Spreads With Pizzazz
The difference between gour
met dining and everyday fare is
most noticeable in the small de
tails. The unique sauce strewed
across the sauteed chicken breast,
the house salad dressing, and the
butter spread with a tinge of
“what is that secret ingredient?”
It’s details such as these that
make dining at upscale restau
rants a memorable occasion. You
can duplicate many of these
touches in your own cooking.
Transform everyday fare into a
delightful experience. Search for
recipes that are easy yet contain
an unexpectant ingredient. Start
with this collection of bread
spreads. Ordinary butter can be
transformed by adding a sprinkle
of your favorite herbs, a touch of
your preserves or honey.
Why stick to traditional mayon
naise when adding Dijon mustard
and horseradish perks up a home
made turkey sandwich?
Combine yogurt with your fa
vorite chopped veggies for another
sandwich idea.
Cream cheese can serve as the
basis for tasty spreads by adding
fruit flavors or veggies.
Try these easy spreads that will
change the way you look at butter,
cream cheese, mayonnaise, and
other traditional condiments.
Adding pizzazz to your meals has
never been so easy.
HERB BUTTER
14 cup butter
14 teaspoon salt
14 teaspoon paprika
1 A teaspoon dried savory or 2
teaspoons chopped parsley
14 teaspoon dried thyme
Few grains red pepper
Cream all together. Melt for
dipping or leave soft for spread
ing.
This is a good spread for
French bread that has been cut
lengthwise in half and browned in
the oven.
Audrey Minns
BANANA BUTTER
4 cups mashed bananas
14 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Ever-Fresh Fruit
Protector
1 box Sure Jel pectin
'A. teaspoon butter
6 cups sugar
Mash bananas thoroughly.
Measure 4 cups into a 6-quart
saucepan. Stir in next four ingre
dients. Bring to a full rolling boil
RECIPE TOPICS
It you have recipes for topics listed below, please share
them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you in
clude accurage measurements, a complete list of ingredients,
and clear instructions with each recipe you submit.
Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farm
ing, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should reach our
office one week before publishing date listed below.
April;
22-Easter Ideas
29-Egg Recipes
May;
6 - Cooking With Onions
13 - Favorite Recipe From Your Mother
on high heat, stirring constantly.
Quickly stir in all sugar. Return to
a full rolling boil and boil exactly
one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat. Skim off
foam. Ladle quickly into prepared
jars. Seal with two-piece lids.
SPICED APPLE
CHEESE SPREAD
8-ounces cream cheese, soft
ened
VA cups shredded Monterey
Jack cheese
1 cup diced unpeeled apple
'A cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons milk
'A teaspoon cinnamon
'/«teaspoon nutmeg
In small mixer bowl, beat
cream cheese until light and
fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredi
ents until well blended. Refriger
ate, covered, 1 to 2 hours to allow
flavors to blend. Store in covered
container in refrigerator up to
one week. Spread on mini bagels,
toast, crackers or waffles. Yields
2 cups.
Jennifer McWilliams
SUN Area Dairy Princess
VEGETABLE
SANDWICH SPREAD •
'A cup grated unpeeled cucum
ber
V* cup grated carrots
1 small onion, finely chopped
8-ounces cream cheese, soft
ened
'A teaspoon pepper
14 cup grated unpeeled zucchi
ni
l A cup finely chopped green
pepper
'A cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Drain vegetables well. Beat to
gether cream cheese and lemon
juice until smooth, stir in vege
tables and pepper. Yields 214
cups.
Jennifer McWilliams
SUN Area Dairy Princess
FRUIT BUTTER
14 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons fruit preserves
(peach, strawberry, raspber
ry, etc.)
Combine ingredients and beat to
gether until smooth.
CREAM CHEESE
DRIED BEEF SPREAD
16-ounces cream cheese
'A pound dried beef
Green pepper
A reader
Simple and elegant bread spreads offer intriguing flavors and a touch of class to everyday meals. These
spreads make perfect snacks for entertaining guests.
0
Cut dried beef and pepper into
small pieces. Beat softened cream
cheese until fluffy. Add dried beef
and pepper. Serve on bread. Also
works well on crackers and celery.
Elizabeth Young
Lancaster Co. Alternate Dairy
Princess
CINNAMON-HONEY
BUTTER
1 cup butter
Vi cup honey
Vz teaspoon cinnamon
Beat butter in small mixing
bowl on high speed of mixer until
light and fluffy. Gradually beat in
honey and cinnamon until well
blended. Store, covered, in refrig
erator up to three weeks.
CRANBERRY-ORANGE
1 cup butter
'A cup whole berry cranberry
sauce
2 tablespoons sweet orange
marmalade
Beat butter in small mixing
bowl on high speed of mixer until
light and fluffy. Gradually beat in
cranberry sauce and marmalade
until well combined. Store, cov
ered, in refrigerator up to three
weeks.
MAPLE BUTTER
1 cup butter
Vz cup pure maple syrup
Beat butter in small mixing
bowl on high speed of mixer until
light and fluffy. Gradually beat
■*p"
BUTTER
in syrup until well combined.
Store, covered, in refrigertor up
to three weeks.
(Turn to Page B 8)
Featured Recipe
If you find yourself searching for interesting ways to add
pizzazz to your menu, bread spreads are the answer.
You can stir up a bread spread in minutes using only a few
ingredients. Keep a container full in the refrigerator for entic
ing snacks or to serve to unexpected guests.
Many of the recipes included in today’s collection of recipes
contain simple ingredients that you already have on hand. But
if you want a really exotic bread spread, try one of these two
featured recipes.
DATE AND ALMOND SPREAD
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
% cup almonds, chopped
12-ounce jar roasted sweet peppers, drained and
sliced
1 Vi cups diced dates
Vi teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, using a rubber
spatula, gently fold the mixture from the sides to
ward the center until just thoroughly incorporated,
do not overmix. Cover and chill thoroughly before
serving. Serve with toast or crackers. Makes approx
imately 5 cups.
CRAB ARTICHOKE SPREAD
8-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
6-ounce can crabmeat, drained
Vbcup light mayonnaise
Vs cup nonfat plain yogurt
Vi teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
Vi cup Cheddar shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In IVi-quart baking
dish combine artichokes, crabmeat, mayonnaise, yo
gurt, and seasoning. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until hot. Serve with crack-