VPWL

Ice Cream Bar

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You can figure on 1/2 gallon  of ice cream to serve 12 unless they are hungry boys – then double it.

  • Chocolate Ice Cream (½ gal each)
  • Vanilla Ice Cream (½ gal each)
  • Hershey Chocolate Syrup
  • Caramel Syrup
  • Marshmallow Crème
  • Bananas Sliced
  • Strawberries Sliced
  • Nuts/Chopped/Topping
  • Coconut Shredded
  • Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Red Sprinkles
  • Maraschino Cherries without stems
  • Whipped Cream Bomb 13 oz
  • Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Comment: Use a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners and scoop ice cream for each individual serving. Hold in freezer.

Alternately, cut the 1/2 gallon block of ice cream in half top to bottom and cut each half into 5 servings.

 

Turkey Cucumber Wheels

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I got tired of trying to spread the cream cheese, so I plopped it into a plastic baggie, cut a corner off, and piped it onto the cucumbers. It was a little easier that way. You could also use a pastry tube.

Ingredients:

  • 4 English cucumber about (1 ¼ inch in diameter and 8” long)
  • 1 pt whipped cream cheese
  • thin sliced turkey (the more thinly sliced the better)
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Cut cucumber into rounds about ¼ inch thick.
  2. Use a small spoon or knife to spread cream cheese on half of the pieces.
  3. Cut or break each slice of deli turkey into 5 or 6 pieces and divide it evenly among the cream cheese topped cucumber.
  4. Top with another round of cucumber to form a sandwich.
  5. Secure with a toothpick.

Serves: 64 Pieces

Source: Cooking With My Kids

Asparagus-Ricotta Tart

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Pretty and different.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets)
  • 3c ricotta cheese (part-skim)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 c finely grated Asiago cheese (plus more for topping)
  • ¼ c chopped capers
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 48 Small asparagus (about 2 lb), trimmed

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Roll out each pastry to a 13-by-9-inch rectangle.
  3. Fold over about ½ inch on all sides to form a crust.
  4. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  5. Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake 10 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, lemon zest, parsley, Asiago, and capers in a bowl.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Spread ½ ricotta mixture over each crust.
  9. Sprinkle with more Asiago. Line asparagus across filling, two per inch, alternating tips and bottoms (more closely than in picture).
  10. Bake until pastry is golden-brown and asparagus is tender, about 20 – 30 minutes.
  11. Cut in half length wise, then into 1 inch strips with two asparagus each to serve.

Serves: 48 pieces

Source: L A Times Parade Magazine, June 1, 2014

Lucia’s Paté

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Lucia was an old friend of ours who would visit her four children each year and bring us the best recipes.  They have stood the test of time!

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz  liverwurst 
  • 1 c sour cream
  • ½ envelope onion soup mix (1 ¼ ounce)
  • 2 drops Tabasco sauce

Directions:

  1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat with mixer.
  2. Let stand over night in the refrigerator.
  3. Serve in bowl or mounded on plate.
  4. Serve with crackers.

Serves: 12

Source: Lucia Henderson

Easy Swedish Meatballs

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My Swedish mother-in-law might frown at the ready made meat balls – but she was practical so would forgive.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c beef stock
  • 2 c heavy cream
  • 6 Tab flour
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tab dried dill
  • 2 ½ lbs frozen cooked ½ oz beef meatballs, thawed
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, whisk together a little of the beef stock and the flour to make a paste.
  2. Slowly add rest of beef stock.
  3. Add heavy cream, flour, soy sauce, black pepper, and dill.
  4. Whisk until smooth.
  5. Cook and stir over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Stir in the meatballs, and continue cooking until meatballs are heated through, about 5 more minutes.

Serves: 80 Pieces

Source: allrecipes.com, submitted by: Mary B

Comment: Frozen ½ ounce meat balls are available at Smart and Final.

Tequila-Lime Syrup

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Use the tequila-lime syrup on any fruit.  Oranges or pineapple are especially good.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1/4 c tequila
  • 2 Tab lime juice
  • 2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

Directions

  1. Combine the sugar, tequila, and lime zest in a 1-quart saucepan.
  2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
  4. Pour the warm syrup over any fruit and gently toss.
  5. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
  6. Gently toss before serving.

Serves: 1 cup

Source: by Shelley Wiseman from Fine Cooking Issue 124

Dill Mustard Sauce

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Gustav Anders was probably the best Scandinavian restaurant in Southern California.  (Scandia was a close second.)  This sauce is a must with poached salmon.

Ingredients:

  • ½ c Dijon mustard
  • ½ c sugar
  • 2 Tab plain or white wine vinegar
  • 2/3 c olive oil
  • ½ c fresh dill, finely chopped
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Place mustard in a bowl.
  2. Add sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. As when making mayonnaise, add oil drop by drop, stirring with a wooden spoon.
  4. At the last minute, mix in chopped dill.
  5. Chill until serving.

Serves: 1 1/2 cups.

Source: Gustav Anders

Comment: Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Shrimp With Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce and Easy Aioli

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These sauces/dips are killer!  Good for veggies too.  Try artichokes.

Shrimp:

  • 4 lbs frozen cooked shrimp, 31 to 40 count – no tails, thawed overnight in the fridge.
  • Drain well. Put them between a double layer of paper towels and press down with the towel to absorb the extra moisture.
  • Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce
  • Easy Aioli

Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce

Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce Ingredients: 

  • 1 c mayo or light mayo
  • ¼ c ketchup
  • 2 Tab fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 Tab Sriracha Sauce (more or less to taste)
  • ½ c finely chopped green onion

Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce Directions:

  • Finely chop the green onion.
  • In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the mayo and ketchup.
  • Stir in the lime juice, Sriracha sauce to taste, and finely chopped green onions.
    (If you’re not familiar with Sriracha, start with a couple of teaspoons and taste it before you add the full tablespoon. This will get more heat as it sits in the fridge.)

Serves: 1 ½ cups

Sorce: KalynsKitchen.com.

Easy Aioli

Aioli Ingredients:

  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed
  • ½ Tab coarse kosher salt
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • ¼ c olive oil
  • 2 Tab fresh lemon juice

Aioli Directions:

  1. Mash garlic and ½ teaspoon salt in small bowl until paste forms.
  2. Whisk in mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice.
  3. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
  4. Cover and chill.

Serves: Makes about 1 ¼ cup

Source: Amy Finely, Bon Appétit | July 2008

Can be made 1 day ahead.

Crab Pizza

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Pretty impressive for as simple as it is.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz soft cream cheese
  • 2 Tab milk
  • cocktail sauce, the bolder the better (or tomato sauce mixed with horseradish)
  • ½ lb crab meat (fake ok)
  • 1 T. fresh parsley, minced
  • zest of one lemon
  • Club crackers, or any other plain cracker

Directions:

  1. Mix cream cheese with enough milk to make it spreadable.
  2. On a large plate or pretty platter, spread cream cheese into about a 9 inch circle or square.
  3. Spread with cocktail sauce, maybe about 1/2 cup, just depends on how much you like.  But do be sure it is bold with plenty of horseradish!
  4. Sprinkle with crab meat followed by a sprinkling of parsley and lemon zest.
  5. Chill until ready to serve.

Serves: 8
Source: Big Red Kitchen, Robin Sue

Bacon-Wrapped Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

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Watch these disappear! And so simple.

Ingredients:

  • 24 fingerling potatoes
  • 24 slices bacon – thin sliced works best (1 lb regular sliced bacon has about 17 slices)
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Wash and dry the potatoes.
  2. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until the potatoes just begin to yield slightly when pressed.
  3. Remove from the microwave and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  5. Cut bacon slices in half crosswise.
  6. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise.
  7. Wrap each potato with half a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
  8. Place wrapped potatoes with the bacon seam side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  9. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
  10. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked.
  11. Remove from oven and cool.

Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 c sour cream
  • 3 Tab half-and-half or cream
  • 3 Tab finely chopped chives
  • 1 Tab prepared horseradish
  • Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Serve with roasted potatoes.

Serves: Makes 48

Source: Never Enough Thyme when Lana is Cooking