Holiday episode of Valley Fresh Fare features easy appetizers

It's mid-November: Do you know where all your time went?

Probably out the window as you hurried to take down Halloween decorations before the first snowfall; planned your Thanksgiving dinner party; and bought a stack of Christmas cards that maybe, maybe, will make it to the mailbox by New Year's.

Yes, it's the busiest time of the year for most of us, and with only a week until Turkey Day, we are only going to get busier.

With that in mind, KYVE's Valley Fresh Fare is airing a special holiday cooking show tonight, full of make-ahead appetizers and desserts so you can enjoy Thanksgiving outside of the kitchen.

"We're all so busy," said Gayla Games, the show's host and a veteran restaurateur. All of the recipes were thought of as "people are coming, so what can I do quickly that's beautiful and kind of holidayish?" Games said.

Recipes include Amaretto German Chocolate Truffles, Warm Goat Cheese with Honey and Cranberry Chutney, Zucchini Cups, and Hummus with Garlic Pita Chips. The recipes were provided by John Gasperetti of Gasperetti's Restaurant in Yakima, Lindsay Park of Geppetto's Italian Bistro & Deli; and Brad Johnson of Creekside West.

The goal of the show was to create easy appetizers, Games said, so people have time to enjoy the holiday.

"Any of your appetizers, make it easy on yourself and get those done ahead of time," Games said.

The Zucchini Cups are easy to make ahead of time and can be chilled in the refrigerator or frozen for several days, Games said. Then you can reheat them when company arrives or serve them cold.

"It's a fun little recipe because you can kind of be creative," Games said. "When I've done it before, I've gone with a cheddar cheese and a gouda. It's just really fun to play with your different cheeses."

The Greman Chocolate Truffles were one of Games' favorites from the show. Their small size makes it easy to enjoy dessert but not end up stuffed.

"They would be a great finish, because a lot of people are really full," Games said. "One little morsel -- with maybe a lovely port. ... We always make too many desserts, so maybe just a little teaser of something like an amaretto truffle would be a nice way to go."

But Games' biggest tip for enjoying the holiday season is to remember it's not about the food.

"Don't forget where that food came from and thank your maker," Games said. "Without him, hey, we would not have the abundance that we have."

Hummus and Garlic Pita Chips

Recipe by Brad Johnson, Creekside West

Chips:

6 (6-inch) pitas

1/2 stick melted butter

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat one side of each pita with melted butter, sprinkle with garlic powder. Cut each pita into eight wedges; arrange wedges in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake at 425 degrees for 6 minutes or until golden, place in a bowl and toss with salt.

Hummus:

2 16-ounce cans garbonzo beans

1/2 cup Tahini Paste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 tablespoons garbonzo bean juice

6 cloves garlic

Strain the beans, reserve the liquid. Add all the ingredients into a food processor and puree until the consistency is no longer chunky and gritty. Texture should be smooth, but should still maintain some firmness.

Serve in a chilled bowl alongside the pita chips

Warm Goat Cheese with Honey and Cranberry Chutney

Recipe from Lindsay Park, Geppetto's Italian Bistro

1/2 pound goat cheese

3 tablespoons honey

Cranberry Chutney:

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Cook all ingredients together in a sauce pot until the cranberries have plumped and the vinegar has cooked completely out; the chutney should be a little bit loose and sticky but not have too much liquid left in it.

Place goat cheese in an oven-safe dish, place in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until it has begun to melt and caramelize around the edges.

Once the goat cheese has been taken out of the oven, drizzle with honey and spoon the chutney over the top. (The chutney should still be warm or at least room temperature.)

Serve with baguette or crackers.

Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Recipe by John Gasperetti, Gasperetti's Restaurant

2 red bell peppers

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup basil leaves

1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped

Using your broiler, cook the bell peppers until they are charred all over by turning them several times. Take the charred peppers and place them in a plastic zip lock bag and let them steam for several minutes. This helps for easy removal of the blackened skins. Cut into strips and lightly marinate with olive oil, chopped fresh garlic and salt to taste. Thinly slice basil leaves and sprinkle over the top.

Serve over Zucchini Cups.

Zucchini Cups

Recipe by Gayla Games

2 cups finely chopped crackers

21/2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

4 cups zucchini or other squash diced about 1/4 inch

1/2 cup diced green onion (about 4) using some green

4 eggs

1/4 cup 1 percent milk

6 ounces fresh curd cheese (finely chopped) or shredded cheddar cheese

5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon each, salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 ounces chevre cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pans. Mix cracker crumbs with butter and cheese, and press about 11/2 tablespoon in bottom of muffin tins.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until fluffy. Stir in your cheese choice and 3 tablespoons of Parmesan, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the diced zucchini. Spoon into muffin tins about 3/4 inch from the top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.

Bake in oven for 35 minutes or just until golden brown around edges. Cool briefly and remove from pan with spatula. Serve upside down with a tablespoon of room temperature chevre cheese and about 3 slices of roasted red pepper and basil leaves.

You want your zucchini cups served warm, not real hot. They can be made a few days ahead and heated for 30 seconds in microwave with the chevre cheese. Just before serving, top with peppers. They make a great cold snack.

Amaretto German Chocolate Cake Truffles

Recipe by Gayla Games, Adapted from Southern Living

Truffles:

1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix

1 (16 ounce) container milk chocolate ready-to-spread frosting

1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

1 cup toasted, finely chopped pecans

4 tablespoons amaretto (optional)

Prepare and bake cake mix in a 13x9 inch pan. Cool completely in pan. Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add premade frosting by spoonfuls over cake crumbs. Sprinkle the coconut, pecans, and amaretto, if using, over crumbs and stir gently just until thoroughly blended. Roll into 11/2-inch balls and place on wax paper lined baking sheets. Cover and chill 1 hour or place in freezer for 30 minutes.

Makes about 21/2 dozen truffles.

Coconut Pecan Frosting:

1 cup toasted chopped pecans

1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk

11/2 cups sugar

3/4 cups butter

6 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cook evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks in a heavy 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly for 12 to 14 minutes or until mixture becomes a light caramel color, is bubbling and reaches a pudding-like thickness.

Remove pan from heat and stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally until completely cooled.

Remove cake balls and frosting from fridge. Spread and roll balls in frosting to cover and place in individual baking cups or platter and chill until serving.

Makes about 4 cups of frosting.

Serve with small scoops of pumpkin ice cream for an extra treat.

* Savannah Tranchell can be reached at 509-577-7752 or stranchell@yakimaherald.com.

Watch the episode

A special holiday edition of Valley Fresh Fare will air at 7 p.m. today and again at 11:30 a.m. Sunday on KYVE-TV 47. The show is hosted by Gayla Games and features George Ray of KCTS Cooks in Seattle and Valley Fresh Fare creator Julie Tony. Wine tasting is provided by Wray's Chalet wine department manager Steve Marvin.