New Years Eve Appetizers?

[B2G]

Looking for some new ideas. Here's one of my favorites for you...


Mushroom & Gorgonzola Puff Pastry Appetizers


1 package puff pastry (2 flat sheets per box)
8 oz cream cheese
4 oz crumbled gorgonzola cheese
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1T butter


Thaw pastry for about 30 minutes. It should be very cold yet easy to work with. Lay both sheets out flat.

In a small saucepan, melt butter and saute shallots and mushrooms until tender. Add cream cheese & gorgonzola and heat until melted. Spread half of cheese mixture on each pastry sheet. Roll up and wrap in plastic wrap. Work fast or the pastry is hard to roll up! Refrigerate 24 hours before serving.

To serve: slice rolls into 1/4 inch slices. Put on baking sheet and cook at 375 for about 15-20 minutes or until edges start to turn golden.

[MyNameGoesHere]

1. Your post got me thinking about my usual and predictable

appetizer fare. Off to search the webs I found this one

http://prod.bonappetit.com/recipe/stepbystep/butternut-squash-tart-with-fried-sage/0

I just happen to have a nice butternut squash I have been debating what to do with.

Thanks for posting.

[rdharma]

2. The puff pastry idea reminded me of Zwiebelkuchen.

Champaign is traditionally popped at midnight......and it goes great with Zwiebelkuchen (German onion pie/tort)!

I'm going to make some for New Years with pre-made pie crust. Yummy!

[B2G]

3. Yum! Can you post the recipe?

[rdharma]

6. There are hundreds of different ways to make Zwiebelkuchen ......

You can make your own dough mix, but I'm usually to lazy to do this. It requires more prep time and clean up. And I've found some store bought pie dough that is really good.

I use ready made (frozen) pie dough, but you can also use ready made puff pastry.

This is a good video to show the basic way it's done (though this German lady gets a bit carried away in the chopping of her onions) IMHO.

Like pizza...... you can adjust the toppings to your liking.

[Snarkoleptic]

4. Potato skins!

Medium russet potatoes
Colby/Jack cheese (shredded)
Bacon - crumbled
Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch
Scallions - finely chopped

Brush potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt - bake at 400F for 50-60 min.
Allow to cool, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh. (this can be done a day in advance, if desired)

Brush with butter, inside & out, then bake at 400F skin-side-up for 15 min.

Add shredded cheese and bacon, return to oven 10-12 min until cheese is fully melted (finish under broiler, if you like them extra crispy)
Sprinkle with scallions and serve with ranch or sour cream on the side. (HV Ranch made with buttermilk and mayo is favored in my home)

[B2G]

5. Oh man...

Guess what I'm craving now! And I haven't found anything that tops the HV buttermilk ranch mix either...it's heaven in a ramiken.

[Galileo126]

7. Oh yeah...

I'm loving them thar potato skins. I remember working the line at a resort hotel kitchen on Block Island (RI), and making these wonderful and sinfully delicious apps. Once we closed, we'd make ourselves some of these, and down it with a brew.

*Memories....like the corners of my mind..."

[Snarkoleptic]

10. I used to work at a Carlos Murphy's Irish Mexican Cafe (chain restaurant)

and was hooked on the skins! I regularly ended my shift with some skins and a cold one (or two or three).

I took a keen interest in their technique and ingredients so I could later mock up the recipe as detailed above.

[grasswire]

12. my grandmother used to visit Block Island regularly

I've never been there. What did I miss?

[applegrove]

8. Use endive leafs with phili cream cheese and red pepper jelly. Or find some crabapple

jelly and put it on a cracker with phili cream cheese. Deviled eggs made with curry.

[pinto]

9. Pita bread triangles, hummus, baba ghanoush, artichoke hearts, figs w/ cheese, olives, pistachios

You get the drift on this one.

[MrMickeysMom]

11. Damn, pinto… I'm there...

Nice spread!

[grasswire]

13. add some of that marinated herbed feta

I love this kind of a spread. Lots of things from jars and tubs.

One time I went to a Russian deli and bought many kinds of things to try. Birch water and jars of pickles and smoked fish and breads and cheese and sweets. Lots of fun.

[NJCher]

15. we did that this summer in Chicago

Only it was a Polish deli. They had so many things to choose from. The place was huge. It was over in some predominately Polish area around Chicago. The people serving at the deli barely could speak English.

It was lots of fun.



Cher

[MrMickeysMom]

14. Your idea got me looking in my old F&W mags...

Actually, I think this and the recipe I just posted is enough to make me have a great workout before cozying up to a night of appetizers and whatever champagne I find for us at our wine store.