Give Holiday Food: Italian Cream, Feta Cheeseballs, Smoked Trout or Salmon Pate

I am not by nature a drinker. Coffee? Yes, absolutely. Sugar? Another thumbs up. Alcohol? Once a year, if that. So when I was writing and my life partner brought down a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream and asked if I wanted some in my coffee, he was shocked when I said, "Yeah, I'll take a snorter or two." The sugar in it sounded wonderful.

After my second cup, my writing seemed to go so much smoother, and everything was funny. It made me stop to think. Why not dig up that old recipe for Italian Cream that I used to love and maybe get a recipe for Bailey's while I'm at it.

Italian Cream

Get out the blender and some sterilized bottles. This recipe makes about 5 cups of cream. You may want to give pints to two people and keep a cup for yourself. It keeps for one month, so attach a note with a use by date. You may also want to give a pound cake that this can be drizzled over, or some coffee bags to make coffee to add it to.

Combine a 14 oz can of condensed milk (the sweetened kind), 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream, 1 cup of Frangelico (The liquor), 3/4 Cup of Vodka, 1/2 tsp of almond extract and 1 tsp of vanilla in a blender. Turn the blender on and when everything is mixed, you are done. Pour into bottles with lids and refrigerate.

Since the shelf life is rather short, give the gift at a Christmas gathering and force the recipient to share or, make a smaller batch. You can cut the recipe in half, but you have to find something to do with the extra condensed milk.

Irish Cream

I found a website that has several wonderful Bailey's Irish Cream recipes. http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/210/0.shtml I haven't tried any yet, but as soon as the bottle is empty that I'm working on, I just may.

Give Mini Feta Cheese Balls

I originally used this recipe as a large cheese ball, but found that some people were scraping the herbs off with only small amounts of feta, leaving a naked hunk of cheese. I adjusted the recipe to make mini balls and they are quite a hit.

Use a small melon scoop and ball the goat cheese. Roll the balls in different herbs. For Christmas finely chopped red pepper, chopped chives, and fresh basil are great. Gift it with a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on the balls before they are served, and a box of gourmet crackers.

Smoked Trout or Salmon Pate

If you have a gift to give someone that entertains through the New Year, give him or her something to add to his or her spread, a smoked salmon or trout pate. Yummers. It should be made right before it is given.

Soften 1/2 envelope of unflavored gelatin in 2 tbsp of cold water and then add 1/4 Cup of boiling water to completely dissolve the gelatin. Set this aside until it has cooled. Whip in 1/4 Cup of Mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp of lemon zest (Zest from 1/2 a lemon), 1 1/2 tsp of chopped red onion, and1 tbsp of finely chopped FRESH dill (dried doesn't taste good.) with a whisk. Allow it to thicken it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Cut 1 smoked trout or salmon fillet in half and remove the skin. Break it into flakes and blend it into the Mayo-gelatin mix.

Whip 1/2 Cup of heavy cream until it is at soft peak and fold it into the mayo-gelatin mix also. Spoon the mixture into a small bread pan and refrigerate. It will need at least 4 hours to set.

You can gift the pate still in the pan and give an instruction note telling to unmold it on a serving tray, or unmold it, garnish it with red pepper sliced horizontally, and cover it with plastic.