A Different Mosaic - Recipes

I have to admit to an addiction - I have trouble saying no to a recipe book, almost any recipe book, any time, anywhere. I could not cook up a tenth of the recipes I own, given two or three lifetimes. And still, even after swearing "not one more," I can't resist. On the plus side - there's always something in the freezer, waiting to be eaten. On the negative - mass confusion on where to store all those books, magazines, and clippings. Sigh.

Today, in keeping with my theme of Mosaic Moments (a little bit of everything), I'm presenting three recipes. Two are not mine, but they stood out among the hundreds of recipes I've tried, and I felt they deserved more exposure. The third is my own version of how to make a package of fake crabmeat taste like a gourmet treat in under ten minutes.

BACON-CHICKEN CRESCENT RING*

2 tubes (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 can (10 oz.) chunk white chicken, drained & flaked
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
6 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing mix

Grease a 14-inch pizza pan (or pizza stone). Unroll crescent roll dough; separate into 16 triangles. Place wide end of one triangle 3 inches from edge of prepared pan with point overhanging edge of pan. Repeat with remaining triangles along outer edge of pan, overlapping the wide ends (dough will look like a sun when complete). Lightly press wide ends together.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over wide ends of dough. Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible). Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Yield:  8 servings.

* Recipe from Taste of Home's Bacon Recipe Cards 

Note:  The above recipe is a tad fussy, but the taste is incredible.

STAINED GLASS COOKIES*

1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 cups pastel miniature marshmallows**
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut

1. In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir a small amount into the beaten egg, then return all to pan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Pour into a bowl; let cool for 15 minutes. Gently stir in marshmallows and nuts. Chill for 30 minutes. (I stirred the chocolate mix into the marshmallow mix - no difference.)

2.  On a long sheet of waxed paper, shape dough into a 1½-inch-diameter log. Place coconut on another sheet of waxed paper. Gently roll log over coconut to coat sides. Wrap up tightly, twisting ends to seal. (I twisted & clipped with plastic clothes pins.)

3.  Freeze for 4 hours or overnight. Remove waxed paper. Cut into 1/4 - 3/8" slices. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

TIP: Stash a batch of cookies in a plastic container in the freezer for use anytime. They unfreeze very quickly.

*Originally, “Cathedral Cookies” - recipe from Taste of Home’s Best-Loved Cookies, December 2012.

**The only place I was able to find colored mini-marshmallows was a Wal-Mart Superstore.

Note: the above recipe is easy enough for a child to do much of the work (except melt the chocolate). It becomes fussy only because of the "wait" times. The result, however, is worth every bit of the fuss. An amazing confection.

IT ALMOST TASTES LIKE CRABMEAT

1 8-oz. refrigerated pkg. of fake crabmeat, cut into bite-size chunks
2-4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
juice of 1/2 to one whole fresh lemon, to taste*
6-10 capers, to taste
fresh dill, chopped**

*yes, you can use canned lemon juice, if you don't mind the chemicals
**yes, you can use dry dill weed - again, to taste. But I advise picking up a dill plant at your local plant source - it's worth the extra effort.

Melt butter, add lemon juice & crabmeat; heat, adding capers & dill to taste. 

~ * ~

Thanks for stopping by.
Grace


Click here for a list of Grace's books as Blair Bancroft