Make a party around these appetizers

Start your celebration with these easy pick-up bites.

If you're planning a party, you can't go wrong with these make-ahead appetizers. Two of our favorites are Baby Hot Browns and hearty pork tenderloin with a zesty mustard sauce served with Quick Whipping Cream Biscuits. Rebecca Kracke Gordon of our Test Kitchens molded the Cranberry-Cheese Box into a gift package reflecting the holiday spirit. It's a breeze to prepare, but creating the look of a package will take extra time. If you're in a hurry, just roll it into a ball or log, then serve with crackers. To accompany the appetizers, we recommend offering Pinot Noir or Viognier wine. CYNTHIA ANN BRISCOE

BABY HOT BROWNS

MAKES 2 DOZEN

PREP: 30 MIN., BROIL: 4 MIN., COOK: 10 MIN., BAKE: 2 MIN.

This warm sandwich combines turkey, a rich cheese sauce, bacon, and tomatoes.

24 pumpernickel party rye bread slices

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 ½ cups (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 ½ cups diced cooked turkey

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

6 bacon slices, cooked, crumbled, and divided

5 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

ARRANGE bread slices on a lightly greased baking sheet. Broil 6 inches from heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

MELT butter in a saucepan over low heat; add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add Cheddar cheese, whisking until cheese melts. Stir in diced turkey, salt, and ground red pepper.

TOP bread evenly with warm cheese-turkey mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese and half of bacon.

BAKE at 500° for 2 minutes or until Parmesan is melted. Top with tomato slices, and sprinkle evenly with remaining bacon.

TO MAKE AHEAD: Prepare the cheese-turkey mixture, cook the bacon, and grate the Parmesan the day before the party. To reheat cheese mixture, place pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and warm. Assemble and proceed as directed.

QUICK WHIPPING CREAM BISCUITS

MAKES 2 DOZEN

PREP: 10 MIN., BAKE: 15 MIN.

1 cup butter or margarine

4 cups self-rising flour

1 ¾ to 2 cups whipping cream

½ cup butter or margarine, melted

CUT 1 cup butter into flour with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Add whipping cream, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

TURN dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 3 or 4 times. Roll or pat dough to ¾-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round cutter, and place biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet.

BAKE at 400° for 13 to 15 minutes. Brush warm biscuits with ½ cup melted butter.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

MAKES 12 APPETIZER SERVINGS

PREP: IO MIN., STAND: 40 MIN., GRILL: 24 MIN.

1 ½ pounds pork tenderloins

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup bourbon or apple juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar

PRICK pork tenderloins several times with a fork.

COMBINE soy sauce, bourbon, and brown sugar in a shallow dish or zip-top freezer bag; add tenderloins. Cover or seal, and let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, or, if desired, chill 8 hours.

REMOVE pork from marinade, discarding marinade.

GRILL, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 12 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

STIR together sour cream and next 4 ingredients; serve with pork.

NOTE: Pork tenderloins may be baked at 500° for 20 to 25 minutes, if desired, instead of grilled.

CRANBERRY-CHEESE BOX

MAKES 12 TO 16 APPETIZER SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN., CHILL: 8 HRS.

1 (16-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/5 to ½ teaspoon ground red pepper

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 (8-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce

Garnishes: green onion strips, fresh cranberries, orange curls

Crackers or bread rounds

BEAT first 6 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended; stir in pecans.

SHAPE mixture into a 5- x 2-inch box, or spoon into a 5-cup mold. Cover and chill 8 hours or up to two days.

SPOON cranberry sauce over cheese mixture; garnish, if desired. Serve with crackers or bread rounds.

NOTE: To decorate the box, cut white part from 4 green onions. Blanch green onion tops in boiling water 1 minute or until tender, saving white part for other uses. Drain. Press 1 green onion strip into base of center of 1 side of box, pressing up sides until it meets center of top of box. Remove and discard excess green onion. Repeat with remaining green onion strips. Top center with fresh cranberries, orange curls, and additional strips of green onion, if desired.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Nov 2003
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