Fine Cooking Holiday 2007 Appetizer Issue

Like many women in America, I spent the majority of the Thanksgiving break cooking. However, it wasn't just the traditional Turkey feast that occupied my time (although I did spend my fair share of time wrestling with an almost-thawed 14 lb bird on Thursday). I also spent a good amount of time getting to know my latest culinary purchase--the Fine Cooking Holiday 2007 Appetizer issue. If you're looking for some fun new recipes to try, you simply must go pick this little treasure up. I'm a loyal subscriber to FC, but this issue doesn't come with the subscription, so you'll have to buy it at your local grocery or book store. I've tried three new recipes from this issue since I bought it last week, and all three have been winners. The potstickers from page 74 were hands down the best I've had, although John made his own version of a dipping sauce that included fresh grated ginger and freshly squeezed orange juice. He also thought they could have used a pinch of white pepper in the meat mixture and I agree. Another big hit was the mini savory clafoutis, or crustless quiches baked in muffin tins from page 67. We made these Thanksgiving morning with Gruyère cheese, crisp Pancetta and fresh basil. I also topped these with a little extra Gruyère at the end and let them get a little brown and crisp. We also tried the Crisp Parmesan Chicken Fingers with Marinara Dipping Sauce (pg 21). To be honest, the sauce needed a little kick, so I would plan on adding some chili sauce or some extra red pepper flakes, and I mixed in some Italian seasoning into the breadcrumb mix on this one. If you're hosting a dinner party or just having a few friends over anytime over the holidays, grab this little FC book and give some of these recipes a whirl. Your friends and family will be so happy you did!