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Yes, simple & easy is good & the dough setting on my breadmaker is just 1-hr, whereas a baked loaf in the machine is 3-1/2 hrs on the rapid speed setting. I'm more spontaneous, so the pizza recipe/dough setting is what I most use.
No rolling pin needed - I just flatten out the dough & put whatever I want on it, from traditional pizza toppings, to steak & cheese (I freeze both in slices for my mom to heat) to spices/herbs only (450 for 22+ min). Sometimes I cut the dough in 1/2, quickly stretch 2 long tubes, sprinkle with "stuff" & bake baguettes (425 for 18+ min) or cut into 4 pieces & bake puffy dinner rolls (375 for 15+ min). You can even stuff the rolls with something pre-cooked, like my favorite soy-sausage patties. (I know, but to each his/her own!) It's so easy that I never buy bread (neither does my mom as I keep her in continual supply) & it's a meal in itself it you load up the dough with toppings, so during the summer, it's a fast, tasty dinner with a salad.
If you're feeling adventerous, you can quickly roll out the dough, fill it with "stuff" & roll it up like calzone, or cut it into pieces & bake in a shallow cake pan. My mom likes steak & cheese "bisquits". I precook onions/steak as filling. Well, you already know this stuff, I'm sure. I just love the opportunity to talk about food!
Your tomatoes must be gorgeous with that lovely FL sunshine! If you weren't 2K-mi away, I'd "accidentally" wander over with some baguettes & some summery salad... waiting for you to garnish it with your basil & tomatoes.
Let us know how your get-together goes. Fun!... VV
Location: My heart is in Wyoming, my body is soon to follow.....
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Pampered Chef has really good cookbooks for this sort of thing. I believe they have one that is just appetizers, you'd be surprised at how complicated some of them look, but are actually very easy to make.
I like ham rolls....or whatever they're called. Take a fairly thinly sliced piece of ham, smear cream cheese over one side of it. Then put a green onion (the same length as the piece of ham) at one end of the piece of ham and roll it up. Chill in the fridge then slice and put the ham rolls on the cracker of your choice. Not exactly elegant, but they look nice and they're very easy to make.
i make a sundried spread that is good
Blend cream cheese, sundried tomatos, parsley and garlic
spread on crustini
also the layered dip is always a hit
Layer cream cheese mixed with mayo
then cocktail sauce, then diced red, green pepper, then shredded cheese
Always very well recived when i bring it
also i make ANTOJITOS and freeze ahead
Blend creame cheese with parsley
montreal steak spice(or salt and pepper if you dont have)
Melindas hot sauce
diced red pepper
then spread on a pesto tortilla
top with finely diced red pepper, shredded cheese
Roll
(Freeze if you wish then follow below)
brush with garlic butter, or butter
Bake in 350 degree oven till melted inside and chrisp outside
Make some crabmeat stuffing (with actual stuffing mix) and stuff the tomatoes. Yum!
Oh I just remembered my dad made sweet and sour meatballs with salsa and cranberry sauce, they were so good. He said something about using jelly too, but I haven't tried that one.
Cil, chop & mix in food processor: (I double the recipe)
1 cream cheese, 1pkg hard salami, 1 group of scallions
Let sit to blend flavors.
Place in center of large platter surrounded by a multitude of creative things to dip with (crackers, bagel chips, bread sticks, celery and other veges, etc.)
Haven't met anyone who didn't like it! Enjoy
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We're considering a move down to your town & last August, we spent a week in FB at the Hampton Inn. One nite walking the old town streets - there was a group in the center of town partying, lots of cycles parked in a row, all the tourists asking questions about the bikes. Small world. Hope you like the recipe!
Nachos - when I have people over they love them and it's easy
Baking pan, layer nacho chips, shredded mexican three cheese mix, chopped tomatos, jalepenos, onions, sliced black olives. I don't add meat because I don't eat it but I guess you can if you want to. Bake for ten minutes.
Serve with sour cream & salsa.
Oops, just saw you said elegant. Oh well, I'll leave it anyway in case people want to get their hands dirty.
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