Chill.
  6. Place approximately 2 Tablespoon of filling into each fold-over roll.
  7. Close roll. Secure with pick.
  8. Refrigerate

Serves: 60 Minis

Source: Taste Of Home, October/November 2012

Grand Junction Pulled Pork Sliders

This makes a lot of filling and sauce, but it is great to freeze and have on hand for drop-ins (or even dinner).

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • ¼ c kosher salt plus more
  • ¼ c sugar
  • 7-8 lbs pork shoulder skinless with bone in (Boston butt or picnic)
  • ¼ c apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ c packed light brown sugar
  • 6 doz small slider buns
  • 1 lb butter
  • BBQ sauce – see below

Directions:

  1. Crush fennel and peppercorns.
  2. Add ¼ c salt and sugar.
  3. Rub over pork shoulder.
  4. Place in large glass baking dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°.
  6. Brush off spice rub and place pork in large foil lined roasting pan.
  7. Add 1 cup boiling water.
  8. Cover tightly with foil.
  9. Roast until meat is tender and falling off the bone – about 5 ½ hours with 195° internal temperature.
  10. Remove from oven.
  11. Discard foil on top.
  12. Increase oven to 500°.
  13. Stir ¼ c vinegar and brown sugar into the pan juices.
  14. Return pan to oven until meat is brown and juice starts to thicken.
  15. Watch so it does not burn! (about 12 minutes)
  16. Transfer the meat to a rimmed baking dish.
  17. Pour the juice into a small sauce pan.
  18. Bring juice to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes.
  19. Stir and spoon off the fat (discard).
  20. Pour sauce (there will be about ½ cup) over the pork.

Yield: 18 Cups

Great Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

  • ¼ c oil
  • ¼ c onion, chopped
  • ¼ c ketchup
  • ¾ c water
  • 1/3 c lemon or lime juice
  • 3 Tab sugar
  • 3 Tab Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 Tab Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

  1. Sauté onions in oil.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients and add to onions.
  3. Cover and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 2 ½ cups

To assemble:

  1. Split bun and open.
  2. Lightly butter the bottom half of the buns.
  3. Shred pork.
  4. Place 2T pulled pork on bun bottom.
  5. Add ½ Tab sauce.
  6. Cover with bun top.
  7. Secure with cocktail pick.
  8. Serve warm in chaffing dish.

Serves: 72 Pieces

Source: Pulled Pork – Bon Appétit, September 2012.  Great Barbecue Sauce – West of the Rockies – Junior Service League of Grand Junction

Dorothy’s Smokies Appetizer

Don’t worry about the chafing dish,  these never make it out of the kitchen!   They would also be a  different and nice addition to a breakfast buffet.  (P.S. This is not Happy Dogs – they are happy because they have bourbon!)

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (Costco size – about 2 lbs)  cocktail smokies (80 smokie links)
  • 2 lb bacon (40 slices)
  • 1 c brown sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°
  2. Line 9×13 glass pan with foil.
  3. Cut package of bacon in half.
  4. Wrap 1/3 piece of bacon around each smokie.
  5. Skewer with toothpick to secure bacon.
  6. Place in glass pan.
  7. When all are in the pan, spread with brown sugar.
  8. Bake for one hour.
    Serve hot in chafing dish

Serves: 80 pieces

Source: Dorothy Neale, 2008 Jacobs Colorado Cookbook

Comments:  Serendipitous discovery – use 2 lb mini smokies and cut the bacon in 1/3.  Bite Size for the win!

Notes:  Bummer, Costco no longer has smokie links.  Grocery store – 14 oz, 1# bacon +3 slices, 1/2 c sugar = 34 pieces

Donna’s Sweet and Spicy Nuts

These will disapear in a hurry!

Ingredients:

  • 6 c unsalted nuts (almonds, cashews, macadamias, and/or pecans)
  • 6 Tab unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • ½ c brown sugar packed
  • ¼ c water
  • 1 Tab chili powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • nonstick vegetable oil spray

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300°.
  2. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray.
  3. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  4. Add cumin, cayenne, salt, brown sugar, water, chili powder oregano and pepper
  5. Stir until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
  6. Add all the nuts, stir until butter mixture coats nuts thickly, about 2 minutes.
  7. Spread mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet.
  8. Bake until nuts are glazed and deep brown, stirring often, about 25 minutes.
  9. Cool nuts completely on sheet, stirring occasionally.
  10. Place in 2 or 3 bowls to serve.

Serves: 6 cups

Source: Donna Barasch found these in Gourmet May 1994

Comments: Can be made 1 week ahead and stored in airtight container at room temp.

Colorado Stuffed Potato Bites

Tiny, bite sized goodness!

Ingredients:

  • 30 very small red potatoes
  • 1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 4 oz sour cream
  • ¼ lb butter
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 Tab chives, minced

Directions:

  1. Cook whole potatoes in boiling water until tender and then cool.
  2. Cut potatoes in half.
  3. Cut a small slice off the bottom so they will stand upright.
  4. Scoop out some of the flesh of each potato half with a melon baller or small spoon.
  5. Mix flesh with cheese, sour cream, butter, salt and pepper (to taste)
  6. Stir in chives.
  7. Spoon potato mixture into potato shells.
  8. Bake at 350° until heated through.
  9. Serve warm in chaffing dish.

Serves: 60 pieces

Source: Colorado Homes and Lifestyles

 

Colorado Cache Tomato Bisque

If you have not tasted tomato soup with popcorn, you are in for a treat!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans crushed tomatoes (15 oz each) with juice
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tab butter
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Tab brown sugar
  • 2 tsp basil, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 pt light cream
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1 pkg microwave popcorn (3 oz) – popped, buttered and salted

Directions:

  1. In a large pot sauté onion in butter until soft.
  2. Add to crushed tomatoes in a large pot.
  3. Place bay leaf and cloves in a tea ball and add to tomatoes.
  4. Add sugar, salt, pepper, basil.
  5. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes.
  6. Remove tea ball with bay leaf and cloves.
  7. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor to purèe.
  8. Return to pan.
  9. Add cream and sour cream and heat thoroughly.
  10. Serve in soup terrine or crock pot.
  11. Serve with small punch cups and bowl of popcorn for topping.

Serves: 6 (small punch cups – 12)

Comment:  May be made the day before (except for cream) and refrigerated.

Source: Colorado Cache Cookbook, Junior League of Denver

Cataldo Mission Idaho Pizza Delight

This can be a quite colorful addition to a table.  Even kids will eat vegetables if they think it is party food!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg refrigerated crescent rolls (8 oz)
  • 1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz) softened
  • ¼ tsp dill weed
  • ¼ c mayonnaise
  • ½ pkg ranch dressing mix (½ oz)
  • ½ c zucchini, chopped
  • 1 c tomatoes seeded and chopped
  • ½ c chopped green onion
  • ½ c cucumbers peeled and chopped
  • ½ c sliced black olives

Directions:

  1. Unroll crescent roll dough and press into a 9×13 pan, pressing the edges and perforations to seal.
  2. Bake at 375° for approximately 15 minutes until light brown
  3. Cool to room temperature.
  4. Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed and salad dressing mix in a bowl.
  5. Mix well.
  6. Spread mixture over the cooled crust.
  7. Sprinkle with the chopped vegetables and olives.
  8. Press lightly into the cream cheese mixture.
  9. Chill.
  10. Cut 4 x 8 into squares approximately 2 x 1 ½ inch to serve.

Serves: 32 pieces

Source: Idaho à la cARTe A Gallery of Treasures, Traditions and Tastes from the Beaux Arts Sociétié

Comments: Vegetables can vary to include chopped broccoli, chopped red pepper, chopped green pepper, shredded carrots, and/or grated cheese.