Mom's Girls-only Garden Party Pizza

Mom's Girls-only Garden Party Pizza
~Preheat oven to 350*~

Your favorite pizza crust (home-made or pr-made)
-8oz. Bag of Mozzarella cheese
1c. sliced mixed mushrooms
1c. sliced black olives(or green or mixed)
1/4c. Fresh snipped chives
1-14oz. Can of marinated artichoke hearts,drained,oil reserved
1-16oz. Can of your favorite pizza sauce (or white sauce, also very good)
2tbsp. Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2tbsp. Dried garlic flakes
2tbsp. Fresh or dried parsley flakes
1c. lump crab meat or shrimp (marinated in Old Bay seasoning){Optional topping}
1/2c. Sliced peppers ( in a variety of colors)
1/4c. Spinach (fresh or canned)
1/4c. Frozen broccoli, thawed

1)Prepare crust as directed, mix oil from artichokes, garlic flakes, Parmesan, and parsley. Using a basting brush (the silicone kind with the 'waffle' type paddle inside seem to work best.) brush the oil mixture around what will be the 'crust' edge of the pizza. Add sauce to the center as usual.

2)Put cheese on the pizza, reserving about 1/4c. Begin to add mushrooms, olives, peppers, chives, artichokes, shrimp or crab, spinach, and broccoli; sprinkling the remaining cheese on top, sprinkle the pizza with parsley flakes and bake till the cheese is bubbly.(approx. 15-20 min.)

3)Allow the pizza to slightly cool before slicing and enjoy with your favorite summer beverage.

Throwdown's Chocolate-Coconut Bread Pudding with Passion Fruit Sauce

Throwdown's Chocolate-Coconut Bread Pudding with Passion Fruit Sauce
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
9 servings

Ganache:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Bread Pudding:

17 ounces brioche (crust removed), cut into 1 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 cup heavy cream
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/4 cups pure cane sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Valhrona Manjari 64 percent), finely chopped
4 whole large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup desiccated coconut

Passion Fruit Sauce:

3/4 cup passion fruit juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons white rum

For the Anglaise:

1/2 vanilla bean
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar

For the Ganache:

In a small bowl place the chocolate. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat bring the cream to a simmer and then pour over the chocolate. Let the chocolate mixture sit for 30 seconds and then whisk until smooth, keep warm.

For the Bread Pudding:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment and add the diced brioche. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss to coat. Bake in the oven and lightly golden brown. Removing and tossing several times. This should be repeated for about 12 minutes. Once the bread has evenly browned, remove and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile in a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and whisk until melted. Strain the mixture into a medium size bowl.

In a separate medium bowl whisk together the eggs and yolks and slowly add the warm chocolate mixture, whisking as you add.

Place half of the brioche cubes in a single layer in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Pour 1/2 of the custard mixture over the bread and half of the ganache. Sprinkle with half of the coconut.

Press down on the bread, allowing the liquid to soak in. Place the remaining bread cubes over the top, add the remaining custard and ganache and again, press down to completely submerge the bread.

Top with the remaining coconut, cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes before baking. While the bread is sitting continue to check and press down on the bread so that it is completely submerged with the custard mixture.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Uncover the bread pudding, and place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan. Fill the outer roasting pan with warm water until it comes halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake until the sides are slightly puffy and the center is slightly set (but still jiggles a bit).

For the Passion Fruit Sauce:

Into a small saucepan cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out centers (including the seeds). Add the sugar, orange juice and rum and let cook over high heat until sugar has dissolved and sauce has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and chill in the refrigerator.

For the anglaise:

Split vanilla bean. In a small heavy saucepan bring milks and vanilla bean half just to a boil and remove pan from heat. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean halves into milk and reserve pod for another use. In a bowl whisk together yolks and sugar.

Add milk in a stream, whisking, and transfer custard to saucepan. Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring, until thickened slightly and an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F. Pour custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring occasionally, until cold. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.

Remove the pan to a baking rack and let sit for 15 minutes. Spoon some of the coconut anglaise into a bowl and drizzle with the passion fruit sauce. Top with a large scoop of the bread pudding and serve.

Scottish Shortbread

Scottish Shortbread

1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Preparation:

Mix well, roll out to about 1/4-inch thick and cut into shapes. Or, roll into small balls then roll in finely chopped nuts or sugar; place on cookie lightly greased cookie sheets and flatten with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 300° F. for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Icing: Blend 2 cups sifted powdered sugar with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk or half and half. Stir until smooth and add more milk or half-and-half if necessary. If color is desired, spoon portions of icing into small bowls and stir drops of food coloring in until desired colors are achieved.

Christmas Tree Bread

Christmas Tree Bread

2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, yolk and white separated
3/4 cup (4 ounces) diced dried fruit mix
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon
baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 3/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut to small pieces
Granulated sugar

Check to see that one rack is in bottom third of oven and heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Measure milk in a 2-cup measure. Add sugar and egg yolk, stirring to mix well. Stir in dried fruit. Let stand until ready to use.

Put flour, baking powder, spice and salt into a large bowl; stir to mix well. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender or rub in with fingers, until mixture looks like fine granules. Stir milk mixture and pour over flour mixture.

Stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10 times. (If very sticky, let stand 3 or 4 minutes or add a little more flour.) Cut off about one-fourth of the dough. Put remaining dough on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 16 inches long.

Using both rolling pin and fingers, pat and roll dough into a flat triangle about 12 inches long and 9 inches wide across the bottom. With scissors, make about ten diagonal cuts down each long side of  the triangle, cutting to within about 1 inch of the center.

Shape a small piece of reserved dough into a trunk at bottom of tree and remaining dough into a "pot." Dough may now be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a couple of hours or frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Bake tree 10 minutes.

Beat egg white with a fork until broken up. Brush over hot bread, then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 5 to 8 minutes longer, until light brown. With two spatulas, carefully transfer tree to a wire rack. If possible, cool at least 2 hours before serving.

Let guests break off small pieces.

Yield, 10 to 12 servings. Enjoy.

Gingerbread House Directions

Gingerbread House Directions

http://dinnercoop.cs.cmu.edu/dinnercoop/Recipes/karen/GingerbreadHouse.html

Christmas Buttered Rum

Christmas Buttered Rum

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
Rum or brandy
Boiling water

Cream together butter or margarine, brown sugar, powdered sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon with electric mixer. Blend in softened ice cream.
Turn into a 4 cup freezer container. Seal and freeze, mixture will not freeze solid. To serve, spoon 2-4 Tbs. ice cream mixture into each mug. Add 3 Tbs. rum and 1/2 cup boiling water to each mug. Stir well. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired.

-Women's Circle Home Cooking's Christmas Snacks, 1986

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (18-ounce) container uncooked regular oats
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and next 3 ingredients, beating until blended.

Gradually add flour and oats, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in cranberries, raisins, orange rind, and walnuts. Shape dough by 1/3 cupfuls into 1/2-inch-thick rounds on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2 dozen.

Christmas Pizza Recipe

Christmas Pizza Recipe

1 (12 ounce) package real milk chocolate chips (or dark, if you prefer)
1 lb white almond bark, cut into small (1-inch)
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup salted peanuts or unsalted peanuts
1 (6 ounce) jar red maraschino cherries, drained, and cut in half
3 tablespoons green glazed cherries, drained and quartered
1/3 cup angel flake coconut
1 tablespoon oil

Microwave chips and 14 oz almond bark in a 2 qt microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes. Stir. Continue microwaving 1 to 2 minute or until smooth when stirred, stirring every 30 seconds.

Stir in marshmallows, cereal and peanuts. Pour onto greased 12-inch pizza pan. Top with cherries; sprinkle with coconut.

Microwave remaining 2 oz. almond bark and oil in a 1 cup measure for 1 minute and stir. Continue microwaving 30 seconds to 1 minute or until smooth when stirred, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle over coconut.

Refrigerate until firm (usually 3+ hours). Store at room temperature. Cut into wedges. Makes about 12 large slices.

Cream Cheese Christmas Wreath

Cream Cheese Christmas Wreath

6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
Green olives
Pimentos
1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT olives and pimentos. Shape mixture into a wreath on a plate. (Start out with a ball, and shape the middle with a spoon or glass.) Add olives around the side. Make a bow, using pimentos. Chill and serve with crackers.

Spice 'n' Nut Thumbprints

Spice 'n' Nut Thumbprints

3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 sticks softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground pecans or almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup jam, such as strawberry raspberry or peach

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar in lg mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add 1/2 of flour; mix well. Add remaining flour, nuts and cinnamon, cardamom; mix well.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 1" apart on unbuttered cookie sheets. Lightly press center of each ball with thumb, or the handle of a wooden spoon, leaving cup-like indention.

Fill each indention w/ about 1/4 ts jam. Bake 18 minutes. or until lightly browned around edges. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Sweetened Condensed Milk
Recipe By : Real Food for Real People
Serving Size : 34

1 cup Water
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Margarine
4 cups Powdered Milk -- instant
1 tablespoon Vanilla

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add sugar and margarine, then stir until dissolved. Pour hot mixture into blender. Add milk and vanilla, then blend until smooth. Makes 1 quart. Stores well in refrigerator for up to 2 months. (This can replace Eagle Brand Milk in recipes)

Turkey Cranberry Salad in Wreath

Turkey Cranberry Salad in Wreath

2 8-ounce packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups cooked turkey (or smoked), chopped
1/2 cup celery, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh parsley,snipped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 egg, separated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center, arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond the edge. Match wide end of each remaining triangle to wide end of each outer triangle; seal seams with fingertips (points will overlap in center; do not seal).

Measure mayonnaise, mustard and pepper into bowl. Add turkey, celery, parsley and cranberries to bowl, grate cheese into bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.

Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer strips, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.

Separate egg over a small bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough using pastry brush. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut and serve.

Yield: 10 servings.

Christmas Blossom

Christmas Blossom

2 cups fresh or frozen peach slices
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup vodka
3 Tbs. peach schnapps
Ice cubes
Garnish: fresh mint sprigs

Process first 4 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add ice cubes to mixture in blender to 5-cup level; process until smooth. Pour into glasses; garnish, if desired. Serve immediately. Yield: 4-1/4 cups.

From Southern Living

Artichoke Appetizer Tart with Cheese

Artichoke Appetizer Tart with Cheese

2 jars (6 ounces each) marinated artichokes, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped (with green)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dry leaf tarragon, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dry leaf oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dry leaf thyme, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon dry leaf sage, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 sheets filo or phyllo dough
1/4 cup melted butter

Coarsely chop the artichokes; combine in a bowl with chopped green onion, ricotta, Parmesan, and Monterrey Jack cheeses, sour cream, eggs, flour, tarragon, oregano, thyme, and pepper. Blend well.

Brush butter on a layer of filo dough and place in a 9-inch springform pan, letting it drape up and over sides. repeat with 2 more sheets of filo. (Keep filo covered with a damp cloth while not working with it to keep it from drying out.) Add cheese mixture to the pan. Trim filo dough; allow the top edge to extend about 1 1/2 inches above the filling. Fold dough over filling and place trimmed scraps on top.

Brush another sheet of filo with butter. fold in half (butter side in) and lay on top of the filling, shaping to fit pan and folding the edges underneath. Brush with more butter. Repeat with the remaining 2 sheets of filo.

Bake artichoke tart at 400 F for 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and bake 35 minutes longer. Makes 10 appetizer servings, served warm or at room temperature.

Creamy Cranberry Bread Pudding

Creamy Cranberry Bread Pudding
Yield: 20 servings

2 (2 pound) loaves Brioche challah
6 cups half-and-half
6 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
18 eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cranberries
1/2 cup orange marmalade
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the crusts off the bread and cut into 1-inch cubes. You should have about 10 1/2 cups of cubes. Arrange on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure they do not brown too much; set aside to cool.

 Leave the oven on. In a saucepan, heat the half-and-half, cream, salt, and vanilla bean over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat.

Set aside to infuse 10 to 15 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Whisking constantly, gradually add the hot cream mixture. Strain into a large bowl to smooth the mixture and remove the vanilla bean. Add the bread cubes, toss well, and let soak until absorbed.

Fold the mixture occasionally to ensure even soaking. In a food processor pulse the berries to roughly chop them. Fold them into the soaked bread cubes carefully. Divide half the bread mixture among 20 ramekins, custard cups, or dessert cups, reserving the rest, filling them half way. Place a teaspoon of orange marmalade in each ramekin then top off with the remaining soaked bread mixture.

Arrange the puddings in a hot water bath. Bake until set and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes for individual puddings. Serve warm or chilled, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Walnut Horn Cookies

Walnut Horn Cookies

1 cup plus 1 tsp butter, softened & divided
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3 cups flour
4 cups ground walnuts
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

In a large bowl, beat in 1 cup of the butter and the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour. Beat until the mixture forms a ball. Divided the dough into four portions. Roll each into a 12 inch circle. Melt the remaining butter. In a large bowl, combine the walnuts, 3/4 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, salt, and the melted butter. Spread over the circles. Cut each into 12 wedges. Roll up the wedges, starting from the wide ends. Place point side down on the greased baking sheets. Curve the ends to form crescents. Bake at 325 F for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. Place the remaining sugar in a small shallow bowl. Roll the warm cookies in the sugar. Makes 4 dozen

Melissa
Recipe Source: Taste Of Home - Loretta Stokes

Christmas Cheese Wreath

Christmas Cheese Wreath

assorted crackers
assorted cheese*
fresh herbs (chives, rosemary, parsley, etc)
fresh rose leaves or bay leaves
cherry tomatoes
red seedless grapes
Christmas shape cookie cutters
Apples

Arrange crackers in a circle on tray. Cut 4-5 cheese slices 1/4 inch thick and approximately 3x4 inches OR the size of your cookie cutters and set aside. Cut remaining cheese in a variety of shapes and sizes (bite size cubes, wedges, slices, chunks, or leave in small wheels).

Begin by arranging larger pieces of cheese around tray. Intersperse with smaller pieces of cheese. Tuck fresh herbs and leaves around outside edge of tray and throughout cheese arrangement. Intersperse arrangement with small washed clusters of grapes and cherry tomatoes. Using cookie cutters cut Christmas shapes from slices of cheese and place on a smaller plate with washed and quartered apples and cluster of grapes for Santa.

*Use a variety of cheese colors and flavors (sharp, mild, nutty, fruity, etc). Try some of the following: Gouda, blue, pepper jack, cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, herbed cheese, Brie, etc.

Pumpkin Trifle

Pumpkin Trifle

1/2 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 loaf pumpkin bread, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 jar pumpkin butter, 10 oz
1 cup bottled caramel sauce
2 cups prepared vanilla pudding
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

In a medium bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, whip cream with sugar until stiff. Arrange remaining ingredients except for the nuts in layers in your chosen serving dish; Start with whipped cream, add some pumpkin bread, (cut slices into smaller pieces if too large for individual dishes) spoon on some pumpkin butter, drizzle with caramel sauce, spoon on some vanilla pudding. Repeat this sequence, ending with whipped cream, until all ingredients are used. Top with nuts. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. Serves 8

If you can't find pumpkin bread, substitute cranberry nut bread, pound cake or gingerbread

Walnut-Rum Wafers

Walnut-Rum Wafers

Makes about 4 dozen

2 1/4 cups walnut pieces (7 ounces), toasted
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons dark rum
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees with racks in the lower and middle positions. Finely chop 1 1/2 cups walnut pieces.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and rum. Stir in flour and salt, scraping down sides of bowl. Mix in chopped walnuts.

Drop dough (about 2 teaspoons per cookie) onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart. Bake for 4 minutes; remove from oven, and top with remaining 3/4 cup walnut pieces. Rotate sheets, and return to oven.. Bake until golden brown around edges, 8 minutes more. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

Helpful Hint-Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Veronica

Marinated Mushrooms

Marinated Mushrooms- Virginia Hospitality Cookbook

3 pounds fresh button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups oil
1/2-oz garlic salad dressing mix
1/2 cup lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 TBS Accent
2 TBS parsley flakes
2 TBS garlic powder (opt)

Wash and cap mushrooms. Cover in salt water and boil 1 minute. Drain. Prepare marinade from rest of ingredients. Pour over caps and chill minimum of 24 hours. Drain and serve cold. About 36.
NOTE: Garlic powder gives them a very strong taste.