Always with the Appetizers!

I must admit that I really do like appetizers, as a snack or as a meal.  I have a new favorite from a Saturday evening gathering - it's called "Flaky Tomato and Mozzarella Tart".  I discoveredt in
an older issue of the "Real Simple" magazine, and the recipe is found here.

Be warned, however, that (even though it's easy) it will more time than you think.  The first time I tried to make it, I had time for the puff pastry to thaw (40 minutes) but had not allowed for the 30 minutes necessary for the dough to 'rest' after being rolled out.  So, my guests were arriving as I was taking it to the downstairs refrigerator, and I never did get back to finish and bake it (20 -25 minutes).

Saturday evening when I made it, I started too late again (!) but was able to shave 5 minutes off each of the thawing tie and resting time in order to offer it to our guests about 10 minutes after they arrived.

1 piece of puff pastry (1/2 of a box) makes two tarts, which provided about 2 appetizers each for 10 people.

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More Food BLESSINGS

Last Sunday I was out of town attending the Enoch Farm Spring Meeting (which was very anointed), leaving Merlyn home to process the DVD and photos he had taken at the Hosanna Dance recital, The Lion's Roar . (The production will be danced again December 14 and 15, 2012, at Riggs High Theater in Pierre, if you missed it.) 

Back to the story: Merlyn was planning to attend the potlunch and pie auction for the benefit of New Life Assembly's Nicaragua Team and their July missions trip.  He was distracted by a "quick" visit to First Baptist Church, where he is assisting them to evaluate their current sound system and needs, and as a result, returned to the church to find the potlunch over, the pies all purchased, and only a few friends left there.  Two of those wonderful friends, Kent and Sandy Bowers, gave Merlyn the rest of the Shepherd's Pie they had brought to the dinner, which  he took home and ate.  Another pair of wonderful friends, Tim and Melanie Stampe, called to say they had purchased a pie for him at the auction, and would drop it by for him.

The pie was the most delicious Key Lime Pie either one of us had ever eaten.  We were so blessed to enjoy it, especially since we hadn't even made it to the pie auction.  The following Sunday, Karen Helke came to me to say how disappointed she was Merlyn hadn't been at the pie auction, as she had made a Key Lime Pie just for him. 

Through the intervention of God and His helpers, Merlyn got to not only enjoy his favorite kind of pie, but to enjoy the best example of that favorite either of us have ever eaten.  And now he knows where to get another one!! 

Thank You, God!!! Thank you, friends!!!

Grape Chutney, a new favorite

This recipe is from a different source, but just as good.  We ate it over whipped cream cheese spread on toasted Italian bread on Friday evening, and almost didn't get to our main course (baked potatoes with butter and sour cream).  The potatoes were raised by our friends Betsy and Layne Moeller near Rosholt, SD.

GRAPE CHUTNEY

From Cuisine at Home, Issue 77, October 2009

Spread chevre or any soft cream cheese over toasted bread, then top with a spoonful of this sweet-hot chutney.

Makes 1 ½ cups; Total time: 45 minutes

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup minced shallots (2 shallots)

1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)

1 tsp cumin seed

1 cup each red and green seedless grapes (11 oz. total)

1 cup diced red bell pepper (1 large)

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ c. cider vinegar

1 jalapeno chile pepper, minced (3 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp minced fresh gingerroot

¼ cup grape juice (white or red – chutney made with white will have a brighter color)

2 Tbsp light brown sugar

¼ tsp kosher salt

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  When oil is hot, add shallots, garlic, and cumin seed; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Keep stirring so the shallots don’t brown.

Add grapes, bell pepper, raisins, vinegar, jalapeno and gingerroot.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cover skillet and let chutney simmer for 15 minutes. 

Remove lid; stir in grape juice and brown sugar. As the grapes cook down, crush them with a spoon. Continue to simmer mixture, stirring often, until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes.  Remove chutney from heat and stir in salt; let cool.

Serve chutney over cheese and crackers, or as a condiment for chicken, pork, lamb or beef. 

Per Tbsp: 37 cal, 1 gram total fat; 21 mg sodium; 6 g carb;

Candied Brie with Apple Wedges - It's a Hit!

Back when it was cold and snowy, Merlyn coerced some friends (who had never seen it) to watch the entire Star Wars series of movies. Part of the coercion was that they would bring food with them and join him on Sunday afternoons when I was working.  Star Wars, wonderful friends and great food - what's not to love!

They were such good sports about that I invited them to watch "A Year in Provence" with us, which of course required each of us to produce some French food to share. A Year in Provence is a miniseries that I first saw at Thanksgiving in 1993.  What actually happened was that there was a Thanksgiving blizzard which meant that my family couldn't come to town and have dinner with us.  This was our first Thanksgiving after my Dad passed away in August, so I was understandably depressed and couldn't really keep my mind on the series.  Merlyn spent the whole day moving snow and pulling people out of snow drifts. I spent the day tryiing to watch "A Year in Provence."  It was on A & E three times that day, so whenever he came into the house, it was still playing, and he thought it was at least 12 hours long.

A few years later I received the video series (a mere 6 hours long) for Christmas, and we watched it and enjoyed it - even learned some things!  During the past winter I ran across it as I was cleaning out our video cupboard and wanted to view it again. 

It took us two evenings to watch the whole thing.  And  the food was fabulous: we had two kinds of quiche, madeleines, salade nicoise, lobster risotto, chicken cordon bleu, French apple tart, homemade ice cream ...  We spent so much time with the marvelous food that we had to do an encore a few days later to finish the last quarter of the miniseries.

That time, we had madeleines, French apple tart and homemade ice cream again, as well as several appetizers like this one, candied brie with apple wedges,' provided for the Tri Cities cookbook by my sister-in-law Karen Hilmoe (a fabulous cook).

I have since learned better but at the time, none of us were familiar with Brie and we didn't know what to do with the rind.  So we peeled it off with a knife and scooped out the cheese, then spread it on the apple slices.  It was excellent!  And I'll have to serve it again to see how it is the right way, sliced with the rind intact.
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Here's the challenge: I'm going to make each recipe in the cookbook, "Trophy Recipes from Columbia Classics Car Club 1992-2002,' Tri-Cities, WA", one recipe per section, and blog about it.  And then I'll go on to the next section.

Next Section: Soups, Salads, & Condiments
Next Recipe:  Broccoli Salad
I'll be back after while!.  Bon Appetit!