Have Your Cheesecake And Eat It Too

I just tried out a new dessert idea that I think is going to be one of my new "go to" for bringing to parties: Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries!!  I love anything bite size, delicious and easy to make and these little guys fit all requirements perfectly!  They were a hit!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Directions:

1. Select medium to large strawberries, rinse, and cut off tops
2. With a paring knife, carefully carve out the hull
3. Crush Nilla Wafers with rolling pin in a zip lock bag and empty onto small plate
4. Fill a zip lock bag with ready made Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cheesecake Filling (1 tub makes about 4 dozen or use your own no bake recipe!)
5. Cut off one small corner of bag and squeeze cheese cake into strawberries, swirling some on top
6. Dip cheesecake end into cookie crumbs, squishing the cheesecake down a bit
7. Optional: dip in chocolate or drizzle with chocolate

Once Bitten

I try not to drink too much because when I am drunk, I bite! - Bette Midler

I LOVE today's post on Gibson King! It's all about "Little Bites" and whenever I am dreaming up a party menu, I am obsessed with bite-sized options!! Balancing a plate, fork, knife, and the ever present cocktail glass is tricky stuff! So unless you are having a sit-down dinner or have a bunch of picnic tables - you want to keep people movin' and minglin' - not hunched over their laps sawing into something! I collect cookbooks that feature appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, nibbles, etc. but sometimes I just like to wing it too. My mini muffin pan is an indispensable tool for this and I came up with a fast, savory treat that you can pop in your mouth in between sips of your cocktail...

Ham and Cheese Bites: Simply take crescent roll dough and combine two triangles to make a square. Then cut that square into 4 equal squares. Spray the muffin pan with non-stick spay and press a square into a into each cup. Then fill each one about halfway with chopped up ham and shredded cheese. At this point you can either flare out the corners or fold them over to meet at the center. Pop them in the oven according to dough directions, but they might take a little longer, so keep an eye on them until the are a bit golden. These can be as casual or as fancy as the ingredients you use! For brunch use sausage crumbles and sharp cheddar! For the big game use roast beef and swiss!

Party Shoes

Give a girl the correct footwear and she can conquer the world - Bette Midler

One of my good friend’s birthdays was coming up and I wanted to make the affair extra special. Meanwhile, my friend was super excited for her birthday and told me all about the perfect pair of shoes she had treated herself to in honor of the occasion. The fabulous birthday shoes were hot pink with tiny purple polka dots and inspired birthday drinks and desserts infused with pink, purple, and high style!


Sweet treats really indulged in the party colors! We kept it simple with colored M&Ms but got a little fancy with chocolate covered strawberries dressed up in pink and purples. One of our friends whipped up “confetti” cupcakes iced in pinks and purples and topped off with the perfect pink high heels and purses picks from online baking supplier Fancy Flours. (Hint: confetti cupcakes are created by throwing jimmies into any white cake batter before baking – we chose pink and purple ones of course!)

The birthday girl deserved her very own Signature Cocktail, and if it coordinated with her shoes, so much the better!  I mixed up a batch of “Stilettopolitans” in a glass pitcher and poured it into glasses rimmed in purple sugar.

Cocktail Recipe:

Mix 4 parts cranberry raspberry juice, 2 parts premium vodka, 1 part amaretto and add sliced limes. Swipe lime slice along glass rim and gently twist glass upside down in sugar on a small plate, fill with cocktail and enjoy!

Cornucopia With A Twist

"Heap high the board with plenteous cheer and gather to the feast, And toast the sturdy Pilgrim band whose courage never ceased."
- Alice W. Brotherton

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday filled with friends, family, and delicious food! In this spirit, what better table centerpiece than an edible one? Making a traditional cornucopia entirely of bread and using it as a serving dish is a great festive addition to the table - without taking away valuable real estate! A cornucopia or 'horn of plenty' goes back to Greek mythology but in modern times is most notably recognized as a symbol of the fall harvest's bounty. Instead of traditional fruits and vegetables, I recommend filling the cornucopia with the following:

~ An assortment of mini bread muffins such as cornbread, orange cranberry, pumpkin, etc. for everyone at the table to enjoy!
~ A savory dip that compliments the breadsticks. Prior to making the cornucopia, determine what bowl your dip will go in and create the opening size to match.
~ A variety of fancy cheeses and cured meats and crackers spilling out!

I found the following recipe for a bread cornucopia in a magazine years ago and its a classic that is both quick and fun to make. There are many different versions out there but I find this one to be the simplest. All you need is heavy-duty aluminum foil, 3 tube cans of refrigerated bread stick dough, and 1 egg.

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet, at least 17 x 14 in., with nonstick spray.

2. To make form for Cornucopia: Tear off a 30 x 18-in. sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fold in half to 18 x 15 in. Roll diagonally to form a hollow cone about 18 in. long with a diameter of 5 to 6 in. at wide end. Fasten end with tape. Stuff cone with crumpled regular foil until form is rigid. Bend tail of cone up. Spray outside of cone with nonstick spray. Place on baking sheet.

3. Open and unroll 1 can of dough on work surface. Separate breadsticks. Gently roll with hands on work surface until breadsticks are about 18 in. long. Begin by wrapping 1 breadstick around tip of cone. Tuck end under, then press on another breadstick. Continue spiral-wrapping cone, slightly overlapping dough, until there are 6 breadsticks left.

4. Pinch 1 end of each of 3 breadsticks together, then braid, attaching remaining 3 breadsticks to first 3 by pressing ends together. Continue to braid. Brush bread around opening of Cornucopia with glaze. Gently press on braid. Brush entire Cornucopia with glaze: 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water.

5. Bake 45 minutes or until bread is a rich brown. (If parts start to darken too much, cover them with foil.)

6. Remove from oven; let cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack. Remove foil when cool. (If freezing, leave foil in bread for support. Remove when thawed.)

7. Fill Cornucopia directly on serving surface, letting contents spill out of the opening.