The fourth meal: Snacks & Treats; Easy Entertaining

SEGMENT #2 THE FOURTH MEAL: SNACKS AND TREATS FOR EASY ENTERTAINING HAM AND CHEESE TOASTED SANDWICHES 8 slices of buttered bread; 4 slices of cooked/broiled ham (fat removed); 4 slices of Swiss cheese (or your favorite cheese) and ½ cup of softened butter. Make 4 sandwiches from the buttered bread, ham & cheese. Spread the outside of the sandwiches with butter. Cut in half. Brown slowly on both sides using a skillet or an electric grill. Serve immediately. YEAR ROUND SHORTCAKE Spread sweetened whipped cream (1 cup chilled heavy cream & ¼ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar; beat cream until stiff in a deep, chilled bowl, with chilled beaters and fold in the sugar) between and on top of layers of yellow cake (or what ever you prefer) and top with fresh, frozen, or canned berries. SHRIMP ON CRAB BOATS Hollow out long, crusty rolls (saving the crumbs for the topping and future stuffing’s and meat loaves). Spread with softened butter and fill with shrimp or Crabmeat salad. Seafood Salad: 5oz can of shrimp or ¾ lb. of fresh shrimp (crabmeat, tuna, salmon or lobster); 1 cup sliced celery; 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped; 1 T lemon juice and ½ cup of mayonnaise. Combine cleaned and cooked shrimp, celery, egg and lemon juice. Chill Before serving, fold in mayonnaise. Makes 2 servings. CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM 1 pt. heavy cream, whipped; 1 cup prepared chocolate sauce (or canned). Blend sauce into cream. Freeze 1-2 hours. Makes 4-6 servings. CHOCOLATE SAUCE: 2 sq. unsweetened chocolate (2 oz); 1 cup light corn syrup; ½ t of vanilla and 1 T butter. Melt chocolate in corn syrup over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Makes 1 cup of sauce. FRUIT-CUBE PUNCH Pour fruit juice into ice cube trays and freeze. At party time, put cubes in punch bowl or glasses and pour ginger ale over them. Garnish with mint and/or fruit. QUAILS (SPLIT HOTDOGS OR COOKED SAUSAGES) Split frankfurters lengthwise almost through. Place ¼” stick of sharp cheese in each. Wrap each spirally with a strip of bacon, fastening with a toothpick at each end. Starting with the split side down, broil until bacon is crisp. QUICK BAKED BEANS 3-4 pieces of crisply cooked bacon or small leftover ham bone or fried salt pork; 19 oz can of baked beans; 1 T white vinegar; 1 T ketchup; ¼ t dry mustard; 1 medium onion, sliced. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a 1 qt casserole dish. Bake for about 1 hour. Serves 4. AWESOME POTATO SALAD 4 cups of cubed, cooked potatoes; clear French dressing (or ¼ cup salad oil and 2 T white vinegar, mixed well); 4 (reserve 1 for topping) hard cooked eggs, chopped; 1 cup of celery, diced; 2-3T chopped onion; ½ cup salad dressing or Sour Cream Dressing (add ½ cup of sour cream to 1 cup mayonnaise; season with salt/pepper to taste). Marinate potatoes in dressing for 1-2 hours. Add remaining ingredients; season with salt and pepper. Serve in a lettuce-lined bowl; garnish with 1 hard cooked egg (sliced) , fresh parsley and pimiento or sweet pickles. Variations: add 3 T chopped green pepper, pimiento or sweet pickle. Or add ¼ cup grated carrots, sliced radishes or diced cucumber. TIP: Potatoes have better flavor if cooked in skins or baked. Cut potatoes while warm, not cold. Marinating potatoes improves flavor. AMERICAN PIZZA 2 cups of baking mix (such as Bisquick); ½ cup water; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 ½-2 cups of well-drained cooked tomatoes, cut into small pieces; ½ lb mozzarella cheese, shredded or cut into small pieces; 1 cup chopped salami (or 2oz can of anchovies, chopped or 1 can sardines, chopped); pepper; 2 T cooking oil (salad oil); ½ a medium onion, grated. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix baking mix and water; knead for about a minute on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a ¼” thick circle. Place on a baking sheet. Pinch edge of dough to make a slight rim. Place remaining ingredients on dough in the order listed above. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serves 4-6 CAVATZONE 1 lb ground lean pork; ½ cup chopped onion; ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese; ½ cup grated Swiss cheese; 1 large egg, beaten; ¼ t Tabasco sauce; 1 ½ t salt; 2 T minced parsley; mayonnaise biscuit dough (see recipe below). Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pork and onion over low heat until no longer pink. (Do not brown, stir with a fork to break up/crumble as it cooks.) Cool. Mix rest of ingredients. Make mayonnaise biscuit dough: (add 2/3 cup milk & ¼ cup mayonnaise to 2 cups baking mix. Mix well with fork.) Spread half of the biscuit dough in a well greased square pan, (8x8x2”). Spread meat mixture over dough. With fingers, spread rest of dough over mixture. The top will even out during baking. Brush top with beaten egg yolk to give a crusty glaze. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cut in slices about ½” thick and serve hot or cold. DENVER OR WESTERN SANDWICH For each sandwich: 1 egg, beaten; 1T minced onion; 1T minced green pepper; 2T minced, cooked ham; 2T milk; salt and pepper. Combine ingredients; drop by spoonfuls into hot fat in a large skillet or on a greased griddle/grill. Make shape of bread slice. Turn when set and golden brown on one side; cook second side. Serve between buttered slices of bread or toast. FLAMING PEACHES Sprinkle brown sugar in hollow of peach halves in baking dish. Dot with butter. Broil slowly until sugar crusts. Center each with sugar lump soaked 15-20 minutes in lemon extract; light lumps and bring to table flaming. Serve with ice cold soft custard sauce. SOFT CUSTARD SAUCE: 4 egg yolks or 2 whole eggs; ¼ cup sugar; ¼ t salt; 1 ½ cups milk, scalded; 1 t vanilla. Beat egg yolks or eggs in top of double broiler. Blend in sugar, salt and scalded milk. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until mixture coats spoon. Cool quickly. Blend in vanilla. To save time, use vanilla pudding mix for soft custard. And by using 1 ½ times as much milk as recipe on package calls for, you can make a creamy custard sauce in no time. Bonus tip: Hidden fruit: Pour chilled soft custard over chilled berries or fruit such as cut up grapes, oranges, bananas, and peaches. HASH HATS Chill a can of corned beef hash. Open both ends and push out. Cut into 4 rounds. Broil 3” from heat for about 7 minutes. Turn; spread thinly with horse-radish; top with tomato slice. Sprinkle with seasoning and grated cheese. Broil 5 minutes, until cheese is bubbly. Serves 4 SOUTHERN BURGERS 1 lb ground beef; 1 med. Onion, diced; 3 T ketchup; 3 T prepared mustard; 10 ½ oz can chicken gumbo soup. Brown beef and onion in a little hot fat. Stir in ketchup, mustard and soup. Simmer until mixture has thickened a little, about 15 minutes. Spoon over toasted split buns. Serves 6 SAUCY SANDWICH ROLLS 12 hot dog buns; 1 lb of hot dogs, chopped or sliced; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 3 T hot bacon fat; ¼ cup all purpose flour; ¾ t salt; dash of pepper; ½ t each dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce; ½ cup each of ketchup and water; 1 cup chopped celery; ½ cup grated cheese. Brown hotdogs and onion in fat. Remove from heat. Blend in rest of ingredients except for the cheese. Cook until celery is tender, about 5 minutes. Add cheese; heat until cheese melts; remove from heat. Remove some of the soft centers from buns. Fill pockets with mixture. Wrap in foil or heavy wax paper, twisting ends slightly. Just before serving, heat in shallow baking pan in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. Makes 12 rolls. CHINESE CHICKEN GOULASH ½ cup butter or chicken fat; 1 small onion, sliced; 1 cup fresh or 4oz can mushrooms; 2 cups chicken broth (or 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups of hot water); 1 cup washed, uncooked rice; 1 green pepper, cut into thin strips; ½ cup diced celery; 2 cups cut-up, cooked chicken (or 2, 6oz cans of cooked chicken); ¼ cup rich milk; salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter in heavy skillet, add onion and mushrooms; cook until golden. Pour in chicken broth and heat to boiling. Stir in rice, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients, cover and cook 10-15 minutes more. Serves 6 CHINESE ALMOND CAKES 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour; ¼ cup shortening and ¼ cup butter; ½ t salt; ¼ cup plus 2 T sugar; ½ t almond extract or vanilla; 1 egg yolk; 1 T water; ¼ cup blanched almonds. Place flour in bowl. Cut in shortening and butter, finely. Use hands to work in salt, sugar and flavoring. Shape in long roll, 1” in diameter, and wrap in waxed paper. Chill about 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut roll into ¼” slices. Place 1” apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Brush each slice with mixture of egg yolk and water. Press ½ blanched almond into top of each. Bake until light golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen cakes. BACON & TOMATO SANDWICH Toast bread on one side; toast lightly on other side; spread half the slices with soft butter and mayonnaise. Top with thick tomato slices and 2 slices bacon, fried until almost crispy. Add leaf lettuce. Place second slice of toast on top. Secure with toothpicks. BROILED BACON & TOMATO SANDWICH Toast bread on one side and lightly on the second side. Butter second side and top with thick tomato slices. Place 2 slices of bacon, fried until almost crispy, on each sandwich. Top with thin slice of cheese. Broil 5” from heat until cheese melts. CRUMBLED HAMBURGER ½ cup chopped onion; 2T fat; 1 lb ground beef; 2T flour; 6 T ketchup; 1T prepared mustard; ½ t salt; ¼ t pepper; 1 cup sour cream; 8 hamburger buns. Brown onion in fat. Add ground beef and brown. Mix in remaining ingredients, except for the buns; simmer 5-10 minutes. Serve hot on toasted split buns. Serves 8 BROILED CRABMEAT BUNS 6 hamburger buns; 6 ½ oz can crabmeat, flaked; ¼ cup mayonnaise; 1 t Worcestershire sauce; ¼ cup diced celery; 1 dill pickle, diced; 6 thin slices of cheese. Split and butter buns. Toast on split side. Mix remaining ingredients (except cheese); spoon onto lower half of buns; top with cheese slices. Broil 5” from heat until cheese melts. Place top on each bun. Serves 6. This same mixture can be used on toast rounds with smaller pieces of cheese on top. HAM FILLED ROLLS ½ lb cheddar type cheese; ½ lb minced ham; 2 sweet pickles; 1 t grated onion; 2 T mayonnaise or salad dressing; 8-10 buns, split and buttered. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put cheese, ham and pickles through food chopper. Add onion and mayonnaise. Spread between bun sections. Place on baking sheet; heat in oven 15 minutes. Serves 8-10 TOASTED BACON & CHEESE SANDWICHES 4 slices of bread; 8 slices of bacon; 1 egg, slightly beaten; ¾ cup grated cheese; ¼ t paprika; ½ t Worcestershire sauce. Place bread and bacon on broiler rack. Toast bread on one side. Broil bacon until crisp. Combine remaining ingredients; spread over un-toasted side of bread. Broil until cheese melts. Serve with 2 strips of bacon on each slice. Serves 4. SURE FIRE SPECIAL Slices of cold roast beef, Bermuda onion and 2 or 3 anchovy fillets between whole wheat or light rye bread slices. PUFFY CHEESE SLICES ½ lb cheddar-type cheese; 1 egg, slightly beaten; ½ t each dry mustard and salt; 6 slices of bread, toasted on one side. Cut up cheese; blend in egg and seasoning. Spread on un-toasted side of bread. Broil 3” from heat, until cheese bubbles. Serve with slice of tomato, if desired. FRUIT AMBROSIA Make it with almost any fruit you have on hand. Sprinkle fruit (such as cut up orange slices, bananas and apples or pineapple) with confectioners’ sugar. Chill. To dress up, top with plain or toasted shredded coconut, salted peanuts or maraschino cherries just before serving.