Clams Casino????

Lisa, do you need kid friendly things or adult things? I always make these cheese thumbprints with hot pepper jelly, but you could fill them with something less "substantial" for the kids, and they can be made ahead. I got the recipe from Carol (Readinglady), and their very good. You could also stud them with an olive or pecan half if you don't care to fill them. I don't have a food processor so I do mine all by hand and it works fine.

Savory Cheddar and Jalapeño Jelly Cookies from Rick Rodgers

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen
8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, or sub apple butter or chutney.

Place cheese and butter in a food processor (could be creamed by hand or mixer); add flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes.
Position two racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or use nonstick sheets.
Using 1 teaspoon dough for each, roll the dough into small balls and place 1 inch apart on the sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or 1/2-inch-thick dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it down into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Pipe the jelly into the indentations.

Return to the oven and bake, switching the positions of the sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking, until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.) Transfer to racks and cool completely.
Can be baked up to two days ahead. Store at room temperature in an airtight container and separate layers with wax paper.

Thanks, Annie. I actually would make those, if I could get hot pepper jelly here. I will have to think about what I could use as a substitute.
Doesn't anybody have any other ideas for me?
Lisa

Scotch eggs?

I love smoked oysters on crackers for Christmas. I particularly like them on saltines, of all things!

Water chestnuts wrapped with a strip of meaty bacon can be assembled early and broiled when needed. I omit the piece of chicken liver (under the bacon with the water chestnut) for my family.

We always have a cheese ball. I add a little sherry or madiera to mine.

We like to have some cold German potato salad.....the kind which includes chopped pickles... in our Christmas Eve buffet.

Also some English cucumber sliced paper thin, the German way, in a dill sauce.

(Those packages of {{!gwi}}...are great for a quick tangy dressing...just add oil, water and cucumber.)

Added to that, some sliced tomatoes and wedges of Manchego cheese.

SharonCb

Here are a couple of make ahead ideas - don't let them fool you, LOL, I think that each one is really good!..........

Posted by: Elvis (My Page) on Tue, Dec 3, 02 at 21:45
Here's a stunning looking, easy-easy dip.

Almond Pinecones:

1 1/4 c. Almonds
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. mayo
10 bacon slices, crisp and crumbled (fake will NOT do)
2 T. minced green onion
3/4 t. dill weed
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper, any color

Roast almonds till slightly browned (VERY slightly). Combine all other ingredients and chill several hours or overnight. Form the dough into 1 pinecone shaped (flat on serving platter side) mounds. Starting at pointy end of cone place overlapping almonds in a scaly fashion to make them resemble cones. Garnish top ends of cones with pine, if available in your area. Simply adorable, and delicious. Serve with crackers. Very seasonable. Tip: Don't store with the almonds in place for more than several hours, as they will become soggy from the dip.

PESTO CHEESECAKE

CRUST
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1/2 cup melted butter Mix all together and press into 9" springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.

FILLING
4 (8 oz packages) cream cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups pesto (from the refrigerator section of your grocer)

Beat with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350* for 1 hour. Chill several hours or overnight. Remove from pan and decorate with a little chopped tomato or chopped sundried tomatoes. Slice into very thin slices and serve on small individual plates - or - cut into thirds and place 1/3 on serving plate and use to spread on crackers or baguettes. Be sure to decorate with a little chopped "red" tomato accent and maybe some green basil too. Looks beautiful! (If you cut into thirds, you can serve 1/3 and freeze the remaining for another time.)

Roselin's Marinated Mozzarella

1 lb fresh domestic mozzarella
1/2 c olive oil (I use the lite)
2 large cloves garlic, pressed
10 coarse grinds black pepper
2/3 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt- less if using
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced - optional

Drain cheese of all brine. Cut in cubes. Whisk together all remaining ingredients. Toss with cheese.
Yield: about 4 cups
RL`

OLIVE BALLS

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (7 ounce) jar pimento-stuffed green olives
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

In a medium bowl, or food processor, mix together the cream cheese, seasoning salt, and 2 tablespoons of juice from the olive jar until well blended. Set aside in the refrigerator to firm up, about 30 minutes.
When the cheese mixture is firm, pack enough of the cream cheese mixture around the outside of each olive so that it is completely covered. Roll each olive ball in chopped pecans, and return them to the refrigerator until firm.
To serve, cut each olive ball in half, and arrange on a serving tray cut side up.

thanks, everybody. You have given me some good ideas.
I am going to make the salmon, a veggie tray, a chip and dip tray and a savory cheesecake. I found a really interesting cheesecake recipe that I will post on another post.
Our main course will be a vegetable soup and kidney gulasch. With Sol's homemade rolls.
Lisa

Lisa, I made Carol's Cheddar Cookies and put a spiced pecan or walnut instead of the jelly and they are delicious! How about a stromoli or a bruschetta. I have easy recipes for both if you'd like. Also, you can never go wrong with Shrimp Cocktail. Gina

Gina,

I would love to see the Bruschetta recipe. I am searching for ideas too.

Hi Joann, I don't have the bruschetta recipe here with me, but I'll get it and post it. It's really very good and easy to make. Here's what I remember, if it's not exactly right I'll post the changes ASAP:
1 (16inch) french bread baguette, cut into 24 pieces
1/4 cp. melted butter ( I use a little more)
2 Tblsp. olice oil ( I use a little more)
3/4 cp. mozzarella cheese shredded
1 medium tomato chopped (I use Roma)
1/3 cp. Romano Cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
2Tblsp. chopped fresh basil
2 Tblsp. chopped sun dried tomatoes, soaked and drained
1 TBLSP. minced
1/8 tsp. pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of bread slices with mixture of butter and 2 Tblsps. olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes or until light borwn.
Combine cheeses,tomatoes., 1'4 cp olive oil, basil garlic and peeper in a bowl. Mix well. Spoon 1-2 tsps. of mixture on bread. Return to oven for a few minutes, just long enough to make cheese bubble. Enjoy, Gina

Try these. You can make them ahead and freeze. Then just bake when needed. Really easy and yummy too!

Make Ahead Spinach Phyllo Roll-Ups

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 cup Athenos Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 tub (8 oz.) Philadelphia Garden Vegetable Light Cream Cheese Spread
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
15 sheets frozen phyllo sheets (14x9 inch), thawed
1/3 cup butter, melted

MIX egg, spinach, feta cheese, cream cheese spread and onions until well blended. Set aside.
PLACE 1 of the phyllo sheets on a clean work surface. Brush lightly with butter. Top with 2 more phyllo sheets, brushing more of the remaining butter between each layer. Place remaining phyllo between sheets of plastic wrap; set aside.
SPREAD 1/5 of the spinach mixture along 1 of the short sides of the phyllo stack; fold in both long sides, then roll up, starting at 1 of the short sides to make a log. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and spinach mixture to make 4 more logs. Brush with remaining butter. To prevent phyllo from cracking, score logs at 1-inch intervals. Place in large freezer-weight resealable plastic bags or wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
FREEZE up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove desired number of logs from freezer. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, several hours or overnight until thawed. Place on baking sheet. Bake in preheated 375°F-oven for 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool 5 min.; place on cutting board. Cut each log into 6 slices with serrated knife to serve.
Makes 30 pieces.