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Published: December 23, 2008 09:25 pm
Get ready, get set: Celebrate New Year's Eve
Have plenty of snacks on hand when you watch the ball drop
By Bev Davis
Register-Herald Senior Editor
FAYETTEVILLE —
Janet Goodwin knows her family in North Carolina can count on her to provide some interesting New Year’s Eve treats.
“Everybody gives so much attention to Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there’s not as much emphasis on the family times we can share on the last day of the year,” she said. “I plan ahead and always try to have something new each year.”
However, on New Year’s Day, she’s bound by the Appalachian tradition of serving some type of cabbage dish.
“We always put some money in the cabbage, and the person who dishes it out is supposed to have good luck,” Goodwin said. “I don’t know if that’s true or not, but our family has done that for years, and it was passed down to me from my grandparents, so I don’t want to be the one to break the tradition.”
Alcohol is never a part of the New Year’s Eve festivities, but a good meal and an assortment of desserts make for a grand party, she said.
“It’s being together with friends, neighbors and family that makes the holiday for us, and there’s nothing nicer you can do for someone than to make them a good meal,” she said.
Her special dish this year will be a meatloaf potato surprise.
The desserts will be made from recipes provided by Wilton Industries.
Meat loaf potato surprise
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup beef broth
1 egg, beaten
4 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
4 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon onion salt
Sauce:
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
Additional Parmesan cheese, optional
In a bowl, combine crumbs, broth, egg and seasonings; let stand for 2 minutes.
Add the beef and mix well. On a piece of waxed paper, pat meat mixture into a 10-inch square.
Combine hash browns, cheese, parsley and onion salt; spoon over meat. Roll up, jelly-roll style, removing waxed paper as you roll.
Pinch edges and ends to seal; place with seam side down in an ungreased shallow baking pan.
Bake at 375 degrees F. for 40 minutes. Combine the first three sauce ingredients; spoon over loaf.
Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired. Makes 8 portions.
Snowflake Brie
1 whole Brie cheese round
Chopped fresh rosemary, thyme or other favorite herb (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with vegetable pan spray.
Place Brie onto cookie sheet. With snowflake cutter, cut shape into white rind on top of cheese; with spoon, carefully remove rind only from cut area. Add favorite herbs to cut area.
Bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is warm and melted. Carefully remove to serving plate. Serve with Holiday Snowflake Crisps (recipe below).
Holiday snowflake crisps
1 package (17.3-ounce package) puff pastry sheets (2 sheets)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw pastry sheets at room temperature for 40 minutes or until easy to handle.
Unfold pastry sheet on lightly floured surface. Roll out lightly; cut snowflake shapes. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to cooling grid. Cool completely. Makes about 10 crisps.
Variation: Sprinkle with finely shredded cheese before baking.
Pesto spritz crackers
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
10 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine flour, basil and garlic powder. In large bowl, beat butter and cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in egg. Add flour mixture; mix well.
Shape dough into small logs; place into cookie press. Using desired disks, press cracker dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove from sheet and cool completely. Each makes about 5 dozen crackers
Cheddar Chipotle spritz crackers
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 cups (about 8 ounces) finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (Do not use pre-shredded cheese)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine flour, salt and chipotle chili powder. In large bowl, beat cheese and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in egg and Worcestershire sauce. Add flour mixture; mix well.
Shape dough into small logs; place into cookie press. Using desired disks, press cracker dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove from sheet and cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen crackers.
BBQ spritz crackers
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
10 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 egg yolk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine flour, salt, chili powder, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder. In large bowl, beat butter, barbecue sauce and egg with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture; mix well.
Shape dough into small logs; place into cookie press. Using desired disks, press cracker dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet; remove from sheet and cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen crackers.
Raspberry ganache-filled candy shells
1 package (14 ounces) White Candy Melts®
1 package (14 ounces) Light Cocoa Candy Melts
2 packages (14 ounces each) Dark Cocoa Candy Melts, divided
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, heated to boiling
Fresh raspberries
Melt white, light cocoa and 1 package of dark cocoa Candy Melts following package instructions. If desired, marble portions or melted white and light or dark cocoa candy.
Prepare candy cups and dessert shells as follows:
n Fill larger base mold of Dessert Shell Candy Mold about 1/3 full with melted candy. Tap gently on counter to evenly distribute. Slowly press the smaller top mold into the filled larger mold; secure at tabs. Turn mold upside town; tap gently on counter. Chill in refrigerator until mold appears frosty, about 15 minutes. Place mold in freezer 2 minutes before unmolding. Gently unmold; trim any excess candy from edge of the mold using a sharp knife.
n Fill Cordial Cup Candy Mold 1/3 to 1/2 full with melted candy. Using a decorator brush, paint the candy up the sides of each mold to the top edge. Coat mold so that no light can be seen through the shell. Refrigerate until, firm, about 5 minutes. If necessary, paint sides of each mold again; refrigerate. Unmold.
To prepare whipped ganache, coarsely chop remaining dark cocoa Candy Melts; place in large bowl. Pour hot cream over candy; stir until melted and smooth. Allow to come to room temperature (1-2 hours). Whip on high speed with electric mixer until light and soft peaks form.
Fill dessert shells with raspberries. Top with tip No. 32 whipped ganache swirls. Fill cordial cups with tip No. 22 swirls of whipped ganache. Chill until ready to serve.
— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com
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