Hello Again CSL Foodies,

Time for Thanks as the Holidays roll around. Thank you to all the members who bring food to share each Sunday. And a special thank you to all the generous volunteers on the Hospitality Team. It has been wonderful sharing kitchen time and recipes with you these past few months. Our team has put on some wonderful spreads of food at CSL after each service every Sunday. Everything is simple, but oh so fabulous in taste and presentation.

Here are some tips we use to make our simple fare look grander, more expensive and elegant.

First, use some greenery to put under and around the food. We use simple collard greens from the grocery store. Look for the largest leaves possible. Look for leaves that look fresh – not wilted or torn. We just give them a little wipe with a damp cloth or wipe with a bit of vegetable oil if you like a shiny look. Like all leaves they have a front side and a back side. I prefer the front side up. Place under your cheese ball and crackers, or surround the inside of your bowl with part of the leaf standing up above the rim then put your chicken salad, potato salad or whatever in the dish and Wow!

Radicchio is another fresh garnish we like to incorporate into our presentations. It is a red and white leafed salad green that pulls apart in nice cup shapes. Use these on a cheese tray to hold cubes of cheese, olives, or on a veggie tray to separate the different veggies. There are lots of other types of greens that are frilly or colorful. Use your imagination and have fun.

Secondly, we use height on our table to create a more interesting look. Place foods at different heights to achieve a more professional look. Caterers use this trick all the time. We use anything we can get our hands on at the Center that is sturdy and will hold up a tray or bowl. Make sure you find sturdy containers. We have used plastic buckets, a plastic milk crate and even tissue boxes in a pinch. Place them under the table cloth or use two table cloths – one to cover the table and one to cover your containers. Another way to achieve height and create an interesting look is to use bowls turned upside down with a plate or another bowl on top. The important thing here is to make sure they are sturdy and don’t wobble at all. You don’t want your guests to be trying to dig into a dip and have the whole thing topple over. Cake pedestals are also a great way to elevate that special dish. Make sure you have some symmetry as well. You don’t want all the height on one side of the table.

Now for our featured recipe:

Judy Lemon, a volunteer on our Hospitality Team, has contributed this awesome and addictive dip. Tasty and beautiful.

Tropical Fruit Dip

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream or plain yogurt
5 tbsp curry powder
1 package dried Tropical Fruit (if necessary chop in to small pieces)

Mix together and let sit, preferably overnight, so fruit can soften up a bit and flavors blend. Garnish with slivered almonds. Add almonds in the mix for more texture and flavor. Serve with crackers.

This recipe is easy and forgiving. Use as much or as little curry as you want (we like a lot of curry!) You can also mix half sour cream and half yogurt. The yogurt and sour cream make it creamier. If you want the consistency more like a cheese ball, use less sour cream/yogurt, shape into a ball and roll in sliced almonds (not the slivered ones). It is also easy to double this recipe for a larger crowd.

We also had some leftover ginger snaps and put those with our crackers mix and boy were they yummy. Everyone asked for this recipe so if you take it to a party, be sure and be ready for lots of people asking “Who made the dip?”

Hope you enjoy this recipe and this blog. We would love to hear your comments. Don’t forget – the first Sunday of the month is Grub Club – our vegetarian pot luck. The third Sunday of the month is High Tea, when members bring their favorite dish to share. Sometimes we have themes, so be sure and check the website or in the kitchen on Sundays. If you love being in the kitchen cooking, prepping, decorating, or even washing dishes, stop by and sign up. We always have room for one more and we have short shifts available so you can still attend the service.

Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays!