Style Files: Holiday tablescaping

Stilton Cheese Apricot Bites

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Stilton cheese, crumbled

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Directions: Mix Stilton cheese and cream cheese in a medium bowl until blended.  Mix in green onions, spoon about 1 Tbls. of the mixture onto each apricot and top with a candied pecan.  Makes about 3 dozen.

 

Red and Green Peppers in Mini Cucumber Cups (Makes about 2-3 dozen)

mini cucumbers cut into about 11/2 inch pieces, scoop out the center with a melon baller ranch dip red and green peppers Fill with dip and have thinly cut peppers sticking out.

Peppadew Peppers Stuffed with Goat Cheese Pesto

Ingredients: 1 jar Peppadew Peppers 6 oz. goat cheese about 4 Tbs. pesto toasted pine nuts

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Ingredients:

33 pitted dates

1/3 lb manchego cheese

12 pieces bacon, cut in half or thirds

Directions: Cut your cheese into small rectangles just large enough to fill the cavity of your pitted date. Stuff 1 piece of cheese into each date. Wrap each date with a piece of bacon, secure with a toothpick. Place on baking sheet and broil for 4 minutes. Turn dates over and broil another 4 minutes.
NOTE: you can put a decorative toothpick in each after cooking for the convenience of your

Tuna Tartare Spoons

Ingredients:

1 lb Ahi tuna – absolutely fresh, dark red, high quality “sushi grade”

Marinade

1 Tbs. fresh ginger

1 1/2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs. canola or grapeseed oil

2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

Pinch Black pepper — several turns from the peppermill works best

2 Tbs. chives

Topping:

Sesame Aioli

1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. soy sauce Chives for garnish

Directions: Cut the tuna steak into small cubes (1/4” or smaller) and coat with the marinade in bowl. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator until ready for assembly – 2-3 hours is best. Place a dollop onto spoon and top with aioli and garnish with chives.

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients: fresh pomegranate arils Champagne or Prosecco; chilled Pomegranate juice (Pom)

Directions: Place some pomegranate arils in champagne flute fill with the sparkling wine, dividing it evenly among the flutes, pour in a couple Tbls. pomegranate juice, serve immediately.

Desserts by Barb Lane www.sweetlanebaking.com

French cheeses available at: Heinen’s Fine Foods 500 N. Hough Street
Barrington