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Recipe ingredients and directions:

1 round brie; 8 oz

1/2 very ripe pear; chopped, or 2 canned pear halves, patted dry and chopped

1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon hazelnut liqueur

In bowl, combine pears, toasted hazelnuts, brown sugar and liqueur.

Cut off top rind of Brie, if desired. Place Brie on baking sheet;

spread with topping. Bake in 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until

cheese is softened.

VARIATIONS

Brie with Sweet and Nutty Topping: Omit Hazelnut Pear Topping. Stir

together 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar,

2 tbsp dried cherries or raisins (optional) and 1 tbsp whisky;

spread over Brie and bake.

Brie with Cranberry Mandarin Topping: Omit Hazelnut Pear Topping.

Stir together 1/4 cup cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup canned mandarins,

chopped, and pinch cinnamon; spread over Brie and bake.

Brie with Red Pepper Topping: Omit Hazelnut Pear Topping. Stir

together 1/3 cup red pepper jelly and 2 tbsp diced sweet red

pepper; spread over Brie and bake.

Brie with Fruit Chutney Topping: Omit Hazelnut Pear Topping. Spread

1/3 cup fruit chutney over Brie and bake.

Brie with Strawberry Topping: Omit Hazelnut Pear Topping. Stir

together 1/2 cup chopped strawberries, 2 tbsp white wine or vermouth,

and 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint (optional); spread over Brie and

bake.

Yield: 10 to 15 servings

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm frozen Puff Pastry

1 lb Brie Cheese (round)

1 pkg Boursin Cheese

1 egg

1 tsp water

Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.

Thaw pastry 20 minutes; on a floured surface roll to a 15-inch

circle.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Slice Brie in half horizontally. Spread Boursin cheese on one half.

Re-assemble Brie and place in the center of pastry.

Brush pastry edges with egg wash, and pull up sides to enclose

Brie. Place seam side down on ungreased baking sheet. If desired,

decorate the top with pastry scraps. Brush with egg wash.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes (at least) before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Variation: Stuff the Brie with 1/4 cup sliced, toasted almonds and

1/4 cup chopped parsley instead of Boursin.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

12" wheel of brie

3 cups fresh cranberries

1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup dried currants

1/3 cup water

1/8 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8 tsp ginger

Cook cranberries over medium heat until they pop. Bring to room

temperature.

Take skin off top of brie, but leave 1/4 inch around the edge.

Leave all skin on the sides. Put cooled marmalade on top.

Bake at 350 until cheese melts…approximately 15 minutes. Serve

warm.

I usually serve it with apple and pear slices and crackers.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

4 large Granny Smith apples

lemon juice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup grapes sliced in half

1/3 cup sliced almonds lightly toasted

1 large wheel brie

1 loaf crusty bread sliced

Peel, quarter and slice apples. Sprinkle with lemon juice to

prevent discoloring; set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onions and

saute until lightly brown and caramelized. Remove from pan to a

plate; set aside. Add honey and sugar to pan and stir until it

has liquified. Add apples and continue stirring until apples are

almost cooked. Add grapes and raisins. Continue cooking until

sugar has caramelized.

Pour the apple mixture into a 2 qt. ceramic souffle dish or other

ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

Cut brie into 1" chunks and spread evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese

has melted and turned lightly golden

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

oil spray

garlic powder

dry oregano leaf, crushed

When dough is soft enough to knead, spray your fingers with Pam or

oil and knead just until you can shape into cigar sized pieces

(about 8 to 10).Place these 3" apart on Pam-sprayed cookie sheets.

Let rise in warm place until doubled – about 1-1/2 hours. Then

holding Pam about 8" from sticks, lightly spray top of each and

then dust with garlic powder and oregano. Bake at 375~ about 20

to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on rack to serve

within a day or two.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon grated onion

3/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese,grated

3/4 cup flour, sifted

Preheat oven 450 degrees.

Mix all ingredients well. Shape into small balls and place on

ungreased baking sheet. Press with fork to form small wafers.

Chill 2 hours. Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes or until

golden brown.

Yield 3 dozen

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

(yield: about 36)

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp minced onion

3 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk or stock

1 Tbsp minced parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp curry powder

2 cups ground cooked beef, veal chicken or a mixture

1 1/2 cups shredded mild Gouda or Edam cheese

1 cup fine dry bread/rusk crumbs

2 eggs, beaten with 2 Tbsp water

Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute onion until it becomes

transparent. Blend in flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add

the milk or stock. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add

the parsley, salt, Worcestershire sauce, curry, meat and cheese.

Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Cool the mixture for several hours in the fridge. Shape the cooled

mixture into bite-sized balls with teaspoons. Roll the balls into

the crumbs, dip each ball into the eggs, then roll in crumbs again.

Place in a shallow pan to dry and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 375F (190C). Fry the bitter balls,

a few at a time, until golden — about 2 minutes. Drain on paper

towels and serve hot on cocktail picks with Dutch mustard for

dipping.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Yield: 6 servings

1/2 green bell pepper

1/2 red bell pepper

1/2 yellow bell pepper

3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 Tbsp chopped ripe olives (black)

1/4 tsp red pepper, Crushed

Seed Peppers and cut into 6 strips each. Cut bell pepper strips

crosswise into halves. Arrange in ungreased broiler proof pie pan,

9 X 1 1/4-inches or round pan 9 X 2-inches. Sprinkle with cheese,

olives and red pepper. Set oven control to broil. Broil peppers

with tops 3 to 4 inches from heat until cheese is melted, about 3

minutes.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1 package cocktail weiners

2 cups biscuit mix

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 cup beer

Combine buscuit mix with cheese and beer. (Dough will be sticky.)

Turn out on floured surface and knead 2-3 minutes. Roll into square

1/2 inch thick. Cut into squares. Wrap dough around uncooked

cocktail weiners. Bake 400 for about 10 minutes. Serve with

Mustard Sauce.

MUSTARD SAUCE

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 tablespoons garlic powder

12 ounces beer

1 tablespoon vinegar

Combine first four ingredients in saucepan. Stir in beer and

vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick

and bubbly.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Preparation of the Nuggets:- A nugget is a bite-size morsel from the

list of optional nugget ingredients. You can use one ingredient alone

or in combination with others ingredients. (One pound of nuggets will

yield 4-6 servings.)

Nugget Ingredients

raw shrimp (shelled and deveined)

chicken or turkey (skinned and deboned); cut into nugget sizes

peeled potatoes cut into 3/16 inch thick slices

peeled sweet potatoes cut into 3/16 inch thick slices

mushroom caps

bermuda onions cut and separated into rings

cauliflower florets

broccoli florets

Preheat cooking oil. Add a few drops of sesame oil for flavor.

Use a good thermometer and bring the cooking oil to 370 degrees F.

Beer Batter

1 lb nuggets

1 c flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 whole beaten egg

1/2 c beer

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Beat in egg and

beer (Pilsner Urquell or Martiner are both good beers). Dip nuggets

in batter, coating them well. Fry the nuggets in cooking oil until

browned. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Sweet-and-sour Pineapple Sauce

1 T cornstarch

1 T sugar

1 t salt

4 T vinegar

1/2 c pineapple juice

1 c pineapple chunks

Mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt with the vinegar. Add pineapple

juice. Cook over low heat, stirring steadily, until thickened.

Arrange the batter fried nuggets and pineapple chunks on a dish

and pour sauce over all.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

125g cold cooked beef, thinly sliced

50g cream cheese

1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 Tbs finely chopped red capsicum

Few stuffed olives and cocktail onions

Mix the cream cheese with the Tabasco and red capsicum. Roll up

and fasten with tooth picks. Serve garnished with stuffed olives

and cocktail onions.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Serves 6-8

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp prepared horseradish

1/4 cup cooked, finely crumbled bacon

2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

2 pounds roasted beef tenderloin, in 24 thin slices

24 thin asparagus spears, cooked crisp-tender trimmed 3"

24 long chive stems, blanched and cooled

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, horseradish, bacon,

and parsley. Set aside. Lay the slices of beef tenderloin out on

a waxed paper surface.

Spread each slice with a little of the cream cheese mixture.

Place an asparagus spear in the middle of each slice. Roll each

slice up and tie together with a chive stem. 6. Chill, covered,

until time to serve.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Get two small rounds of Gouda cheese (you may find it in either

the dairy section or by the deli). Get one Pillsbury Crescent Roll

dough. Separate the dough into 4 squares (2 triangles each).

Remove wax covering from the cheese and then wrap two squares around

each cheese round – one on the top and one on the bottom so that

it is entirely covered.

Put rounds on a baking sheet and follow the crescent roll instructions

for baking temp and time. When it comes out, let it cool slightly

and then cut into pie shape wedges. You’ll probably want to make

this just before the start of the party so that the cheese is still

slightly warm. Enjoy!

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1 wedge brie

seedless red grapes

brown sugar

Cut the brie in half (butterfly it, so that you now have two wedges),

place the brie, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Cut enough red

grapes in half length wise to lightly cover the 2 brie wedges.

Grapes go onto the brie cut side down. Sprinkle generously with

brown sugar.

Bake at 350, until the brie becomes soft and starts to melt.

Serve with french bread or crackers.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Serves 4 – 6

1 small wheel of brie

2 heads garlic sauteed

1 loaf French bread

Preheat oven to 350F. Place wheel of brie on an oven proof plate

and poke a few holes in the top of the rind. Place the cloves of

garlic on top of the rind and bake for 20 minutes or so until bubbly

and crusty and brown around the edges. Serve with French bread.

If you are not a garlic affectionario then you can reduce the

amount of garlic to 1 head.

Sauteed Garlic

1 head garlic

3-4 tablespoons butter

Separate the cloves of garlic and leave the skins on. Parboil the

cloves for two minutes in boiling water, let cool and peel. Saute

the cloves in butter until soft and light golden in color.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

1 onion

1/2 oz. butter

2 large ripe avocado pears, halved and stones removed

4 oz. chopped Brazil nuts (or almonds)

4 oz. Gruyere cheese, diced

4 Tbsp grated Parmesan

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

2 Tbsp sherry

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Fry the onion in the butter for 10 min.

Meanwhile, scoop the fresh out of the avocado skins with a tsp,

taking care not to damage the skins. Dice the avocado flesh. Add

the fried onion to the avocado, together with the Brazil nuts,

cheeses, parsley and sherry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pile the mixture back into the avocado shells, place them in a

shallow ovenproof dish and bake for 10-15 minutes (keep an eye on

them). Serve immediately.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

4 pounds chicken wings

10 ounces Coke

1 cup brown sugar

garlic salt

onion salt

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Place meat in shallow casserole. Sprinkle with garlic and onion

salts. Pour mixture of Coke, sugar and soy sauce over all. Bake at

325 for 3-4 hours or until liquid has evaporated and become sticky.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Cut stale bagels in half and slice them in a food processor. Put

them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Melt butter with a good

amount of garlic powder and brush each bagel piece with the garlic

butter. Broil in the oven until lightly brown.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

3 green onions minced

3 large ripe avocados

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp ground corriander or to taste

2 cups cashews chopped

1/3 lb monterey jack cheese shredded

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups fine dry white bread crumbs

oil to deep fry

In bowl place minced onion, avocados, salt and pepper, corriander

and lemon juice and mash and mix with a fork. Stir in chopped nuts

and shredded cheese.Mixture should be firm enough to roll into a

small balls.

Coat in flour and then in bread crumbs. Fry the balls in hot fat

350 degrees ( several inches of oil in heavy duty skillet ) until

golden on all sides. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot. Quantity

depends on the size of the balls ( walnut size is fine ). Note:

use any mild cheese or any kind of nut if desired.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

AVOCADO SHRIMP CUP

1 avocado for each 2 servings

2 tablespoons small, cooked shrimp per serving

3 tablespoons cocktail sauce per serving, more if needed

Peel the avocados and cut them into cubes. Divide the cubes into

salad bowls, 1/2 avocado per bowl. Spoon the shrimp over the

avocados. Spoon cocktail sauce over the shrimp. Chill until

serving.

Cocktail Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup ketchup

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

1 tablespoon brandy

1/4 teaspoon ground paprika

pinch caraway seeds

Whisk the mayonnaise and ketchup together until the color is uniform.

Stir in the lemon or lime juice. Stir in the brandy, paprika, and

caraway seeds. Whisk the whole works to smoothness. Allow to

stand for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Whisk to smoothness

again before serving. Makes a great cocktail sauce, especially

with shrimp and avocado.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

asparagus spears (I usually use about 20)

pancetta

rice paper sheets, one per asparagus spear

egg wash

vegetable oil

dark toasted sesame oil for flavor

wasabi

Chinese hot mustard

toasted dark sesame oil

heavy cream

Tamari (Japanese dark soy sauce)

Scallions

1/8 red cabbage head, shredded

1/8 green cabbage head, shredded

Prepare the rolls. Trim the asparagus and peel the stem so you’re

left with spears of about 5" – 7". Steam or blanch spears for a

few minutes until somewhat cooked but still firm — they will

undergone secondary cooking later) Arrest cooking by dropping

steamed asparagus spears into an ice-water bowl. Set aside.

NOTE: working with rice paper: Place rice paper sheet on a working

surface (or large flat plate). Brush with water on both sides, make

sure you don’t break the sheet (they are very brittle when dry).Wait

a few minutes until the rice paper sheet absorb the water and become

very soft and malleable. When cooked, the rice paper becomes

translucent, a magical effect indeed!

Do the following with each of the asparagus spears:

Dry the spear using paper towel. Wrap a pancetta strip around the

spear, leaving the flower unwrapped. Wrap the spear with a piece

of rice paper. Try to keep it to one layer. Seal the seam with

a bit of the egg wash. Leave the flower end of the asparagus spear

unwrapped so it peeks out of the wrapper. Set aside on aluminum

foil covered with damp cloth so the rice paper doesn’t dry up. You

may sprinkle a little water on top — don’t wet it too much.

Make the sauce. In a small bowl mix a couple of tbsp. of the

tamari, a half teaspoon of the hot mustard and a half teaspoon of

the wasabi. Add a couple of drops of the sesame oil and whisk

together. Whisk in a couple of tbsp. of cream. Bring to smooth

texture. Mince the green part of a scallion (not too much of it!!)

and stir it in. Adjust and balance for taste by adding any of the

above ingredients. in small quantities while stirring.

Cook the rolls. In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil. Make

sure that you have about 1/2 inch of depth — this is somewhere

between sauteing and deep-frying. Add a couple of drops of the

dark sesame oil. Saute rolls on all sides until crispy and lightly

golden. Don’t let the rolls become too browned!! Remove from skillet

and place on paper towel to absorb fat. When correctly cooked,

you could pick up a roll from either end and it will stay stiff

(it won’t go limp on you). The texture of the outside skin of the

roll is very crispy.

Serve. In the center of the large serving plate place the small

sauce bowl. Toss together the shredded red and green cabbage and

arrange around the sauce bowl. Arrange the spears around the sauce

bowl, on top of the cabbage, as if they are the spokes of a wheel.

Serve while still warm!! Accompany by either German Spatlese or

a California late harvest reisling well chilled.

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

Category: Appetizers Recipes

Recipe ingredients and directions:

2 6-oz jars marinated artichoke

4 large eggs

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

1/4 tsp salt

1 small onion, minced

8 oz package mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1/4 tsp pepper

Drain liquid from 1 jar of artichokes into 1-quart saucepan. Drain

liquid from second jar of artichokes and discard. Finely chop all

artichokes; set aside. Grease 12 inch by 8 inch baking dish. In

liquid in saucepan, over medium heat, cook minced onion until

tender. In medium bowl, with fork, beat eggs until blended. Stir

in cooked onion and chopped artichokes, mozzarella cheese, bread

crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly in baking

dish. If not baking right away, cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake artichoke mixture 30 to 35 minutes

until set and lightly browned. Cool 15 minutes in dish on wire

rack. With knife, cut lengthwise into 4 strips then cut each strip

crosswise into 6 pieces. Arrange appetizer on platter; garnish and

serve. Makes 24

Category: Appetizers Recipes