You would be more than welcome! This menu was for my in-laws (7 of us total) who arrived 12/22 and
- Thread starter wigs
- Start date
Now that is the 64 million dollar question! I always do as much as I can as far ahead as I can,
and I use my freezer to capacity. The bars and Mexican wedding cakes and the bread were all made in advance and frozen. (I make cheesecake or pie crusts and freeze them in advance.)
AAMOF, I just harvested basil from my herb garden yesterday. The stalks have been conditioning overnight, and today I will wash & remove the leaves and make about 6 batches of pesto. The pesto goes into the freezer so when I need some for this bread or some other recipe, it's already done except for adding the nuts & cheese. (I leave out the nuts & cheese if I'm going to freeze pesto. Put the rest of the ingredients in FP & pulverize, transfer to storage containers, put a thin layer of olive oil over the top of each portion, lid snapped on and into the freezer. After thawing pesto, I stir in the chopped pine nuts & grated Parmesan and then it is ready to use in the bread recipe as directed.)
The Basic Herb dip, the creme brulee, the dressing for the slaw--made all that several days in advance as it all keeps well.
I am an inveterate list maker so there is one for non-perishable groceries that I can buy a couple weeks (or more) in advance; a 2nd grocery list contains all fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, things to use as garnish; I pull or make copies of all the recipes and put these in a folder with the grocery lists. After figuring out what and how much I'll need to buy, I sit down and make a time line of all the work to be done.
Monday
1) Buy non-perishable groceries.
2) Grease & flour all cake pans (I then put those into large zip-lock bags & let them sit until I need to use them.)
3) Sift dry ingredients together for cookies & store bowl in Ziplock.
4) Put metal bowl & beaters in freezer to chill for whipping cream.
5) Fry bacon for green beans, crumble & store in refrigerator.
Tuesday, Wed, Thurs--Etc.
I list everything so I won't forget anything even down to mundane steps like "Take 8 oz of cream cheese/4 eggs/1 cup sour cream out of fridge (to come to room temp)," for example.
I also work backwards (as well as forwards) when putting my time line together as some things cannot be done ahead. For instance, all those veggies for the crudites platter cannot be blanched until the day before--then I dry them well and store them overnight in Tupperware lined with paper towels.
When I prepare vegs for a crudites platter, I always blanch the cauliflower first and the broccoli last and that way I can use the same pot of boiling water for all of the vegetables, and I fish them out of the with a mesh strainer to plop into an ice bath.
I make a sketch of what I want my finished crudites platter to look like so not all of the same-colored vegetables end up next to one another.
I use the 'mise en place' technique. I use machines as much as possible--KA for baking, kneading bread, etc; food processor for slicing, chopping, mincing . . .
I put the potatoes for the gratin in a bucket of cold water to soak the night before serving, and then it's faster to clean the skins w/ veg brush as the dirt has softened.
Anything I can do ahead is done ahead because the day of the meal and the day before serving the meal both contain such intensive cooking.
I figure out what serving pieces & silverware I'm going to use so those were all pulled and cleaned and ready to go. I note in my folder what food item is going to be served from what platter or bowl. I figure out in advance what garnish is going to be used for each food item.
I put post-it notes on each serving platter or bowl so I know what is to be served from each and then I don't have to constantly refer back to my main list in my folder.
This was pretty much a stream of consciousness, Marilyn, so it might not have come out in the most logical order. I know there are lots of other cooks & caterers out there who can give additional hints.
To me the key is organization. The more I think about in advance and the more I have written down in advance, the fewer things I forget to buy, do, prepare! Hope some of these ideas will help you.
and I use my freezer to capacity. The bars and Mexican wedding cakes and the bread were all made in advance and frozen. (I make cheesecake or pie crusts and freeze them in advance.)
AAMOF, I just harvested basil from my herb garden yesterday. The stalks have been conditioning overnight, and today I will wash & remove the leaves and make about 6 batches of pesto. The pesto goes into the freezer so when I need some for this bread or some other recipe, it's already done except for adding the nuts & cheese. (I leave out the nuts & cheese if I'm going to freeze pesto. Put the rest of the ingredients in FP & pulverize, transfer to storage containers, put a thin layer of olive oil over the top of each portion, lid snapped on and into the freezer. After thawing pesto, I stir in the chopped pine nuts & grated Parmesan and then it is ready to use in the bread recipe as directed.)
The Basic Herb dip, the creme brulee, the dressing for the slaw--made all that several days in advance as it all keeps well.
I am an inveterate list maker so there is one for non-perishable groceries that I can buy a couple weeks (or more) in advance; a 2nd grocery list contains all fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, things to use as garnish; I pull or make copies of all the recipes and put these in a folder with the grocery lists. After figuring out what and how much I'll need to buy, I sit down and make a time line of all the work to be done.
Monday
1) Buy non-perishable groceries.
2) Grease & flour all cake pans (I then put those into large zip-lock bags & let them sit until I need to use them.)
3) Sift dry ingredients together for cookies & store bowl in Ziplock.
4) Put metal bowl & beaters in freezer to chill for whipping cream.
5) Fry bacon for green beans, crumble & store in refrigerator.
Tuesday, Wed, Thurs--Etc.
I list everything so I won't forget anything even down to mundane steps like "Take 8 oz of cream cheese/4 eggs/1 cup sour cream out of fridge (to come to room temp)," for example.
I also work backwards (as well as forwards) when putting my time line together as some things cannot be done ahead. For instance, all those veggies for the crudites platter cannot be blanched until the day before--then I dry them well and store them overnight in Tupperware lined with paper towels.
When I prepare vegs for a crudites platter, I always blanch the cauliflower first and the broccoli last and that way I can use the same pot of boiling water for all of the vegetables, and I fish them out of the with a mesh strainer to plop into an ice bath.
I make a sketch of what I want my finished crudites platter to look like so not all of the same-colored vegetables end up next to one another.
I use the 'mise en place' technique. I use machines as much as possible--KA for baking, kneading bread, etc; food processor for slicing, chopping, mincing . . .
I put the potatoes for the gratin in a bucket of cold water to soak the night before serving, and then it's faster to clean the skins w/ veg brush as the dirt has softened.
Anything I can do ahead is done ahead because the day of the meal and the day before serving the meal both contain such intensive cooking.
I figure out what serving pieces & silverware I'm going to use so those were all pulled and cleaned and ready to go. I note in my folder what food item is going to be served from what platter or bowl. I figure out in advance what garnish is going to be used for each food item.
I put post-it notes on each serving platter or bowl so I know what is to be served from each and then I don't have to constantly refer back to my main list in my folder.
This was pretty much a stream of consciousness, Marilyn, so it might not have come out in the most logical order. I know there are lots of other cooks & caterers out there who can give additional hints.
To me the key is organization. The more I think about in advance and the more I have written down in advance, the fewer things I forget to buy, do, prepare! Hope some of these ideas will help you.
AAMOF, I was trained to be a high school teacher, and I have taught a few cooking
classes here & there throughout the years.
An acquaintance used to run a cooking school out of a 2nd kitchen annex on her house (it was originally built for the elderly mother or MIL of the prior owners), and frequently Jeanne would ask me to teach a session or 2 each semester. That was always a major challenge--to get a complete menu finished for eating in 2 hours--but I really enjoyed giving those presentations. The best part was that Jeanne handled all the adminis-trivia as in registration, fee collecting, creating & mailing class description fliers, dealing with cancellations, etc., etc. Unfortunately, she & her husband retired and moved out of town a couple years ago so that ended that.
Recently, I have been teaching private classes to people who have hired me go to their homes so they can learn more about specific areas of cooking. I've done a quiche class; a soup class; a vegetable class for side dishes; a cake class; a class on how to use a Cuisinart; a cheesecake class (sweet & savory); a class on ideas for garnishing desserts; another on how to make a Pansy Cake with real blossoms baked into the batter; a class on using edible flowers for serving & cooking with. The last 2 sessions were given to different garden club groups and herb clubs in town. Just noticed I have a lesson plan for a champagne brunch class; several dinner menus; some luncheons.
A few hosts have invited other couples to also attend, and then it's an evening of culinary learning followed by social time after the class for supping with friends.
classes here & there throughout the years.
An acquaintance used to run a cooking school out of a 2nd kitchen annex on her house (it was originally built for the elderly mother or MIL of the prior owners), and frequently Jeanne would ask me to teach a session or 2 each semester. That was always a major challenge--to get a complete menu finished for eating in 2 hours--but I really enjoyed giving those presentations. The best part was that Jeanne handled all the adminis-trivia as in registration, fee collecting, creating & mailing class description fliers, dealing with cancellations, etc., etc. Unfortunately, she & her husband retired and moved out of town a couple years ago so that ended that.
Recently, I have been teaching private classes to people who have hired me go to their homes so they can learn more about specific areas of cooking. I've done a quiche class; a soup class; a vegetable class for side dishes; a cake class; a class on how to use a Cuisinart; a cheesecake class (sweet & savory); a class on ideas for garnishing desserts; another on how to make a Pansy Cake with real blossoms baked into the batter; a class on using edible flowers for serving & cooking with. The last 2 sessions were given to different garden club groups and herb clubs in town. Just noticed I have a lesson plan for a champagne brunch class; several dinner menus; some luncheons.
A few hosts have invited other couples to also attend, and then it's an evening of culinary learning followed by social time after the class for supping with friends.
REC Mexican Cheesecake. Traca, I serve savory ch-cakes as appetizers along w/ the appropriate chip,
bread, crostini or vegetable. The following comes from GREAT BEGINNINGS, GRAND FINALES--Junior League of South Bend, Indiana (my home town!). I've made and served this many times; it's delicious and like most cheesecakes, is something you need to make in advance so the flavors meld.
MEXICAN CHEESECAKE
What a combination--Mexican and cheesecake!
1 pound Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream, divided
1-1/2 packages taco seasoning mix
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 (4 ounce) can green chiles, drained and chopped
2/3 cup salsa
--Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
--In large bowl, combine cheeses. Beat until fluffy.
--Stir in 1 cup sour cream and taco seasoning.
--Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
--Fold in chiles.
--Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. (I always line the metal springform base with parchment paper.)
--Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is firm.
--Remove from oven. Cool on rack for 10 minutes.
--Spoon remaining 1 cup sour cream over top of cheesecake.
--Bake 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool completely.
--Cover and refrigerate several hours.
--Before serving, remove sides of springform pan and top with salsa. (I always drain my salsa first for a less watery end product.)
--Serve with plain taco chips. (I stick a couple small rounded-end appetizer knives into the cheesecake and let guests scoop/dig out what they want to put on their individual plates along with a big basket of taco chips right next to the cake.)
For garnish I typically make green chili flowers (jalapenos or serranos) to lay atop the cheesecake (their "petals" open up in ice water). Here is a web page to give the idea for making the flowers although my technique differs slightly==>
http://thaifood.about.com/od/authenticallythai/a/chilliflowers.html
NOTE: I cut the pointed tip off the jalapeno and then take a pair of kitchen shears to make V-shaped slits up the sides of the chili almost to the top or stem end (discard the upside down V slices that will pull out). I REMOVE the seeds from insdie the chili as best I can with a grapefruit knife so the seeds don't end up getting onto my cheesecake and giving some poor guest an unexpected jolt of mouth & throat heat!
bread, crostini or vegetable. The following comes from GREAT BEGINNINGS, GRAND FINALES--Junior League of South Bend, Indiana (my home town!). I've made and served this many times; it's delicious and like most cheesecakes, is something you need to make in advance so the flavors meld.
MEXICAN CHEESECAKE
What a combination--Mexican and cheesecake!
1 pound Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream, divided
1-1/2 packages taco seasoning mix
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 (4 ounce) can green chiles, drained and chopped
2/3 cup salsa
--Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
--In large bowl, combine cheeses. Beat until fluffy.
--Stir in 1 cup sour cream and taco seasoning.
--Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
--Fold in chiles.
--Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. (I always line the metal springform base with parchment paper.)
--Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is firm.
--Remove from oven. Cool on rack for 10 minutes.
--Spoon remaining 1 cup sour cream over top of cheesecake.
--Bake 5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool completely.
--Cover and refrigerate several hours.
--Before serving, remove sides of springform pan and top with salsa. (I always drain my salsa first for a less watery end product.)
--Serve with plain taco chips. (I stick a couple small rounded-end appetizer knives into the cheesecake and let guests scoop/dig out what they want to put on their individual plates along with a big basket of taco chips right next to the cake.)
For garnish I typically make green chili flowers (jalapenos or serranos) to lay atop the cheesecake (their "petals" open up in ice water). Here is a web page to give the idea for making the flowers although my technique differs slightly==>
http://thaifood.about.com/od/authenticallythai/a/chilliflowers.html
NOTE: I cut the pointed tip off the jalapeno and then take a pair of kitchen shears to make V-shaped slits up the sides of the chili almost to the top or stem end (discard the upside down V slices that will pull out). I REMOVE the seeds from insdie the chili as best I can with a grapefruit knife so the seeds don't end up getting onto my cheesecake and giving some poor guest an unexpected jolt of mouth & throat heat!
REC: Lobster & Dill Cheesecake==>
I got this recipe from a class taught by Stephen Lee on 11-12-2003 of Louisville, KY, who is the former owner of Cookbook Cottage. It was delicious!
Lobster & Dill Cheesecake--Makes 48 servings.
2 cups lobster meat, cooked & chopped fine
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup unsalted pretzels, crushed
3 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, like Old Bay
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
--Put the lobster into a mixing bowl; sprinkle the flour over and toss to coat the lobster well. Reserve.
--Grease a 9-inch springform pan with the 3 Tbsp unsalted butter; then coat the bottom and sides with the crushed pretzels. Set aside.
--Put the cream cheese into the work bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, insuring that each is incorporated before adding another. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, juice, seafood seasoning and fresh dill and combine well. Add the lobster w/ flour and mix in evenly.
--Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared springform pan. Place pan on a heavy baking sheet and put into a preheated 350-degree F oven and bake for 70 minutes or until the center is firm and does not jiggle when shaken. (Stephen told us if it jiggles like jello, it is done, but if it jiggles like water in a swimming pool, it's NOT done.)
--Turn oven off; leave oven door open (i.e., cracked about 4 inches) and let cheesecake cool in oven for 1 hour. (He then removed from oven to let cheesecake completely cool on a wire rack on the counter.)
--Cover with plastic wrap and place cooled cheescake into refrigerator and chill, best is overnight.
--To serve, gently unmold and ganish with additional fresh dill. Serve with unflavored crackers or small toasts.
Additional notes I made from the class: Will keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks and freezes very well. Stephen cuts the cake into quarters and then can thaw and serve 1/4 at a time. If freezing, put whole cheesecake in refrigerator 3 days before serving and then let it sit at room temperature 3 hours before eating.
I also made a note on my copy of this recipe that whenever I make, I want to try adding a bit more dill and/or Old Bay spice.
I got this recipe from a class taught by Stephen Lee on 11-12-2003 of Louisville, KY, who is the former owner of Cookbook Cottage. It was delicious!
Lobster & Dill Cheesecake--Makes 48 servings.
2 cups lobster meat, cooked & chopped fine
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup unsalted pretzels, crushed
3 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, like Old Bay
2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
--Put the lobster into a mixing bowl; sprinkle the flour over and toss to coat the lobster well. Reserve.
--Grease a 9-inch springform pan with the 3 Tbsp unsalted butter; then coat the bottom and sides with the crushed pretzels. Set aside.
--Put the cream cheese into the work bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, insuring that each is incorporated before adding another. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, juice, seafood seasoning and fresh dill and combine well. Add the lobster w/ flour and mix in evenly.
--Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared springform pan. Place pan on a heavy baking sheet and put into a preheated 350-degree F oven and bake for 70 minutes or until the center is firm and does not jiggle when shaken. (Stephen told us if it jiggles like jello, it is done, but if it jiggles like water in a swimming pool, it's NOT done.)
--Turn oven off; leave oven door open (i.e., cracked about 4 inches) and let cheesecake cool in oven for 1 hour. (He then removed from oven to let cheesecake completely cool on a wire rack on the counter.)
--Cover with plastic wrap and place cooled cheescake into refrigerator and chill, best is overnight.
--To serve, gently unmold and ganish with additional fresh dill. Serve with unflavored crackers or small toasts.
Additional notes I made from the class: Will keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks and freezes very well. Stephen cuts the cake into quarters and then can thaw and serve 1/4 at a time. If freezing, put whole cheesecake in refrigerator 3 days before serving and then let it sit at room temperature 3 hours before eating.
I also made a note on my copy of this recipe that whenever I make, I want to try adding a bit more dill and/or Old Bay spice.
REC: Chipotle Chile Cheesecake from a class I took at Cooks & Company,
From a cooking class taught by Donna Turner in May of 2004. Hers is a modification of a George Geary recipe. (I'll post George's original version below Donna's.)
Chipotle Chile Cheesecake
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo, drained and chopped (cut open chile, scrape out and discard seeds and then chop)
1/3 cup canned tomatoes, diced
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add egg, mixing until blended. Saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil. With a rubber spatula, fold in onions, garlic, chipotle chilies, and tomatoes. Pour filling into an 8-inch springform pan.
Bake in a 325-degree F preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 2 hours. Remove cheesecake from springform pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving. Serve with crackers and/or fresh vegetables.
To serve as a warm appetizer, wrap cheescake in foil and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes to heat through. Do not microwave.
Chipotle Chile Cheesecake (from George Geary's 125 BEST CHEESECAKE RECIPES Cookbook, p. 136)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Use a 6-inch (15 cm) cheesecake pan or springform pan that has 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, line bottom with parchment paper.
CRUST
3/4 cup stone ground cracker crumbs (175 mL)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (25 mL)
FILLING
2 packages (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
2 tsp granulated sugar (10 mL)
1 egg
1/4 cup diced onions, about 1/3 of a medium-size onion (50 mL)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle chilies, drained and chopped
1 large roma tomato, seeded and diced, about 3/4 cup (175 mL)
1) CRUST: In a medium bowl, combine crushed ctackers and butter. Press into bottom of parchment-lined cheesecake pan and freeze.
2) FILLING: In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add egg, mixing until blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in onions, garlic, chipotle chilies and tomato. Pour batter over frozen crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Serve with crackers and/or fresh vegetables.
3) To serve as a warm appetizer, wrap the cheesecake in foil and place in a preheated 350-degree F oven (180 degrees C) for 10 minutes to heat through. Do NOT microwave; it will toughen the cheesecake.
Note from Caryn: Donna told us in class that she eliminated George's cracker crust because it always got soggy and since she served this appetizer on top of little baguette toasts, she didn't think a cracker crumb crust was necessary.
TIPS from George Geary's cookbook: Canned chipotle chilies can be found in the International food section of most large markets. They are smoked jalapenos with a great smoky flavor. The adobo sauce in some brands can be spicy. Use the reserved sauce to punch up chili or tomato-based spaghetti sauce.
From a cooking class taught by Donna Turner in May of 2004. Hers is a modification of a George Geary recipe. (I'll post George's original version below Donna's.)
Chipotle Chile Cheesecake
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles canned in adobo, drained and chopped (cut open chile, scrape out and discard seeds and then chop)
1/3 cup canned tomatoes, diced
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add egg, mixing until blended. Saute onions and garlic in a little olive oil. With a rubber spatula, fold in onions, garlic, chipotle chilies, and tomatoes. Pour filling into an 8-inch springform pan.
Bake in a 325-degree F preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 2 hours. Remove cheesecake from springform pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving. Serve with crackers and/or fresh vegetables.
To serve as a warm appetizer, wrap cheescake in foil and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes to heat through. Do not microwave.
Chipotle Chile Cheesecake (from George Geary's 125 BEST CHEESECAKE RECIPES Cookbook, p. 136)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Use a 6-inch (15 cm) cheesecake pan or springform pan that has 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, line bottom with parchment paper.
CRUST
3/4 cup stone ground cracker crumbs (175 mL)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (25 mL)
FILLING
2 packages (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese, softened
2 tsp granulated sugar (10 mL)
1 egg
1/4 cup diced onions, about 1/3 of a medium-size onion (50 mL)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotle chilies, drained and chopped
1 large roma tomato, seeded and diced, about 3/4 cup (175 mL)
1) CRUST: In a medium bowl, combine crushed ctackers and butter. Press into bottom of parchment-lined cheesecake pan and freeze.
2) FILLING: In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add egg, mixing until blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in onions, garlic, chipotle chilies and tomato. Pour batter over frozen crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Serve with crackers and/or fresh vegetables.
3) To serve as a warm appetizer, wrap the cheesecake in foil and place in a preheated 350-degree F oven (180 degrees C) for 10 minutes to heat through. Do NOT microwave; it will toughen the cheesecake.
Note from Caryn: Donna told us in class that she eliminated George's cracker crust because it always got soggy and since she served this appetizer on top of little baguette toasts, she didn't think a cracker crumb crust was necessary.
TIPS from George Geary's cookbook: Canned chipotle chilies can be found in the International food section of most large markets. They are smoked jalapenos with a great smoky flavor. The adobo sauce in some brands can be spicy. Use the reserved sauce to punch up chili or tomato-based spaghetti sauce.
Here's one that I like. Rec: Caviar-Crowned Mold.
Caviar-Crowned Mold
Appetizers by Mable Hoffman
Use a pedestal cake stand or footed sandwich plate to present this spectacular looking mold.
1 Cup cottage cheese
1 Cup dairy sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
1 (.25 oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ Cup chilled dry white wine
3 hard cooked eggs
1 (2 o.) jar red or black caviar
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 slices lemon
Pumpernickel bread or rye bread, thinly sliced
In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Process until smooth, 10 to 20 seconds. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over wine; let stand 3 to 4 minutes to soften. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Gradually stir dissolved gelatin mixture into cottage cheese mixture into cottage cheese mixture. Pour into a 9 or 10 inch quiche pan or spring-form pan. Refrigerate until firm, 4 to 6 hours. Finely chop hard cooked eggs; set aside. Invert firmly set mold onto a large round platter; remove pan. Spoon caviar in a 1” ring around outer edge on top of mold. Spoon chopped eggs in a 1 ½” ring inside caviar ring. Cover remaining surface with chopped onions. Garnish center with lemon slices. Serve as a spread with pumpernickel bread or rye bread. Makes 35 to 40 servings.
https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/Orchid/P1010012-1.jpg
https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/Orchid/P1010012-1.jpg
Caviar-Crowned Mold
Appetizers by Mable Hoffman
Use a pedestal cake stand or footed sandwich plate to present this spectacular looking mold.
1 Cup cottage cheese
1 Cup dairy sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
1 (.25 oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ Cup chilled dry white wine
3 hard cooked eggs
1 (2 o.) jar red or black caviar
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 slices lemon
Pumpernickel bread or rye bread, thinly sliced
In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Process until smooth, 10 to 20 seconds. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over wine; let stand 3 to 4 minutes to soften. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Gradually stir dissolved gelatin mixture into cottage cheese mixture into cottage cheese mixture. Pour into a 9 or 10 inch quiche pan or spring-form pan. Refrigerate until firm, 4 to 6 hours. Finely chop hard cooked eggs; set aside. Invert firmly set mold onto a large round platter; remove pan. Spoon caviar in a 1” ring around outer edge on top of mold. Spoon chopped eggs in a 1 ½” ring inside caviar ring. Cover remaining surface with chopped onions. Garnish center with lemon slices. Serve as a spread with pumpernickel bread or rye bread. Makes 35 to 40 servings.
https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/Orchid/P1010012-1.jpg
https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/Orchid/P1010012-1.jpg
)
This tip about cutting the cheesecake and freezing the wedges separately is BRILLIANT.
Excellent idea for entertaining for the holidays. I go to a lot of potlucks so having a few of these in the freezer, ready for the next party is a great idea.
I've been buying cheap plates and knives at Goodwill and other spots. Then when I bring a dish to a party, if I leave before it's finished, I just leave the dish as a party favor. (I'm picking up plates for 99 cents and silverwear for 30 cents a piece.)
Ooh, I think you just solved my holiday appetizer problem. Thank you Wigs. FK is the best!
Excellent idea for entertaining for the holidays. I go to a lot of potlucks so having a few of these in the freezer, ready for the next party is a great idea.
I've been buying cheap plates and knives at Goodwill and other spots. Then when I bring a dish to a party, if I leave before it's finished, I just leave the dish as a party favor. (I'm picking up plates for 99 cents and silverwear for 30 cents a piece.)
Ooh, I think you just solved my holiday appetizer problem. Thank you Wigs. FK is the best!
As a wedding gift for a friend, I made a basket of cooking stuff, including a set of springform pans
Along with that I made her a recipe book of recipes using ONLY springform pans (along with ingredients for several of the recipes). It was a lot of fun doing this theme, and in researching I came across a lot of 'savory' cheesecake recipes. I'll post a few here...
Along with that I made her a recipe book of recipes using ONLY springform pans (along with ingredients for several of the recipes). It was a lot of fun doing this theme, and in researching I came across a lot of 'savory' cheesecake recipes. I'll post a few here...