CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- One of the delights of living on my street during the holidays is our annual tradition of a progressive dinner. We wander from one house to the next, enjoying the Christmas decorations, good food and each other's company. Typically, we nibble appetizers at the first house, sip soup at the next, crunch salad at the third house, settle in for the main course at the fourth and finish with desserts at the final stop.

That's a lot of food and wine -- and a lot of houses to visit.

This year, we pared down the number of houses to three, featuring appetizers, main course and dessert and combined our efforts on providing the food and drink. We started with appetizers at my house. My friend Michele Weber brought a tray of delectable marinated shrimp and some yummy cheeses. I scoured my cookbooks, and some that came into the newsroom, for recipes to complement her offerings.

I found smoked salmon dill bites in my go-to copy of  "Colorado Collage," produced by The Junior League of Denver. Those Junior League ladies come up with some good stuff. The combination of smoked salmon, pungent goat cheese and piquant mustard and capers was great with the mellow shrimp.

The December issue of "Cuisine at home<co >" featured a section on "small bites," flavor-filled party foods. I wanted to try the Asian chicken rolls with tangy plum sauce that featured a savory ground-chicken filling wrapped in puff pastry. The best part: The rolls could be made ahead, then sliced and baked before the party.

My suspicions were correct. The Asian chicken rolls didn't disappoint. I made four rolls, and cut and served two, thinking we would enjoy the leftovers the next day. No such luck. Only a few sesame seeds and a puddle of plum sauce remained after I replenished the tray.

The fine folks at Pillsbury sent recipe cards with suggestions for holiday appetizers. I made their mini pear brie bites over Thanksgiving. I liked the concept of crescent roll-wrapped, fruit and nut-topped melted brie, but found the recipe a bit bland. For the party, I substituted dried cranberries and nuts mixed with brown sugar, honey and a dab of apricot preserves for the pear mixture in the original recipe. It was better -- and prettier.

Feeling a bit guilty about the lack of healthy fare, I resorted to a fresh veggie platter, but made a new dip to serve with it. Smokey blue dip seasoned with tangy blue cheese and salty bacon was good with the vegetables, but would have been even better on crunchy thick homemade potato chips.

I might make another batch for New Year's, throw caution to the wind and serve them with the chips. It'll be one last fling before an austere January of healthy food.

Reach Julie Robinson at jul...@wvgazette.com or 348-1230.

recipe hed:Asian chicken rolls

with tangy plum sauce

Make the rolls up to a day ahead, then bake just before serving. The sauce can be made ahead, too, but stir in the cilantro just before serving or it will lose its vibrant color.

Rolls:

1/3 cup chopped scallions

6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1 egg, separated

1/2 cup canned water chestnuts, chopped

1 sheet purchased puff pastry

1 teaspoon each white and black sesame seeds

Sauce:

1/2 cup plum jam

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

MINCE scallions, 3 tablespoons cilantro and ginger in a food processor. Add chicken, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and egg white. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to bowl and fold in water chestnuts.

ROLL pastry on a floured surface to 14-inch square, then halve lengthwise. Divide chicken mixture between portions of dough, spreading along the bottom edge of each piece of pastry. Roll to enclose filling and transfer to prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Beat yolk with 1 tablespoon water, brush onto logs, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes, let cool slightly, then slice each log into 1-inch pieces.

SIMMER all sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let cook, then stir in remaining cilantro.

Makes 30 to 32 pieces. Per piece with 1 teaspoon sauce: 38 cal; 1g total fat; 14mg chol; 4g carb; 73mg sodium; 0g fiber; 4g protein.

SOURCE: "Cuisine at home," Issue No. 72, December 2008.

 

recipe hed:Marinated Shrimp

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon ground black peppercorns

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium onions, sliced thinly

2 lemons, sliced thinly

8 bay leaves

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- One of the delights of living on my street during the holidays is our annual tradition of a progressive dinner. We wander from one house to the next, enjoying the Christmas decorations, good food and each other's company. Typically, we nibble appetizers at the first house, sip soup at the next, crunch salad at the third house, settle in for the main course at the fourth and finish with desserts at the final stop.

That's a lot of food and wine -- and a lot of houses to visit.

This year, we pared down the number of houses to three, featuring appetizers, main course and dessert and combined our efforts on providing the food and drink. We started with appetizers at my house. My friend Michele Weber brought a tray of delectable marinated shrimp and some yummy cheeses. I scoured my cookbooks, and some that came into the newsroom, for recipes to complement her offerings.

I found smoked salmon dill bites in my go-to copy of  "Colorado Collage," produced by The Junior League of Denver. Those Junior League ladies come up with some good stuff. The combination of smoked salmon, pungent goat cheese and piquant mustard and capers was great with the mellow shrimp.

The December issue of "Cuisine at home<co >" featured a section on "small bites," flavor-filled party foods. I wanted to try the Asian chicken rolls with tangy plum sauce that featured a savory ground-chicken filling wrapped in puff pastry. The best part: The rolls could be made ahead, then sliced and baked before the party.

My suspicions were correct. The Asian chicken rolls didn't disappoint. I made four rolls, and cut and served two, thinking we would enjoy the leftovers the next day. No such luck. Only a few sesame seeds and a puddle of plum sauce remained after I replenished the tray.

The fine folks at Pillsbury sent recipe cards with suggestions for holiday appetizers. I made their mini pear brie bites over Thanksgiving. I liked the concept of crescent roll-wrapped, fruit and nut-topped melted brie, but found the recipe a bit bland. For the party, I substituted dried cranberries and nuts mixed with brown sugar, honey and a dab of apricot preserves for the pear mixture in the original recipe. It was better -- and prettier.

Feeling a bit guilty about the lack of healthy fare, I resorted to a fresh veggie platter, but made a new dip to serve with it. Smokey blue dip seasoned with tangy blue cheese and salty bacon was good with the vegetables, but would have been even better on crunchy thick homemade potato chips.

I might make another batch for New Year's, throw caution to the wind and serve them with the chips. It'll be one last fling before an austere January of healthy food.

Reach Julie Robinson at jul...@wvgazette.com or 348-1230.

recipe hed:Asian chicken rolls

with tangy plum sauce

Make the rolls up to a day ahead, then bake just before serving. The sauce can be made ahead, too, but stir in the cilantro just before serving or it will lose its vibrant color.

Rolls:

1/3 cup chopped scallions

6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1 egg, separated

1/2 cup canned water chestnuts, chopped

1 sheet purchased puff pastry

1 teaspoon each white and black sesame seeds

Sauce:

1/2 cup plum jam

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

MINCE scallions, 3 tablespoons cilantro and ginger in a food processor. Add chicken, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and egg white. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to bowl and fold in water chestnuts.

ROLL pastry on a floured surface to 14-inch square, then halve lengthwise. Divide chicken mixture between portions of dough, spreading along the bottom edge of each piece of pastry. Roll to enclose filling and transfer to prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Beat yolk with 1 tablespoon water, brush onto logs, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes, let cool slightly, then slice each log into 1-inch pieces.

SIMMER all sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Let cook, then stir in remaining cilantro.

Makes 30 to 32 pieces. Per piece with 1 teaspoon sauce: 38 cal; 1g total fat; 14mg chol; 4g carb; 73mg sodium; 0g fiber; 4g protein.

SOURCE: "Cuisine at home," Issue No. 72, December 2008.

 

recipe hed:Marinated Shrimp

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon ground black peppercorns

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium onions, sliced thinly

2 lemons, sliced thinly

8 bay leaves

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon tarragon

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

2 pounds shrimp, cooked and cleaned

MIX all ingredients, except shrimp.

POUR mixture over the shrimp and chill overnight.

SERVE with cocktail picks.

 

Smoked salmon dill bites

12 1/4-inch thick slices baguette

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons honey-flavored mustard

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

1 tablespoon drained capers

2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill weed

4 ounces goat cheese

3 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil. Bake until slightly brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. (May be prepared to this point up to 6 hours in advance. Cool, cover, and let stand at room temperature.)

IN SMALL BOWL, combine honey mustard, Dijon mustard, onion, capers and dill. Spread toasts with goat cheese, then mustard mixture. Top with salmon slices and garnish with dill sprig.

"Colorado Collage," by the Junior League of Denver.

 

Mini pear brie bites<P>

1 can (8-ounce) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet.

1 pear, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 tablespoon honey

1 round (8-ounce) brie cheese, rind removed, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) chunks

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans.

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees. Grease or spray 24 mini muffin cups. Unroll dough on work surface; press into 12- by 8-inch rectangle. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows to make 24 squares. Gently press squares into mini muffin cups. Dough will not completely cover inside of cup. Do not press too much.

IN A SMALL BOWL, mix pear, brown sugar, red pepper and honey. Place 1 cheese chunk in each cup. Top with 1 heaping teaspoon pear mixture. Sprinkle with pecans.

BAKE 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from muffin pans. Serve warm.

 

Smoky blue dip

cups sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 scallions (white and tender green parts), chopped

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese

1/2      teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 shakes of Tabasco sauce

6 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, drained on paper towels, and crumbled

recipe dir:STIR TOGETHER sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, Worcestershire, blue cheese, black pepper and Tabasco in a medium-sized bowl until blended.

COVER and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before serving to let the flavors develop.

SPRINKLE bacon over dip and serve with fresh vegetables, potato chips and crackers.

SOURCE: "Perfect Party Food," by Diane Phillips.