Ready for Fall Entertaining

By Britt Allgood

Fall is finally here! It’s the best time of the year to entertain, gather with your friends and family, and celebrate the cooler weather. Whether you’re throwing a party while watching a football game, or just visiting with friends and enjoying the fall foliage, don’t forget those snacks!

I love having neighbors and friends to visit and we always try to have some snacks at hand. It could be a quick charcuterie board that we throw together or something a bit more involved. We try to keep a selection of nice cheese, a little salami or summer sausage, and some olives and crackers in the cupboard for just such an occasion. For planned gatherings, I like to do a bit more such as some crostini, baked brie, or something savory such as cheese dip and nachos. You almost can’t go wrong with a little tapenade paired with bread or fruit and melted cheese. Sausage rolls or the southern version of sausage pinwheels are always a hit and don’t underestimate a mixture of crudités and a vinaigrette.

It doesn’t take much to put out a spread. Just let your imagination run wild with the time and food you have at hand. Live, Laugh, Love, and Eat Well.

Brie baked in puff pastry with fresh fruit

1 or 2 each apple and pears, sliced

1 small Brie whole (about 3 to 4-inch diameter)

1 sheet Puff Pastry (Pepperidge farm)

½ to 1 cup of chopped mushrooms

2 TBS Butter or Margarine

¼ cup Chicken Broth (can also use wine for a different flavor)

¼ to ½ cup plain bread crumbs

1/8 tsp Thyme 1 Egg

Thaw puff pastry sheet. Sautee mushrooms in butter. Add thyme and broth then allow cooking a minute or two. Remove from heat, and add enough bread crumbs to soak up the excess liquid and form a paste. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Unfold the pastry sheet flat. Place the paste in the center of the sheet in a circle about the size of the Brie. Place the unwrapped Brie on top of the paste.

Fold and seal the pastry around the Brie.

Grease a cookie sheet. Flip over the wrapped brie onto the greased cookie sheet. Beat the egg and use the resulting egg wash to coat the pastry top. Bake the brie for 30 minutes or until completely brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with sliced apples and pears.

Recommend placing the sliced apples and pears in a solution of lemon juice and water or fruit fresh and water to preserve color.

Sausage Pinwheels

½ LB Pork Breakfast Sausage (I use hot to regular)

½ to 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (use your favorite)

Bisquick Baking mix

Flour for dusting

Per Bisquick instructions, prepare a batch of biscuit dough and roll it out into a rectangle about 18 inches wide and 8 to 10 inches across (I think I do a double batch). In a small bowl, mix the sausage and cheese. Drop bits of the sausage mixture over the dough and then from the long side, roll up the dough jelly roll fashion. Wrap the resulting log in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes overnight for easier handling.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Remove the pinwheels from the foil/ wrap and cut into disks about ¼ inch to 1/3 inch thick. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the biscuit is golden brown. Serve warm.

Sweet and Spicy Chex Mix

Makes about 12 cups

2 cups corn Chex cereal

2 cups rice Chex cereal

2 cups mixed unsalted nuts (or your favorite nuts)

2 cups small checkerboard pretzels or small pretzels

½ cup roasted edamame or roasted green peas (not wasabi flavored)

½ cup smoked almonds

6 cloves garlic, finely grated

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

6 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup hot sauce (Tabasco or Franks)

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 TBSP nutritional yeast (optional)

2 cups dried sour cherries or cranberries

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 250° F. Toss together all the Chex cereals, nuts, pretzels, edamame, and almonds in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together garlic, butter, Worcestershire, hot sauce, brown sugar, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Pour over the cereal mixture and gently toss with a rubber spatula until coated.

Divide the mixture between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread in an even layer. Bake party mix for about an hour or until dry and toasted, stirring every 15 minutes and rotating trays between racks. Sprinkle with yeast, toss and let cool on baking sheets. Transfer to a large serving bowl and add dried cherries or cranberries. Party mix without fruit will last about a week in an airtight container. 