Food for Fifty

Cocktail Meatballs – An Oldie but Goodie

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Not a new recipe but it still sells.

Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs ½ oz meatballs (available at Smart and Final, frozen)
  • 4 cans jellied cranberry sauce (8 oz each)
  • 3 c chili sauce
  • ¼ c brown sugar
  • 1 Tab lemon juice
  • 1 c bourbon
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Heat meatballs according to package directions.
  2. In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and bourbon.
  3. Add the meatballs and simmer for 1 hour before serving.
  4. Serve in a chaffing dish.

Don’t forget to bring toothpicks in a bowl and a bowl for used one.

Serves: 160 meatballs

Source: allrecipes.com submitted by Lara

Homemade Eggnog Coffee Creamer

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Use the other ¾ cup in the eggnog cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 qt – minus 3/4 c eggnog
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 Tab rum or whiskey or 1 tsp rum flavor extract

Directions:

  1. Open up eggnog container and remove 3/4 cup of eggnog.
  2. Add vanilla to remaining eggnog in the carton.
  3. Added nutmeg.
  4. Added rum or whiskey.
  5. Shake it up.
  6. Refrigerate

Serves: Makes slightly less than 1 quart

Source: Fluffydragon at instructables.com

Comments: Just make sure you shake it up every time before using.

Chili Relleño Appetizers

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Cheesey goodness.  And they freeze too.

Ingredients:

  • 4 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 4 c shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 small can mild diced chiles
  • ½ can diced jalapeños
  • ¼ c milk
  • ½ tsp minced garlic
  • lemon pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Butter a 9 x 13 pan.
  2. Heat oven to 350°.
  3. Layer Jack cheese then peppers.
  4. Beat eggs, milk and seasonings.
  5. Pour over peppers.
  6. Top with cheddar cheese.
  7. Bake 30 minutes.
  8. Cool and cut into 1 inch squares. (cut 8 x 12)

Serves: 96

Source: Dry Creek Neighbors Club Since 1909, Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley, Wineries and Friends

Comments: May be served hot or cold.

Ham and Turkey Roll-ups

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You can jazz these up by adding a little mustard to the cream cheese.  

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened (two 8 oz packages)
  • 3/4 c carrots, shredded finely
  • 3/4 c zucchini shredded finely
  • 4 tsp dill
  • 10 oz thinly sliced fully cooked ham (rectangular package)
  • 10 oz thinly sliced fully cooked turkey (rectangular package)
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, carrot, zucchini and dill.
  2. Spread about 2 Tablespoons on each slice of ham and turkey.
  3. Roll up tightly and wrap in plastic wrap.
  4. Refrigerate overnight.
  5. Slice each roll into 4 pieces.

Don’t forget toothpicks in a bowl and a bowl for used ones.

Serves: Makes 80

Source: Taste of Home

Shake’N’Bake Coconut Shrimp with Orange Curry Dip

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This is not as complicated as it looks and is quite impressive to serve.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 c flake coconut, toasted
  • 1 pkg Shake’N’Bake chicken coating mix
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • ¼ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tab water
  • 1 lb uncooked large (31-40 count) shrimp, peeled and tails off
  • Orange Curry Dip
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400°
  2. Combine coconut, Shake’N’Bake, curry powder and cayenne in a pie plate.
  3. Whisk egg and water in separate pie plate until blended.
  4. Coat the rack of a broiler pan with cooking spray.
  5. Dip shrimp, 1 at a time, in egg, turning to completely coat.
  6. Then dip in coconut mixture, pressing coating firmly onto shrimp.
  7. Place on a rack on a baking sheet.
  8. Bake 10 – 12 minutes at 400° until shrimp are done.
  9. Serve with toothpicks and dip on a tray. Don’t forget a bowl for used toothpicks.

Orange Curry Dip

Dip Ingredients:

  • ½ c Ranch dressing
  • ¼ c orange marmalade
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 2–3 drops hot pepper sauce

Dip Direction:

  1. Mix until blended.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves: Makes 35 – 40

Source: Kraft Healthy Living Information

Comment: You can buy peeled raw shrimp, but you may have to remove the tails.  When pricing – remember half the weight of shrimp is the shell.

Lamb Lollipops with Rosemary Balsamic Reduction

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Actually, you should hide these in the kitchen and eat them all yourself!

Lamb Ingredients:

  • 6 Tab extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tab finely chopped parsley leaves
  • 2 Tab finely chopped rosemary leaves
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 Tab Kosher salt
  • 15 small rib lamb chops with bones attached, ribs frenched
  • 2 tsp black pepper

Lamb Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, rosemary, and garlic.
  2. Season with salt, to taste. Set herb oil mixture aside.
  3. Set a 12-inch pan over medium-high heat.
  4. Season the lamb with salt and black pepper.
  5. Add 2 Tab of the herb oil to the pan.
  6. Sear the lamb until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  7. Continue to cook the lamb, about 2 minutes each side, until medium rare.
  8. Baste them with 2 Tab herb and oil mixture.

(Alternatively, you can grill the lamb chops.)

Reduction Ingredients:

  • 2 Tab herb olive oil (from above)
  • 2 Tab minced shallots
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 1 c balsamic vinegar
  • 1 large or 2 small rosemary sprigs
  • 2 Tab butter

Reduction Directions:

  1. Place 2 Tab herb olive oil in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots, cook until translucent, about 1 min.
  3. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
  4. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and bring to a boil.
  5. Add the rosemary and allow the balsamic to gently boil and reduce until only about 1/4 cup of balsamic remains, about 10 minutes.
  6. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
  7. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter into the pan.
  8. Remove the rosemary sprigs before using.

To serve, drizzle lamb chops with the balsamic reduction.

Serves: Makes 15

Comment: To french lamb chops see The Hungry Mouse

http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2009/02/23/rib-of-the-week-garlic-rosemary-lamb-lollipop-chops/

If you want to be really fancy, you can make frills for the chops.

How to Make Paper Frills for a Crown Roast – YouTube

Source: FoodNetwork.com, Emeril Lagasse, 2006

Pioneer Woman’s Mini Meatball Sliders

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You can make the meatballs in the morning (or the day before) and assemble at party time.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground chuck or lean beef
  • ½ c panko or other bread crumbs
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • ½ c milk
  • 2 Tab olive oil
  • ½ medium onion, diced (½ c)
  • 1 large jar Marinara sauce (approximately 32 oz)
  • 36 small dinner or slider rolls
  • 12 slices provolone cheese cut each slice into 6 wedges

Directions:

  1. Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper and milk.
  2. Kneed together with your hands.
  3. Roll into balls about 1 tablespoon (½ oz) each. Flatten slightly.
  4. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
  5. Add onions and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add meatballs between the onions and brown for 1 minute.
  7. Pour in marinara sauce and shake pan gently to mix.
  8. Put on lid and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
  9. When ready to serve, cut dinner roll ¾ through and place a wedge of Provolone on the top and bottom of each roll.
  10. Spoon a meat ball and some sauce on each bottom.
  11. Close roll and secure with tooth pick.

Serve warm in chaffing dish.

Serves: 36 pieces

Source: Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman Cooks!

Ham Nirvana

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No more boring sugar coated ham for us!  Yummy and really simple.

Ingredients:

  • 8 – 10 lbs spiral cut ham
  • 1 ½ c rye whiskey (bourbon or other whiskey will do, too)
  • ¾ c honey
  • ¼ c light molasses
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • Honey Mustard Sauce
  • Piña Colada Sauce
  • 6 dz small dinner rolls

Directions:

  1. Whisk the whiskey, honey, molasses, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a medium bowl.
  2. Place the ham in a large roasting pan.
  3. Cook in 350° for 1 ½ hr or until 135°.
  4. Brush with whiskey glaze every 20 minutes while heating.
  5. Transfer to serving platter, carve.

Place mustard and pina colada sauces in dishes with small spoons.
Place rolls in napkin lined basket.

Source: Bon Appetit December 2013

How to Carve a Spiral Ham

  1. Turn the ham on its bottom.
  2. Find the bone, and using a large knife, cut around the entire bone.
  3. There are natural breaks in the ham, generally where a line of fat is, cut through those breaks. Leave some ham on the bone and cut some slices to fit rolls.
  4. Place uncut ham and bone on platter and arrange the cut pieces around it.

Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • 1/4 c honey
  • 1/8 c mustard (4 Tab)

Instructions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
  2. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

Piña Colada Sauce

Ingredients:

  •  2/3 cups cream of coconut
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 1/8 cups sour cream
  • 1/3 cup coconut flakes

Instructions:

  1. Place the cream of coconut and sour cream in a bowl.
  2. Stir until smooth and add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Store in the fridge .

Notes: Cream of coconut is actually quite easy to find. Just head to the alcohol section of your local grocery store and it will be by the margarita mixes etc.

Source: ohsweetbasil.com

Beery Kielbasa Appetizers

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Sounds like Super Bowl to me!

Ingredients:

  • 18 oz beer
  • 18 oz barbecue sauce
  • ½ c brown sugar
  • ¼ c Dijon mustard
  • 2 lbs kielbasa sausage cut into ½ inch pieces
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Combine beer, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  3. Reduce heat to low and add kielbasa pieces.
  4. Simmer until kielbasa is browned and glazed, about 1 hour.
  5. Serve warm in a chaffing dish.
  6. Don’t forget toothpicks in a bowl and a bowl for used ones.

Serves: Makes about 64 pieces

Source: allrecipes.com, submitted by ladderman229

Gourmet June 2013 California Here We Come! And Hawaii too!

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VPWL

GOURMET 2012-2013

SEE THE USA!

June, 2013

California Here We Come! And Hawaii too!

 

Temecula Valley Thornton 2011 Viognier

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
Gold and Orange Chicken Kebobs
Curried Beet Hummus with Vegetables
Winchester Aged Gouda with Crackers and Almonds

Santa Barbara Au Bon Climat (ABC) 2010 Chardonnay

Spinach-Wrapped Chicken with Curry Sauce
Shrimp with Supreme Sauce
Zucchini Oven Chips
Herbed Cheese Spread with Pita Chips and Grapes

Paso Robles Austin Hope Troublemaker Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (GSM)

Mini Lamb Pitas
Korean Style Beef Lettuce Wraps
10th St. Basque Café Stuffed Mushrooms
Sun – Dried Tomato Torta with Sourdough Chips

Sonoma Patassy 2009 Pinot Noir Green Valley of Russian River Valley

Duck Breast with Dried Cherry and Shallot Confit
Grilled Salmon with Asian Sauce
Lamb Sliders with Margie Mushrooms
Laura Chenel Goat Cheese with Dried Fruits and Crackers

Napa Valley Long Meadow Ranch 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Steak & Blue Cheese Bruschetta
Cocktail Meatballs with Spiced Tomato Jam
Wild Mushroom Brochettes
Long Meadow Ranch Olive Oil with French Bread and
Dukkah

Lodi Klinker Brick Winery 2010 Zinfandel

Polish Potatoes on a Stick with Mustard
Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
Barbecued Wings
Klinker Brick Winery Zinfandel Orange Mustard with
Pretzels

Hawaii Desserts

Coconut Mousse
Grilled Rum Pineapple
Summer Madness
Kalakaua Bars
Fudge with Kahlua
Humming Bird Cake with Bourbon Glaze
Coconut Chips, Dried Mango, and Pineapple

Kona coffee