Having a party celebrating the holiday and the Spring Equinox?

We wanted to share with you a few recipes thatis some of our favorites in our collection of new and old recipes that would be perfect for your Spring holiday brunch or party.

1. Spring Tartlets

We combined the following hors o dourves all on a long ME2 “Sandwich with Pops” serving platter.  It made such an awesome conversation piece complete with an array of tasty bits that everyone enjoyed…all in just one platter. The Spring Tartlets and Crostinis combined with the Pinwheels (below) were displayed separately on the tiered trays for an explosion of texture and color!

9 ozs. puff pastry

butter (for greasing)

2 tblsp olive oil

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped carrot

7 ozs. frozen peas

9 ozs. ricotta cheese

2 beaten eggs

5 tblsp. of grated parmesan reggiano

salt/pepper to taste

dusting of flour

12 - tart pan

2 1/2 ” cookie cutter

Heat olive oil in skillet and add carrots, onions and peas.

Saute’ for 3 minutes, remove and slightly cool. Add the ricotta, eggs, parmesan, salt and pepper.  Mix and set aside.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly dust a smooth surface with flour and lay our puff pastry. Take cookie cutter and cut out 12 -3″ circles. Place each disc in tart pan.  Fill each with the vegetable mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes. 

Serves 10

(Adapted from La Cucina Italiana- 2006)

2. Spring Crostinis:

Place these Crostinis at the center of a ME2 “Sandwich with Pops” serving platter.

6 slices of brioche bread

butter (for greasing)

12 slices of prosciutto

2 c. balsamic vinegar

4 tblsp. sugar

3/4 c. heavy cream

3 tblsp. grated cheese

1 bay leaf

salt/pepper

1″ round cookie cutter

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Cut 2 -1″ circles out of bread slices with a cookie cutter.

Place bread on a greased cookie sheet.   Heat toasts in oven for 3 min.

In saucepan, mix balsamic vinegar, sugar.   Cook until reduced and thicker.

Place heavy cream, bay leaf, salt and pepper in another.  Heat to boil.

Whisk the cream mixture into balsamic mixture.

Place a dollop of mixture on each toast and then place a rolled slice of proscuitto on top.  Sprinkle with parmesan.

Serves 12

(Adapted from La Cucina Italiana- 2006)

 

3.  Spring Pinwheels

2 large flour tortillas

4 slices of mozzarella

2 tblsp. olive or roasted red pepper tampenade

1 bunch of arugula- chopped/cleaned

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Lay 2 tortillas on dry surface.  Brush each tortilla with olive tampenade. Lay 2 slices of mozzarella on each tortilla then 3 slices of proscuitto- each to cover entire tortilla.  Sprinkle with thin layer of arugula.

Roll each tortilla tightly.  Transfer to a cookie sheet and warm in oven for 5 minutes. Take out and cool slightly.  Cut each roll into 1/2″ thick slices and place them overlapping each other at an angle on one tray of a ME2 “Sandwich with Pops” tiered serving platter. each shelf can display different hors o dourves.  

Serves 10

(Adapted from La Cucina Italiana- 2006)

 

4.  Rhubarb and Goat Cheese Brushetta

Arrange the bruschetta on a ME “Ode to Jon” for a brilliant array of color on the white enamel glass center.

1 large loaf of Italian bread

3 tblsp. olive oil

7 ozs. goat cheese

1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts

7 ozs. rhubarb- trimmed and chopped

1 onion sliced1/2 teas. sugar

1/2 teas. chili pepper

salt and fresh ground pepper

5 basil leaves- chopped

1 head Boston lettuce 

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

In a skillet heat oil. Add onion, rhubarb, sugar, chili pepper and salt.

Cook for 20 minutes until you form a relish.  Slice bread in 1/2″  slices and arrange on a cookie sheet.  Brush 2 x with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Toast in oven until golden brown.

In a bowl, combine goat cheese, basil, nuts, salt and pepper.  Mix well. 

Lay out toasts in a concentric circle on the Ode to Jon platter.  Lay a leaf of lettuce on each toast.  Mold a teaspoon of goat cheese on top of leaf.  Spoon a row of rhubarb relish on top of the cheese.

Serves 12

(Adapted from La Cucina Italiana- 2006)

 

5.  Baked Brie with Apricot

1 medium round wheel of Brie or Camembert

1/4 c. sugar

3 tblsp. honey

1/4 c. chopped pecans

1 teas. cinnamon

1 1/2 c. apricot preserves

1 loaf of french bread

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Slice the wheel of brie thru the middle so there are 2 slices of cheese- top and bottom.  Set aside.  In a bowl, mix the sugar, honey, cinnamon, nuts and apricot preserves together.  Mix thoroughly.  Spread generously over the top of the bottom slice of brie.   Place the top part of brie on top of apricot mixture, creating a sandwich.

Heat for 20 minutes or until you cut into outer rind of cheese to make sure the cheese and mixture inside is soft and melted.

Wrap loaf of french bread in aluminum foil and heat.

Cut in 1/2″ diagonal slices and place the baked brie in center ME2 “Ode to Jon” serving platter with bread slices placed in a circle around cheese.

Serves 12

 

6.  Mini Crab Cakes

Place these on a ME2 “Snacks with Brian” serving tower with other crostinis and chicken kebobs (below) to serve an entire party in one compact space.

 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

 1 large egg

 1/4 cup sour cream

  1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

  1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

   4 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided

   1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

   Large pinch of cayenne pepper

   6 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, picked over, patted dry, coarsely shredded

   1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)*

   1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pans

   Fresh chives, cut into pieces

   Special equipment: 2 mini muffin pans

Heat oven at 350 degrees.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth.  Add 1/4 c. Parmesan and egg. Beat until blended. Beat in sour cream, citrus peels, chopped chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat.  

Generously butter 2 mini muffin pans. Toss panko, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives in small bowl. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter over, tossing with fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 rounded tablespoon panko mixture into bottom of each muffin cup, forming crust. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon crab mixture into each cup. Sprinkle rounded teaspoon of panko mixture over each (some may be left over).

Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around each cake and gently lift out of pan. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Arrange on baking sheet; let stand at room temperature. Re-warm in 350°F oven 6 to 8 minutes.

Arrange crab cakes on serving platter; sprinkle with chives. 

Serves 10

(epicurious 2007)

7.  Chicken Kebobs

Kebabs:

   2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

   Juice of 3 lemons

   2 tablespoons chopped garlic

   3/4 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves (about 4 sprigs)

   3/4 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (about 5 sprigs)

   6 single boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cleaned of fat and cut into large cubes

   Salt and black pepper to taste

   Bamboo skewers

Sauce:

  2 (7-ounce) containers plain yogurt

 4 tablespoons sour cream

 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

 Zest of 2 lemons (fine)

 Juice of 1 lemon

 2 tablespoons minced garlic

 1 tablespoon black pepper

 2 teaspoons salt

 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)

Preparation:

In a plastic bag or airtight container, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Add chicken, toss well to coat evenly, and refrigerate overnight.  Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Remove chicken pieces from marinade and season well with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and juices of chicken run clear when pricked with the end of the skewer.

Place 2-3  pieces on a ME2 “Party Fork”  and display with a coordinating “Key West Mike Sauce Dish”.  Place 3 pieces of chicken onto each fork. Serve with Lemon-Pepper Yogurt Sauce.

Serves 10.

(Epicurious 2007)

 

8. Suffed Mushrooms

8 ozs. spicy pork sausage

1/2 c. vidalia onion- finely chopped

25 baby portabella mushrooms

8 ozs. cream cheese

Brown sausage in skillet and stir until sausage is in crumbles.  Remove stems keeping the caps in tact.  Finely chop the stems and onions.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until creamy.  Add in sausage, onions and stems.

Spoon 1 teas. of mixture inside each mushroom cap.  Line up  caps 1″ apart on a cookie sheet and broil for 5 minutes, or until bubbly.

9. Lemon Chess Pie

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1/4 c. butter

1/4 teas. salt

1 tblsp. flour

1 tblsp. cornmeal

1/4 c. milk

3/4 c.  lemon juice

grated peel of 2 lemons

1 unbaked pie shell

Heat oven at 425 degrees.

Beat the eggs in a bowl.  Add the sugar, butter, salt, flour, cornmeal, milk, lemon juice, and lemon peel in that order.  Beat together between each item.

Spoon into pie shell and bake 10 minutes.  Reduce heat and bake for another 40 minutes.

Serves 6

(From Made in the Shade)

10.  Easter Egg with Cream Brittle

9 ozs. ricotta

1/4 c. strawberry preserves

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. heavy cream

Brittle:

butter ( for greasing)

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. almond slivers

1/2 c. chopped pecans

8 slices of pan di Spagna

3 tblsp. maraschino liqueur

1/2  x-large dark chocolate hollow Easter egg

parchment paper

In a large saucepan, mix ricotta, preserves, sugar and heavy cream.  Stir and set aside in refrigerator.

Prepare brittle.  Lightly grease parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Set aside.

In a saucepan, over low heat, warm the sugar until melted and slightly browned.  Add nuts. Stir.  Remove from heat and spread evenly over cookie sheet.  Cool until firm.  Break up 3/4 of brittle and add to ricotta mixture.  

Place a layer of the pan di spagna cake slices at the bottom inside of the dark chocolate Easter egg.  Brush with the maraschino liqueur.  Layer on the ricotta/brittle mixture to cover cake. Layer on another layer of the cake slices, maraschino liqueur, and cover again with the ricotta mixture.  Top  with the remaining ricotta/brittle mixture.

Sprinkle the top with the remaining brittle pieces.

Serves 6.

(Adapted from la Cucina Italiana)