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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Bridal Showers Recipes, Part I

Thank you everyone, for your interest, kind comments and positive e-mails about the recent Lovebirds Bridal Shower hosted here at StoneGable. It was so much fun to live it again through these recent posts!

One question I heard over and over was, "Are you going to post the recipes?" My answer, "Of course"! I'm all about sharing.

Due to the numbers of recipes, I will share them in three parts. One for the savory food, one for the tea sandwiches and drinks, and one pansy cookie tutorial. I hope you try some of these recipes when you entertain.

Savory Recipes

Salmon Mousse

StoneGable Salmon Mousse

1 1/2 lbs freshly cooked or canned salmon, flaked

1/2 cup green onions, diced finely

1/2 cup green pepper, diced finely

3 TBS chopped fresh dill

1 TBS chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup mayonaise (full fat)

1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 8oz. package cream cheese (full fat)

1 can tomato soup

dash Tabasco or hot sauce

1/2 cup cold water

1 envelope unflavored, unsweetened gelatin

In a bowl mix salmon, green onions, green peper, onion, dill, parsley, mayo, sour cream and lemon juice.

In a saucepan over meduim heat combine cream cheese and tomato soup. Melt and stir until incorporated together. Add to bowl with salmon and mix.

In another small saucepan, add COLD water and gelatin. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin completely disolves in the water. DO NOT BOIL. When gelatin has disolved, pour into salmon mixture and stir until completely incorporated.

Cover the inside of fish mold liberally with cooking spray. If you do not have a fish mold you can use any other mold or divide mousse between a couple of medium size bowls. I have individual fish molds and have made molded individual servings for an appetizer course.

Pour mousse in mold and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. This can be done a day or 2 before.

To unmold, put the bottom of mold in a pan of very hot water for just a couple of seconds and run a knife around the edges of the mold. Put a large platter on top of the mold and invert.

Decorate the mold with thinly sliced cucumbers to resemble scales, matchbox carrot sticks fanned across the fins and tail and a black olive slice for an eye.

I do not decorate mine anymore, because I have found that no one will eat it once it has been decorated.

Serve salmon mousse with crackers. It is also delicious with veggies. Or serve as a pate with toast points.

Bleu Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad

I make potato salads by the "taste and feel" method. I taste it for the ballance of flavors and when it feels right... it is! So these are just good guesses as far as amounts. It is not rocket science so just taste and feel your way through this recipe. I doubled this recipe for the shower.

Bleu Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad

5 lbs red and white new potaoes, skins scrubbed

1 lb cooked bacon, crumbled

4 green onions, white and green finely chopped

2-3 ribs celery, finely diced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

3 TBS fresh dill, finely chopped

4-6 oz. good bleu cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

2 cups mayonaise

4-8 TBS spicy brown mustard

4 TBS cider vinegar

Put potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Cook potatoes over a medium high heat until fork tender. Drain water and cool potaotes. Cube potatoes, leaving skin on.

In a very large bowl, add potatoes, bacon, onions, celery, parsley, dill and bleu cheese.

In another bowl add all the dressing ingredients together. Add dressing to potatoes until creamy but not overdresssed. Refrigerate. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.

When serving, garnish with chopped green onions and crumbled bacon

Artichoke Parmesan Dip with Pita Chips

Artichoke Parmesan Dip With Pita Chips

2 jars (small) marinaded artichoke hearts, drained and chopped finely

1 cup mayonaise (full fat)

1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 pressed garlic clove

dash of hot sauce

I doubled this recipe and there was only a tiny bit left. Everyone loves this savory treat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Put dip in an oven proof bowl and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot with pita chips.

Pita Chips

2 bags pita bread

olive oil

herbs de provence (or any herbs or garlic for seasoning)

sea salt

Cut each pita round in two. Cut each half into thirds. Separate each wedge into a single layer. You will have 12 single layer pita wedges for each round.

Put rounds in a single layer on a parchment rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs de provence and sea salt.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.

Orange Poppyseed Muffin with Ham and Honey Mustard Beehive Butter

Orange Poppyseed Muffins with Ham and Honey Mustard Beehive Butter

I could not find my Orange Poppyseed Muffin recipe so I used one from Cooks.com. It worked just fine.

Click HERE for recipe.

Cool muffins and slice horizontally. Spread a thin layer of poppyseed mayonaise (1/2 mayo + 1/2 poppyseed dressing) on muffin bottom. Add a generous piece of ham. I like to use a sprial ham, but we used a good quality deli ham to keep within the budget.

Honey Mustard Beehive Butter

This is one that you just have to taste to see if you like the taste and consistancy.

1 lb butter, room temperature.

2-3 TBS honey

2-3 TBS good dijon mustard

Mix and adjust taste with honey or mustard. Line a small deep bowl with plastic wrap and press butter into bowl and cover with plastic wrap . Refrigerate. This an be done well ahead.

To serve, invert bowl and remove plastic wrap. Put butter in the center of a platter. Run the tines of a fork around the butter, to simulate the lines on a beehive. If desired add a little faux bee on the beehive. Place muffin sandwiches around beehive butter. Serve with a decorative knife. Guests are to cut off a slice of butter and put it on their sandwiches.

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