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RECIPE: Pecan Cheese Ball “Pine Cone” For The Holidays

November 28, 2014 at 1:49 pm · Filed under Appetizers-Hors d’Oeuvre, Christmas, Food Fun, Recipes, Thanksgiving & Fall

Here’s some food fun for the holiday season—especially when you receive a gift tin of gourmet pecan halves!

Not only does this cranberry cheese ball make an impression on the appetizer buffet, but it’s easy enough that you can let older children put it together as their contribution.

The recipe is courtesy Sonia, who writes as The Healthy Foodie.

She also does a version that looks like a pineapple.

The day before, gather some pine branches to wash and dry.

Why the day before? You don’t want the strong scent of fresh-cut pine wafting over the food.

Then, get ready to make your pine cone cheese ball!
 
 
RECIPE: CRANBERRY-PECAN “PINE CONE” CHEESE BALL

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (low fat is OK)
  • ½ cup low fat sour cream (low fat is OK)
  • Zest of one orange
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 75-100 perfect pecan halves (to make the pine cone effect)
  • Bread or crackers
    		•     
    pecan-cheese-ball-2-thehealthyfoodie-230
    [1] A seasonal cheese ball made to look like a pine cone (photos #1 and #3 © The Healthy Foodie).


    [2] Pecans in and out of the shell (photo © American Pecan Council).

     

    pecan-cheese-ball-3-thehealthyfoodie-230
    [3] Add some fresh evergreen for the full pine cone experience.    		   Preparation

    1. WHIP the cream cheese and sour cream using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Use medium speed until well incorporated—smooth and creamy in texture—about 2-3 minutes. Incorporate the rest of the ingredients and continue mixing on low speed until well combined, about 30-45 seconds.

    2. TURN the mixture onto a serving plate and shape into a teardrop. Cover with a plastic wrap and, ideally, refrigerate until the next day. This will allow the flavors to fully develop.

    3. WAIT until the last minute to cover with the pecans to avoid them going soft. Take the cream cheese “ball” out of the fridge about an hour before you are ready to start laying on the pecans. Pecans will stick better to cheese that is closer to room temperature.

     
    4. BEGIN to layer the pecan halves at the tip and keep shingling until you get to the top. The first rows will lay flat against the cheese but they will be more and more upright as you move towards the end. This will happen naturally. Just keep them nice and tight and use the best pecans you can find.

    5. DECORATE the serving dish with a few pine branches and serve with the crackers or bread.
     
     
    > MORE CHEESE BALL RECIPES
     
     
      

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    RECIPE: Baked French Toast

    November 28, 2014 at 8:02 am · Filed under Breakfast & Brunch, Food Holidays

    National French Toast Day is November 28th. Take a break from Thanksgiving leftovers and enjoy this baked French toast casserole—part French toast, part bread pudding.

    The recipe is from Pepperidge Farm, which uses its Cinnamon Swirl Bread; but if you can’t find it, you can use any cinnamon or cinnamon-raisin loaf.

    Prep time is 15 minutes, chill time is 1 hour or overnight. Bake time is 45 minutes, so if you do the prep and chill in advance, all you have to do is wake up and preheat the oven.

    RECIPE: BAKED FRENCH SWIRL TOAST

    Ingredients for 8 Servings

  • 1 loaf (16 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Swirl Bread, cut into cubes
  • 3/4 cup sweetened dried cherries or cranberries
  • 6 eggs
  • 3 cups half and half or milk
  • 2 teaspons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar or confectioners sugar
  • 2 tablespoons whipped butter
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
    		•     
    baked-french-toast-pepperidge-farm-230

    Baked French toast is like bread pudding. Photo courtesy Pepperidge Farm.

     

    pepperidge-farm-cinnamon-swirl-230
    We love all the Pepperidge Farm swirl breads. Photo courtesy Pepperidge Farms.

    		  

    Preparation

    1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Place the bread cubes and cranberries into a lightly greased 3-quart shallow baking dish.

    2. BEAT the eggs, half-and-half and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Stir and press the bread cubes into the egg mixture to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

    3. BAKE for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Serve with the butter and syrup.
     
    IS FRENCH TOAST FRENCH?

    Nope! Here’s the history of French Toast.
     

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Turkey Leftovers

    November 28, 2014 at 7:29 am · Filed under Bread-Crackers-Sandwiches, Recipes, Thanksgiving & Fall

    You don’t have to look far for inspiration for your leftover turkey and stuffing. Butterball Turkey has an entire Pinterest gallery devoted to them.

    Beyond all the open face turkey sandwiches with gravy, triple decker sandwiches and panini are:

  • Turkey Empanadas, Enchiladas, Nachos & Quesadillas
  • Turkey & Cranberry Grilled Cheese (recipe)
  • Turkey & Cranberry Pizza (we love this recipe!)
  • Turkey Pot Pie (recipe)
  • Turkey Tetrazzini (recipe)

    •  
    But our favorite is a turkey, cranberry and stuffing wrap. Just spread cream cheese, mayo (especially chipotle mayo) or leftover dip on a tortilla, pile on the leftovers, roll and eat.

    You can do the same with lettuce wraps. Variations on a theme:

  • Add hummus to the tortilla wrap. Here’s a recipe from SheWearsManyHats.com.
  • Vary the filling in the lettuce wraps. Here’s a recipe with a Santa Fe flair, from SkinnyTaste.com.
    		•     

    Rosemary-Hummus-Turkey-Cranberry-Wrap-shewearsmanyhats-230

    Spread out a wrap and pile on the turkey and fixings. Photo courtesy SheWearsManyHats.com.

     

    lettuce-wraps-skinnytaste.com-230
    Toss turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce into a lettuce wrap. Photo courtesy SkinnyTaste.com.    		   Here are more ideas for warps from Tom Leo, Corporate Executive Chef of Grecian Delight. He likes to give the traditional turkey sandwich a contemporary makeover by swapping sliced bread for a flat wrap.

    “A flat wrap allows you to incorporate more ingredients without the mess,” he says. “Everything from side dishes to sauces can be used to create a Thanksgiving-themed wrap.”

    Here are Chef Leo’s top ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers in a wrap:

  • The Basic Bird: Pile slices of turkey atop a white flat wrap. Add shredded lettuce and as much cranberry sauce as you like for a nod to Thursday’s feast.
  • The Traditional Turkey: This wrap is for the Thanksgiving purist. Pile sides like sausage stuffing and gravy atop the turkey.
  • The Vegetarian Wonder: Chef Leo’s favorite: roasted butternut squash topped with a shredded Brussels sprout salad and pickled root vegetables (here’s how to pickle the leftover crudités).
  • The Seasonal Spin: Add some poached pears, sugared pecans and brie cheese to your turkey wrap. Also check the appetizer leftovers: We had fresh goat cheese, pate, crudités and dip to add to the turkey.
  • The Full Bird: Top the turkey with a dollop of sweet potato casserole, strands of green beans, and a hint of cranberry, stuffing and anything else.
    		•
     
    The great thing about the day after Thanksgiving: leftover sandwiches!
      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Write A Thanksgiving Poem

    November 27, 2014 at 7:30 am · Filed under Entertaining, Thanksgiving & Fall

    If you’ve got time to fill before or after Thanksgiving dinner, have a poetry jam.

    Have guests compose their own poems, or print out some of the many at TeachingFirst.net for recitation. Here’s our choice:

    A THANKSGIVING DINNER
    by Maude M. Grant

    Take a turkey, stuff it fat,
    Some of this and some of that.
    Get some turnips, peel them well.
    Cook a big squash in its shell.
    Now potatoes, big and white,
    Mash till they are soft and light.
    Cranberries, so tart and sweet,
    With the turkey we must eat.
    Pickles-yes-and then, oh my!
    For a dessert a pumpkin pie,
    Golden brown and spicy sweet.
    What a fine Thanksgiving treat!
     
    It could become an annual tradition, with judging and chocolate turkey prizes.

    WISH YOU A JOYOUS THANKSGIVING!

    		  

    Bourbon_Red_tom_mattbillngs-wiki-230
    This heritage turkey breed is the Bourbon Red. Photo by Matt Billings | Wikimedia.
     

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Thanksgiving Tips

    November 26, 2014 at 7:52 am · Filed under Cooking & Baking, Thanksgiving & Fall

    taylor-classic-meat-thermometer-230
    You need to use a meat thermometer when you cook a turkey. Photo courtesy Taylor.    		   If you’re cooking for Thanksgiving, take a look at these 50 tips from top American chefs, courtesy of the Food Network. A sampling:

  • Plan ahead for leftovers by cleaning out the fridge today. Be sure you have enough foil, plastic wrap and storage containers.
  • Be sure you have a meat thermometer.
  • Leave the turkey unwrapped in the fridge overnight. The skin will turn out crispier.
  • Coffee beans in the turkey cavity? One prominent chef adds half a cup of coffee beans to creates “great depth of flavor.”
  • Rub the interior of the turkey for more flavor. Use concentrated chicken base (such as Knorr) or a homemade chicken-stock reduction and butter.
  • Insert metal skewers in the turkey thighs before roasting. Insert several skewers into each thigh. They direct heat to the thighs more efficiently, so the thighs cook more quickly (and the less time in the oven, the less time the breast has to dry out).
    		•
     

  • Spread a mixture of breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and pork fat under the skin of the bird. Particularly under the skin of the breasts, the pork fat keeps the breasts moist and adds flavor.

    •  
    Check out the rest of the tips. While some require advance prep, it will be next Thanksgiving before you know it!
     
      

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