.....more APPETIZERS

AMERICAN CHEESE BOARD

Having a large crowd of cheese lovers over for drinks and hors de oeuvres, this is one perfect dish sure to please everyone, to be served on a cheese board. 
2 pounds domestice swiss cheese, sliced
2 pounds blue cheese, crumbled in small bowl

HOW TO ARRANGE A CHEESE BOARD

1 pound sharp cheese, sliced
1 pound provolone, sliced
1/2 cheddar cheese, sliced
1/2 pound brick cheese,sliced
1 12 oz domestic Gouda, peeled and served in wedges
1 8 oz domestic Camembert, crumbled in small bowl
rye bread
black pumpernickel bread
store all cheese well wrapped in refrigerator. On the day of the party 15 to 20 minute before guests arrive, arrange on cheese board so cheese will be at room temperature and flavor will be well developed  before serving. Arrange attractively.
YIELDS; 24 generous servings

HOLIDAY STRAWBERRIES
tired of the same old hum drum appetizers?Surprise your guest with this one!
1 3 ounce cream cheese
1/2 cup crumbled American blue cheese
1 pound liver sausage
2 tsp minced onion
mayonnaise
red bread crumbs
1 pound of strawberries, washed and hulled
parsley
green wooden picks
soften cream cheese, blend in ble cheese. Add to liver sausage and minced onion. Mix well add small amount of mayonnaise to make blending easier. Spread mixture on bottom of small-med serving dish. Arrange strawberries on top, sprinkle with bread crumbs, garnish with parsely.

MUSHROOMS AND ARTICHOKES
1 10 ounce pkg of frozen artichoke hearts
1 pound fresh button mushrooms, washed and dried
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbs tarragon vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
Watercress
cook frozen artichoke hears according to pkg directions. Remove from pan and combine with 1 pound of fresh mushrooms. Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt mustar sugar and pepper. Marinade mushrooms and artichoke in oil mixture for at least 1 hour. toss well. Serve on 6 individual platters each garnished with a bed of watercress.

THE PERFECT VALENTINES DAY SALAD

I made this for my girls for Valentines Day Dinner. Even my picky eater loved it. It is a simple and clean dish with a slighly heart shaped fruit. 

CAMEMBERT SALAD

1 can pear halves in heavy syrup
Creamy Rouge et Noir Camembert
honey
cream
lettuce
slivered almonds
soften camembert (if needed) with a little cream, until smooth and creamy
arrange pear halves on heart shaped dish lined with lettuce
add a dolop of the cheese mixture to each pear, drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with slivered almonds

CHEESEOLOGY

When planning a goumet meal, its important to continue that theme throughout the entire meal, including dessert. An age old food combination that has served as the answer to the dessert course is cheese and fruit.

Selecting the cheese: 

look the cheese over to note the collection of colors, shapes and varieties. Read the labels to identify varieties you're not familiar with and learn the ingredients they are made of. 

Cheese specifics:

CAMEMBERT: bring it to room temperature before serving then spread on a slice of crisp apple or pear. A few basic rules will aid you in serving this delicate cheese at its peak of flavor goodness.

#1. buy it as needed as age does not improve this cheese after it has ripened. 

#2The date stamped on the package indicates the expiration of proper aging time. 

#3.If you purchase week in advance of this date you can hasten the ripening by holding it at room temperature for a few hours and then place it in the refrigerator until 15 or 30 minutes before serving time, 

#4.the center should be soft and creamy and 

#5.the rind is edible. 

#6.NEVER SERVE COLD!

ROQUEFORT: cave cured and distinctive of flavor with its beautiful blue marbled appearance. it is easily sliced or crumbled atop a slice of pear or toasted cracker.

GRUYERE: has a natural affinity for blue Concord Grapes and is great in fondue.

EMMANTELE: another great fondue cheese and can be substituted with natural Swiss Cheese.

cheese apple crisp:

1 qt apples sliced and pared

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbs water

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup non fat dry milk

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter softened

1 cup shredded cheese

in small bowl bath apples in lemon juice and water mixture, arrange apples in prepared baking dish

prepare in another bowl the crisp, mix sugar, dry milk, flour, cinnamon, salt together, cut in butter, add oats and cheese. cover apples with crisp mixture. bake at 325 for 40 minutes

MOUSSE OR MOOSE!

I enjoy my friend PETs' (from Pencil and Box) recurring post titled "the window" I thought this pic from my mountain condo window might rival his view for today:

This isn't a chocolate Mousse recipe but is Mousse just the same, and seems festive.
CAMEMBERT MOUSSE
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3- 1/2 ounce wedges roquefort cheese
3 ounces Camembert cheese
1 egg, separated
1 tbs sherry
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
Soften gelatin in cold water, disslove over hot water. Soften cheeses (room tmperatur) press through sieve or blend with fork. Beat egg or blend with fork. Beat egg yolk slightly; add to cheeses along with sherry and Worcetershire sauce.. Add dissolved gelatin;beat until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into cheese mixture along with whipped cream. Pour into 3 cup mold; chill until set. Unmold on platter serve with assorted crackers.

SNACKS AT ANY HOUR

Something refreshing, something crackling crisp, something smooth and mellow or something for the sweet tooth. A great conversation around a pot of fondue is the newest sensation. Whether it's apple wedges, cubes of cake, or bread, dipped into a pot of delectable hot sauce...truly a culinary turn about!
Dessert fondues scorch easily. If you have an electric pot with water base be sure to keep it filled. Use fondue forks to dip and dunk let the morsel drain briefly over the fondue pot then transfer onto your plate and eat!

THREE CHEESE FONDUE

1  3-ounce pkg of cream cheese cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese cubed
1 cup of swiss cheese cubed
1 tbs flour
1/2 cup white wine
dash garlic salt
dash cayenne
Toss cheese cubes with flour,pour white wine into fondue pot and heat until bubbles rise to the surface. Gradually stir in cheese about 3 tbs at a time. Stirring until melted. Beat with wire whisk or fork to blend smoothly.  Stir in garlic and cayenne. Serve with fresh fruit and bread cubes.

MORE CHEESE PLEASE!

Try this one.....
Gefullter Camemberkase  (filled Camembert)
1 rouge et Noir Cmembert-8oz
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup seedless grapes
1/4 cup toasted Almonds
salt
paprika
cut out center of Camembert cheese, leaving the bottom and a 1/4 inch edge intact. Line cheese shell with grapes and slivered allmonds.  Mix the cheese with creamed butter and salt and paprika to taste. Whip cream until stiff, fold into cheese mixture and then pipe mixture into cheese shell through pastry bag . 

Say Cheese!

Camembert from Rouge et Noir.
Often called the "queen of cheeses" This cheese is legendary. Named by Napoleon afer the tiny hamlet of Camembert in Orne, France, where it originated. It is mild in flavor, soft, creamy to buttery in texture, with a "nutty" tanginess unlike any other soft ripened cheese.
Best served "straight" as a dessert spread on neutral crackers, with its native goodness complemented by thin slices of apple or pear. but for the adventurous there are also many recipes to excite the palate.
How to serve: the serving of Rouge et Noir camembert, brie, schloss or breakfast cheese is a simple matter. Place the cheese unwrapped at room temperature on a cheese board (ceramic or hardwood) with a spreader beside it. Provide sour French rolls, pumpernickle, rye or bland crackers for spreading. Garnishes such as glistensing curls of sweet butter, pots of orange marmalade or jellies and fresh fruits in bite sizes will add to the variety. each guest can mix and match to create their own taste sensation. A good dry wine makes an excellant addition.