If you’ve ever thrown a New Year’s Eve Party, you know the challenge is keeping your guests satisfied and entertained through midnight, well after dinner and dessert have been served. To make it through the night, hearty, hassle-free appetizers are the perfect solution. Plan 2 to 4 small bites that can be prepared ahead of time and popped in the oven, when your guests are ready for late-night munchies.
Here are some great recipes to get you started.
Feta-Fig Tartlets
>> 30 frozen phyllo shells (find in the freezer section of most supermarkets)
>> 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese
>> 1 (4-ounce) tub crumbled feta cheese
>> 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
>> 1 tablespoon thyme
>> 10 dried figs, cut into wedges
>> 2 tablespoons local honey
>> Pepper, to taste
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place shells onto rimmed cookie sheet and bake 3 minutes, until crisp. Cool and set aside.
In small bowl, blend cheeses and thyme with hand-mixer. Scoop about a tablespoon of filling into each phyllo shell.
Top with fig wedges. Return to oven 10 minutes until warmed through and lightly golden brown. Drizzle with honey and pepper to taste. Makes 30 tartlets.
Approximate nutritional information, per tartlet: 70 calories, 4.5 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 3 g sugar, 2 g protein
Reuben Potato Skins
>> 16 Yukon gold potatoes, baked until skin is crisp and potato is easily pierced
>> 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
>> Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
>> 8 ounces thinly sliced corned beef
>> 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing
>> 1 cup sauerkraut, thoroughly drained
>> 1/4 cup dill pickle relish
>> 1-1/2 cups shredded Gruyere
>> 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
Slice each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh with spoon, leaving about 1/4 inch intact. Reserve flesh for another use. Brush insides of potatoes with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Flip potatoes over, brush skins with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Evenly space potato halves, skin side up, on a baking sheet. Broil until skins start to crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to burn skins. Flip potato halves over and broil until top edges start to brown, another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Divide corned beef evenly among skins and top each with about 1 teaspoon dressing. Evenly divide sauerkraut and relish among skins and sprinkle each with cheese and mustard seeds. Broil until corned beef is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 32 skins.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 200 calories, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, no sugar, 7 g protein
More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.
