"Small Bites" - Cubano Skewers with Honey Mustard Sauce - Holiday Party Food!

Date I made this recipe:  December 3, 2017 – Holiday party food!

Small Bites – Skewers, Sliders, and Other Party Eats by Eliza Cross

Published by Gibbs Smith

ISBN: 13: 978-1-4237-4785-0; copyright 2017

Purchased at Bibelot, St. Paul

Recipe:  Cubano Skewers with Honey Mustard Sauce – p. 67.  (Not published:  Roast Beef, Gorgonzola, and Balsamic-Roasted Grape Skewers – p. 72)

Folks, if you are looking for a ridiculously-easy party appetizer, look no further for I bring you tidings of great joy and great eats – Cubano Skewers with Honey Mustard Sauce!

My husband and I love Cubano sandwiches, and this “deconstructed” recipe was just the trick for our annual holiday open house.  They looked pretty, tasted great, and were easy to make.

The ingredients are simple:  cubed pieces of ham, swiss cheese, pork tenderloin and a baby dill pickle, all stacked on a wooden skewer.  It takes two seconds to make the honey mustard sauce and then you are done.

To make things even easier for us, I baked the ham and roasted the tenderloin a few weeks before our party and then froze them.  I cubed the cheese in advance, got our pickle situation in order, and made up the sauce the night before.

My husband was all about that sauce.  In fact, when I informed him that I tossed the leftover sauce from the party, he gave me that “pound puppy” look and then scrounged around his company cafeteria for an acceptable substitute that he then had with the leftover skewers.

We made also the Roast Beef, Gorgonzola, and Balsamic-Roasted Grape Skewers from the same cookbook, but for copyright sake, I’ll let you find that recipe on your own.  I have two comments though that might be helpful:  The earliest we could roast the grapes was 8 hours before the party, so we decided to make them that morning.  We are not fond of “day of” cooking or preparation because we put out way too much food and this slows us down.  Second, the roast beef started falling apart i.e. shredding on us, prompting my husband to roll the cheese into the roast beef pieces and then put them on the skewer.  We used also other cheese such as parmesan in the bundles, just in case people didn’t like the gorgonzola.

Either way, prepare to bask in the glow of the accolades coming your way!

In case you are not a skewer person (some aren’t!), this cookbook contains recipes for “Basic Bites;” “Finger Foods;” “Skewers and Picks;” and “Sliders and Mini Sandwiches.” 

“Basic Bites” recipes include crisps, rolls, and crostini – in other words, appetizer “bases.”  “Finger Foods” recipes include everything from tiny drumsticks to wantons to mini pizzas, all of which sounded great, but would have required day-of party prep and as stated, we tend to avoid that.

The “Skewers and Picks” sections included the two skewers we made, plus satays, cheese nibbles and even jalapeno poppers.  The “Sliders and Mini Sandwiches” chapter was probably my second favorite with recipes for tiny lobster rolls, French dips, and sliders (yum!)

As I mentioned, the Cubano skewers had to be the easiest things we’ve ever made, and I already had one friend request the recipe for her family holiday gathering.  If these don’t fit into your holiday party plans, they would be great for a Super Bowl party or a summer picnic.  Enjoy!

Cubano Skewers with Honey Mustard Sauce – makes 24 (Ann’s Note:  Makes way more than 24!  We ran out of pickles though, so plan on buying two jars.)

1 pound cooked ham, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ pound Swiss cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (Ann’s Note:  I used 1 pound of cheese and had a little left over.)

1 pound cooked pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes

24 baby dill pickles

24 (6-inch) skewers

Honey Mustard recipe

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Layer 1 ham cube, 1 cheese cube, and 1 pork loin cube on a 6-inch skewer, followed by 1 pickle; repeat with remaining ingredients.

To make the Honey Mustard Sauce (Makes about 2/3 cup), in a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper.  Serve at once or refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

Arrange skewers on a serving platter and serve with Honey Mustard Sauce.  Skewers may be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for up to 8 hours before serving.

"Gridiron Cookery" & "Gourmet Game Night" - Chili and Oven-Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip - Super Bowl 51

Date I made this recipe:  Sunday, February 5, 2017 – Super Bowl 51

Gridiron Cookery – The nation's most resourceful hostesses – the wives of football coaches – skilled at taming (and feeding) victory-mad mobs – or reviving a few low-spirited losers – break out 250 and more of their treasured recipes for wonderful food – Edited by Frances S. Daugherty and Aileen C. Brothers

Published by David McKay Company, Inc.

© 1960

Purchased at Barnes and Noble (Used) for a whopping dollar!

Recipe:  Chili – recipe submitted by Mrs. W. W. (Woody) Hayes, [The] Ohio State University – p. 75

Gourmet Game Night – bite-sized, mess-free eating for board-game parties, bridge clubs, poker nights, book groups, and more by Cynthia Nims

Published by Ten Speed Press

ISBN: 978-1-58008-088-0; © 2010

Purchased at Powell's Chicago

Recipe: Oven-Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip – p. 22-23

Okay then, the Super Bowl was played two weeks ago, and I am obviously behind on all my reporting, but I am happy to say that I managed to make some awesome dishes for the big day (or any day, really):  Chili (what football game would be complete without chili) and Oven-Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip.  Think "back-to-back" touchdowns."

And of course, the winning recipes came from two winning cookbooks, one old and one new:  Gridiron Cookery, published in 1960, and Gourmet Game Night, published in 2010.  Both books need a bit of explanation and so let's get right to it.

I've heard the term "gridiron" my whole life, usually in the context about talking about college football, but didn't really know what it meant until now.  According to Google, a "gridiron" is a "field for football, marked with regularly spaced parallel lines."  Please file this away for future use.

Gridiron Cookery is a compilation of recipes submitted by (primarily) college coaches' wives, all of whom are referred to in the book as Mrs. [insert husband's first name here] Coaches' Wife, for example  "Mrs. W. W. "Woody" Hayes, [The] Ohio State University," or "Mrs. Hugh Duffy Daugherty, Michigan State University."

This rankles.  Look, I know this was a sign of the [1960's] times, but 160 women submitted recipes for this book and not a one of them was listed by her first name/given name.  Not a one.  And here's a little tidbit of interest:  back then, and for many, many years later, the only time you ever learned that a woman had a first name was when she was widowed or divorced (gasp!) in which case she went by Mrs. Betty Jones.  Ridiculous!

At any rate, so coaches' wives from all over the U.S. and Canada (with a smattering from NFL coaches' wives] submitted recipes and you would think that a book about the college gridiron would feature some of the more prominent football schools but you would be wrong.  As a for instance, and please shout out if you recognize these teams from a Bowl Game appearance:  Furman University; Ferris Institute; The College of the Holy Cross; Springfield College, and Susquehanna University. 

You can't, can you?  No worries, reader, because neither can I.  I have never heard of any of these colleges much less of the prowess of their football teams.

On the other hand, I am well acquainted with these college football powerhouses: 

• University of Alabama coached by Paul (Bear) Bryant, with recipe submitted by Mrs. Paul Bryant, no first name given!
• University of Mississippi (a/k/a "Ole Miss" and by the way, "ole" is not the Spanish "ole" but rather "old" as in "Old Miss.")
• University of Nebraska
• University of  Wisconsin
• University of Michigan (Patriot's quarterback, Tom Brady, is an alum)
• Michigan State University
• [The] Ohio State University coached by Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes

And this is just a short list! 

Other interesting cookbook tidbits:

• Today's Super Bowl battle pitted University of Michigan graduate, Tom Brady, against Boston College graduate, Matt Ryan but only the University of Michigan was featured in this cookbook.  Hmmm...foreshadowing of the game results? (Hint:  Matt Ryan got creamed.)
• The proper way to talk about Ohio State University is to say The (pronounced "thee," never, ever "thuh.") Ohio State University because that is the official name.  I'm serious.
• Speaking of The Ohio State University, Head Coach Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was a household name during my prime college football-watching years.  In fact, he was the enemy to my Michigan State Spartans and the University of Michigan Wolverines.  Woody was a great coach which is why I recognized the name right off the bat and I was happy to make the Mrs. Woody Hayes' (given name is Susan) most excellent chili recipe.
• This is odd:  throughout the book, I would see often a listing such as "Mrs. Henry R. (Red) Sanders" then on the next line "Formerly University of California at Los Angeles."  Now kids, there is no such thing as a "former" University of California at Los Angeles.  The school continues to be called UCLA (University of California Los Angeles), just as Harvard was, is, and will always be Harvard University and not "Formerly Harvard University," perish the thought!
• Also:  Seems to me that a book that includes a list of Contributors in alphabetical order and a [recipe] Index in alphabetical order should also include a list of "contributing" colleges and/or NFL in alphabetical order but they didn't because that would be too easy?  Had such a list existed, I could have ascertained quite easily that Boston College was not on the list rather than flipping through page after page to see if I spotted the name. 
• There are a handful of recipes submitted by NFL coaches' wives and I learned the following:
• The Los Angeles Chargers (as listed here) started as the Los Angeles Chargers, then they moved to San Diego where they played for many years, and are now on deck to become the Los Angeles Chargers again this coming season.  (Meanwhile, back at the ranch, there are also the Los Angeles Rams who started in LA, went to St. Louis for many years, and are also back in LA.  I cannot keep up with this stuff, I cannot.  To this day, I will always think of the Colts as being the Baltimore Colts and not the Indianapolis Colts because that is just wrong and it messes with my head!)
• The current-day New York Jets went by the name "New York Titans" from 1960-1962.  I did not know that and so there goes the theory "Once you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way from your first cigarette to your last dying day!"  (Lyric from the Jet Song, from the musical/movie West Side Story).
• And then there's the Cleveland Browns and this is hilarious:  the Browns' head coach from the 50's to the early 60's was Paul Brown, no relation.

You know, I've remarked several times that reading cookbooks is like reading history books as I learn so much about the time and place and football!

And now on to our second featured cookbook and recipe, Gourmet Game Night and the fan-tab-ulous recipe for Oven Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip.  Damn, was this good.

Now some of you may have surmised from the title that this cookbook is intended for game nights that include card games or board games.  But since betting figures in mightily for the Super Bowl, I included it here and do believe that was a most excellent play call on my part. 

The thing I liked about this cookbook is that it features all kinds of bite-sized and non-messy bites to be eating while game playing because who wants something messy? For that matter, who wants to watch a game while eating messy food that might plop all over the floor or sofa, causing one to take a break in the action during which time, the "home" team almost inevitably scores and of course you will have missed it because you were doing cleanup on Aisle 9? (My problem isn't necessarily food but with drinks that seem to upend themselves at the worst time!)

This book's Table of Contents is broken into categories that make it easy to find a recipe in a snap.  The Table of Contents categories are:  Dips and Spreads; Skewers and Picks; All-Edibles; Sandwiches; Pastries; Small Dishes, and Drinks.  And the author also includes suggested menus for all kinds of game nights and that is fun.  A sample Game Night for Two to Four Menu includes "Rosemary Martinis;" "Salmon Poke in Endive Leaves;" "Oven-Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip;" Lamb and Olive Kebabs," and "Nutella and Banana Galettes."  The author notes also games that you might be playing that evening such as Canasta, Mah-jongg, Scrabble, Bridge, or Pinochle.

Now I have never been a game player as I can't stand to sit still that long, but I do love food and must say that this onion dip recipe was so freaking good that I'm including it on my annual holiday party menu from here on out!  That said, there is no game night, football, baseball or other, during which I would ever serve "Salmon Poke in Endive Leaves" as I am not fond of salmon and is that dish just a tad precocious, or what?

So there you go folks, a game-winning Super Bowl menu.  In case you missed the game and care about these things, all good things came to an end for the Atlanta Falcons who were leading the New England Patriots at the half by a large margin, and then they weren't.  The Pats came back, tied the game, sent it into overtime and won.  This was definitely not my hoped for outcome but so it goes and hey, at least I had good food to take the sting off! 

These two dishes are great fare any time of the year so never mind that I posted them too late for the Super Bowl or any "bowl," really.  By the way, I was "this" close to making "Jackpot Casserole" from Gridiron Cookery just because I loved the name but in the end, it had to be chili or bust.

Chili – 6 servings – from Mrs. W. W. (Woody) Hayes . [The] Ohio State University

1 large onion, sliced

1 green pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 pound ground beef

1 No. 2 ½ can tomatoes (Ann's Note:  27-29 ounces, or 3 ½ cups)

1/8 teaspoon paprika

3 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

1 ½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon (more or less as desired) chili powder

1 No. 2 can kidney beans, drained (Ann's Note:  20 ounces, or 2 ½ cups)

Fry onion and green pepper in melted butter in Dutch oven or deep skillet.  Add ground beef and cook until brown.  Add tomatoes and seasonings.  Simmer about 2 hours, adding water if necessary.  Just before serving, add kidney beans.

Oven-Baked Potato Chips with Onion Dip – Makes 8-10 Dips with Chips

Onion Dip

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried

½ cup beef broth, preferably reduced-sodium

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

¾ cup top-quality mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

½ teaspoon Tabasco, or more to taste

Salt

Potato Chips

2 russet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

To make the onion dip, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring often, until the onions are very tender and nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes.  The onions shouldn't brown too fast; reduce the heat to medium-low if needed.  Add the broth and garlic and cook until the liquid is completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  When cool, stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream, Tabasco, and salt to taste.  Transfer the dip to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.  Set 2 oven racks at the centermost levels.

To prepare the potato chips, half-fill a large bowl with cold water.  Peel 1 of the potatoes and cut it crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices, preferably using a mandoline slicer.  Add the slices to the water and repeat with the second potato.  Use your hands to swish the potato slices around in the water to remove the excess starch. (Ann's Note:  I hand cut these and despite best efforts, my slices were thicker than the 1/8-inch thick slices as noted in the recipes.  That said, I rather liked our thicker chip that wasn't really a chip but a nicely-baked potato slice.)

Dry the potato slices well on a clean kitchen towel.  Rinse and dry the bowl and return the potato slices to it.  Drizzle the olive oil over and toss to evenly coat the slices with the oil.  Arrange the potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheets and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Bake until the slices are lightly browned and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes, turning the slices over and switching the baking sheets about halfway through for even cooking.  Keep an eye on the progress near the end; some slices may be done sooner.  Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.  Ann's Note:  my chips were definitely not crisp but they were great nonetheless.  To "serve," I put some in a bowl and then spooned the dip on top and ate them as I would a baked potato.  Shall I just say that my dip ration was far, far greater than the potato?

To serve, spoon the dip into individual dishes and set them on a platter or tray.  Set the chips in a bowl alongside for your guests to serve themselves.

It is best to make dip at least 4 hours ahead, but it can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept covered and refrigerated.  The chips are best made not more than 2 hours before serving.

"The Meatball Cookbook Bible" - Beef Meatballs with Mustard and Dried Apricots & Pork Meatballs in Apple Cream Sauce - Holiday Party Food!

Date I made these recipes:  December 4, 2016 – Holiday party food!

The Meatball Cookbook Bible – 500 Mouth-Watering Variations on One of the World's Best-Loved Foods by Ellen Brown

Published by Cider Mill Press

ISBN: 978-160433097-7; © 2009

Purchased at Half Price Books, St. Paul, MN

Recipes:  Beef Meatballs with Mustard and Dried Apricots – p. 130-131; Pork Meatballs in Apple Cream Sauce – p. 183-185

You probably know this, but cooking is dangerous.  You have hot burners, hot liquids, and sharp knives, and many a chef has injured themselves while attempting to bang out fantastic food.

In my case, my "industrial" accident happened when I was trying to move a metal bookend so as to take this cookbook off my shelf.  My pinkie finger connected with the bookend and ow, ow, ow!  Who knew that those suckers were so sharp?

And just like that, the roll I was on writing and publishing my holiday party food blogs came to a screeching halt.  My apologies.

Happily nothing dire happened in the kitchen while I was making these recipes except for a lot of swearing over the lack of explicit instructions.

I mean what the hell folks, are there not editors making more money than me out there who are supposed to catch this stuff?  Because I found an error in each recipe and it always involved "what am I supposed to do with the rest of these [insert food item here]?" I looked at each recipe several times and then had my husband read it and we remain perplexed.

Now nothing that was or wasn't in the recipes made a difference to the outcome which is always a good thing, and the end results were tasty but of course, there were a few issues of note which I will cover in a minute.

In general, the beef meatballs were good but seemed a little mushy in the middle, whether from the breadcrumbs, the apricots or a combination of both we don't know.  We do know that our guests enjoyed them so perhaps it was our palate?  Anyway, we doubled the recipes, baked them off and then froze them, sans sauce, a couple of weeks before the party.  We added the sauces just before serving.

As to the pork meatballs, be warned that you will end up with a ton of sauce.  A ton. In retrospect I realize that doubling the meatball mixture does not always mean to also double the sauce.  In fact, it usually ends up being just the opposite.  But what they hey, they are going to be your meatballs so if you want lots of sauce, go to it.

Be warned though, that the pork meatball sauce calls for applejack brandy and since I knew a couple of kids were coming, I decided to pass on that option as I really didn't want to get the stink-eye from their parents.  Not that the parents would have noticed but we would have.  Responsible hosts let their guests eat responsibly!

As you might imagine, a cookbook with the title The Meatball Cookbook Bible is loaded with meatball recipes and so finding some for our party table was not the problem; eliminating some was the problem!  It took us a while to cull the herd to the two recipes listed here and while they were good, we shall likely explore other options next year as we like to mix things up a bit.

This "bible" of a book also gives you a wide variety of options in these categories: meat (beef, pork, lamb); poultry; fish and seafood; vegetables, herbs and grains; cheese and even dessert meatballs (a/k/a " chocolate truffles"). There's a section for meatballs in broth and also a variety of "international" meatballs from which to choose.

Before I get to the recipes though, I have to dialogue with you about the incomplete instructions I mentioned above.  Faithful readers knows that nothing sends me over the edge more than missing or incomplete instructions.  And specific to this year's kitchen efforts is the definition of the word "divided" – as in (for example) "1 cup apple cider, divided."

Perhaps it is just me, but in my head, the word "divided" suggests an equal division of ingredients and so a directive of "I cup apple cider, divided" means two, one-half cups each, one to be used now, one to be used later.  At least this is what I (barely) understood in my grade school math class.

And believe it or not, most recipes I've made that called for a "divided" ingredient have been an even split.  If they haven't though, they usually indicate somewhere in the recipe's narrative what I am to do with the remaining amount.  And the remaining amount is usually mathematically correct, i.e., if one cup of an ingredient is to be divided into ¾ cup for the first round, it stands to reason that ¼ cup is what you have left, right?

Not always so.  So let's parse the instructions that drove me crazy:

#1 – The beef meatball recipe called for 1/3 of a cup of mustard, divided.  The recipe goes on to say to use ¼ (of 1/3 cup) for the meatballs and the remaining for the sauce.  Okay, fine, but I would have preferred it if she would have spelled out the "remaining" in measurement form which breaks down roughly into 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon.  Now, was that hard? (Answer:  yes, which is why I sent this "equation to my husband to figure out for me!)

And this is perhaps also a "me" thing, but when I look at an ingredient list, I want to see every ingredient I am to use and I want it spelled out.  Why?  Because the ingredient list also becomes my shopping list.  I photocopy the list, head to the grocery store, and we're done.  Here, the ingredient list for the sauce said "apricot preserves and red pepper hot sauce," but no mention was made of the remaining mustard except in the narrative.

And look, if I was making this up for just the two of us or a few guests, perhaps I would not have been so irked, but I was making mass quantities for our party and I want to know exactly how much to have on hand and where it all goes. 

#2 – The pork meatballs called for you to chop one onion and then add half of it to the meatballs mix.  But what to do with the rest of it?  We will never know because the recipe does not say.

Also annoying was the directive to "divide" (there's that word again) 1 cup of apple cider.  Three quarters (3/4) of the cider is used in the meatball sauce recipe, but the remaining ¼ is never accounted for.

Why then, dear reader, why then direct me to pour a whole cup when ¾ of a cup will do?  This drives me absolutely nuts.  Nuts!

So as I am fond of saying, I am going to have to ding this author for these two boo-boos. The flavors were fine and our guests ate them up (pun intended), but I hate incomplete directions and I really hate them when I am cranking out copious quantities of these meatballs for our party table and don't know what is going on with a recipe.  Sad to say, but I imagine I'll have to keep an eagle eye out for further errors if I make more recipes from this cookbook. 

By the way, we were a little nervous about how the beef meatballs would go over (apricots and mustard, what?) but then we remembered that many moons ago, we invited some friends over for dinner and made a chicken pot pie and a meatloaf with mustard and dried apricots.  That recipe was similar to the one below, and I believe we got it from either Bon Appetit or Gourmet.  At any rate, one of the men at the dinner is a straight-up meat and potatoes guy and yet he loved the meatloaf so much, he asked for the recipe.  And he quite enjoyed the beef meatballs at this year's party so the dish is a winner (as is the pork) even if the making of them was almost my undoing!

Beef Meatballs with Mustard and Dried Apricots – makes 4 to 6 servings

Ann's Note:  the author indicates that these are one of her favorite appetizers to serve because the combination of dried apricots with sharp mustard makes each bite flavorful.

For the meatballs

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

1/3 cup Dijon mustard, divided (Ann's Note: into ¼ cup for the meatballs and the rest of the sauce)

3 tablespoons whole milk

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 ½ pounds ground chuck

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

½ cup apricot preserves

½ teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

 (Ann's Note:  add remaining Dijon mustard)

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable spray.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until shallots are soft.  While vegetables cook, combine eggs, ¼ cup mustard, and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth.  Add breadcrumbs, dried apricots, sage, and cilantro, and mix well.

Add shallot mixture and beef, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again.  Make mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan.  Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray.

Bake meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.  While meatballs bake, combine remaining mustard, apricot preserves, and hot red pepper sauce in a small mixing bowl, and whisk well.

Remove the pan from the oven and serve immediately accompanied by the bowl of apricot mustard sauce.

[Author's] Note:  The beef mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.  Also, the meatballs can be baked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.  Reheat them in a 350F oven, covered for 10 to 12 minutes or until hot.

[Author's] Note:  Since Japanese panko breadcrumbs are fluffier than Western breadcrumbs, they produce a lighter and more tender meatball.  Substitute them for plain breadcrumbs in any recipe in this book.

Ann's Note:  I made this up three weeks ahead then froze them.  We added the sauce when we reheated.

Pork Meatballs in Cream Sauce – makes 4- 6 servings

For the meatballs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

2 tablespoons whole milk

½ cup plain breadcrumbs

1 ¼ pounds ground pork

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Vegetable oil spray

For the sauce

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1 cup apple cider, divided

1 cup chicken stock

¼ cup applejack brandy

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat the oven boiler.  (Ann's Note:  I baked these—so much easier!).  Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent.  While vegetables cook, combine egg and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth.  Add breadcrumbs to the mixing bowl, and mix well.

Add ½ of onion mixture* and pork, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again.  Make into 2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan.  Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray. (*Ann's Note:  Missing from these instructions is what to do with the remaining onion mixture and since I made the meatballs in advance but the sauce the day of, I believe I ended up throwing the rest out.  Pity.)

Broil meatballs 6 inches from the broiler element, turning them with tongs to brown on all sides.  Remove the pan from the oven, and set aside.  Ann's Note:  I baked these at 450F for about 20-25 minutes; check them after 15.

Add apples, ¾ cup cider*, chicken stock, brandy, and mustard to the skillet, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Simmer sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until volume is reduced by 1/3. *Ann's Note:  Despite the fact that the recipe called for you to use 1 cup apple cider, "divided," you only end up using ¾ of that cup. 

Add meatballs and cream to sauce, bring to a boil, and simmer meatballs, covered, over low heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon for 15 minutes.

"Great Balls of Cheese" - Goat cheese & Blueberry Log with Balsamic-Blueberry Sauce - Holiday Party food!

Date I made these recipes:  December 4, 2016 – Holiday party food!

Great Balls of Cheese – More than 50 irresistible cheese ball creations for any occasion by Michelle Buffardi

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN: 978-1-118-49720-3; © 2013

Recipe:  Goat Cheese & Blueberry Log with Balsamic-Blueberry Sauce – p. 39 (Also made but not published here:  Pineapple-Pineapple (cheese ball) – p. 56)

I have not checked the rules for a while, but I am pretty sure a party is not complete without a cheese ball of some kind.  For this year's holiday soiree, we made two and the runaway "best seller" was the Goat Cheese & Blueberry Log with Balsamic-Blueberry Sauce. 

Which is not to say that the other cheese ball we served – Pineapple-Pineapple – wasn't good, it's just that the pineapple flavor got buried  in the rest of the ingredients whereas the flavors of the goat cheese and blueberry log were up front and center.  I am once again reminded of the Food Network show, Chopped:  "How did you transform the  [pineapple] because I really can't detect it in this dish and so the flavor is really not coming through...." (I'm looking at you, [Food Network judge] Maneet!)

I would be remiss though, if I did not note that the "money shot" was the "Pineapple-Pineapple" cheese ball as you are to shape it into a pineapple, cover the outside with layered toasted pecans and then use the tops of green onions/scallions for the pineapple steam.  Brilliant!

Several other recipes drew our attention, including the "Cranberry & Rosemary Christmas Ornament" – p. 34, which was shaped like a holiday ornament and decorated with pieces of red and green pepper, and a "Nacho Cat" which was not at all in keeping with the holiday spirit but it amused my husband to no end.  We toyed with a "French Onion Pyramid" – p. 87 and a "White Cheddar Horseradish Ball" – p. 84, before calling time on the whole process.

In other words, readers, there is much to recommend this cookbook as there are several glorious sweet and savory cheese ball options and the photos are hilarious.

Now the Goat Cheese & Blueberry Log is nothing to write home to mother about in the looks department but the flavors are fantastic.  And really, who does not like blueberries and if you don't, that means all the more for me!

But folks, we need to discuss the sauce.  Dear lord, you turn your back on the sucker for one minute and not only do you have something of a hardened mess, but the spoon you used to stir it is now stuck in a Blueberry La Brea Tar Pits!

When I said as much to a party guest, she said "I've had the same thing happen to me" which is comforting at the same time it is not. 

Now the sauce recipe is sneaky because it says cook for about 30 minutes until it is reduced by half and then let cool.  It's that "let cool" directive that will kill you.  I ended up microwaving the mixture twice – once to get it out of the plastic storage container, and once to drizzle it on the cheese – and that is not a "Martha Stewart 'good thing.'" Not at all.

Nonetheless, I managed to drizzle appropriately and our guests just pounced on it.  And this surprised us just a little because many people (not necessarily our party guests), turn up their nose at the thought of goat cheese.  But I tell you what, you stir some blueberries in and then create a balsamic vinegar and blueberry sauce to pour on top, and suddenly you are King and Queen of the Prom!

So keep in mind what I said about the sauce (watch it like a hawk, people), and you'll be fine and your guests will love it and you.

Goat Cheese & Blueberry Log with Balsamic-Blueberry Sauce – serves 12 to 15

For the cheese log

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 ounces goat cheese, softened

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted for coating

For the balsamic-blueberry sauce

1 cup sugar

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup fresh blueberries

Crackers or bread for serving

Using a stand mixer or a bowl and a spatula, mix together the cream cheese, goat cheese, blueberries, sugar, and salt.  Form the mixture into a log, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Ann's Note:  You'll want to be very careful folding in your blueberries or they will come apart on you and that doesn't make for a very pretty cheese ball!  That said, you will cover them with chopped pecans and the sauce so that will take care of any appearance issues.

While the log is chilling, make the balsamic-blueberry sauce.  Simmer the sugar, vinegar, and blueberries over low heat until the mixture is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool.  Ann's Note:  As I said above, once cooled as directed, this mixture was a bear to work with as it became very stiff and had to be microwaved to get it to drizzle accordingly.  So here's some thoughts:  Maybe make the mixture using blueberry jam and since that contains sugar, cut the amount from 1 cup to maybe a half a cup and see how that works?  I'm thinking that you would still add the fresh blueberries but toward the end.  What I'm looking for here is melting two "like" ingredients – sugar and blueberry jam with sugar – to alleviate (hopefully) the stickiness problem. But if you want to stay true to form, that is fine, just plan to soften up the sauce before serving.

Before serving, roll the cheese log in the pecans and drizzle with the balsamic-blueberry sauce.

"Chowgirls Killer Party Food" - Swiss Chard Gratin and Wild Mushroom Hotdish - Holiday party food!

Date I made these recipes:  December 4, 2016 – Holiday Party Food!

Chowgirls Killer Party Food – Righteous Bites & Cocktails For Every Season by Heidi Andermack & Amy Lynn Brown

Published by Arsenal Pulp Press

ISBN: 978-1-55152-645-4; ©2016

Recipes:  Wild Mushroom Hotdish – p. 84 and Swiss Chard Gratin – p. 90

Okay, folks, make a note of this website right now because we're going to come back to it and there's going to be a quiz:  www.chowgirls.net

www.chowgirls.net is the home base of Chowgirls Killer Catering and also where you can find information to buy the book I'm featuring today, Chowgirls Killer Party Food.  Chowgirls Killer Party Food is a new release by Chowgirls co-owners Heidi Andermack and Amy Lynn Brown who I have met and who are responsible for today's featured "killer" party food.

You're welcome.

As often happens, there is a backstory about how I came to buy this book and make these recipes and so without further ado:  several years ago, when these ladies were just getting their business underway, they catered an event I attended and I was blown away by their food.  I think we can all agree that there is "catered food" (small "c") and then there is CATERED (and killer) food, and the "Big C" was what I sampled that night and a few other times thereafter.

Then a few months ago, I noticed that they had just published a cookbook (be still my cookbook-loving heart, right?) and so I made a mental note to buy it and then just like that, opportunity presented itself in the form of a sampling and book signing at local floral powerhouse, Bachman's, during a holiday event in early November.  (Side note:  Bachman's floral and garden center also stocks an incredible selection of holiday decorations and doo dads which you must – must – check out either in store or online at www.bachmans.com)

So I went to the event and I talked to Chowgirls owners Heidi and Amy, and introduced myself by saying something like "Well, you ladies should know that I have a huge cookbook collection and your book just became number 2,324 in my collection.  And I also blog about my cookbook collection and so will soon be including yours."

As always, stunned silence ensued.  Because yes, that is a large number of cookbooks and it's ever growing as I am always on the lookout for books to add to my collection under the adage "If some is good, more is better."

I also told Heidi and Amy that my husband and I were weeks away from hosting our 8^th annual holiday open house, and so I was especially interested in looking through their cookbook's recipes to add to our holiday table of finger-food appetizers and sweet treats.

As it happened, they were sampling their "Swiss Chard Gratin" at the Bachman's event and I, who never met a Swiss Chard recipe I liked before then (it can be so bitter), fell in love with it.  How could I not, it's got melted Gouda in it?  Cheese "fixes" everything!

So I left the event determined to add it to our line-up and then after much perusal and consultation with my husband, decided to go for broke and make also the "Wild Mushroom Hotdish" to go with the gratin.

You should know that I am not necessarily a mushroom person, either.  And here's a quick and amusing story as to why:

When I was a kid, my maternal grandmother, an immigrant from Eastern Europe, dried several varieties of mushrooms and made them into a soup that made her children swoon.  The grandchildren?  Not so much.

So one year when I was about 13, one of my older cousins threw a Christmas Eve party for family and friends, and one of my uncles recreated grandma's soup but oh darn, forgot it at home.  He would have left it there too, had there not been complete and absolute rebellion from the adult, and so he drove the short distance back to his house to get it and my brother and some other cousins and I rode shotgun.

In our opinion, and to our young noses though, that soup reeked!  Oh my god, to this day, I can still smell it.  And so we made him drive back to the party house with the windows down in the middle of winter so we could tolerate (barely) the stinkin' soup that now riding shotgun in a "seat" of honor.

When we got in the house, the adults fell on the soup tureen, crying with joy that grandma's soup had been delivered unto them on that snowy Christmas Eve. (And then after partying quite a few hours, the adults went to midnight mass which I heard was hilarious but that's another story for another day.)

Meanwhile, my cousins and I hit the chip and dip table, the end.

But that was then, this is now, and these recipes had me at "hello," turning my culinary landscape from a decided "Oh hell no," to a "Oh yes, please!"

So after an email consultation with Amy, who I must say is very, very good about answering their emails, I set to work a couple days in advance to make and then refrigerate these recipes.

Shall I tell you that after putting each mixture into a baking dish, I licked the bowls clean?  As in thoroughly clean.  As in a dishwasher could not have done a better job.

This from the gal who didn't really like Swiss Chard and is sometimes "meh" on the whole mushroom concept.

In fact, I wondered whether I wanted to even bake these as the "raw" mixture was so good, but there are, I think, unwritten culinary rules about these things and the recipes were in a "cook" book so I went ahead and "cooked" them just before the start of the party and served them with crackers and baguettes.

And so the party got underway and those "in the know" know to come early for best seats and eats as we do indeed put on quite a spread. And there is always this ritual "stalking" of the two tables (one table for hot foods like these recipes, and one for other appetizers and desserts) that takes place, during which time everyone examines the food cards[1] that I put next to the dishes identifying what they are about to eat. Questions are asked, recipes are clarified, and then at some point, a silent, secret signal is triggered and everybody digs in at once!   I should really film it some day as it's the equivalent to animals stalking prey in the wild only with people and food and it's hilarious to say the least.

In fact, I often picture myself as Marlon Perkins of the TV show, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom (TV show from the 60's and 70's), providing running commentary along the lines of "The guests are circling the turkey meatballs, Jim [sidekick], waiting for an opening so they can pounce.  But there seems to be some kind of disturbance brewing further down the hot food table and it appears that two of them are battling over a serving spoon.  Let's see if we can creep up there quietly to take a closer look....

But all "stalking aside," nothing was more hilarious than a comment a long-time friend and party guest made about the Chowgirls dishes, but first you need some background information.

Given that I have 2,324 (now 2,340—you see how this works!) cookbooks, it stands to reason that I have some by famous celebrity chefs and cookbook authors such as Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa), Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, James Beard, and so on, and I have found that telling the guests whose recipe we're serving gives them comfort.

As an example, several guests (and I as well) are fans of Ina Garten because her recipes are elegant but easy to make.  Ina's recipes have likely graced our party table every year since the party's inception and so on the food card, I usually note "Ina Garten's XXX," (or Martha Stewart's YYY") and every ooh's and aah's, and says "I really like the Ina recipe.  Can I get it from you?" The short answer is of course, "Yes."

So to showcase (and show off) the Chowgirl's recipes, I designated on the food card which recipes were theirs.  But keep in mind that space on these place cards is limited so I wrote something like "Chowgirl Catering's Swiss Chard Gratin," and "Chowgirl Catering's Wild Mushroom Hotdish" and left it at that. 

So people were eating and dialoguing about the recipes (which they loved) and all was well and then I had this head-scratching conversation with the above-referenced friend that went like this:

Friend:  "Well, the food was great as usual, but I'm really surprised that you outsourced two of the recipes this year.  That isn't like you!"

Me:  "What? What are you talking about?"

Friend:  "Well, you got those two dishes from Chowgirls Catering this year!"

Bless.  I quickly informed him that we never, ever outsource.  Never.  In fact, my husband, who is pretty mild-mannered and laid back, takes great pride in the fact that he bakes several types of home-made crackers for the party, telling a friend recently, "Look, you need to come [to the party] because we make our own f'ng crackers!"

Said friend was unbelievably on the fence about attending until Andy said this.  Said friend now asks us regularly for recipes.  Said friend is a smart man.

And so with permission, I am happy to reprint below the most-excellent recipes for Chowgirls Killer Catering's "Swiss Chard Gratin" and "Wild Mushroom Hotdish" (which I will call a "casserole" because that's how I roll) that I made all by myself with my own two hands.  You will love them.

But then as promised, both to them and to you, let's turn our attention back to their website – www.chowgirls.net - so I can tell you in earnestness  to buy their book.  BUY IT.  Right now.  "Operators are standing by...."

Because not only is this a great cookbook to which I will return for future parties, but as the saying goes (and pun intended), "These gal's gotta eat!"  In other words, they did not write and publish a cookbook just for the joy [of cooking] it, they did it to earn some dough, pun again intended.  So let's help them out.

Their website lists all the independent bookstores that carry this "killer" cookbook, most of which are local, but you will also see that they are doing singings at bookstores in other parts of the country so perhaps you can pick it up at an independent bookstore near you.  If not, fear not:  Amazon and Barnes and Noble carry it online.

Before I get to the actual recipes, let me just share some shopping and baking tips regarding these recipes with you:

*I made half of each recipe because we serve so much food at our party that half recipes work out well.  And Amy said I could and so there.

*Even though the truffle oil in the "Wild Mushroom Hotdish" is optional, Amy highly recommended it.  But I did a quick cost-benefit analysis at the grocery store, and at $9.00 a bottle (the lowest-price bottle I could find) I couldn't justify buying it since I was using only a few drops.  Actually, less than a few drops since I made half a recipe. But don't let my math deter you: if you want it, buy it!

*The mushroom recipe calls for you to chop the cremini mushrooms but thinly slice the portobello and the shiitake.  I decided to finely chop everything under the rationale that smaller-sized mushrooms would be easier to serve.  I had visions of one, large piece of portobello "dragging" smaller pieces of the other mushrooms behind it, wiping out half my dish in one fell swoop!  (I have a vivid imagination!)

*Let's talk breadcrumbs:  I added them as directed, but I think next time around I may go rogue and leave them off.  I don't mind breadcrumbs, but I've used them on a couple of recipes as of late, and then later thought better of it as I'd rather taste what's underneath.  Just a personal preference.

*Then as to shopping, for whatever reason, I had a hard time sourcing "Swiss" Chard and so I used Rainbow Chard instead, sourced at Target.  One bunch will do.

*And although several grocery stories stocked fresh mushrooms, only Kowalski's had the three mushrooms used in this dish:  cremini, shiitake, and portobello caps.  So hooray for Kowalski's.

*Finally, Amy said I could bake these in advance and reheat (and I'll include instructions below), but I made the mixtures in advance, refrigerated them, and then baked them off just before serving.  Either way, the results are great, and I inhaled the leftovers (and they were scant) pretty much the minute I took them off the table after the party ended.  And perhaps it's me, but I have this "thing" for cold food, and I'm telling you, this stuff is the bomb hot, cold, or somewhere in between.

This then, concludes my rather long blog (when are they not?), but I felt I had to do justice to these two "killer" caterers and their "killer" cookbook and their "killer" recipes.  (You have now been subjected to subliminal messaging.  Go buy their book!)

And now we return you to their two recipes in their entirety with many thanks to Heidi and Amy who were just delightful to talk to and work with on this party food endeavor.

Swiss Chard Gratin – Makes 3 cups (750 mL) or 24 servings

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 large shallot, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 4 cups [1 L])

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

8 oz (230 g) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup (160 mL) mayonnaise

½ cup (125 mL) milk

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 cup (250 mL) fresh breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper, to taste (for breadcrumb topping)

1 tbsp melted butter (for breadcrumb topping)

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, melt olive oil and butter.  When sizzling, add shallots, garlic, and jalapeno, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic. (Ann's Note:  my Sicilian relatives drilled into my head the dire consequences of burning garlic so I don't!  Burned garlic turns bitter and who wants bitter food besides "not me?")  Stir in the chopped chard, salt, and pepper and raise heat to high.  Sauté, tossing continuously, 1-2 minutes, until chard is partially wilted.  Remove from heat, drain off excess liquid, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, milk, garlic powder, and nutmeg.  Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in cheese and cooked chard.

Pour mixture into a 1-quart (1-L) casserole dish or medium cast-iron frying pan.  In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, and melted butter until lightly coated.  Top chard mixture with breadcrumbs and bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, until sides are bubbling and crumbs are toasted.

Ann's Note:  Per Amy, you can make and freeze this recipe in advance and then reheat, or you can make it for up to three days in advance and refrigerate and then reheat.

If you want to make it and freeze it, she recommends putting the mixture into an airtight freezer bag, then thaw and transfer to a casserole dish.  Add the breadcrumbs just before baking, if desired.

If you bake the dish in advance and want to reheat it, put it into a 325 oven then heat, covered, for 15 minutes, uncovered for 5-10 minutes until bubbling.

I split the difference and made up the mixture in advance but then didn't bake it until the day of the party at which point, I baked it at 350 degrees as directed in the recipe above.

Wild Mushroom Hotdish – Makes 4 cups (1 L) or about 30 servings

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

8-oz (230-g) cremini mushrooms, chopped

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 large portobello mushroom caps, thinly sliced

8-oz (230-g) shiitake, oyster, or other mushroom variety, sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

½ cup (125 mL) milk

½ cup (125 mL) heavy cream

½ cup (125 mL) grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/8 tsp truffle oil (optional)

¾ cup (175 mL) breadcrumbs tossed with 2 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F (180C)

In a large frying pan on high heat, melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Working in small batches, add cremini mushrooms, salt, and pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft. Remove mushrooms and set aside.

Melt another tablespoon butter and olive oil, and, working in small batches, sauté portobello and shiitake mushrooms for about 5 minutes, until soft.  Remove mushrooms and set aside.

Reduce heat to low and melt 1 tablespoon butter.  Whisk in flour to make a roux.  When roux begins to brown, stir in milk and cream.  On medium heat, bring to a boil.  Add cheese and whisk until bubbling and thick.  Stir in cooked mushrooms.  Season to taste.  Stir in truffle oil.

Transfer to a 2-qt (2-L) casserole dish or cast-iron frying pan.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top and bake for 30-35 minutes, until heated through and breadcrumbs are browned.

Ann's Note:  Per Amy, you can make and freeze this recipe in advance and then reheat, or you can make it for up to three days in advance and refrigerate and then reheat.

If you want to make it and freeze it, she recommends putting the mixture into an airtight freezer bag, then thaw and transfer to a casserole dish.  Add the breadcrumbs just before baking, if desired.

If you bake the dish in advance and want to reheat it, put it into a 325 oven then heat, covered, for 15 minutes, uncovered for 5-10 minutes until bubbling.

I split the difference and made up the mixture in advance but then didn't bake it until the day of the party at which point, I baked it at 350 degrees as directed in the recipe above.

---

[1] My "food cards" are really printable place cards like the kind you see at wedding receptions, that I purchase at Michaels.  They come 48 to a pack and all you need to do is download the template and then start typing (the recipe name) where directed.  I "fancy" them up a bit by changing the type color to red or green, or a mixture of both.