Carolina Kitchen

Many of us tend to feature a “surf and turf” meal during our Christmas gatherings. This year, still maintain traditions while being mindful of food budgets with these recipes that give tradition a bit of a twist!

Unless otherwise noted, recipes and photos on these pages are from Wendy Perry, a culinary adventurist and blogger, who chats about goodness around NC on her blog at WendysHomeEconomics.com.

Visit your grocer’s deli for rare London broil sliced thin to make these delicious open-faced appetizers. All the beefy flavor, but easier on the wallet. 1 baguette, sliced about ¹/₃-inch thick on the diagonal 2–3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 package (5.3 ounces)

Boursin Cheese (we used garlic), softened 1 cup sprouts ¼ pound thinly sliced rare London Broil (or roast beef) 3 tablespoons pepper jelly, melted ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced Blue cheese crumbles Poppy seeds Freshly ground black pepper Spread 1 side of bread pieces with butter. Toast on each side, using the high heat of a cast iron skillet, grill or broiler.

Spread a dollop of the cheese onto toast pieces. Scatter with sprouts, then a piece of the beef. Brush with pepper jelly. Scatter slivers of onion over toasts. Garnish with blue cheese crumbles, poppy seeds and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.

Best to serve immediately or toast will become soft.

Yield: Makes about 20 pieces

Easy Pimento Cheese Ball It’s hard to beat a good ol’ cheese ball, a throwback to days gone by when it was a staple at gatherings. Faye Gay was one of my mama’s best friends and has been making this cheese ball for decades. I tweaked only slightly since it’s just that good!

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (we used triple cheddar blend) 1 jar (4 ounces) diced pimentos, drained 3 tablespoons onion, finely minced Dash of salt

Dash of cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons

Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon lemon juice ²/₃ cup minced nuts*

Easy Pimento Cheese Ball (left) and Spicy Shrimp Butter

Combine all ingredients, except for nuts, and make into a ball. Roll in nuts and chill for several hours or overnight. Sit out about 30 minutes before serving to soften.

Serve with crackers and celery sticks. *Use any nuts. We like pistachio for flavor and color too. Spicy Shrimp Butter Serving this buttery dip lets you stretch the budget while offering guests a taste of the sea. Look for NC harvested wild-caught shrimp whenever possible (or use crab instead of shrimp if preferred). 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 5 tablespoons butter, softened ¹/₃ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons chili sauce ½ teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons Old Bay 1 teaspoon soy sauce Couple shakes of Texas Pete 2 green onions, finely diced ¼ cup green pepper, finely diced ¼ cup celery, finely diced 2 cups (about ½ pound) cooked shrimp, finely chopped

Using mixer, blend together cheese, butter, mayonnaise, sauce, powders, Old Bay, soy sauce and Texas Pete. Once creamy, fold in remaining ingredients.

Chill at least 1 hour before serving for flavors to marry (several hours is best).

Garnish with a dusting of Old Bay.

Set out 30 minutes before serving to soften. Serve with crackers, chips and celery.

Clementine Cornbread Shortbread Little bags of clementines appear in stores come fall and winter — an early sign that the holiday season is upon us. Some remember having them tucked into our stockings with nuts and other fruits back in simpler times. If you like something not quite as sweet as most, you’ll enjoy this shortbread. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Crust 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix ¾ cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar

Zest of 1 clementine ½ cup solid coconut oil ¼ cup clementine juice (about 3)

Topping 2 large eggs ¼ cup clementine juice (about 3) ²/₃ cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, combine mix, flour, sugar and zest. Cut in oil and add 1 tablespoon of juice at the time until well incorporated. Spread down firmly in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.

Bake for about 16 minutes and cool.

For the topping, beat all ingredients (except powdered sugar) together until combined. Pour over cooked crust.

Bake until set and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Cool. Then dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Yield: Makes about 20 pieces

Digital Extra Visit carolinacountry.com/recipes to search more than 1,000 recipes by name or ingredient.

Potato Latkes For Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, traditional foods like these latkes are often fried. The oil used represents the miracle of the oil that burned in the Temple of Jerusalem for eight days instead of just one. 3–4 medium potatoes, grated 1 medium onion, grated 2 eggs ½ cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ cup oil (canola or olive oil— add more if needed as you fry)

Grate potatoes in food processor or by hand. Place in a bowl and add remaining ingredients (except for oil). Mix well.

Pour oil into a large skillet and heat. Get nice and hot and then lower heat. Using a tablespoon, add dollops of potatoes into the hot oil and flatten a bit. Let fry until edges become brown and crispy. Flip them over and fry on the other side. Latkes should be a golden-brown color and crispy on the outside. It usually takes about 2–3 minutes per side.

Drain on paper towels after frying. Serve with applesauce or sour cream.

Yield: 24

Recipe courtesy of Zachary Lane of Durham, and his mother Janet Lane

Send Us Your Recipes

Contributors whose recipes are published will receive $25. We retain reprint rights for all submissions. Recipes submitted are not necessarily entirely original. Include your name, address, phone number (for questions), and the name of your electric cooperative. Mail to: Carolina Country Kitchen, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC, 27616. Or submit your recipe online at: carolinacountry.com/myrecipe.