Shrimp Platters: A Popular Holiday Appetizer

(NAPSI)-The holidays are always a good time for shrimp lovers to come out of their shells. For large gatherings or small family entertaining, wonderful appetizers using shrimp are sure to be the first off the plate. Shrimp is delicious and popular. It's the No. 1-selling seafood in America, and for good reason: Everyone loves it, it's a great addition to hundreds of great recipes and it always wows a crowd.

"I've never hosted a party when my shrimp appetizer platter wasn't the first one I had to restock," said Jenna Guthrie, recipe director and marketing manager for SeaPak Shrimp Company. "Shrimp is a perfect appetizer and I feel good about serving my guests something special. Here's a recipe you may want to try":

Butterfly Shrimp Bruschetta

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Makes: 6 appetizer servings

1 package (9 ounces) SeaPak® Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp (frozen)

2 medium-sized Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

¼ small onion, finely diced

1 clove fresh garlic, finely diced

⅛ cup lime juice

Salt and pepper

PREHEAT oven to 425°. Arrange shrimp on baking sheet in a single layer so that the shrimp are not touching each other.

BAKE shrimp for 10 minutes.

PLACE tomato, onion and garlic into small bowl. Pour lime juice over vegetable mixture and gently toss until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until shrimp finish baking.

REMOVE shrimp from oven but leave them on the baking sheet. Spoon tomato mixture onto each shrimp.

RETURN baking sheet with shrimp to the oven and continue baking for 5 minutes.

PLATE and serve hot.

Secret Tip: Want to spice it up for your holiday party? Try adding a dash or two of red pepper flakes to the tomato mixture before you spoon it onto the shrimp.

For news about a shrimp recipe contest, visit www.SeaPak.com.

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Delicious Holiday Meatballs

(NAPSI)-It doesn't take a special gift to add a delicious twist to holiday gatherings--just a new take on some party classics.

For instance, meatballs are ideal because they are warm, enjoyable, bite-sized appetizers. But many holiday hosts don't know the Italian treats can be served in a number of tasty ways.

You can find recipes for serving meatballs--in virtually every form from soups and salads to stews--in a new cookbook called "101 Things to do with Meatballs" from The New York Times best-selling author Stephanie Ashcraft.

The book offers ideas for cooking with brands such as Casa Di Bertacchi meatballs, which are prepared with 100-percent boneless beef and seasoned with high-quality Italian ingredients, then seared and steamed in a traditional multigenerational Italian style. The cookbook is available for purchase online at www.gibbs-smith.com and is available for preorder on Amazon.com.

Try this unique twist on a classic favorite:

Holiday Meatballs

Ingredients

52 (2 lbs) frozen Casa Di Bertacchi fully cooked meatballs

1 can (16 oz) whole-berry cranberry sauce

1 cup barbecue sauce

Slow Cooker Directions:

• Place frozen meatballs in a 3½- to 5-quart slow cooker prepared with nonstick cooking spray.

• In a bowl, stir together cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce.

• Pour mixture over meatballs. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2½-3 hours.

• During a party, meatballs can be left in the slow cooker on warm or low setting.

• Serve as appetizers with toothpicks.

Stovetop Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan.

• Cover and simmer over medium-low heat on the stove for 55-60 minutes, stirring occasionally until meatballs are heated through.

• Serve immediately or place them in a chafing dish to keep them warm.

The meatballs are available at Sam's Club. For more recipes and ideas, visit www.casameatballs.com.

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For Party Pleasers, Choose Cheese

(NAPSI)-Spend more time celebrating with family and friends by limiting kitchen duty with easy appetizers featuring popular, affordable cheeses.

Here are hints: Boursin has an irresistible taste, a light, crumbly texture that melts readily and is best served simply on a baguette round. It comes in a variety of flavors, including Garlic & Fine Herbs and new Garlic & Roasted Red Pepper.

• Stuff the cheese into warmed minibrioche, top with herbs (savory) or sugared chopped pecans.

• On a cucumber round, layer a piping of the cheese with marinated sun-dried tomato.

• Parboil tiny potatoes. Scoop out a bit of the inside; mix potato with Boursin and diced prosciutto and stuff back into shell; bake 8-10 minutes at 350ºF.

Mild, mellow-nutty Jarlsberg is a classic, complementing a broad range of tastes.

• Cube it and skewer with a small piece of dried fruit, salami or chorizo, olive or sun-dried tomato and fresh basil.

• Try mini grilled cheese on pretzel bread with hot, sweet mustard.

• Make a fondue and dip in cubed French bread, fresh sliced apples and pears, or melt a wedge in a cast-iron skillet for satisfying raclette, served with roasted potatoes and grilled sausage.

Goat cheese is a delicious choice to have on hand for those who are lactose sensitive. Woolwich Dairy makes a style of soft, fresh chevrai that's mildly tangy plus a creamy, buttery goat Brie.

• Top goat Brie with strawberry preserves and toasted sliced almonds.

• Stuff chevrai goat cheese into fresh dates or figs; top with cherry preserves and chopped, salty nuts.

• Bake goat Brie in puff pastry dough for a classic treat.

Some simple ideas combining the cheeses:

• Stuff Boursin or chevrai goat cheese into cherry tomatoes; spread on cucumber rounds and endive leaves, sprinkle with chopped, fresh herbs or sprouts.

• Spread chevrai goat cheese or Boursin on baguette round; top with caramelized onions or fig jam and warm slightly.

For additional appetizer and entertaining ideas, visit www.norseland.com, www.boursincheese.com and www.woolwichdairy.com.

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Holiday Appetizers 101

(ARA) - When holiday entertaining has you scrambling for new ideas to make your guests feel jolly, think appetizers. A traditional menu like baked ham or smoked turkey, served with classic favorites, can be made into a more festive experience by easily selecting a variety of mouthwatering appetizers to complement the meal.

When deciding what appetizers to serve, consider the flow and arrangement of the party. Where will guests be eating? If there’s limited seating, reconsider appetizers that require a knife and fork. Hand-held, bite-size appetizers are usually easier for guests if they’ll be standing and mingling.

Variety is also important. Select appetizer recipes that have different flavors, textures and temperatures. A combination of hot and cold food items will please any palate. Offering different styles like bread or cracker options, toothpick or skewer bites and hand-held finger foods is a simple way to add variety.

Traditional recipes, such as rumaki, meatballs and deviled eggs, are still party favorites too. However, it’s easy to give them a new flare. Try this new Pesto Deviled Eggs recipe when you’re entertaining this holiday season.

For even more appetizing additions visit www.incredibleegg.org.

Pesto Deviled Eggs

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

6 hard-cooked eggs
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp. basil leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and set whites aside. Mash yolks with fork. Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Refill whites, using about one tablespoon yolk mixture for each egg half. Chill to blend flavors.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Delicious New Appetizers Make Big Debut

PRNewswire/ -- With school back in session, hectic family schedules are putting pressure on family meals. But just in time, Farm Rich -- a leader in product innovation -- introduces two new great-tasting, frozen-food products. Announcing delicious Mini Stuffed Paninis and Mini Stuffed Quesadilla Slices, the perfect solutions for families or individuals who want easy-to-prepare meals or snacks made with quality ingredients.

The popularity of panini sandwiches continues to grow, and Farm Rich's Mini Stuffed Panini is the perfect way to enjoy the warm sandwiches as appetizers, mini-meals, or snacks on-the-go. Each Mini Stuffed Panini is made with 100% natural mozzarella, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses, layered with all-white meat chicken and crispy bacon. These premium ingredients are then seasoned with a savory artichoke pesto sauce, stuffed in an open slice of flatbread, and grilled.

Mexican food is one of the largest and fastest growing segments of the frozen snack and appetizer industry, and Quesadilla Slices are a terrific addition to Farm Rich's already successful product lineup. Starting with a thin, authentic, tortilla-style crust, each Quesadilla Slice is stuffed with a special blend of 100% natural mozzarella, cheddar, & Monterrey Jack cheeses. These premium cheeses are then layered with quartered strips of grilled, all- white-meat chicken and zesty tomatillo salsa to produce an irresistible snack or appetizer.

Farm Rich is committed to providing wholesome foods made with real ingredients. Both Mini Stuffed Paninis and Quesadilla Slices fulfill this promise. They are good sources of protein and calcium, and they contain zero trans fat.

"Consumers today want to feel good about the foods they serve to family and friends," said Jennifer Meetz, Senior Marketing Manager. "They are looking for meals that are easy to prepare, can be served on a variety of occasions, and contain premium, all-natural ingredients. Farm Rich's new Mini Stuffed Paninis and Quesadilla Slices meet all three of these criteria."

The Mini Stuffed Paninis and Mini Stuffed Quesadillas are perfect for back-to-school parties with classmates, as tasty after-school snacks, or even as dinners on-the-run. And with Halloween quickly approaching, these products offer a quick and easy way to provide goblins with tasty treats that contain plenty of healthy protein. "We're making frozen appetizers suitable for more than one occasion," added Meetz. "Our new products offer consumers a variety of flavors and serving options, with something to please everyone."

Both new products have up-to-date, easy-to-use packaging, too. They are part of the company's lineup of family-sized, stand-up, re-sealable, gusseted bags.

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