Simple Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp Cocktail served in a pretty stemmed dish is a classic first course for a festive dinner party. This one is easy to make and proves popular with my guests. I'm posting this recipe at the request of several of the "Mennonite Girls" to whom I served it back in September.

• Shredded lettuce
• fresh or frozen cooked Shrimp and/or prawns*
• Lemon slices (optional - for garnish)
• fresh chopped parsley

* It's nice to have the large prawns as a garnish but you can use whatever size shrimp or prawns you have access to for the body of the cocktail. I only had the larger ones in my freezer when I made this but I often use the smaller ones. How many shrimp you need depends on their size.

For the cocktail sauce:

• 1/2 cup bottled Chili Sauce (I use Heinz)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind (if desired)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• A dash or two Tabasco or other hot sauce

1. In a small bowl, mix all cocktail sauce ingredients.
2. Set aside.

Assemble shrimp cocktails:

1. Fill the bottom 1/3 of each dish with shredded lettuce.
2. Add smaller prawns or shrimp so that the dish is 3/4 full
3. Spoon a generous tablespoon of cocktail sauce in to the centre of the shrimp.
4. Drape 3 large prawns with the tail on over the edge of each dish
5. Garnish with a lemon wedge or slice and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
6. This amount of sauce would be enough for 6 shrimp cocktails.

Cheese Puffs

These tender little savory puffs are a tasty addition to your party menu. They are quick and easy to make and can be served hot or cold.

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups shredded cheese..this time I used cheddar and mozzarella, you can use any favorite blends of cheese
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1. In a saucepan bring water, butter, salt and cayenne pepper to a boil.
2. Add flour all at once, stirring until a ball forms, remove from heat.
3. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition until mixture is smooth.
4. Stir in cheese and dijon mustard.
5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart.
6. Bake at 425º for 20 minutes or until golden in color.
7. Yield: 3 dozen

Seafood Salsa

Here's another take on chips and salsa just in time for all those holiday parties.

• 2 cups salsa - purchased or home made
• 1/2 cup imitation crab, chopped
• 1/2 cup small shrimp
• 1/2 cup diced fresh sweet peppers
• several dashes tabasco sauce or other hot sauce

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.
3. Serve with your choice of tortilla chips.

Crab Rolls

With shorter days and cooler temperatures, we are spending more time indoors at this time of year...and appetizers fresh out of the oven go over well. We had an appetizer and dessert night recently...and these tasty little rolls were a hit. The recipe came from my sister originally...and has been in my files for years.

Crab Rolls

• 20 slices soft white bread
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 oz. tin crab meat
• 2 tablespoons parsley or chives, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• Sesame seeds

1. Remove crusts from bread. Flatten slices lightly with a rolling pin.
2. Combine cream cheese and butter and soften in microwave until easily stirred.
3. Drain crab meat; add to cheese mixture along with parsley or chives.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture on each slice of bread and roll up.
5. Place rolls on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam side down.
6. Brush melted butter over rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until golden.
8. Cut each roll into 3 pieces.

Yield: 60 tiny rolls.

Chunky Guacamole

This recipe was given to me by my daughter-in-law.

She says that chopping the avocado instead of mashing it is the key to the flavour of this Guacamole.

• 4 ripe avocados
• 1 medium tomato
• about 1/2 cup chopped red onion*
• 1-2 Tablespoons lime juice*
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced*
• salt and pepper to taste
• tabasco sauce to taste

1. Cut avacados in half, and remove pit with a spoon.
2. Before you remove the avocado flesh from the shell, take a knife and cut avocado into a 1/4 inch grid. Then using, a spoon, gently remove the diced avocado from the shell into a bowl.
3. Remove the seeds from the tomato and cut it into a 1/4 inch dice.
4. Using a silicone spatula, gently mix all ingredients together.
5. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
6. Serve with multigrain taco chips or crackers.

*How much you use of these ingredients will depend on the size of your avocados and tomato.

Note: I don't add cilantro to my guacomole because my husband and I don't really like it but feel free to add it if it is a favourite of yours.

Chilean Empanadas

We love food from South America, and have had the privilege of traveling a lot of these countries, however Chile is still one that we have not been to and hope to see one day.

Until then we enjoy a little Chilean restaurant in our downtown. Our favorites are cheese empanadas which are deep fried or these beef ones which are baked.

Like all recipes they have an original origin and changed throughout family preferences.

I got the recipe a long time ago when I bought a cookbook that Avon was selling called "The Avon International COOKBOOK" collected from their Representatives around the world. (It is on page 25 is you have it.) Submitted by Patricia Sanchez Correa Santiago, Chile. These sturdy, meat filled turnovers are common to the South American diet.

Filling-

• 1/2 lb. boneless beef round steak, cut into 1/4" cubes
• instead I used 1 lb of lean ground beef
• 1 cups chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (depending on personal taste)
• 3 tablespoon chopped raisin (optional)
• 1/3 cup sliced pimento stuffed green olives
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1. In a skillet cook the beef and onion in oil til meat is done and onions are tender.
2. Stir in the flour, red pepper and salt.
3. Cover and cool, when cooled add olives eggs and raisin.

Pastry-

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 3/4 cup melted lard
• 1/2 tsp. salt

1. In a bowl combine the flour, salt, with the hot milk and melted lard.
2. Mix until well combined.
3. Work dough with hands until well mixed.
4. Divide dough into 8 equal portions.
5. On a lightly floured surface roll each portion in to a 6" circle.
6. Divide meat mixture evenly among all the circles.
7. Fold over the dough and crimp edge or use the fork to seal.
8. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes or til golden.
9. Makes 8 servings.

Just a personal note, I have noticed that it is best not to more than double the recipe for the pastry, other wise it does not work well. Actually I have the best results with working one recipe at a time. I recently made 64 of these to freeze for lunches. It is a nice change from sandwiches. Or serve along a nice bowl of soup and salad and you have a great supper.