I attended a wedding recently and it was great to see two young adults committing their lives to each other and to witness the excitement I could visualize in their sparkling eyes! Awe, so “in love”! I have alway enjoyed the food at social events. Don’t get me wrong, I love a whole-deal meal but sometimes small bites are just all I need. I love trying new appetizers and especially admiring all the new twists you see at fancy wedding venues. I was going to use the fancy word “hors d’oeuvres” but I had to Google to get the correct spelling and happened to check out its meaning versus appetizers. “Hors d’oeuvres” typically mean before the meal and “appetizers” indicate the beginning of a meal. Sounds about the same to me! I’m sharing with you this week a marinated cheese appetizer I have always enjoyed and get many questions about when I serve. Just the addition of a few extras send this over the top!
Pam’s Punch is a favorite with all my family! I could not begin to tell you how many batches (at least 100) I’ve made over the years. It’s a staple during Thanksgiving and Christmas and at every event in between. My grandkids named it “Pam’s Punch” because that’s just how much they love it and connect it with their Granna. I hope you enjoy these two recipes!
Happy cooking!
Pam
Marinated Cheese
1 (o.7-oz.) envelope Italian dressing mix
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons minced green onion
2 tablespoons water
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 (8-oz.) block Monterey Jack cheese, chilled
1 (8-oz.) block Cheddar cheese, chilled
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, chilled
1 (4-oz.) jar chopped pimiento, drained
Assorted crackers
- Whisk together first (6) ingredients. Set aside.
- Cut Monterey Jack cheese in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices. Repeat with Cheddar cheese and cream cheese.
- Arrange cheese in 4 rows in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish, alternating Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese and cream cheese. Pour marinade over cheese. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
- After chilling, drain marinade and arrange cheese on a platter in rows. Top with pimiento and serve with assorted crackers.
Pam’s Punch
(A family favorite)
1 1/2 quarts Cranberry Juice Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
1 quart pineapple juice (Dole)
(Do not use the off-brands!)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (2-liter) Ginger Ale, chilled
- In a 1-gallon pitcher, stir together the juices and sugar until dissolved. Pour into a gallon freezer bag. Freeze overnight. You can make it days or weeks beforehand and keep in the freezer.
- Several hours before serving, remove from the freezer and let it begin to thaw. Crush as much as possible and/or scrape the frozen juice mixture. Place in your desired container/punch bowl and add the cold Ginger Ale.