During the holidays, friends and families often gather for an afternoon or evening visit. Serving appetizers and snacks can make the entertaining easy and less expensive.
In the office we have a tradition that on the last day before the christmas holidays we all bring munchies and snack most of the day, while we work.
One of our favourites is Surprise Dip. Most of us prefer using salsa rather than the seafood cocktail.
Surprise spread
1/2 cup sour cream 125 mL
1 8-ounce package 250 g
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cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise 50 mL
2 3.75-ounce cans each broken shrimp, rinsed and drained, 106 g
1 cup salsa or seafood cocktail sauce 250 mL
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 500 mL
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
3 green onions, finely chopped
Mix the first three ingredients together. Spread over a 12 inch (30 cm) plate or serving dish. Scatter shrimp over cheese mixture; add layers of salsa or seafood cocktail sauce and mozzarella cheese and top with green peppers, tomatoes and onions. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Supply assorted crackers and spoons or paté knives for spreading. This can be made one or two days in advance. Serves 10-15.
For variation, use two ounce (1 g) cans of drained crab meat instead of shrimp or use a mixture of shrimp and crab.
Reader’s appetizers
The following appetizer and dessert recipes were sent by readers to the recipe contest we had last December.
Ham cheese ball
1 8-ounce package cream cheese 250 g
1 6.5-ounce tin ham flakes 184 g
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 15 mL
1 teaspoon lemon juice 5 mL
walnuts or almonds
Soften cheese and add remaining ingredients. Form into a ball. Roll in crushed walnuts or almonds. Chill. Serve with a variety of crackers.
Onion cheese ball
1 pouch onion soup mix
2 cups sour cream 500 mL
1 8-ounce package cream cheese 250 g
2 cups grated cheddar cheese 500 mL
1/2 cup soda crackers crushed, 125 mL
1 cup chopped walnuts 250 mL
chopped parsley
Mix soup mix, sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, crushed crackers and 1/2 cup (125 mL) walnuts. Pack into two small foil lined bowls.
Chill. Remove from moulds. Cover with remaining walnuts and parsley.
Serve with raw vegetables, chips or crackers. Yields two cheese balls.
Our family and friends enjoy these cheese balls. – Margery Crozon, Naicam, Sask.
Request answered
Dear TEAM: A reader requested a recipe for banana cream pie because bananas are a common winter fruit and often she has overripe ones she would like to use up.
The following pie is a family favourite.
Banana cream pie
Graham wafer crust:
11/2 cups graham 375 mL
wafer crumbs (18 wafers)
4 tablespoons sugar 60 mL
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 mL
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine 60 mL
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Crush wafers; grease a large pie plate.
Mix the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; add melted butter. Mix well.
Press mixture firmly into the pie plate to a thickness of a quarter inch (0.5 cm).
Bake until lightly browned, 8-10 minutes; cool.
Filling:
41/2 tablespoons Bird’s custard powder 70 mL
3 tablespoons sugar 45 mL
21/2 cups milk 625 mL
3-4 bananas
Mix the sugar and custard powder in a microwave safe bowl. Gradually stir in milk.
Microwave six to nine minutes on high, stirring twice during cooking or cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
Slice two or three bananas in bottom of cooled pie shell and spoon hot custard filling over banana slices.
Top with last banana slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
