The holidays are a wonderful time to entertain friends and family. The following menu is a lovely way to welcome your guests and begin your Thanksgiving Feast. It seems that with a Thanksgiving feast, Hors d’oeuvres are often neglected. However, it is so nice to relax and spend the afternoon with family and friends before “The Big Event.”
The following recipes are easy to prepare, in advance, leaving you more time to spend with your loved ones. The plattered foods can be set out on a table and made more beautiful by the addition of a festive arrangement, and completed with bread and butter sized plates and cocktail forks immediately before your guests’ arrival. You, too, can then relax, sit-back and enjoy the company of those you have invited into your home for a thankful holiday.
MENU
Serves 12 Guests
Butterscotch Drop
Macadamia Stuffed Prunes,
Wrapped in Bacon
Bourbon Franks
Curry Dip with Salad Bar Crudites
Skewered Mozzarella with
Sundried Tomato
Butterscotch Drop
2/3 parts butterscotch
vanilla S’napps
1/3 part vodka or rum
Kraft caramels
Ice
1. Either in a pitcher or a martini shaker, place the ice.
2. Pour in S’napps and alcohol. Stir or shake. Pour into martini glasses.
3. Garnish with caramel and serve.
Macadamia Stuffed Prunes
Wrapped in Bacon
24 Prunes
24 Macadamia Nuts
8 Slices Bacon, cut into 24 pieces
Dusting of Brown Sugar
Toothpicks soaked in water
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Stuff each prune with a Macadamia nut. Wrap in a piece of bacon. Secure with toothpicks.
3. Place prunes on an elevated aluminum foil sheet with holes poked in it for drainage, and place over a pan to catch the drippings. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake until done – approximately 10-15 minutes.
Bourbon Franks
1 package miniature cocktail franks
(approximately 32)
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup peach or apricot jelly
1/8 cup brown sugar
Toothpicks
1. In a saucepan, combine bourbon, jelly and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, until combined and bubbly. Add cocktail franks and cook until heated through, approximately 10 minutes.
2. Skewer and serve.
Curry Dip with Salad Bar Crudites
Assorted vegetables from the salad
bar or pre-made crudites tray from
the supermarket
1 large kale
Curry Dip
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup raisins
1. In a Cuisinart fitted with a steel blade, combine all of the ingredients for the dip. Then process until creamy and smooth.
Skewered Mozzarella
with Sundried Tomato
1 container Bocconcini, drained
28 pieces of sundried tomato,
packed in oil
1/8 cup best quality olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian herbs
Lemon cut in half
1. In a plastic container, place mozzarella balls, olive oil and Italian herbs. Cover and shake. Marinate 30 minutes to overnight.
2. Skewer mozzarella and sundried tomato. Platter and serve with a lemon, cut in half, for used skewers.
