2 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 3-1/2 to 4 oz pkg soft chevre (goat) cheese
1 c Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 t white pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
1/8 t salt
1 cinnamon stick
2 mint leaves
1/4 c whole berry cranberry sauce
1/4 c chutney
Beat all ingredients in a medium bowl with electric mixer on med-low speed until smooth. Separate into two balls. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Shape each cheese ball mixture into pear shape on waxed paper or plastic wrap. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Place pears in large, shallow serving bowl or on platter. Spoon cranberry sauce over one pear; spoon chutney over the other pear. (If desired, process the chutney in a blender or food processor until smooth.) Break 1 cinnamon stick crosswise in half; insert in each pear for a stem. Press mint leaf next to the cinnamon stick. Serve with crackers. Makes about 26 two-tablespoon servings.
Chocolate Dessert Ball
Recipes from Martha Green on KVCR-TV program It's Your Call,
air date 11/22 7:30 PM
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
1/4 t vanilla extract
3/4 c powdered sugar
2 T brown sugar, packed
3/4 c mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c pecans, chopped
Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla; blend until fluffy. Add sugars; mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Shape dough into a ball; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Uncover and roll in pecans before serving. Serve with macaroons, sugar cookies, vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies. Makes 2 cups.
Apple Dumplings
Recipes from Martha Green on KVCR-TV program It's Your Call,
air date 11/22 7:30 PM
1 8-oz can refrigerated crescent roll dough
2 T butter, softened
1 T sugar
1 t cinnamon
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and quartered
1 6-oz can frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into triangles. Spread butter evenly over dough. Stir together sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over butter.
Wrap each quarter apple in one of the pastry triangles. Place them in a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Pour apple juice concentrate evenly over dumplings. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Creamy Potato Puff
Recipes from Martha Green on KVCR-TV program It's Your Call,
air date 11/22 7:30 PM
4 10 oz. baking potatoes
1 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed, room-temperature
1 medium onion, finely chopped (optional: chopped red pepper for color!)
3 eggs
1/4 c milk
3 T flour
1 t salt
1/4 t white pepper
1 3 oz. French fried onions
Bake potatoes. Scoop out insides into large mixing bowl; mash. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add onion, eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper and beat until light and fluffy.
Spoon into an ungreased 1-1/2 to 2 qt. casserole or soufflé dish. Sprinkle fried onions over top. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 20 minutes or until bubbly top is golden and crusty.
Barbara’s Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
Recipes from Martha Green on KVCR-TV program It's Your Call,
air date 11/22 7:30 PM
4 turkey wings or other turkey parts (about 3 lbs.)
2 med onions, peeled & quartered
1 c water
8 c chicken broth
3/4 c carrot, chopped
1/2 t dried thyme
3/4 c all-purpose flour
2 T butter or margarine
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Have ready a large roasting pan.
2. Arrange wings in a single layer in pan; scatter onions over the top. Roast 1-1/4 hours until wings are browned.
3. Put wings and onions into a 5-to-6 quart pot. Add water to roasting pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on bottom. Add to pot. Add only 6 cups of chicken broth (refrigerate remaining 2 cups), the carrot and thyme. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1-1/2 hours.
4. Remove wings to cutting board. When cool, pull off skin and meat. Discard skin; save meat for another use.
5. Strain broth into a 3 qt saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Skim fat off broth and discard. If time permits, refrigerate broth overnight to make fat-skimming easier.
6. Whisk remaining 2 cups broth slowly into flour until blended and smooth.
7. Bring broth pot to a gentle boil. Whisk-in broth/flour mixture and boil 3 to 4 minutes to thicken gravy and remove floury taste. Stir in butter and pepper.
Optional: a few drops of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet may be added to deepen the gravy color and flavor.
Notes: Pour into containers and refrigerate up to 1 week of freeze up to 6 months.
It takes about 3 hours to make this from start to finish. However, most of the time is unattended. Don’t let the length of this deter you from trying it. It really does save a tremendous amount of time on Thanksgiving Day.
