Orange and Avocado Salad with Zesty Dressing

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp finely chopped red onion
• 1 tbsp Basil
• 1 tsp Chilli
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• 2 tbsp mild honey
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 seedless oranges
• 3 avocados
• 230g (8oz) baby arugula leaves

Method:

1. For the dressing: In a screw-top jar, place chopped red onion, Basil, Chilli, orange juice, honey and olive oil. Cover and shake well until blended. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. To assemble the salad: Peel, pith and slice seedless oranges into rounds. Halve, pit, peel and thinly slice avocados. Divide baby arugula leaves between individual salad plates. Top with oranges and avocados.
3. Spoon dressing over salad. Enjoy!

Lemon & Basil Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked pasta shells or “bow tie” pasta
• 1 red capsicum (sliced)
• 1 green onion (scallion) sliced
• 1 large tomato (sliced into segments)
• 2 tbsp Lemon Grass
• 2 tbsp Basil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Mix together the pasta, capsicum and green onion.
2. Mix together the lemon grass, basil, mustard and oil.
3. Combine the two and decorate with the tomato wedges.

Lime Chillers with Blood Drippings

This recipe makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey or corn syrup
• 12 drops red food coloring
• 4 cups chilled pineapple juice
• 6 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
• 3 cups chilled ginger ale

Method:

1. Combine honey and food coloring in shallow pan; mix until well blended. Dip rims of 10 wine goblets into mixture one at a time, coating rims. Turn upright and let stand to allow mixture to drip down sides, resembling blood. Place paper towel around base of glasses to catch drips.
2. Combine pineapple juice and limeade in punch bowl. Stir until limeade dissolves; stir in ginger ale. Fill each wine goblet with lime chiller.

Molded Crab Mousse

This recipe makes 32 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat or 2 cups fresh shelled crabmeat
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• Cucumber slices (optional)
• Fresh dill sprigs (optional)

Method:

1. Lightly spray 1-quart fish-shaped or other shaped mold with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pick out and discard any shell pieces or cartilage from crabmeat; place in large bowl. Add cheese, celery, onion and bell peppers; toss gently.
3. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and lemon juice in small bowl. Pour cold water into small saucepan; stir in gelatin. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thoroughly dissolved. Stir quickly into sour cream mixture.
4. Fold sour cream mixture into crab mixture; spoon into prepared mold. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Unmold onto serving platter. Garnish with cucumber slices and dill sprigs.

Bride of Frankenstein Treats

This recipe makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (6.4 ounces) green decorating icing with decorator tips
• 12 prepared crisp rice cereal treats
• 12 black jelly beans
• 12 small red licorice strips
• 24 green jelly beans

Method:

1. Pipe stripes of icing across short end of crispy rice treat to create hair.
2. Cut black jelly beans in half; attach to treat using small amount of icing to create eyes. Attach one licorice strip using small amount of icing to create mouth. Attach one green jelly bean using small amount of icing to each side of one treat to creat bolts. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Macédoine

This recipe makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• Finely grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
• Finely grated peel and juice of 1 lime
• 8 cups cups diced assorted seasonal fruits
• 1 cup sweet spumante wine or freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds, toasted (optional)

Method:

1. Combine lemon juice and lime juice; place in large bowl. Place assorted fruits in bowl with citrus juice mixture; toss to coat.
2. Combine wine, sugar and citrus peels in small bowl, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour over fruit mixture; toss gently. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Sprinkle walnuts on fruit mixture just before serving, if desired.

Five-Minute Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk, cream, or half and half
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or other flavouring)
• 6 tablespoons salt
• Enough ice to fill the gallon-sized bag halfway
• 1 gallon-sized Ziploc bag
• 1 pint-sized Ziploc bag

Method:

1. Fill the gallon-sized bag halfway with ice.  Add the salt (ordinary table salt will work but salt that has larger crystals, such as kosher salt or rock salt, will work much better).  Mix the salt around in the ice and set aside.
2. Pour the milk, sugar, and vanilla extract into a bowl or other container and mix.
3. Carefully pour the milk mixture into the pint-sized bag.
4. Close the bag, making sure it is completely sealed.
5. Put the pint bag into the gallon bag.
6. Make sure the pint bag gets buried in the ice. Seal the gallon bag. Shake the bags vigorously for five minutes. You might want to use a towel to hold them, since they will be very cold and slippery from condensation.
7. Remove the pint bag, open it up and grab a spoon.

Pesto Cheese Logs

This recipe makes 2 logs.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (80ml) walnuts, toasted
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup (80ml) prepared pesto
• 1/3 cup (80ml) crumbled feta cheese
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrot
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Assorted crackers

Method:

1. Process walnuts in food processor, using on/off pulsing action until walnuts are ground, but not pasty. Remove from food processor; set aside.
2. Process cream cheese, pesto and feta cheese in food processor until smooth. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture on waxed paper and form 4-inch log. Wrap waxed paper around cheese log. Repeat with remaining cheese mixture. Refrigerate logs at least 4 hours, until well chilled. Roll each chilled log to form 5-inch log.
3. Combine walnuts and pepper. Roll 1 log in nut mixture to coat. Combine 2 tablespoons carrot and 2 tablespoons parsley. Roll remaining log in carrot mixture to coat. Serve immediately, or wrap and refrigerate up to a day before serving. To serve, thinly slice log and serve with crackers. Garnish as desired. 

Pesto Cheese Wreath

This recipe makes 16 to 24 appetizer servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup (60ml) whipping cream or half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/3 cup (80ml) chopped roasted red peppers or pimiento, drained
• Pimiento strips and Italian flat leaf parsley leaves (optional)
• Assorted crackers and cut-up vegetables

Ingredients for Parsley-Basil Pesto:

• 2 cups (500ml) fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup (60ml) pine nuts or slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Method:

1. Process all ingredients for the Parsley-Basil pesto except oil in food processor or blender until finely chopped. With machine running, add oil gradually, processing until mixture is smooth.  Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese and mayonnaise in medium bowl until smooth; beat in whipping cream, sugar and onion salt.
3. Line 5-cup ring mold with plastic wrap. Spoon half of cheese mixture into prepared mold; spread evenly. Spread Parsley-Basil Pesto evenly over cheese mixture; top with chopped pimientos. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over pimientos; spread evenly. Cover; refrigerate until cheese mixture is firm, 8 hours or overnight.

4. Uncover mold; invert onto serving plate. Carefully remove plastic wrap. Smooth top and sides of wreath with spatula. Serve with assorted crackers and/or vegetables.

Cheese Pinecones

This recipe makes 12 to 16 appetizer servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup (125ml) butter or margarine, softened
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry or milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 cup (250ml) finely chopped blanced almonds
• 3/4 cup (180ml) slivered blanced almonds
• 3/4 cup (180ml) sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup (125ml) whole almonds
• Fresh rosemary sprig for garnishing
• Assorted crackers

Method:

1. Beat cheese, butter, milk, sherry and red pepper in medium bowl until smooth; stir in chopped almonds.
2. Divide mixture into 3 equal portions; shape each into tapered oval to resemble pinecone. Insert slivered, sliced or whole almonds into each cone. Cover; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until firm.
3. Arrange Cheese Pinecones on wooden board or serving plate. Garnish tops with rosemary. Serve with assorted crackers.