Party food - fun with fruit
More from my cousin's bridal shower - it was just a small affair with mostly family at my great-grandparents' farmhouse that has been lovingly and beautifully restored by my aunt and uncle. Hmm...should post pictures of it if I can find them.
Leftover chocolate-caramel thumbprints from Christmas (why let yumminess go to waste?), Pan de Polvo (from the store, a must have for all parties in South Texas) and "Jam-filled dainties" which are basically fancy cut and rolled sugar cookie dough filled with a dried apricot/marmalade mixture and dusted with powdered sugar. Simple enough to make but they look pretty fancy!
Super simple and yummy fruit dip.
Chicken, Pear, and Gorgonzola Tarts
Fruit-Filled Dainties
from Taste of Home Best Holiday Recipes 2008
Refrigerated cookie dough can be shaped into cookies or tarts in this recipe. Use one filling or make them both.
Cran-Orange Filling:
2 cups orange-flavored dried cranberries
9 tablespoons orange marmalade
Apricot-Orange Filling:
9 tablespoons orange marmalade
4 1/2 teaspoons water
2 1/4 cups choped dried apricots
Dough:
1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioners' sugar
1. Prepare either the cran-orange or apricot-orange filling. For cran-orange filling, combine crnaberries and marmalad ein a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. For apricot-orange filling, combine the marmalade, water, and apricots in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped.
2. In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until smooth Divide into thirds. Work with one portion at a time and keep remaining dough covered.
3. To prepare cookies: On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 2-1/2 inch squares or cut with a 2-1/2 inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Place a slightly rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each square or circle. Shape by folding two opposite points of squares over one another or by folding edges of circles together; press to seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
5. To prepare tarts: Shape one portion of dough into twelve 1" balls. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of ungreased miniature muffin cups. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, gently make a 3/8 to 1/2-inch deep indentation in the center of each tart. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Spoon about a tablespoon of filling into each tart.
Yield: 3 dozen
Note: Each type of filling makes enough to fill the entire batch of cookies. If you would like to make both fillings, make two batches of the dough.
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Fruit Dip
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/lla/lj/food/ellenshower6.jpg
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Mix ingredients together until smooth. Let flavors meld in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
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Chicken, Pear & Gorgonzola Tarts
from Taste of Home, December & January 2009, tasteofhome.com
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients:
8 bacon strips
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup finely chopped cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup pear nectar
1/4 cup finely chopped dried pears
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 packages (1.9 oz. each) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Directions:
Place bacon in a 15"x10"x1" baking pan; broil 4 inches from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until crisp. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over bacon. Broil 1 minute longer or until bacon is glazed and bubbly. Drain on paper towels. Cool slighlty and crumble.
In a small skillet, combine the chicken, pear nectar, pears, preserves, butter, salt and pepper. Briung to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Spoon about 1 teaspoonful of filling into each tart shell; place tarts on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm.
Notes:
Since I've never seen dried pears at my grocery store, I substituted pear preserves for the dried pears and pear nectar. 3-4 tablespoons or so.
Also, watch the bacon closely so that it doesn't burn. Don't follow the times in the recipe.
These smelled terrible while baking, but tasted really good, if you're a fan of blue cheese. ^_^
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My poor brother just had his wisdom teeth out today. :( Terrible that he's on a diet of ice cream and chocolate pudding. =P
Leftover chocolate-caramel thumbprints from Christmas (why let yumminess go to waste?), Pan de Polvo (from the store, a must have for all parties in South Texas) and "Jam-filled dainties" which are basically fancy cut and rolled sugar cookie dough filled with a dried apricot/marmalade mixture and dusted with powdered sugar. Simple enough to make but they look pretty fancy!
Super simple and yummy fruit dip.
Chicken, Pear, and Gorgonzola Tarts
Fruit-Filled Dainties
from Taste of Home Best Holiday Recipes 2008
Refrigerated cookie dough can be shaped into cookies or tarts in this recipe. Use one filling or make them both.
Cran-Orange Filling:
2 cups orange-flavored dried cranberries
9 tablespoons orange marmalade
Apricot-Orange Filling:
9 tablespoons orange marmalade
4 1/2 teaspoons water
2 1/4 cups choped dried apricots
Dough:
1 tube (18 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioners' sugar
1. Prepare either the cran-orange or apricot-orange filling. For cran-orange filling, combine crnaberries and marmalad ein a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. For apricot-orange filling, combine the marmalade, water, and apricots in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped.
2. In a large bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until smooth Divide into thirds. Work with one portion at a time and keep remaining dough covered.
3. To prepare cookies: On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 2-1/2 inch squares or cut with a 2-1/2 inch round cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Place a slightly rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each square or circle. Shape by folding two opposite points of squares over one another or by folding edges of circles together; press to seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
5. To prepare tarts: Shape one portion of dough into twelve 1" balls. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of ungreased miniature muffin cups. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, gently make a 3/8 to 1/2-inch deep indentation in the center of each tart. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Spoon about a tablespoon of filling into each tart.
Yield: 3 dozen
Note: Each type of filling makes enough to fill the entire batch of cookies. If you would like to make both fillings, make two batches of the dough.
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Fruit Dip
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a388/lla/lj/food/ellenshower6.jpg
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Mix ingredients together until smooth. Let flavors meld in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chicken, Pear & Gorgonzola Tarts
from Taste of Home, December & January 2009, tasteofhome.com
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients:
8 bacon strips
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup finely chopped cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup pear nectar
1/4 cup finely chopped dried pears
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 packages (1.9 oz. each) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Directions:
Place bacon in a 15"x10"x1" baking pan; broil 4 inches from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until crisp. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over bacon. Broil 1 minute longer or until bacon is glazed and bubbly. Drain on paper towels. Cool slighlty and crumble.
In a small skillet, combine the chicken, pear nectar, pears, preserves, butter, salt and pepper. Briung to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Spoon about 1 teaspoonful of filling into each tart shell; place tarts on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Serve warm.
Notes:
Since I've never seen dried pears at my grocery store, I substituted pear preserves for the dried pears and pear nectar. 3-4 tablespoons or so.
Also, watch the bacon closely so that it doesn't burn. Don't follow the times in the recipe.
These smelled terrible while baking, but tasted really good, if you're a fan of blue cheese. ^_^
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My poor brother just had his wisdom teeth out today. :( Terrible that he's on a diet of ice cream and chocolate pudding. =P