Appetizer Recipes

Brie & Jelly

Makes 32
1/2 to 2/3 pounds brie cheese (wedges are fine)
1 (17.3 ounce) box frozen puff pastry
Hot pepper jelly

Cut the brie into 1/2-inch squares (leave the rind on if you like). Place on a dinner plate and put the cheese in the freezer while you thaw the puff pastry for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Unfold the thawed pastry , press together seams and roll lightly with a rolling pin to smooth it out. Cut each sheet into fourths, then cut each fourth in half. Cut the halves in half to make 16 squares per sheet.

Lightly spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick spray. Fit a piece of dough into each cup, pushing into the cup but leaving the edges sticking up. Place a dab of pepper jelly in each cup, then top with a piece of cheese .

Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Serve warm. (Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake, or you can bake them and re-warm about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F before serving.)

Phyllo Wrapped Crab and Brie

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons shallots
1/2 pound crabmeat, picked over well
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons minced parsley
Tabasco to taste (optional)
1/2 pound brie, cut into thin slices
15 sheets phyllo (1/2 pound)
3/4 cup clarified butter (or ghee)

Melt butter; add shallots and saute? until golden. Add crab ; heat through and season. Spread slices of Brie over crab. Keep over low heat without stirring until Brie softens enough to be stirred without breaking lumps of crab. When mixture is homogeneous, set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Remove 5 sheets of phyllo and cut in half lengthwise. For each packet, lay out 1 strip phyllo with the short end toward you, and brush with butter . Place about 1 1/2 teaspoons filling in corner of strip. Fold as you would a flag and brush with butter. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate if not planning to use immediately. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until crisp and golden. Serve hot.

Guacamole & Shrimp Dip

Tortilla chips
Guacamole
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Cocktail sauce
Shrimp, cooked and shredded

Toss about 1 inch of tortilla chips on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch dish. Cover with guacamole and about 1/2 inch of sour cream, then about 1/2 inch of cocktail sauce. Sprinkle shrimp on top.

Spinach Dip

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach , thawed and drained
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 cup Best Foods? Real or Light Mayonnaise
or Low Fat Mayonnaise Dressing
3 scallions, chopped
1 (1.4 ounce) envelope Knorr Vegetable Soup & Recipe Mix
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
1 large unsliced oval or round loaf of bread , hollowed out (optional)

In medium bowl stir all ingredients until well mixed. Cover; chill 2 hours to blend flavors. Stir before serving. If desired, spoon dip into hollowed-out bread loaf.
Makes about 4 cups.

Chicken Satay Appetizers

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 24 cubes*
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 medium red, green or yellow bell pepper,
cut into 24 (1-inch) squares

Marinate chicken in 2 tablespoons soy sauce for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, for sauce, thoroughly combine the remaining soy sauce , peanut butter, honey and oil; stir in chili sauce and parsley and set aside.
Thread a piece of chicken and bell pepper square onto small bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water. Broil 4 inches from heat source for 6 minutes, turning once. Serve with sauce.

* 1 pound boneless pork loin may be substituted. Slice 1/2 inch thick; cut slices into 1/4-inch strips.

Coconut Chicken Chops

1 pound boneless chicken breast halves ( 4 pieces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 (12 ounce) jar orange marmalade

Remove chicken pieces from the refrigerator and clean under cold running water. Dry the chicken pieces by patting with paper towels. Cut up each chicken breast into 8 pieces, each about the size of a quarter.

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable cooking spray.
In a plastic bag, mix together cornstarch, coriander, salt and flour.
In a bowl mix the egg whites and honey. Place the coconut in a second bowl.
Place chicken pieces in bag and shake. Coat pieces in the egg and honey mixture. Roll chicken in coconut and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 17 minutes or until thermometer reads 170 degrees F. At the end of the first 10 baking minutes, rotate the tray in the oven to assure even cooking. After an additional 5 to 7 minutes of baking, check the temperature. When coconut chicken chops have cooled slightly, lightly cover them with orange marmalade. Spear the chicken with long wooden picks to serve as appetizers.

Cozze al Radicchio (Mussels with Radicchio)
(Serves 4)

16– 20 mussels washed, beards removed, steamed to open
¼ of head radicchio, sliced, julienned
½ medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp or 45 ml. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Dressing:
1Tbsp. or 15 ml. wine vinegar (lemon juice may be substituted)
4 Tbsp. or 60 ml. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Separate mussels from shells and keep only half of the shells.
In frying pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until transluscent. Add radicchio and continue to sauté until radicchio is soft. Adjust taste with salt and pepper.
To prepare the dressing: combine vinegar, salt and pepper, whisk in oil, drizzling slowly. Continue to whisk until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Assemble for serving: Place a small teaspoon of the radicchio mixture in every shell adding one mussel on top. Season with dressing and serve.

Bruschetta with Fresh Tomatoes and Garlic
(Yields 24 bruschetta servings)

2 medium firm tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
6 fresh basil leaves, shredded OR 1 tsp. dry
½ tsp. or 2 ml. dried oregano
2 tsp. or 10 ml. chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup or 125 ml. extra virgin olive oil
24 slices crusty Italian bread, cut 1/4 inch thick

Wash and core tomatoes. Finely chop tomatoes or in food processor. Add garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil and mix well.
Toast bread by placing over a hot grill or under a broiler until golden on both sides.
Spoon the tomato mixture over each bread slice, arrange on a large platter, and serve.

Prosciutto Pinwheels

puff pastry sheets (1 package-2 sheets)
8 ounces of Prosciutto (thinly sliced)
Grey Poupon mustard (to cover)
8 ounces of Provolone cheese (grated)
4 ounces Parmesan cheese

First thaw the 2 pastry sheets and roll with a rolling pin into a 14 x 14 inch piece each. Then, spread a thin layer of mustard on each sheet of pastry.
Next, divide the Prosciutto in half and place on each sheet. Divide the cheese in half and place on each sheet. Next, roll each sheet into a tight roll and pinch the seams together.
Slice into 1/4 inch slices and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees F and serve warm or at room temperature. Deeeelish.

Goat Cheese Crostini

8 (3/4-inch-thick) slices French OR Italian bread, each cut into quarters on the diagonal
1 (5.03-ounce) package soft goat cheese, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons of finely chopped fresh chives, OR other fresh herbs as desired
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C).
Toast bread on a baking sheet in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove toasts. Preheat the broiler. (Toast can be made ahead up to 2 days. Cool completely and store tightly covered.)

While bread is toasting, combine goat cheese, chives, salt and pepper in a small bowl, blending well. Spread cheese mixture on toasts and sprinkle with Parmesan.*

Broil crostini about 2-inches from heat source until cheese is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

*The cheese mixture can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days.

This easy appetizer makes 32 beautiful servings. Serve on your favorite party platter or salad plates .