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Appetizers or hors d'oeuvres Options are Endless
Appetizers or hors d'oeuvres options are endless. With careful planning and advanced preparation, mouth-watering
appetizers can be made. Be sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
CARLA DUE
TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS
Christmas parties with friends and family usually means games, presents and food. For me, it means games and appetizers or hors d’oeuvres at the party this weekend I will be attending.
Appetizers or hors d’oeuvres options are endless. I am sure you probably have a go-to favorite that you always make. For me, I love to make a spinach artichoke dip in the crockpot or sausage balls. With careful planning and advanced preparation, mouth-watering appetizers can be made with minimal time and effort.
If you are hosting the party, plan a wide variety of appetizers.
Decide if you will serve them hot or cold. Hot foods have to stay hot and cold foods cold. Make dips and spreads in advance; many times their flavor improves if stored in the refrigerator two or three days before serving. If serving hot appetizers, serve in stages so as one batch is emptied another piping hot one is ready. Electric plates, slow cookers or chafing dishes are convenient for keeping hors d’oeuvres warm. Hot foods should be held at 140 degrees or warmer.
Cold foods should be held at 39 degrees F or colder. Keep foods cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. Otherwise, use small serving trays and replace them often.
When serving more than one kind of appetizer, offer a variety of contrasting colors, textures and flavors. A cool, creamy yogurt dip with fresh vegetables, a rich cheese fondue, a dish of sweet and sour meatballs, and curried chicken spread is a multi-taste and texture combination. For calorie conscious guests, try to provide a few low- calorie choices.
In general, the number of appetizers needed will depend upon the length of time the guests will remain. For a four hour party, plan on about eight appetizers per person during the first two hours and four appetizers per person for the remaining two hours.
Make the appetizers appealing by using the food itself as decoration.
Huge crackers make novel display platters for molded spreads or sliced meat and cheeses. Festive containers for dips and spreads can be made by scooping out squash, eggplant, tomatoes, green or red peppers, apples, pineapples, melons or avocados. Braided or shaped bread loaves can also be hollowed out and filled with dips or spreads. For elegant finger sandwiches, use cookie cutters to cut the bread. Also, instead of spreading the filling on open-faced sandwiches, use a pastry bag to apply an attractive swirl of spread.
As with all food, the two hour rule should be followed: foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Keep track of how long foods have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything there two hours or more. You do not want to make your guests ill.
Add Chunky Cranberry Spread to your holiday buffet. It makes about one and one half cups. Keep chilled while serving.
Chunky Cranberry Spread
• 1 8-oz. package low-fat cream cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds or other nut • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, preferably fresh 1. Place cream cheese in a medium bowl and soften at room temperature.
2. Mash and work with a fork until texture is light enough to combine easily with other ingredients.
3. Gradually add just enough milk so cheese becomes soft and easy to spread.
4. Mix in remaining ingredients.
5. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days ahead.
6. Flavors will blend and mellow if this recipe is made ahead of time and allowed to refrigerate at least a few hours before serving.
7. Spread on slices of a whole-grain bread or Melba toast.
Nutritional Information per serving: 36 calories, 2g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 3 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, less than 1 g. dietary fiber, 29 mg. sodium.
For more information, contact the Miller County Extension Office,
870-779-3609 or visit us in room 215 at the Miller County Courthouse. ∆
CARLA DUE : County Extension Agent - FCS, University of Arkansas
Once the dough has risen you may want to test it to make sure that it has risen sufficiently. When you think the dough has doubled in size,
lightly poke two fingers about one half inch into the dough. If the indentations remain, the dough has risen enough.
Home Baked Bread for Christmas Dinner
CARLA HALEY-HADLEY
TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS
For as long as I can remember, we always had grandma’s homemade dinner rolls during our holiday celebrations. The aroma filled the house, and that melt in your mouth taste, there is little to compare in my opinion.
Yeast breads are made when you knead the dough and distribute the ingredients evenly and it develops the gluten in flour, which provides strength, elasticity and structure to the bread. Kneading gives bread an even texture and a smooth rounded top. Kneading can be done by hand, with a heavy-duty mixer with a bread hook or with a heavy-duty food processor. Kneaded breads are usually shaped and usually require two risings.
Don’t be reluctant to make yeast bread, here are tips my grandmother passed down to me.
Make sure your yeast is fresh. Check the expiration date and discard any that is expired. Expired yeast won’t become active and the bread will not rise.
If you have rapid or quick rise yeast in the pantry, it can be substituted for regular yeast, just reduce the rise time by one half.
If you are unsure about the freshness of your yeast, test it before beginning. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water (110 to 115 degrees F.). Slowly sprinkle one packet of yeast into the water. Stir the mixture and set a timer for 10 minutes. In 3 to 4 minutes, the yeast should have absorbed enough liquid to activate and will come to the surface.
If at the end of 10 minutes, the yeast has multiplied to the 1-cup mark and has a rounded crown, it's still active and can be used in your recipe. Remember to deduct the 1/2 cup of water used for the test from the total liquid used in the recipe. This process is sometimes referred to as "proofing the yeast."
Use a food thermometer to accurately determine the temperature of liquids. Yeast is a living organism. If the liquid in is too hot, it will kill the yeast cells. If it's too cold, it won't raise the dough.
Use very warm liquid (120 to 130 degrees F.) if the active dry yeast will be added to dry ingredients. If it's to be added to liquid ingredients, use warm liquid (110 to 115 degrees F.).
Once the bread has been made and it is time to raise, place the dough in a warm spot to rise. Yeast dough’s rise best when the temperature is 80 to 85 degrees F. To make sure the dough is warm enough, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and then cover with a clean dish towel. Place the bowl on a wire rack over a pan of hot water in a draft-free spot, or place the bowl on the top rack of an unheated oven. Put a pan of hot water on the rack below it. Yet another option is to turn the oven on at 400 degrees F. for 1 minute, then turn it off. Place the bowl on the center rack of the oven and close the door.
Once the dough has risen you may want to test it to make sure that it has risen sufficiently. When you think the dough has doubled in size, lightly poke two fingers about one half inch into the dough. If the indentations remain, the dough has risen enough.
For more information contact me at the University of Arkansas Division of Ag in Miller County, call 870-779-3609, or e-mail me at Chadley@uada.edu . You can also get tips and recipes on facebook UAEXMillerCountyFCS/ CarlaHaleyHadley, and twitter at @MillerCountyFCS.
As you bake for the holidays, start a family tradition at your house with home made yeast rolls. This recipe has been used in our family for as long as I can remember. It can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until you need the dough. Try it yourself for your Christmas dinner.
Grandma Browns Refrigerator Rolls
2 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees F.)
1/2 cup sugar
1-teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
2 packages yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1-tablespoon sugar
2 eggs, beaten
8 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
Mix 2 cups warm water, sugar, salt and shortening (no need to melt).
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1-teaspoon sugar. Add to first mixture. Add beaten eggs slowly and carefully. Stir in flour, 1- cup at a time blending thoroughly until dough is smooth. Turn out onto floured board and knead until smooth. Place in large buttered bowl.
Cover bowl and set in refrigerator, use as needed. Knead dough every time you use it. Make dough in rolls and let rise until double in size, about one hour. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown. Brush lightly with melted butter once removed from oven if desired. ∆
CARLA HALEY-HADLEY: County Extension Agent - FCS, University of Arkansas