Start the Party - Appetizers

There was quite an array of things to see and taste

And the table decorations were great

Recently I had the opportunity to go over to a county I'd worked in as Extension educator, and present a program for an annual event that I helped start many years ago. It was fun to revisit one of the favorite parts of my career. The event was Holiday Happenings, a get-you-ready-for-the-season series of demonstrations, presentations and ideas. I remember doing past programs of wreaths, gingerbread, salads, children's toys and many more topics complete with showing how to decorate, serve and gift the various themes.

My 'return engagement' talk was about family food traditions and I shared some food history and trivia and had a good time visiting with the women. But, as much fun as I had doing this, it was even more fun to watch the other part of the program! Lori, who teaches middle school FCS and is a special events chef in a historical town a few counties away, showed some of the appetizers she makes for the season. She also shared some tips for setting up the buffet table. Like placing foods at different heights by using cake stands, stacked plates and bowls, wrapped boxes, baskets and other decor. She recommended having the drink station separate from the food table to get people to mingle and move. Use everyday items in different ways - canning jars, horn of plenty baskets, flower pots and such. And of course, she stressed food safety - keep hot food hot and cold food cold with the help of iced bowls, warming trays, and other appliances. Of of the best tips was to label the food! She even suggested that besides the name of the food/recipe that the cook's name could be included at a shared buffet to make it easier to trace the recipe for sharing. It would also be helpful to those with food allergies to know what type of food was being offered.

I came home with lots of ideas to try for future gatherings. Here are two that will be taken to our family's Thanksgiving dinner.

Wonton Wrapper Appetizers
1 (16-oz) pkg wonton wrappers (could use egg roll wrappers)
1 lb. sausage, cooked
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Ranch salad dressing
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a min-muffin pan with cooking spray. Inset wonton wrappers into the muffin pan and press to sides to form small cups. Bake 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow the baked wrappers to cool. Remove from the pan. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sausage, cheeses and dressing. Fill the cups with the mixture. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly and slightly brown. Watch closely so the wrappers do not burn.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tartlets
1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
6 tbsp peanut butter
4 oz bar sweet baking chocolate pieces (or  chocolate baking melts - I'm going to try milk chocolate chips)
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll into an 18x9-inch rectangle. Cut into 24 squares. Press the pastry squares into mini muffin pans. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter into each tartlet shell. Top each with 1 semi-sweet chocolate baking melt and 2 mini marshmallows. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 7-8 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Let the pastries cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
   For a larger version (the original recipe before Lori tweaked it) cut puff pastry into 18 squares. After pressing into regular muffin pan cups, add 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1 square chocolate and 3 mini marshmallows. Bake for 10 minutes.

Here are some other appetizers Lori showed. More to come in future blogs!

Cheese ball shaped as an igloo.
Penguins made from black olives, cream cheese and carrots.

Mini sugar cookies on tiered plate, puff carmel corn in large bowl.
Chocolate chip cheese ball frosted with cream cheese and
 'wrapped' with ribbon of fruit rollups to look like a package.

Unusual serving containers and presentations made it all look festive! 

A Good Day for Cats, but not Frogs!

Go Cats! Beat the Horned Frogs!

This was an exciting weekend in Manhattan as our K-State Wildcats played the TCU Horned Frogs (yes, really!). After a tight game, the Cats won 33-31. A big part of the fun was tailgating with friends before the game with a frog inspired menu.
My contribution was Frog Cupcakes (thank you, Pinterest).

Frog Cupcakes

These froggies are ready to go to the game.

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 oz) package white/yellow cake mix
1 (16 oz) can prepared vanilla frosting
6 drops green food coloring, or as needed
1/4 cup green decorator sugar
12 large marshmallows
48 semisweet chocolate chips (or decorator gel)
decorator gel for face features

cupcakes, baked and cooling

eyes, ready to put on frogs

Directions:
1. Bake cupcakes according to directions on package. All to completely cool.
2. Mix frosting with green food coloring. If you like, you can reserve some frosting to mix with red to make mouths and tongues. Sprinkle some green sugar over tops of frosted cupcakes.
3. Cut marshmallows in half to make 2 circles. Dip each half in water then green sugar to make eyelids. With a little white icing attach chocolate chip for center of eye. Place eyes on cupcakes.
4. Add face features with red tinted frosting or decorator gel.
My tips: I made the eyes the evening before so they had a chance to dry before attaching them to the frosted cupcakes. Cut the marshmallows with kitchen scissors dipped in water. I used black decorator gel to add the black center of the eye instead of a chocolate chip. Also, I added a couple of tablespoons of meringue powder to the can of frosting to make it a little firmer when set. And, I used dark green decorator gel to draw the mouth.

The cupcakes went well with the menu which included grilled frog legs (for real) and Frog's Eye Salad (Acini de Pepe pasta and fruit salad - see a similar recipe in my blog of July 17, 2011).

The meal deal

Church Chicken

Because "Church Chicken" sounds better than "Funeral Chicken". But that may be the new informal name for this recipe. We've often joked about the favorite hash brown potato casserole recipe we call "Funeral Potatoes" (Aug. 13, 2011 blog "Collecting Cookbooks" - UMW Party Potatoes), it was even served at the musical "Church Basement Ladies" dinner theater. But some recipes are comforting, tasty, and easy to prepare for a crowd or extended family attending a funeral.
So when our UMW was asked to serve a dinner for the family after a funeral service at our church this week, this recipe - officially called "Glorious Chicken", from a Garden City community cookbook was suggested by the UMW president. And it did turn out to be a favorite, I'll even make it at home - just won't tell the family its "Funeral Chicken"!

Glorious Chicken

4 – 6 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup

1 can (10 oz) cream of celery soup

1 carton (8 oz) sour cream

1 small onion, chopped

1 pkg (8 oz) chicken & herb dressing mix

½ cup margarine

1 ½ cups chicken broth

Place chicken in bottom of greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Mix soups, sour cream and onion; pour over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mix over soup mixture. Combine margarine and broth in a small saucepan and heat until margarine melts; pour over stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes

Makes 8 (or more) servings. 

Here are the four basic steps of the recipe (from the top): 1 - chicken on bottom of pan; 2 - soups+sour cream+onion over chicken; 3 - stuffing mix on top; 4 - broth+margarine added to top.