Day 3 Thanksgiving Recipes-The Befores for the Big Meal

Day 3-Here we go!  I love appetizers.  It whets the appetite and keeps busy bodies and hands out of my kitchen-sometimes.  I also like appetizers that can be made well in advance and set out or cooked at the last minute.  No body, and I mean no body wants to hand tie blanched chives to wrap around tea sandwiches while you are trying to feed a household of hungry kids, husbands who want all the fou frou to be done with so they can watch football, and people who only know the kitchen as the place where they can chill their Diet Cokes.  So make these yummies a couple of days or today, in some cases, and make those people go watch the parade and get out of your way, so you can have a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving, a Martha Stewart Thanksgiving, or in some cases (like ours a couple of time growing up) a Griswald Thanksgiving, which are some of the best memories I have!  Just keep in mind that you are doing this for love, not to show off and not to make yourself nuts.  Also, if you like a little wine or sparkling cider, there is no law that states to cook cannot start before anyone else-it might help you keep calm!  Have a great day and Happy Cooking! :)

PS  I chose a lot of cheese items because you can make the ahead of time...You can also just put out a relish tray with assorted pickles, olives, some raw veggies and a bowl of nuts and be done with it-don't stress-ENJOY! :)

Lara’s Baked Artichoke Dip

from the kitchen of Lara Berg Thomas

This can be made the day before

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ teaspoons dill weed

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into cubes

Place all ingredients, except the bread, in a food processor.  Process until well blended.  Pour into a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.  Sprinkle with Paprika before serving.  Serve with the bread cubes.

YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!

NOTE:  you can use low-fat mayo, sour cream and cream cheese, but DO NOT USE fat-free.  The fat-free does not melt or get creamy-YUK!

Knorr Spinach Dip

This can be made a day or 2 in advance

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise
1 package Knorr® Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers to your favorite people.

A new serving idea: Hollow out cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes. Fill vegetables with Knorr Spinach Dip and garnish with a sprig of dill.

Makes 4 cups dip

Spinach and Artichokes in Puff Pastry

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry

Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels. Stir together spinach, artichoke hearts, and next 5 ingredients. Thaw puff pastry at room temperature 30 minutes. Unfold pastry, and place on a lightly floured surface or heavy-duty plastic wrap. Spread one-half spinach mixture evenly over pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll up pastry, jellyroll fashion, pressing to seal seam; wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry and spinach mixture. Freeze 30 minutes; cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. (Rolls may be frozen up to 3 months.) Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: Makes 4 dozen

Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2000

Marinated Cheese

No cooking required! :) 

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 (2 ounce) bottle diced pimento, drained

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons minced green onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cold

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the olive oil, wine vinegar, pimento, parsley, green onion, garlic, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously to blend. Set aside. Cut the block of Cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices to form squares. Repeat with cream cheese. Arrange cheese squares alternately in a shallow baking dish with slices standing on edge. You can arrange in a single long row, or 2 parallel rows depending on the size of your dish. Pour the marinade from the jar over the cheese slices, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

To serve, remove slices to a serving platter so they are still arranged in an alternating pattern. Spoon some of the extra marinade over the cheese, and serve with crackers.

The Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts 

Nigella Lawson, 2007

2 1/4 cups (18-ounces) assorted unsalted nuts, including peeled peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and whole unpeeled almonds

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons Maldon or other sea salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt and melted butter.

Thoroughly toss the toasted nuts in the spiced butter and serve warm. And once you eat these, you will never want to stop.

Note: If you use salted nuts, omit the salt from the recipe.

Caramel Baked Brie Appetizer

½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, or more depending on the humidity
1 8-inch wheel of Brie, about 2 pounds
3/4 cup slivered almonds (or coarsely chopped pecans)

Mix together the butter and brown sugar; set aside.   Remove the wrapping from the brie and cut off only the top portion of the rind and discard the rind.  Spread the butter and brown sugar mixture over the brie. Sprinkle the almonds or pecans over the top. Place in a glass Pyrex pie plate.  Cover loosely with foil and bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve with a knife or spreader, fine crackers or thin-sliced baguette, and champagne.

Sausage Appetizer Squares

2 cans crescent rolls or 1 package puffed pastry sheets

1 pound bulk sausage, mild flavor

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, low-fat is fine, but NOT fat-free

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fry sausage in a skillet, drain, and crumble into small pieces.  Mix in softened cream cheese.  Roll out 1 package of crescent rolls in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Press seams together.  Spread the sausage mixture on top of crescent rolls.  Take second can of crescent rolls and roll out on top of sausage mixture, pressing seams together.  Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes and cut into squares.

Note:  I like to use puffed pastry for a brunch or a more formal occasion, like a wine and cheese or a dinner party.  I love this recipe because it is delicious and looks fancy without the fancy work!

Easy Peasy Cheese Ball

1 lb. block sharp cheddar, shredded
1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (12-oz) jar raspberry preserves

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed until blended well; stir in pecans. Form into 2 balls and chill 8 hours. Just before serving, spread raspberry preserves over cheese ball and let it fall down the sides. Serve with Ritz crackers. People will love it! These also freeze very well.

Sausage Cheese Balls

2 pounds Jimmy Dean or Tennessee Pride regular sausage

1 ½ cups Bisquik baking mix

4 cups shredded Sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup finely chopped celery

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients.  Form into 1-inch balls (I use a mini ice cream scoop that I dip in cold water and then scoop the mixture.)  Bake 15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet until golden brown. 

Makes 6 dozen

Note: the sausage balls can be frozen uncooked.

Marinated Mushrooms with Blue Cheese

from allrecipes.com

1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons seasoning salt

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

hot sauce to taste

2 cups fresh mushrooms, stems removed

In a medium bowl, mix together the blue cheese, vegetable oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, seasoning salt, white sugar, dry mustard and hot sauce. Stir in the mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Jane’s Marinated Shrimp

3 pounds medium shrimp, cooked, shelled and deveined and cooled

3 medium white or yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 lemons, thinly sliced

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

3 bay leaves

In a glass dish, layer shrimp, onions, lemon and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Tabasco sauce. Pour enough olive oil over shrimp mixture to cover. Tuck bay leaves under top layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Serve with toothpicks.

Just a thought:

Leave the tails on for easy pick up. Also, these would be a great addition to a Bloody Mary.

Cranberry Ambrosia Cream Cheese Spread

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries, divided

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can crushed pineapple

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges

1 (3 1/2-ounce) can shredded coconut, divided

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

8 pecan halves, toasted

Stir together cream cheese and sugar until blended. Add dried cranberries, reserving 1/4 cup cranberries.  Drain pineapple and oranges; pat dry between layers of paper towels. Set oranges aside.

Stir pineapple and coconut into cream cheese mixture, reserving 1/4 cup coconut. Stir in chopped pecans. Spoon mixture into a serving bowl.  Sprinkle reserved dried cranberries around edges of bowl. Arrange orange sections around inside edge of cranberries. Sprinkle reserved 1/4 cup coconut in center, and top with pecan halves. Serve with gingersnaps.

Cheese Ring with Strawberry Preserves3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
2 cups ground pecans
1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
1 small jar strawberry jam or preserves (topping)

Grease a round pie dish with some mayonnaise. Mix all ingredients together. Press into ring pan and pack firmly. Refrigerate to set. Just before serving, flip cheese ring out and top with strawberry jam or preserves. Serve with Wheatsworth crackers.