Citrus Salmon Lollipuffs Holiday Appetizers

Citrus Salmon Lollipuffs Holiday Appetizers www.apronmadness.com


What fun! These savory "lollipuffs" feature a bite of salmon, flavored with orange marmalade, baked in a golden puff pastry and served on skewers. They're sure to be a hit at your next gathering.




1 pound thawed frozen or fresh salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 package (17.3 ounces) Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
1/3 cup orange marmalade

Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the salmon into a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce and toss to coat.

Unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each pastry sheet into 16 (1/2-inch wide) strips crosswise, making 32 in all. Cut each strip in half crosswise, making 64 in all. Place 2 strips on a baking sheet to form a cross shape. Repeat with remaining strips. Place 1 piece salmon in the center of each pastry cross. Fold the ends of the pastry cross over the filling and press to seal. Turn the pastries seam-side down on the baking sheets.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Stir the marmalade and remaining teriyaki sauce in a small bowl. Serve the pastries on 3-inch wooden skewers with the marmalade mixture for dipping.

• For a fun serving idea, fill a small vase with salt. Stand the ends of the skewers in the salt to make an edible arrangement.
  
• Another attractive serving idea is to cut oranges or lemons in half and place them cut-side down onto a platter. Stick several lollipuff skewers into each half.

Savory Mini Wraparounds Holiday Appetizers

Savory Mini Wraparounds... Holiday Party Appetizers with Puff Pastry
www.apronmadness.com

You can make a variety of appetizers with one box of puff pastry sheets. The recipe gives you many filling suggestions...choose the ones that sound good to you, or be creative and come up with your own.



1 package (17.3 ounces) Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Assorted Fillings

Assorted Fillings: Place one of the following into each pastry square: 1-inch chunks ham, pepperoni or lunchmeat; 2 teaspoons ham or chicken spread; 1 teaspoon cream cheese (plain or flavored) and 1 slice jalapeño pepper or green olive; 2 teaspoons seafood or whitefish salad; 1 teaspoon prepared pesto or chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes; 1 small marinated mushroom or 1-inch piece marinated artichoke heart. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.

Unfold 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut into 16 (3-inch) squares. Repeat with the remaining baking sheet. Place 1 piece filling in the center of each square. Brush the edges of the squares with the egg mixture. Fold 2 opposite corners to the center over the filling and pinch the edges firmly to seal. Place the filled pastries onto baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Nacho Cheese Bites Holiday Appetizers

Nacho Cheese Bites with Puff Pastry
www.apronmadness.com

Bite-size appetizers are always perfect for entertaining--these fit into both casual settings or more upscale cocktail parties. Serve with additional salsa for dipping.

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup Chunky Salsa
5 pitted ripe olives, cut into quarters (optional)
Chili powder

Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Stir the cheese and salsa in a small bowl.

Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut into 20 (3-inch) squares. Place about 1 tablespoon cheese mixture in the center of each pastry square. Top each with 1 olive piece, if desired. Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg mixture. Fold the pastry over the filling to form triangles. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Place the filled pastries onto baking sheets. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the chili powder.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Remove the pastries from the baking sheets and let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.

Holiday Party Appetizers Smoked Sausage Purses

These bite-sized appetizers feature spicy kielbasa flavored with Dijon-style mustard and marmalade atop flaky puff pastry purses. Great Appetizer for any party or get-together!
www.apronmadness.com

Smoked Sausage Purses

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
6 ounces kielbasa, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
Chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 400°F. Unfold the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10x15-inch rectangle. Cut the pastry sheet into 24(2 1/2-inch) squares. Press the pastry squares into 24 (1 3/4-inch) mini muffin-pan cups.

Stir the kielbasa, marmalade and mustard in a medium bowl. Spoon about 1 tablespoon kielbasa mixture into each pastry cup.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Sprinkle the pastries with the parsley before serving.

Halloween Party Treat: Witches Finger Cookies

Halloween Party Treat: Witches Finger Cookies
www.apronmadness.com

Creep out everyone at your Halloween party with witches finger cookies. You can use any shortbread cookie recipe, but here’s one for you to use if you prefer.

Yield: 5 dozen

■ 1 cup sugar
■ 1 cup Butter, softened
■ 1 Egg
■ 1 tsp Almond extract
■ 1 tsp Vanilla extract
■ 2 2/3 cups Flour
■ 1 tsp Salt
■ 3/4 cup whole Almonds, blanched
■ 2 squares of melting chocolate, or chocolate bark
Combine the sugar, egg, butter, almond extract, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in the flour, and salt. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or until it’s firm.

When you’re ready to shape the cookies, only take out a small portion of the dough at a time. Shape the cookies into fingers by rolling and working with your hands. Score the top of the cookie with a knife or spatula to make it look like the wrinkles in your knuckle. Press an imprint into the tip of the cookie with your finger to make a spot for the almond finger nail. Press an almond into the tip of each finger to look like a fingernail.

Placed on a cooking sheet lightly coated with no-stick cooking spray and bake at 325` for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are a very light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a drying rack.

Use melting chocolate to go around the outside of the almond nail, giving a ghoulish appearance. Just melt the chocolate, put it in an icing piping bag, and cut a very small hole in the tip. Then pipe around the nail.

If you use red melting chocolate the look will be even more dramatic, you can also make small drops of chocolate blood, or chocolate cuts on the cookies if you really want to gross out your guests.

The witches finger cookies will make great party treats, but you can also bundle them up in a decorative container and use them for your Halloween party favors.

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Mix Recipe Breakfast

Found this recipe at http://www.tasteofhome.com/

Quick & tasty Breakfast!
"Oatmeal is a breakfast staple at our house," relates Lynne Van Wagenen from Salt Lake City, Utah. "It's a warm nutritious start to the day that keeps us going all morning. We used to buy the oatmeal mixes, but we think our homemade version is better! Feel free to substitute raisins or other dried fruit for the apples."

Apons on & mixing bowls out..... get ready to make this delicious oatmeal mix

Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Mix Recipe

16 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 5 min.

Ingredients
6 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/3 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup dried apples, diced
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT (for each serving):
1/2 cup water

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. Yield: 8 cups total.

To prepare oatmeal: Shake mix well. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil; slowly stir in 1/2 cup mix. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 1 minute or until oatmeal reaches desired consistency. Yield: 1 serving.

Nutritional Facts: One serving equals 176 calories, 2 g fat (trace saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 185 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 7 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 2 starch.

Healthy Homemade oatmeal mixes day2

Raisin Oatmeal Mix Recipe
from http://www.tasteofhome.com/

Get on your Apron & start mixing!

Enjoy a warm & FAST bowl of oatmeal each morning! Make your own mix & the kids can even microwave it themselves!

"We like the sweet cinnamony flavor of this instant oatmeal at our house," relates Robert Caummisar of Grayson, Kentucky. The mix makes it convenient to zap a bowl in the microwave for a speedy breakfast. If you like milk with your oatmeal, you can pour a little on top before serving.

Servings 14 ... Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients
6 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped dried apples or dried banana chips
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT FOR OATMEAL:
3/4 cup water

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Divide into two batches; store in airtight containers in a cool dry place for up to 1 month. Yield: 7 cups of mix (two batches oatmeal mix--each batch makes 7 servings).

To prepare oatmeal: In a deep microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup oatmeal mix and 3/4 cup water. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds; stir. Cook 20-50 seconds longer or until bubbly. Let stand for 1-2 minutes.

Yield: 1 serving.

This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

Nutrition Facts: 1/2 cup equals 186 calories, 2 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 175 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 2-1/2 starch.

Healthy Homemade Oatmeal Mixes

I quit smoking 6 months ago & since then... saw my pant size increase by 2 sizes! 30 additional pounds! (and I'm not small to begin with!)

Well... I never really ate that much & never really ate too much junk food. I skipped breakfast but snacked everytime I had a craving for a smoke.

Starting this week, I began using the Wii fit (I like hoola hooping).... but also started to have a warm & filling Oatmeal breakfast each morning. In 5 days, I am down 3 1/2 pounds. Now that may be some water weight cuz I am trying to drink more water during the day... but it's a start!

Here are some "oatmeal mix recipes" that I got from The Taste of Home
Get your Apron on & make these to have for quick & easy breakfasts!

CHECK BACK FOR THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.... A NEW OATMEAL MIX RECIPE EACH DAY!

Spiced Oatmeal Mix Recipe

18 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 15 min.

Ingredients
8 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 cups chopped mixed dried fruit
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

To prepare oatmeal: Contents of mix may settle during storage. When preparing recipe, spoon mix into measuring cup. In a deep microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup oatmeal mix and 1 cup water. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1-2 minutes or until bubbly, stirring every 30 seconds. Let stand for 1-2 minutes before serving.

Yield: 18 servings.

This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup prepared oatmeal equals 210 calories, 3 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 137 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fruit.

FREE CANNING EBOOK!!!

It's that season again!!! Gardens... farmer's markets .... flea markets...
Pressure Can those veggies & fruits for "Fresh" tasting foods all year long!
Click here for FREE PDF file

brought to you by http://www.apronmadness.com/

**** be patient, it is a large file***

If you use IE & the tab says "oops"... please ignore that & wait for file to load.

How to choose the ripest fruits

By Lori Bongiorno
brought to you by Apronmadness

There's nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than biting into a juicy, sweet, ripe piece of fruit. But how do you know if a peach or strawberry is going to taste as good as it looks?

While it's true that choosing delicious fruits is more of an art than a science, there are some guidelines that can help you make smart choices.

It's helpful to know that there are different categories of ripe, according to Shirley Corriher, a food scientist and author of BakeWise. Some fruits become ripe when carbohydrates break down into sugar and they become sweeter after they are picked, such as bananas, apples, pears, and mangoes.

Then there are the ones that are so deceptive, she says, because they ripen in color, texture, and juiciness after they're picked, but they don't get any sweeter because they get their sugar from the plant sap. Apricots, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, cantaloupe, and honeydew are all good examples.

Soft berries, cherries, citrus, watermelon, pineapple, and grapes will never ripen after they've been picked, says Corriher. So if they're not ripe in the grocery store, you probably don't want to bring them home. Avocados, on the other hand, don't actually start to ripen until after they've been picked.
Color, smell, texture, and other clues can also help determine which fruits you should buy. The rules differ depending on the fruit. Below, experts share their secrets for finding the best fruits.

One thing they all agree on is that you'll get the ripest, most delicious fruits if you shop for local produce that's in season. It's also easier to sample fruits at farmers' markets -- the only surefire way to know if fruit tastes good -- than at the grocery store. Going to a farm that lets you pick your own fruit right off the vine yields the best fruit, they say.

Melons
Experts agree that scent is important in choosing the best-tasting melons, particularly when it comes to cantaloupe and honeydew (less so with watermelon). They should smell very sweet, particularly at the blossom and stem ends, which should also be tender if you press on them.

The best way to check for ripeness of a cantaloupe or honeydew melon is to look at the skin, says Emily Wallendjack, pastry chef at Cookshop in New York City. "If the veins on the skin are green, they aren't ripe." Corriher likes to choose melons that are pale.

Wallendjack and other experts suggests tapping melons: "If you tap on it, and kind of flick it and hear a deep hollow sound, it's ripe."

A watermelon should feel heavy for its size and the underbelly should have a splotch of creamy yellow.

Stone fruits
Look for peaches and nectarines that are tender to the touch, but not too soft. Feeling is the best way, but smell can also be a good indicator of taste as well, says Gabriel Kass-Johnson of McEnroe Organic Farm in Millerton, New York. Stay away from peaches that have a greenish tint, which usually means they were picked too early.

Plums should be slightly tender to the touch and fully colored, says Rachel Saunders, owner of Blue Chair Fruit.

Cherries
Color is key when it comes to cherries. "Look for Bing cherries with a deep, rich burgundy color," says Nick Trocano, a farmer at Sycamore Farms, in Middletown, NY. "A cherry should feel like it's plump and full of juice. It should feels like if you just squeeze it a little harder, it will burst."

Some additional tips from Saunders: The stems should be attached. Cherries should be firm -- if the flesh is too soft, then it indicates an overripe cherry.

Berries
"With berries, color is surefire," says Kass-Johnson. "Smell isn't as important." And remember that they will not ripen after you buy them. They'll just get softer and mushier.

Strawberries should be entirely red, according to Saunders. "If a berry has white shoulders (the part of the berry hidden by the leaves), it was picked too early." She says strawberries should be firm and have dark green leaves. If the leaves are dried out, then it's a sign that the berries are old.

"With raspberries you want the most intense, deep red that you can find," says Corriher. "Pick the biggest blueberries you can find, and they'll be sweeter." Saunders says she seeks out blueberries that are both firm and blue.

Apples
Apples should have a very tight, hard skin, and there should be no give when you press on them, says Wallendjack.

Color is also important. "You need to know what color an apple is when it's ripe," says Corriher. For example, look for really yellow golden delicious apples.

Oranges
Saunders suggests looking for bright, firm oranges. "A too-pale color can indicate that the fruit was picked a little early," she says. "A leather-looking peel indicates the orange is old."

Pears
"A ripe pear typically has a sweet aroma and is slightly tender to the touch," says Saunders. "If the fruit is hard, it's not ready." She also points out that pears ripen very well off the tree at room temperature.

Bananas
Bananas aren't grown in America so they're always picked when green and ripen on the way, says Kass-Johnson. He says it makes no difference if they are a little green when you buy them. It just depends on when you are going to eat them.

Mangoes
"You can take a mango that's not ripe and throw it in a brown paper bag on the counter and it will ripen on its own," says Wallendjack. "If it feels soft and if you press it in and it keeps the imprint of your finger, then it's ripe and ready to eat." She also says the skin should have a yellowish tint to it. Green on the outside means it's not ripe yet.