Pepper-Vodka Soaked Cherry Tomatoes with Seasoned Sea Salt

A very good appetizer that will get your guests' tastebuds popping!

1 pint vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup pepper-flavored vodka
3 tbsp. coarse or fine sea salt
1 tbsp. lemon pepper

Poke 5 or 6 holes with a wooden pick or skewer in each tomato and put in a shallow bowl. Pour vodka over tomatoes and let stand, covered, tossing occasionally, 1 to 2 hours, or until soaked to desired taste. In a small bowl stir together salt and pepper. Serve tomatoes with seasoned salt for dipping. Makes 2 cups.
From Gourmet Magazine

Cherry Mash Candy

If you like cherries you will love this recipe:

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
Dash of salt
12 large marshmallows
1/2 cup margarine
6 oz. cherry chips
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, milk, salt, marshmallows and margarine in saucepan. Bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add cherry chips and vanilla.

Pour into a buttered 9x13 inch pan. Refrigerate.

Topping
2 tablespoons margarine
12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup crushed peanuts

Melt chocolate chips and margarine in double boiler. Simmer until melted. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and peanuts. Spread over cherry layer.

Refrigerate. Cut into bars when firm.
(thatsmyhome.com)

Asparagus Cake

This is one to try, I guarantee no one at your get-together has ever tried it. It is actually quite tasty.

1 lb asparagus; trimmed cut up
1 c water; boiling
3/4 c butter or margarine
1 1/2 c brown sugar; packed
2 eggs
3 c all purpose flour
2 ts baking powder
1 ts baking soda
1 ts ground cinnamon
1/2 ts ground nutmeg
1/4 ts salt
1/2 c nuts; chopped
1/2 c dates; pitted snipped
1/2 c light raisins

Cook the asparagus(covered)in boiling water until tender (about 10 min). Cool slightly.Transfer asparagus and cooking liquid to a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until pureed.(You should have 2 cups, add water if necessary.) Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds or till softened. Add brown sugar and beat till well combined. Beat in eggs.In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with asparagus puree, beating till just combined after each addition. With a wooden spoon, stir in nuts, dates and raisins. Pour mix into 2 greased and floured 8x11/2-inch or 9x11/2-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes for the 8-inch pans,35 to 40 minutes for the 9-inch pans, and 30 minutes for the 13x9x2-inch pan until toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove round layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks. Frost top of one layer with Cream Cheese Frosting. Place second layer on top; frost top and sides.

Carrot Fennel Soup

Here is a soup that will bring excitement (and color) to your feast!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, sliced
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium apple, peeled and cubed
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons uncooked long grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, saute fennel seed in butter for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Add the carrots, sweet potato and apple; saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, rice, curry powder and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice and vegetables are very tender.
2. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Discard bay leaf. In a blender or food processor, process soup in batches until pureed. Return to saucepan. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Banana Pudding

An old classic I think you'll love!

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
45 NILLA Wafers, divided
5 ripe bananas, sliced (about 3 1/2 cups), divided
Additional NILLA Wafers and banana slices, for garnish


1. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 3 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water, stirring constantly for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

2. Save 10 wafers for garnish. Spread small amount of custard on bottom of 1 1/2-quart casserole; cover with a layer of wafers and a layer of sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 of custard over bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make a total of 3 layers of each, ending with custard.

3. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Spoon on top of pudding, spreading evenly to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges.

4. Bake at 350°F in top half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly or refrigerate. Garnish with additional wafers and banana slices just before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Orange-Coconut Ambrosia

A very tasty dish for the festivities.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large navel oranges
• 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/3 cups grated fresh coconut, or 1 can (3 1/2 oz) flaked coconut
• 3 tablespoons orange juice

PREPARATION:

Peel oranges, being careful to remove all outer white membrane. Cut oranges crosswise into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. Layer a third of slices in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the confectioners' sugar, then with 1/3 cup coconut and 1 tablespoon orange juice.

Repeat layers two more times. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Makes 6 servings of Ambrosia