Baby Shower Menu

This weekend we had a baby shower for Matt and Nicole.  Today (4/7/12) I served the same dishes for a bridal shower for my cousin, Kelsey. I prepared the following menu for the event:

Bacon Wrapped Sausages
Chevre-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto
Mini-Streusel Muffins
Mini Italian Quiches
Ham and Cheese Slab Pies
Fruit Bowl Salad with Honey-Mint Dressing
Pear-Brie Strudel Rolls
Peanut Butter Truffles
Carmel Oatmeal Bars
Punch

Bacon Wrapped Sausages
Serves: 24

24 smalls Farmland smoked sausage links
1 pound Farmland  bacon
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 15 X10x1 inch baking pan with foil; lightly coat with cooking spray. Slice bacon crosswise into thirds.  Wrap each sausage link with a bacon piece.  In a large resealable plastic bag combine brown sugar and apple pie spice.  Add several bacon-wrapped sausages to the bag; seal.  Shake bag gently to coat sausages with brown sugar mixture; place sausages in prepared pan.  Repeat with remaining bacon-wrapped sausages and brown sugar mixture. Bake for one hour or until the bacon browns. Serve immediately.

Chevre-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto
Serves: 60

3 ounces chevre gaot cheese
60 pitted whole dates
2 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6 ounces sliced prosciutto

Let 3 ounces goat cheese (chevre) stand until at room temperature.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit in each of the 60 pitted whole dates.  Spread dates open slightly.  In a medium bowl beat goat cheese; 2 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme; and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until creamy.  Spoon cheese mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip.  Pipe a small amount of cheese mixture into each date. Press date halves back together.  Cut two 3 once packages sliced prosciutto into 3x1 strips.  Wrap one strip tightly around each stuffed date.  Place dates on prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp, turning after 5 minutes.  Serve immediately with toothpicks.



Mini-Streusel Muffins
Serves: 30

1 3/4 cups all-purpose  flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup skim white  milk
1/4 cup cooking oils
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 Recipe Streusel Topping
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Grease mini muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.  In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Mix and make a well in center of flour mixture; set a side.  In another bowl combine egg, milk, and oil.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened, batter will be a little lumpy.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.  If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over muffin batter in cups.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin.  cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Remove from muffin cups; serve warm.


Mini Italian Quiches
Serves: 30

1 box 2 pastry pie dough sheets
1 cup shredded italian cheese blend
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped  bacon
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dried italian seasoning, crushed
1/8 teaspoon table  salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 teaspoon fresh snipped  parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Shape chilled pastry dough into twenty one and half inch balls. Place each ball of dough into a two and half inch muffin cup.  Press dough into bottoms and up sides of muffin cups. Set aside. In a medium bowl combine cheeses, red pepper, 1/4 cup bacon, green onion, flour, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.  Divide mixture evenly among pastry shells.  In the same bowl, beat together eggs and half and half.  Pour egg mixture over filling in each pastry shell.  Bake about 20 minutes or until filling is set.  Let stand in muffin cups for 5 minutes.  using a knife, gently loosen shells from the sides of muffin cups; remove from the cups.  Cool slightly, serve warm.  If desired, garnish with additional crisp cooked bacon and snipped parsley.

Ham and Cheese Slab Pies
Serves: 16

2 3-ounce packages cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey mustard
1 17.3 ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (two sheets)
6 ounces thinly sliced black forest ham
1 thinly sliced red onion
6 ounces thinly sliced gruyere cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Preheats oven to 400 degrees.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a small bowl stir together cream cheese and mustard.  On a lightly floured surface roll each sheet of thawed puff pastry into a 15x2 inch rectangle.  Transfer each pastry sheet to prepared baking sheet; spread half of each pastry lengthwise with cream cheese mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch boarded around outside edges.  Add individual layers of ham, onion and Gruyere cheese over cream cheese layer, leaving 1/2 inc border around outside edges.  In a small bowl whisk together egg and the water.  Brush some of the egg mixture on the uncovered portion of each pastry. Fold uncovered portion of each pastry rectangle up and over filling.  Use a fork to seal edges together.  Brush tops with egg mixture.  Cut decorative slits in the top of each pastry for steam to escape.  Bake about 25 minutes or until pastries are golden on top and bottom.  If top browns more quickly than the bottom, cover with foil.  Slide pies and parchment paper onto wire racks; cool slightly.  To serve, cut crosswise knot strips.

Fruit Bowl Salad with Honey-Mint Dressing 
Serves: 30

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 small cantaloupe
1 1/2 cups strawberries
3/4 cup red seedless grapes
4 kiwi fruits

Cut cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes and kiwi into bite size pieces.  Mix first 4 ingredients in a small bowl and pour over fruit.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Pear-Brie Strudel Rolls
Serves: 18

1 1/2 cups chopped pears
1 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup toasted  sliced almonds
1/2 cup dried cherries, snipped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
15 sheets phyllo dough thawed
1/2 cup melted butter
1 large brie cheese, thinly sliced into 18 pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.  For filling, in a small saucepan combine pears, apple juice, maple syrup, and snipped thyme.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered, about 5 minutes or until pears are tender.  Drain pears; discard liquid. Return pears to saucepan.  Add nuts and cherries to saucepan.  Add brown sugar and apple pie spice; toss gently units mixed.  set aside. Unroll phyllo dough.  Stack five phyllo sheets on a work surface, brushing each sheet lightly with some of the melted butter before topping with the next.  Cut phyllo stack lengthwise in half and crosswise in thirds to form six squares. Place a slice of Brie cheese near the bottom edge of phyllo square.  Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon of filling on top.  Fold bottom edge over filling; fold in side.  Roll up around filling.  Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets, melted butter, Brie and pear mixture to form 12 more rolls.  Brush tops with some of the remaining melted butter.  Bake for 13-15 minutes or until rolls are golden.  Rolls may leak slightly during baking.  Cool on wire rack.  Serve slightly warm.  If desired, garnish with fresh thyme.

Peanut Butter Truffles
Serves: 50

2 cups sugar
1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup creamy  peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces dark chocolate candy coating
2 tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts

Butter the side of a medium heavy saucepan.  In the saucepan combine sugar, evaporated milk and butter.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is boiling.  Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate for 12 minutes stirring occasionally.  Remove saucepan from heat, stir in marshmallows, peanut butter and vanilla.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Chill for 45-60 minutes or until mixture is thick and can be molded.  Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 45 mintues.  In a medium saucepan combine chocolate and shortening.  Cook and stir over low heat until melted.  Dip balls, one at a time, knot chocolate mixture.  Let excess chocolate mixture drip off balls.  Place on a wire rack set over waxed paper.  If desired, sprinkle with peanuts.  Let stand until chocolate is set.

Carmel Oatmeal Bars
Serves: 24

This bar recipe was taken from Heavenly Harvest Lovely Lane United Methodist Church Cookbook printed 2008 from page 91.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolk
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped raisins
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 bag caramels

Mix one cup butter, sugars, and egg yolks thoroughly. Stir in flour, raisins, and oats.  Spread in greased and floured 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes. Melt carmel and two tablespoons butter over hot water; spread over cooled cookie layer.  Sprinkle with nuts; cut into bars.

Kool-aid Punch 
Serves: 30

1 package black cherry koolaid
1 package strawberry koolaid
2 cups sugar
3 quarts water
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 liter ginger ale

Mix all ingredients together.  You can use ice cubes for part of the water.  You can freeze in a 5 gallon ice-cream bucket and set out to defrost 2 hours prior and poor ginger ale over the top making it slushy.