Dewing Christmas Open House and Cookie Extravaganza Recipe Book
Prepared by Joy and Randy 2011
Notes Flour: I always use all-purpose flour, unless noted. Do not sift unless noted. Butter: butter can be replaced with margarine in cookies. Margarine is cheaper, but butter tastes much better, so I never substitute with margarine. Pantry: - All-purpose flour - Sugar - Brown sugar - Vanilla extract - Almond extract - Chocolate chips - Baking soda - Baking powder - Eggs - Butter - Honey - Variety of spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, - Waxed paper - Spray cooking oil - Saran wrap - Parchment paper Tools: -
Flour sifter Electric mixer Candy thermometer Double boiler Wooden spoons
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Mixing bowl set, with several large mixing bowls Sauce pans Cookie sheets Wire cooling rack Measuring spoons and cups Glass measuring cup for liquids Rolling pin Pastry brush
Cookie recipes are mainly from a variety of Better Homes & Gardens cookbooks. Family recipes and some of unknown origin are also included. This is a selection of my favorite cookies, candies, and hors d’oeuvres that are prepared for the Dewing Christmas Open House and Cookie Extravaganza each December.
Candies Chocolate Pretzels
Peanut Clusters
1 pkg pretzel rods Melting chocolate Sprinkles Clean craft paint brushes
Peanuts Melting chocolate
Directions: melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip pretzel rod into chocolate. Use paint brush to wipe of excess and to cover about ½ of the pretzel. Set on waxed paper and sprinkle with sprinkles of your choice. Let chocolate harden Serving Suggestion: Place pretzel rods in glasses, chocolate side down.
Chocolate Cashews Clusters Cashews Melting chocolate Directions: melt chocolate in double boiler. Transfer melted chocolate into a bowl. Add cashews and stir in until cashews are covered. Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper.
Directions: melt chocolate in double boiler. Transfer melted chocolate into a bowl. Add peanuts and stir in until peanuts are covered. Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper
Turtles Makes apx. 25 28-30 Kraft light carmels 2 T cream Pecans Melting chocolate Directions: Place about 3 pecans in a mound on waxed paper. Melt carmel and cream in a double boiler. When thoroughly melted, drop carmel mixture over pecans. Melt chocolate and swirl on top with back of spoon. Tip: lightly spray the waxed paper with Pam for easier removal.
Chocolate Molds
Molds of choice Colored melting chocolates Clean craft paint brushes Directions: melt chocolates in double boiler. Use paint brushes to paint chocolate into molds. Place in freezer for about 10 minutes. Chocolates will pop out of mold when bent (like ice cube tray). Cleanup Tip: allow paint brushes to soak in very hot water. Gentry rub melted chocolate out of brushes to avoid pulling out bristles.
Toffee 1 c. butter 1 c. sugar 1 T. water 1 T. light corn syrup ž c. chopped pecans 1 ½ c. chocolate chips Candy thermometer Directions: Chop pecans and set aside. Chop some of the pecans extra fine for sprinkling on top and set aside. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam and set aside. Place hot pad or trivet near cookie sheet.
Melt butter over low heat. Then add sugar and stir until blended. Continue stirring until it reaches a full rolling boil. Add water and corn syrup (be careful of your hands, it will start to spatter when you add the water). Stir constantly until 290 degrees. Remove from heat and place on trivet. Stir in pecans. Pour onto cookie sheet and spread out. Wait a few minutes until it begins to harden. Melt chocolate chips and spread on top. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans. Let cool completely. Lift with a spatula and break into pieces. Tip: only make one batch of toffee at a time. Use a wooden spoon for stirring. A metal spoon will get too hot. Cleanup Tip: Let pan soak in hot soapy water. Use a rubber scrapper.
Cornflake Cookies Makes apx. 40 1 c. chocolate chips 1 c. butterscotch chips 1 c. peanut butter 6 c. Cornflakes Directions: Measure Cornflakes and set aside. Lay out a sheet of waxed paper and a hot pad or trivet. In a large
saucepan, melt butterscotch chips. When soft, add chocolate chips and peanut butter. Don’t overheat. Stir until completely melted. Remove mixture from heat. Add Cornflakes and stir until coated. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Directions: In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until very soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until well mixed.
Pretzel Rounds Round pretzels Hershey’s Kisses M&Ms Place pretzels flat on a parchment-paper covered cookie sheet. Place an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each pretzel. Bake in a 350 degree oven just long enough for the Kiss to melt. Remove from oven and press an M&M on top of each. Cool.
Cookies Pistachio Wreaths Makes apx. 24 2 c. flour ¼ t. baking powder ¼ t. salt ¾ c. butter ¾ c. sugar 1 egg
½ t. vanilla ½ t. almond extract ¼ t. green food coloring ¼ c. coarsely chopped pistachios
Divide the dough in half. Stir green food coloring into one half. Cover each half of the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes, or until easy to handle. Preheat over to 375. On a lightly floured surface, shape about ½ T of the plain dough into a 6 inch rope. Repeat with the green dough. Place the ropes side by side and twist together. Shape the rope into a circle and pinch the end where it meets. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Continue with the remaining dough. Place some pistachio pieces at the top of the wreath. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes or until done. Cool on cookie sheet for about a minute. Then remove and cool thoroughly. Tip: The green food coloring is very hard to mix in. To make it easier, when mixing the butter, be sure to mix it thoroughly.
Coconut Macroons Makes apx. 48
14 oz can of Eagle Brand milk 1 egg white, whipped 2 t. vanilla 1 ½ t. almond extract 14 oz. flaked coconut Melting chocolate Directions: preheat oven to 325. Mix wet ingredients well. Add coconut and mix. Drop by spoonful onto parchment covered cookie sheets. Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 15-17 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack immediately. When completely cooled, melt chocolate. Dip bottoms of macroons into chocolate. Place on waxed paper until chocolate hardens.
Fudge Ecstasies Makes apx. 36 2 c. semisweet chocolate chips 2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened baking chocolate 2 T butter ¼ c. flour ¼ t. baking powder Dash of salt 2 eggs 2/3 c. sugar 1 t. vanilla 1 c. chopped walnuts
Directions: preheat over to 350. In saucepan, melt 1 c. chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and butter. Stir constantly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly. Add eggs, sugar, and vanilla to chocolate mixture and mix well. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. When well-mixed, add remaining chocolate chips and nuts. Drop spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are firm and surface is dull and cracked. Cool.
Tiny Holiday Tarts Makes apx. 24 tarts ½ c. butter, softened 3 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 cup flour Directions: In a small mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well mixed. Stir in flour. Cover and chill for about an hour, or until easy to handle. Meanwhile, prepare filling. Preheat oven to 325. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Press onto bottom and up the sides of ungreased mini muffin cups. Fill each with 1 spoonful of desired filling. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool slightly in pan. Remove and cool well. Tips: the most difficult part of this recipe is getting the tarts out of the muffin pan in tact. If possible, use a
silicone muffin pan, so tarts can be easily pushed out from the bottom. Otherwise, use a toothpick to carefully remove the tarts from the pan. There are many different fillings you can use, and you can certainly make up your own. Fruit and sweet fillings are best, because the tart itself is not sweet. Some of my favorite fillings are below.
Brownie Filling ½ c. semisweet chocolate chips 2 T butter 1/3 c. sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 t. vanilla Directions: In a small saucepan, stir chocolate chips and butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla.
Cherry, Orange, Almond Filling Dried cherries Orange zest, Finely chipped almonds Directions:
Pistachio Honey Filling
¾ - 1 c. Finely chopped pistachios 1/3 c. Honey 1 t. cinnamon Directions: Pour honey into a glass measuring cup. Add pistachios and cinnamon and stir. You may want to add more or less pistachios and/or cinnamon to desired texture and taste. Tip: I like my mixture to be thick with nuts, rather than runny with honey. If there’s some mixture left after filling the tarts, this is also good spooned into Phyllo cups, which you can find in the freezer section.
Coconut Filling Directions: One of my favorite tart fillings is the coconut filling from the Chocolate Coconut Ravioli cookies. After making the ravioli, use any extra filling for your tarts.
Nighty Nights Makes apx. 25 2 egg whites 2/3 c. sugar 1 c. chopped walnuts 1 c. chocolate chips Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Beat egg whites with electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful onto a foil-covered cookie sheet. Put in oven,
close door, and turn off oven. Do not open the oven door until morning.
Tip: Eat one of these while it’s still warm and the kiss is gooey!
Tip: be sure to beat egg and sugar mixture extremely well. Under-beating will cause the cookies to crack and break into tiny pieces.
Chocolate Mint Creams
Peanut Butter Kisses Makes apx. 36 ½ c. butter ½ c. peanut butter 1 ¼ c. flour ½ c. sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar or ¼ c. honey 1 egg ½ t. baking powder ½ t. baking soda ½ t. vanilla 1 pkg. Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped Directions: Beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until blended. Add ½ c. of the flour, the sugars, egg, vanilla, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined. Add remaining flour and mix well. Cover and chill for about an hour or until easy to handle. Preheat over to 375. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Take out of over and immediately press a Hershey’s kiss in the center of each. Cool.
Makes apx. 48 1 ¼ c. flour ½ t. baking soda 2/3 c. packed brown sugar 6 T. butter 1 T. water 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips 1 egg ½ - 1/3 lb. pastel cream mint kisses Directions: In a medium saucepan, stir brown sugar, butter, and water over low heat until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Let stand 10-15 minutes or until cool. Beat egg into chocolate mixture. Stir in flour and baking soda. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. Preheat over to 350. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Immediately remove from over and place a mint cream on top of each cookie. Return to the over and back 2 additional minutes or until cookies are done. Swirl the melted mints with a knife to frost the cookies. Cool until mints are firm.
Tip: Hershey’s peppermint kisses will also work on these cookies if you want crunch peppermint bites.
Chocolate Oreos 1 pkg. Oreo cookies Melting chocolate Sprinkles Directions: Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip Oreos into melted chocolate – either dip half the cookie of completely cover it. Place the cookie on waxed paper. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired, while chocolate is still warm.
2 c. chocolate chips ½ c. margarine 1 pkg. colored marshmallows ½ - 1 c. chopped walnuts 1 pkg. flaked coconut Directions: Melt chocolate chips and margarine in a saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows and nuts. Drop onto aluminum foil in a log shape. Roll in coconut. Wrap in foil and refrigerate overnight or freeze. Tip: Use the aluminum foil to help roll and shape the log. Slice to serve.
Almond Bars Makes apx. 48
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Ritz crackers Peanut butter Melting chocolate, color or choice Directions: Make a Ritz sandwich with 2 crackers and peanut butter. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip cracker sandwiches in the chocolate and completely cover. Remove from chocolate and remove excess chocolate with a spoon or clean paint brush. Place on waxed paper until chocolate hardens.
Church Windows
1 ¾ c. flour 2 t. baking powder ¼ t. salt ½ c. butter 1 c. sugar 1 egg ½ t. almond extract Milk ½ c. sliced almonds Icing 1 c. sifted powdered sugar ¼ t. almond extract 3-4 t. milk
1 t. vanilla Directions: preheat oven to 325. In large mixing bowl, beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix. Divide dough into fourths. Form each into a 12 inch roll. Place 2 rolls 4-5 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten until about 3 inches wide. Brushed flattened rolls with milk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. While cookies are warm, cut them diagionally. Cool and drizzle with almond icing. Almond Icing Directions: Stir sifted powdered sugar, almond extract, then add milk a little at a time. Add milk until the icing is thin for drizzling.
Chocolate Ravioli Makes apx. 36 1 ¾ c. flour 1/3 c. cocoa powder 1 ½ t. baking powder ¼ t. salt 1/3 c. shortening 1/3 c. butter ¾ cup sugar 1 egg 1 T. milk
Filling 3 oz. cream cheese 1/3 c. sugar 1 t. vanilla 1 c. flaked coconut ¼ c. finely chopped walnuts Directions: Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed. Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or until easy to mix. Filling: mix softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in coconut. Preheat over to 350. Roll chilled dough. Cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch squares. Drop a spoonful of filling into center of a square. Place a second square of dough on top. Use a fork to seal edges and form ravioli appearance. Sprinkle chopped walnuts in the center. Place raviolis on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 810 minutes or until edges are firm. Baked cookies will be slightly puffy. Cool on cookie sheet for one minute, then remove to cool completely. Tips: This dough is difficult to roll out and very sticky. I roll it out on a piece of parchment paper with a piece of Saran Wrap on top of the dough. This works better than
flour to prevent this dough from sticking. Roll the dough thin. This is one of my favorite cookies, so I always double to triple the recipe. These cookies freeze well.
Cream Cheese Snowcaps Makes apx.36 1 c. flour 1 ½ t. baking powder ½ c. butter 3 oz. cream cheese ½ c. sugar ¼ t. almond extract 1 c. powdered sugar Directions: In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until softened. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add flour and baking powder and beat until well-mixed. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours. Preheat over to 350. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Put powdered sugar in a plastic bag. Place a few cookies at a time in the bag and shake gently until covered. Let cookies cool completely, then shake in powdered sugar again.
Poinsetta Balls Makes apx. 36 1 ½ c. flour
¼ t. baking soda ¼ t. salt ¼ t. ground nutmeg ½ c. butter 1/3 c. honey 1 egg yolk 1 ½ t. finely shredded orange peel 4 t. orange juice 1 slightly beaten egg white 1 c. finely chopped pecans ½ c. red candied cherries Directions: Beat butter until softened. Beat in honey. Add egg yolk, orange peel, and orange juice and beat well. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg and beat until well-mixed. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours or until easy to handle. Preheat oven to 325. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Dip in egg white and then roll in nuts. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cut each cherry into 6-8 petals. Place 4-5 petals on top of each cookie in a flower shape and press slightly. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Tip: The candied cherries are very sticky. Cut them apart, then wash your hands before forming dough into balls. I’ve tried leaving out the cherries, because I don’t really like candied cherries, but this leave the cookies tasting bland. The cherries add the right amount of sweetness to this cookie. Make sure bowls with egg white and nuts are ready before you begin forming the dough into balls. Place all cookies on cookie sheet before
adding cherries. Adding the nuts, etc. to the cookies is very sticky work.
Chocolate Mint Tarts Makes apx. 30 2 pkg. frozen mini phyllo shells (30 shells total) 1/3 c.heavy cream ¾ c. heavy cream 4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate, cut into chunks 2 oz. cream cheese, softened 4 T. sugar ½ t/ peppermint extract Directions: Prepare phyllo shells as directed on the package for crisp, unfilled tarts Microwave 1/3 c. cream and chocolate on high for 30 seconds, stir, and then another 30 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Cool for several minutes, until the chocolate ganache begins to thicken. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of the ganache into each tart shell. Cool completely. Beat cream cheese and 2 T of sugar in bowl until smooth. In another bowl, beat remaining ¾ c. cream, remaining sugar, and mint extract with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add ½ of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and stir until well blended. Gently stir in remaining whipped cream.
Spoon about 1 T. of peppermint cream into each tart. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. For a twist, try another flavor of extract, such as raspberry or orange.
Stuffed Stockings Makes apx. 27 1 ¾ c. flour ½ t. baking powder ¼ t. salt 1/3 c. shortening 1/3 c. butter 2/3 c. sugar 1 egg 1 t. vanilla 3 colors food coloring ½ c. semisweet chocolate chips ½ c. chopped walnuts Icing ½ c. sifted powdered sugar 1 t. softened butter 2-3 t. milk Directions: Beat shortening and butter until butter is softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Divide dough into thirds. Color each a
different color with a few drops of food coloring. Cover and chill for about an hour or until easy to handle. Preheat oven to 325. On a lightly floured surface, roll each third of dough into rectangles. Cut each into 9 2x3 inch rectangles. Seal short ends together. Sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts into the middle. Bring the sides together and seal. Form into a stocking shape. Place seam side down on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until done. Remove and cool completely. Fleecy Icing: combine powdered sugar and softened butter. Add enough milk to make it spreadable. When cookies are cooled completely, spread icing on cuff, heel, and toe of stocking. Tips: If you chop the chocolate chips and nuts into small pieces, it’s easier to fill the stockings. Be generous as you fill. Any kind of icing will work for these cookies, so if you have some left from sugar cookies, you can use that. For tinting the dough, I use liquid food coloring for green and yellow stockings. Use paste food coloring for red stockings, as you’ll get a better color. Use the back of a spoon to spread food coloring through the dough. I usually make a double batch of this cookie because it’s a small recipe.
Granny’s Sugar Cookies Makes a very large batch, apx. 7 doz medium sized cookies 2 c. Mazola oil 2 ½ c. sugar 3 eggs 1 t. salt ½ c. buttermilk 1 t. vanilla 1 ¾ t. baking soda ¼ c. clear Karo syrup 5 ½ c. flour 2 t. baking powder 1 ½ c. corn starch Directions: In a very large mixing bowl, stir Mazola oil and sugar together. Add eggs, salt, buttermilk, and vanilla, and baking soda and stir until mixed. Add Karo syrup. Stir in flour, baking powder, and corn starch a little at a time, until well mixed. Cover with waxed paper by pushing paper to edges of bowl and creating a seal over the dough. Refrigerate overnight. Makes a very sweet dough. Preheat oven to 375. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough. Cut dough into shapes of your choice and carefully place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes. Cool completely. Decorate with icing and sprinkles as desired.
1 batch of this frosting is the right amount to ice 1 batch of Granny’s Sugar Cookies
5 T unsalted butter ½ c. dried cherries (or other dried fruit) ½ c. milk ¼ c. sour cream 1 egg 1 T milk
½ c. cold butter ½ c. vegetable shortening 4 c. sifted powdered sugar 1 t. vanilla 2 T. cool milk
Directions: preheat over to 400. Stir dry ingredients together. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. Stir in fruit. Mix milk and sour cream together in glass measuring cup. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients. Stir until blended, but don’t over stir.
Directions: Beat butter and shortening until well mixed. Add vanilla. Add powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time and mix. Add milk. Thicken with more powdered sugar, thin with milk to desired consistency. Color with food coloring as desired.
With floured hands, pat scone dough into 2-3 inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten lightly. Wisk egg and 1 T milk. Brush tops of scones, then let rest for 10 min. Bake 10-15 minutes until light brown.
Buttercream Frosting
Tips: This icing freezes well.
Breads Scones Makes apx. 30 1 ¾ c. flour 4 t. baking powder ¼ c. sugar 1/8 t. salt
Tips: The key to a good scone is to not over stir it. If over stirred, they are very dry and hard. Scones taste best when warm, but may also be served at room temperature. The dough will be wet. I always take off my rings before shaping it. For a more traditional look, bake scones in a cast iron scone pan. Scones will be more triangular. Keep an eye on them in the oven as the cast iron can affect baking time.
French Bread
1 loaf serves 3-5 people
Devonshire cream will freeze well. Thaw in refrigerator.
For finger sandwiches, bake a loaf of French bread. I buy the Pillsbury French bread in the refrigerator section of the grocery store, and bake it according to the instructions. To make the bread more interesting, I bake it in a scalloped bread tube. When bread is cooled completely, slice and add toppings. This bread will freeze well after it’s baked.
Dips Devonshire Cream Heavy cream Powdered sugar Almond extract Directions: Beat cream with an electric mixture until it thickens. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, until desired thickness. Add almond extract to taste. Keep refrigerated. Tips: This is a perfect sweet dip for scones and fruit. I never measure the ingredients for this. I usually make this last, and use up whatever cream I have left from other baking. Don’t get in a hurry when mixing the cream. It needs to be thick before adding other ingredients. When serving this at a party, dispose of any that has been left out at room temperature.
Dewing Family Bread Dip Equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream Dill Dried beef. Round loaf of bread Directions: Soak dried beef in warm water, squeeze gently, and dry on paper towel to desalt. Tear dried beef into 1-2 inch pieces. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise and sour cream. Add dried beef and stir. Add dill to taste. Cut out center of bread to create a bread bowl. Place a bowl in the center and spoon bread dip into bowl. Tear center portion cut from break into small pieces and serve on plate. Tips: Bread dip is great with bread or crackers. Hawaiian bread is my favorite, but any kind of bread you like works well with this recipe.
Adela’s Cheese Dip Makes a large batch 20 oz. softened cream cheese 2 bottles of Kraft Old English Cheese
1 bottle of Kraft Roka Blue Cheese 2 T lemon juice Garlic powder Directions: Mix all ingredients together. Add garlic powder to tastes. Chill and serve with crackers or vegetables. Tip: This is very hard to stir, so I usually make it when my husband is around to help, or use the electric mixer. If you can’t find the Roka Blue Cheese spread, blue cheese crumbles are also tasty in this dip. Mix the cream cheese and Old English Cheese together. Add blue cheese crumbles a little at a time to taste. For a variation, prepare the Cheese Dip above as instructed. Divide the dip into halves. Keep one half as is. Add blue cheese crumbles to the second half for a blue cheese dip.
Hors d’oeuvres Kati’s Pickle Rolls Dried beef Cream cheese, softened Dill pickles Toothpicks
Directions: gently spread cream cheese on piece of dried beef. Pat pickles dry on paper towel, and place in center of a piece of dried beef. Roll the dried beef around the pickle and hold with a toothpick. Slice to desired size. Tips: Cutting these without tearing the beef can be tricky. I usually use the small snacker size pickles, then don’t slice them. This snack has a surprising taste and is surprisingly addictive.
Cucumber Sandwiches Cucumbers Cream cheese Sliced bread Lemon pepper Directions: Spread cream cheese on bread. Slice cucumbers and place 1-2 slices on each piece of bread. Add a dash of lemon pepper. Tips: I like using the French Bread for these open faced sandwiches. If you prefer a closed sandwich, simply place another slice of bread with cream cheese on top. The whipped cream cheese is much easier to work with for these sandwiches. Make sandwiches shortly before serving them, as they get soggy.
Canapés
Skewers
Sliced bread Toppings of choice
Directions: Slice chicken breast into strips of chunks. Place in a pie pan and add Speedie marinade. Cover and chill. Allow to marinade overnight.
Directions: These open faced sandwiches are limited only by your imagination. A few of our favorite topping ideas are below. Tips: I like to use French Bread for these. Buttering the bread and toasting it in the broiler gives your canapés a satisfying crunch.
Randy’s toppings here
Soak wooden skewers in water to avoid burning. Place several pieces of chicken on each skewer and grill until fully cooked. Tips: Speedie marinade is only available in the Binghamton, NY area. You can create a marinade that is close with equal parts olive oil and lemon juice, garlic powder, what else? But nothing tastes the same as the real stuff. For serving, place skewers in a Crock Pot set to low. This will help keep the chicken warm and moist.
Egg Rolls This is an easy snack to prepare and is a favorite at parties.
Beverages
Frozen mini egg rolls Directions: prepare egg rolls as instructed on box. Keep the oven on to quickly bake more.
Chicken Speedies This is a regional favorite not often found in the Midwest Chicken breast Speedie marinade
Fruit Punch Everyone has a favorite punch. This easy recipe is mine. 7Up Hawaiian Punch Maraschino Cherries
Directions: Pour equal parts 7Up and Hawaiian Punch into a punch bowl. Add cherry juice and cherries as desired. Place ice ring in punch bowl.
If you are having a large party, you may want more than one ice ring. Finished rings can be wrapped in Saran Wrap and stored in the freezer until needed.
Tips: I usually buy 1 more 2 liter of 7Up than Hawaiian Punch and add just a little more 7Up to each batch of punch.
Other Beverages
Ice Ring Water Maraschino cherries Bundt pan Directions: Dry 8-10 cherries on paper towel to remove excess juice. Place in bottom on bundt pan. Add about 3 inches of water to the pan. Freeze. Before party, remove ice ring from pan and add to punch. As the ring melts, the cherries will add to the flavor of the punch. Tips: If you want the cherries equal distance apart in your ice ring, you’ll likely have to move them after you’ve placed the pan in the freezer. Allow at least 24 hours for ring to freeze fully. Silicone bundt pans work well for this because you can turn them inside out to remove the ice ring. If you only have a metal bundt pan, use warm water to remove finished ring from pan.
No party is complete without tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. Brew your favorite varieties for your guests. Tips: To keep tea pots warm, if you don’t have a tea cozy, warm the tea pot in a dish towel. This will keep the tea warm for about an hour. Provide hot water and hot chocolate mix for guests to create their own. You may want to offer a variety of hot chocolate flavors.
Store-bought Snacks Don’t forget these favorite snacks to serve with your homemade dips: - Pretzels – choose a shape that’s easy to dip - Crackers – offer a wide variety - Fruit - Vegetables Holiday Candies: - Candy canes - M&Ms - Mint creams - Other favorites that jump into your shopping cart