Recipe #92: Savory Parmesan Bites

I'm trying to find a handful of appetizer recipes that can be prepared ahead of time for parties and holidays. I made this recipe today and am freezing 2/3rds to try in December. The ones we ate today were pretty good for such an easy recipes. I used the reduced fat crescent rolls, though I'd hardly call this recipe a healthy snack.

Savory Parmesan Bites
from Southern Living

* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
* 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
* 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Stir together softened cream cheese, 3/4 cup cheese, bell pepper, and parsley.

Unroll crescent rolls, and separate each can into 4 rectangles, pressing perforations to seal. Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese mixture on each rectangle. Roll up, starting at 1 short side, jelly-roll fashion. Cut each roll into 4 equal pieces, using a serrated knife. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle bites with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: To make ahead, place unbaked bites on ungreased baking sheets, and freeze 1 hour or until frozen. Place bites in zip-top plastic freezer bags; store in freezer up to 1 month. Place frozen bites on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe #91: Oatmeal Cookies

I made this recipe for Pres in August, and it turned out really well. I'm making them again today and am hoping they are just as good.

Oatmeal Cookies
from All Recipes

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats and nuts until just blended. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Recipe #90: Curried Bean Salad

I was lazy and used canned blacky beans and garbanzo beans. For the curry powder, I mixed together tumeric, garam masala, coriander, paprika, cumin, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper.

Curried Bean Salad
From 101 Cookbooks.com

3 cups cooked beans - whatever your preference.
1 cup cooked black lentils*
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into crescents
3/4 cup celery, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon of fine-grain sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of your favorite curry powder
1-2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (from 1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl toss the beans, black lentils, red onion, and celery. Make the curry vinaigrette by mashing the garlic clove with the salt into a thick paste. In a bowl or jar whisk together this garlic paste, the curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and olive oil. Whisk well, taste, and add adjust flavors/salt if needed. Pour about half of the dressing over the beans and give it all a toss. Add more dressing a bit at a time until it is to your liking. Taste, make sure the salad has enough salt or the the beans will taste flat and the rest of the flavors won't pop. I like to serve this salad family style in a big bowl or on a platter with a big spoon all sprinkled with cilantro.

Serves about 4 - 6 as a side.

*Wash and pick over the lentils. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with water using 2-3x the quantity of lentils. Bring to a boil, scale back the heat a bit and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste along the way, when done the lentils should be tender but not splitting apart. Salt to taste at this point. Remove from heat and drain any remaining liquid.

Recipe #89: Strawberry Peach Pie

Strawberry Peach Pie

From Sunset Magazine

* 6 cups strawberries
* 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 baked 9-inch pastry shell
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 ripe peach (about 8 oz.)


Hull berries; rinse and drain. Set aside 4 cups of the prettiest berries to drain dry on towels.

Beat cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Spread cheese mixture evenly over bottom of pastry shell.

In a blender or food processor, smoothly purée remaining berries with 1/2 cup water.

In a 1- to 2-quart pan, mix cornstarch and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Add berry purée and stir over high heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Peel and thinly slice peach, arranging slices on cheese filling. Set whole strawberries, tips up, on peaches. Spoon hot berry glaze over fruit to cover completely.

Chill pie until glaze is cool and set, at least 1 hour. If making ahead, cover when cold and chill up to 1 day. Cut into wedges.

Recipe #88: Chicken Salad

Pres likes a very plain chicken salad without any fruit or nuts in it. We both ended up really liking this recipe. I used grilled chicken and put it in the food processor to get it really small.

Chicken Salad
From Food Network

* 4 cups diced poached chicken, recipe follows
* 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
* 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sweet onion cut into 1/4-inch dice
* 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or fresh dill
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
* 1 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
* 2 teaspoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* Freshly ground black pepper


In a mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, celery, scallions and herbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Add to the chicken and mix gently until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe #87: Flag Cake

Flag Cake
From Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

* 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
* 3 cups sugar
* 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
* 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 3 cups flour
* 1/3 cup cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:
* 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
* 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
* 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:
* 2 half-pints blueberries
* 3 half-pints raspberries


Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.

Recipe #86: French Potato Salad

French Potato Salad
from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

* 1 pound small white boiling potatoes
* 1 pound small red boiling potatoes
* 2 tablespoons good dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons chicken stock
* 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 10 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
* 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
* 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves


Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.