THE LAND — DECEMBER 11/DECEMBER 18, 2020
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
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Variety makes these appetizers a hit for the holidays This year, holidays will look a little difn ferent. No large family gatherings, no My husband already has picked out the appetizer hugs from Grandma, no office Christmas he’s making for Christmas: Armadillo Eggs. While no parties. This year is like no other. Instead armadillos are actually in the recipe (thank goodof making the traditional Thanksgiving ness) the rest of the ingredients come together in and Christmas meals, why not shake it these crispy and delectable appetizers. up when it comes to food? Armadillo Eggs We are planning on doing all appetizers https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/33950/armadilfor Christmas eve. It will be just the six COOKING lo-eggs/ of us, so a large meal isn’t necessary (and WITH KRISTIN 24 jalapeno peppers to be honest, we have picky eaters that By Kristin Kveno 1 pound sausage won’t want to eat it anyway). Having an 2 cups all-purpose baking mix appetizer night allows each family member to make 1 (16 ounce) package Cheddar cheese, shredded an appetizer of their liking. My kids have gotten 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes pretty good at being innovative in their food cre1 tablespoon garlic salt ations, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they 1 (16 ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, cubed will come up with. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a medium baking Here’s a few of my favorite holiday appetizers. sheet. Cut a slit in each jalapeno pepper. Remove and discard Some have been my tried-and-true for years now. seeds and pulp. In a medium bowl, mix sausage, baking mix, If you’ve never had bacon wrapped figs, please try this recipe Cheddar cheese, crushed red pepper and garlic salt. Stuff jalapeat once. The first time I heard of this appetizer, I wanted nothing nos with the Monterey Jack cheese cubes. Shape sausage mixto do with it as I’m not a fig person. But the combination of ture around the jalapenos to form balls. Arrange jalapeno balls on bacon, goat cheese and figs creates a flavor profile that can’t be the prepared baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated beat. oven, until lightly browned. Bacon Wrapped Figs with Herb Goat Cheese n https://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/bacon-wrapped-stuffed-figsYou can never go wrong with a cheese ball, especially if artiherb-goat-cheese/ chokes are involved. I’ve been making this recipe for years, it’s 25 dried figs simple and delicious. 8–9 strips of bacon, cut into thirds Spinach Artichoke Feta Ball 3 ounces goat cheese 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped 8 ounces cream cheese 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped 4 ounces feta 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Fill a medium saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add dry figs to saucepan. Remove from heat and let figs sit for 5-10 minutes, until they are plump. Remove figs from water and place on a paper towel lined plate. Pat dry. In a small bowl, add goat cheese, rosemary, thyme, sage and garlic powder. Using a fork mix everything together. Snip the stems of the figs and cut a slit in the figs (enough to stuff it with cheese) about a ½ inch. Stuff each fig with the goat cheese mixture, then wrap with pre-sliced bacon and secure with a toothpick in them. Place wrapped figs on parchment paper lined baking sheet seam side down. Repeat process until all figs are stuffed and wrapped. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
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4 ounces canned artichoke hearts, chopped 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 package dry ranch salad dressing mix In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, spinach, feta, artichokes, garlic and ranch dressing. Mix together with hands until well blended, form into a ball or log and set on a serving plate. n Cowboy Caviar seems to be a hit with everyone. Making it a day in advance brings out the flavors and marries all the ingredients into a taste sensation.
Cowboy Caviar 2 cans Rotel 2 cans white corn 2 cans black beans (drain all cans) 1 tomato, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 8-10 green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 16 ounce bottle Italian dressing Mix all ingredients. Serve with Frito Scoops. Whether you’re creating an elaborate holiday feast or ordering pizza, these recipes can add some flare to any holiday gathering, no matter the size. Happy eating everyone! Kristin Kveno scours the internet, pours over old family recipes and searches everywhere in between to find interesting food ideas for feeding your crew. Do you have a recipe you want to share? You can reach Kristin at kkveno@thelandonline.com. v
