With only two days before Christmas Eve, for many of us the holiday food preparations are reaching their peak. Food is so closely tied to our celebrations and certain foods conjure up images of specific holiday celebrations.
My mom has an entertaining cookbook that takes me back to my childhood and special food celebrations. Specifically, this cookbook reminds me of this time of year and the preparations we made for my aunt and uncle’s Christmas Eve cocktail party.
Each year on Christmas Eve, after church, we would go for a wonderful smorgasbord of Christmas foods at my aunt and uncle’s home. My mom would always prepare tasty appetizers to contribute to this holiday feast and many of them came from this one entertaining cookbook.
This is a recipe she recently made from the same cookbook. The cookbook is more than 30 years old, so she took the liberty of lightening the recipe, with especially tasty results.
Shrimp Pate
4oz (1/2 of one package) ⅓-less-fat cream cheese
¼ cup light mayonnaise (we like Trader Joe’s brand)
3 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (not the creamy type!)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
a few dashes hot sauce (optional)
¾ pound cooked shrimp
In a food processor, puree the cream cheese and mayonnaise until well blended. Add the chives, horseradish, mustard, dill, salt, sugar, lemon juice and hot sauce (if using). Puree well.
Add the shrimp and pulse until well blended and the shrimp is in small pieces.
Place in a small crock or bowl and refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
Serve with sliced celery, crackers or other vegetables.
Makes about 2 cups.
A perfect dish for your holiday or any day spread!
Merry Christmas All!!
SPC