Fruit And Cheese Bites Recipes

Steps:

• For dip, mix first 4 ingredients. On 12 wooden skewers, alternately thread strawberries, grapes and cheese cubes. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Steps:

• chop up the fruits and the nuts.
• Beat together cheddar cheese, cream cheese and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl until blended, about 1 minute.
• Stir in dried apple, apricot and pineapple with a wooden spoon. Using a tablespoon, form mixture into balls, then roll between palms. Coat balls in chopped nuts. Makes 18 (recipe can be doubled).

Steps:

• On large serving platter, arrange cheeses in center. Cover; let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes.
• Arrange fresh fruit in groups around cheeses. Sprinkle dried apricots and cherries over cheeses and fruit. Tuck rosemary sprigs among fruit.
• To serve, provide cheese planes for harder cheeses and cheese spreaders for soft cheeses. If desired, serve cheeses and fruit with crackers.

Steps:

• To make the toppings, heat half the oil in a frying pan over a high heat, and cook the mushrooms for 10 mins until golden. Stir in half the garlic and the parsley, and fry for 1 min more. Season and scrape into a bowl. Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and fry the remaining garlic and the breadcrumbs for 3-5 mins, stirring until crisp. Scrape into a second bowl.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then stir in the flour to make a thick paste. Gradually add the milk, a splash at a time, whisking until it's all incorporated. Cook for 2-3 mins more until thickened. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a pan of boiling salted water for 5-6 mins. Stir the cheddar into the white sauce until all the cheese has melted, then fold in the macaroni.
• Butter a 12-hole muffin tin and divide the mac 'n' cheese between the holes, packing it in with the back of a spoon. Top with the mushroom mixture, olives or sundried tomato slices, then scatter over the grated cheese and garlic breadcrumbs. Will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake for 15 mins until golden and piping hot. Leave to cool for 10-15 mins in the tin, then loosen by running a spoon around the edges. Transfer to a plate.

Steps:

• Combine cheese, butter, flour, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl: knead into a dough.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on an un-greased baking sheet.
• If using olives, form each ball around 1 olive.
• If using pecans, press 1 pecan half onto each ball.
• Can bake them right now (see instructions below) or freeze for later.
• Place in trays in freezer for 30 minutes.
• Remove from freezer and place in freezer bags or container.
• Seal and freeze.
• Can bake them straight from freezer.
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Place cheese balls 3 inches apart on an un-greased baking sheet.
• Bake 15-17 minutes if frozen, 13-15 minutes if thawed.

Steps:

• Sift the flour and a little salt into a bowl. Set a non-stick pan on the heat with 150ml cold water and the chopped butter. Bring to the boil, stirring until the butter melts. Tip in all the flour and, using a wooden spoon, beat hard until the mix becomes smooth and starts to leave the side of the pan.
• Remove from the heat, beat in the gruyère and half the parmesan and cool for 5 mins. Gradually beat in the eggs until you have a smooth, thick, but spoonable mix - you may not need all the egg. Can be set aside now for 2 hrs without chilling.
• When ready to serve, heat the oil in a deep-fat frying pan to around 180C. Using 2 teaspoons scoop up neat dollops and carefully drop into the hot oil. Fry 6-8 dollops a time for 3-4 mins until golden and crisp - dunk the dollops under to brown evenly. Reheat the oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan. Serve hot.