Recipes That Stoll My Heart: Ingredients for Mastering the Art of Service

Testimonials

Chapter 1: Let’s Get the Party Started: Appetizers

Appetizers. What a great word. What a fun word! The Webster Dictionary defines appetizers as 1- A food or drink that stimulates the appetite and is usually served before a meal. 2- Something that stimulates a desire for more. My hope is that with this book, you will be stimulated with a desire for more. More fun in the kitchen. Either by yourself cooking and creating your own masterpieces; or with family and friends. Creating memories. Finding recipes that steal your heart or bring back memories.

That’s exactly what this journey has done for me. Not one minute of this journey has been painful. Sure, there’s a lot of work involved, and I wouldn’t trade any of it because the memories that have been triggered have been nothing but joyful. One thing this journey has done is make me want to go back in time for more.

As a young child, whether we were hosting an insurance big-wig party, a Kiwanis party, or just the neighborhood Christmas get-together, appetizers were a big thing for the Stoll’s. It wasn’t just a bunch of food, or recipes, but a way to gather friends, family and acquaintances together in hopes that they too would become friends, and an extended part of the family.

The funny thing about this particular bunch of recipes? They spent most of their time bundled together in the recipe box. Where one appetizer went, they all went! The menu was always the same. Never one to change. Except now, as a Cooper, I’ve tweaked this section. Most have stayed, some have left, and others have been added. For example, there is the olive salad. We tried it here in our home, and loved it. And so why not add it to the bundled stack…..and share it.

This section of recipes holds a special place in my heart because this is where I was officially allowed to make…and create. My brother was in charge of taking coats, but I had the distinct honor of helping mom keep the plates filled during the party. Right in the middle of all the action, where I was my happiest. Not the center of attention, but right there doing what I love most…. serving.

Some of the recipes came from my Gram Cook. She always knew how to make the kids feel special, even when the party was mostly for the adults. That is something I’ve always tried to do with our boys; include them. We’ve played enough together in the kitchen that now I can hand one of them a recipe and say Go for it. And they do…..and most of the time they’re just perfect…..other times it’s a lesson on the difference between baking powder, versus baking soda!!!

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Best Guacamole Ever

2 ripe avocados

Juice of 1 lime

½ tsp salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of cumin

1 onion, diced finely

1 large tomato, diced finely

1 green pepper, cored and diced finely

1 c Chihuahua cheese

Cut avocado in half. Remove pit. Scoop avocado meat from the skin. Mash coarsely, leaving some smaller chunks, but don’t mash it so much that it’s complete mush!

Add tomato, onion, green pepper and mix.

Add spices and mix.

Add cheese and mix.

The trick to this is to not mash or mix that it’s like cake batter and all mush. You want to fold ingredients in, so that it’s still very lumpy.

Serve with tostada chips.

Bruschetta with Tomato

1 French bread baguette, cut into ½" thick slices (approx. 24-32 pieces)

½ clove garlic

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp basil

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

Fresh tomatoes (2-3 medium sized)

¼ to ½ c Chihuahua cheese

Cut tomatoes into ¼" diced pieces. Mix together with garlic, olive oil, basil, rosemary, thyme and cilantro.

Top each slice of bread with tomato mixture.

Top tomatoes with a sprinkle of cheese.

Broil on medium for 1 minute, or until warm and cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Cheese and Olive Puffs

1 cup flour

2 cups cheddar cheese

½ cup margarine, softened

½ tsp paprika

Green olives

****Mix flour, cheddar cheese, margarine, paprika together. Wrap the dough mixture around olives. Bake for 15 minutes at 400*

Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

1 lb. bag tater tots, ½ way thawed and split, but not cut in half

Thin slices of cheddar cheese

1 lb. bacon, slices cut in half

Put a very small piece of cheddar cheese in the slit of the tater tot.

Roll the tater tot in a piece of bacon.

Secure with toothpick.

Bake at 450* for 15 minutes on a wire rack on a cookie sheet.

Cowboy Salsa

1 orange pepper, diced into tiny pieces

1 red pepper, diced into tiny pieces

1 yellow pepper, diced into tiny pieces

1 green pepper, diced into tiny pieces

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 c sugar

1 c white vinegar

1 c olive oil

**** Cut peppers into tiny pieces.

Add corn, and both beans. Mix sugar, vinegar and oil together well.

Add to vegetables Mix well. Serve chilled with taco chips.

Crescent Roll Pizzas

2 tubes crescent rolls

Jar of pizza sauce

Diced green peppers

Diced onion

Chopped black olives

Chopped green olives

Pepperoni

Mozzarella cheese

Other pizza toppings of your choice

Roll crescent rolls out into one large rectangle. Pinch seams together.

Layer pepperoni on top of sauce.

Sprinkle desired pizza toppings on top of pepperoni. Finishing with cheese.

Roll up, long side to long side.

Cut like sushi, or cinnamon rolls.

Bake on baking stone at 350* for 10-12 minutes, or until rolls are done.

Serve with pizza sauce.

Hot Chip Beef Hors de oeuvres

1 package chipped beef

1 8 oz. cream cheese

1 small sour cream

1-2 tsp onion

Mix together. Spread evenly in a small baking dish. Sprinkle ½ c chopped pecans on top of the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350*. Serve warm with pita crackers or vegetables.

Italian Sausage Puffs

2 c Bisquick

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb. mild ground sausage, seasoned with sage

In a large bowl, mix with your hands the Bisquick, cheese and sausage together until well blended. Form tiny balls and place on baking sheet. Bake in a 350* oven for 15 minutes, or until crispy.

Serve by themselves, or with marinara sauce.

Olive Salad

1 can pitted black olives, drained

1 8oz jar pitted green olives, drained

1 jar pitted Greek Kalamata olives, drained

1 jar artichoke hearts, drained

1 small red onion

¼ c red wine vinegar

½ c olive oil

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp celery flakes

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp pepper

Put all olives, artichoke hearts and onion in a food processor. Add spices and olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped, but not turned into mush.

Serve with crackers, veggies. Great on pork chops, according to Shamara!

Pickled Eggs

12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cooled

2 c white vinegar

½ c water

1 c sugar

1 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. mustard

1 tbsp. mustard seed

1 tbsp. celery seed

10 whole cloves

2 large onions, peeled and sliced

Slowly blend vinegar and mustard. Add water, sugar, salt, seeds and cloves. Simmer 15 minutes and cool. Add eggs and onions. Let stand in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days before eating.

Pizza Appetizers

1 lb. Velveeta cheese

1 lb. cheddar cheese

1 lb. ground sausage

1 lb. ground beef

Dash garlic salt

Dash oregano

2 loaves party rye bread

Brown meats until crumbly and drain well. Mix cheeses into meat and stir together until melted. Add oregano and garlic salt. Spread on bread.

Heat in 375* oven for 10 minutes.

Can be made up and frozen to be used as needed…..but I guarantee that they won’t last!

Quick n Cheesy Cocktail Swirls

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

5 slices crumbled bacon

2 tbsp. finely chopped onion

1 tsp milk

8 oz. can crescent dinner rolls

Separate crescent rolls, seal perforations. Spread cheese mixture on each rectangle. Starting at long side, roll up and seal. Cut each roll into 8 pieces. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375* for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. 32 appetizers.

This can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 2 hours before baking. Baked appetizers can also be wrapped and frozen. To serve, thaw and reheat in foil at 350* for 8 minutes.

Roasted Cranberry and Orange Crostini

1 baguette, sliced into ½" thick slices

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries

2 oranges (1 for juice, another for zest)

1/3 c white sugar

Whipped cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350*. Arrange the baguette slices in an even layer. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium size mixing bowl squeeze the juice of 1 orange into the sugar. Add in the cranberries and toss to combine. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the cranberries in an even layer. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

At this point, you can transfer the crostini’s to a zip lock bag and keep at room temperature, and the roasted cranberries to an air tight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 5 days. When ready to assemble, spread the

whipped cream cheese on top of the crostini, top with the roasted cranberries and top with fresh orange zest.

Seasoned Pretzels

¾ c oil

1 package (dry) Hidden Valley Honey Mustard or Ranch Dressing

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

Mix and pour over 6 cups small pretzels (or soup crackers)

Bake at 200* for 1 hour, stirring every 2 minutes

What’s Your Creation?

Chapter 2: Cooper Comfort: Bread & Biscuits

Growing up, bread was never an important part of our dinner table. Basically, bread was white, boring and left for sandwiches in our lunch bags for school. Our biscuits were popped out of a can.

When David and I got married, I realized that I was an adult, living on my own, and I LIKED bread…..AND homemade pizza!!!!

I quickly learned what every new bride learns. The way to her man’s heart was through his belly. And for my man, it was with bread products!!!! So, I figured out how to make bread, and pizza dough from scratch. What a time commitment that is. Until one year for my birthday, David and the boys gave me a bread machine. How cool was that!!! I could create hot yeasty goodness in record time.

We have discovered we really like yeast rolls with chicken and noodles, or swimming in sausage gravy. We like our cinnamon rolls, homemade pizza, stuffed breadsticks, and my mother-in-law’s A-Ma-Zing Thanksgiving stuffing. I grew up on the bagged kind that got stuffed into the belly of the turkey. Until my first Thanksgiving as a Cooper, I didn’t know what stuffing really was! In my mind, it’s a true act of love from that lady!!!

John 6:35 Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst’

John 6: 47 "I assure you, anyone who