Food presentation?

Cheese and pineapple on stick alternatives
Makes plenty
By Mark Hix
Published: 17 December 2005
Cheese is always the perfect party snack in some form or other, and to look creative without much extra work there are various witty and original variations on the cube of cheese and pineapple chunk pairing. Try some of these harmonious pairings speared together.

A lump of good Parmegiano Reggiano, for example, is perfect with some of those sun-blushed tomatoes mixed with a little aged or normal balsamic vinegar.

Manchego, the Spanish cheese, naturally works well with quince paste, for which I gave the recipe a couple of weeks ago, but you can always buy it instead. We occasionally cut squares of manchego with same-sized squares of quince paste on top, and run through them both with a stick, which looks pretty effective.

Blue cheese, such as Stilton, will benefit from some port jelly, or a jelly like redcurrant or blackcurrant - just a blob on top of the cheese on a stick and you've got a really unusual taste combination. Dolcelatte and gorgonzola can be cubed and stuck on to cocktail sticks with a chunk of ripe pear.

Lancashire and Wensleydale cheeses are great with chunks of fruity Christmas cake. Soft goat's cheeses won't work on a stick, but spread little rounds of toasted baguette with tapenade then with goat's cheese and you've got a tray of classy nibbles to hand round.

Cheese is always the perfect party snack in some form or other, and to look creative without much extra work there are various witty and original variations on the cube of cheese and pineapple chunk pairing. Try some of these harmonious pairings speared together.

A lump of good Parmegiano Reggiano, for example, is perfect with some of those sun-blushed tomatoes mixed with a little aged or normal balsamic vinegar.

Manchego, the Spanish cheese, naturally works well with quince paste, for which I gave the recipe a couple of weeks ago, but you can always buy it instead. We occasionally cut squares of manchego with same-sized squares of quince paste on top, and run through them both with a stick, which looks pretty effective.
Blue cheese, such as Stilton, will benefit from some port jelly, or a jelly like redcurrant or blackcurrant - just a blob on top of the cheese on a stick and you've got a really unusual taste combination. Dolcelatte and gorgonzola can be cubed and stuck on to cocktail sticks with a chunk of ripe pear.

Lancashire and Wensleydale cheeses are great with chunks of fruity Christmas cake. Soft goat's cheeses won't work on a stick, but spread little rounds of toasted baguette with tapenade then with goat's cheese and you've got a tray of classy nibbles to hand round.

I'm going to make this pineapple cheese ball the next time I'm invited to (or throw) a cocktail party. Here's the recipe:

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http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=17929&forum=10&1

Cheese-Paté Pineapple

2 pkg (3-oz size) cream cheese

2/3 cup prepared mustard

2 1/2 lb natural sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1 jar (2 oz) small pimiento-stuffed olives, drained

1 fresh green pineapple frond

1. In large bowl of electric mixer, combine cream cheese and mustard: beat, at medium speed, until well blended.

2. At low speed, gradually beat in grated cheese, to combine well.

3. Turn mixture onto wooden board. With hands, knead until smooth and pliable.

4. Refrigerate cheese mixture until chilled and able to be molded - about 45 minutes.

5. With hands, roll mixture into a cylinder. Place cylinder flat on cookie sheet; underside will be back of "pineapple."

6. Mold into pineapple shape, about 5 1/2 inches long, 15 inches around at widest part, 10 1/2 inches at narrowest part.

7. cut olives crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Carefully place olive slices on cheese in straight horizontal rows, arranging them so vertical rows run on diagonal (see photograph).

8. Using a wooden pick make diagonal lines, 1/8 inch deep, between rows of olive slices.

9. Cover with saran. Refrigerate, still on cookie sheet, until serving time (overnight, if desired).

10. To serve: With broad spatula, carefully remove cheese-pineapple from cookie sheet to serving platter, standing it upright on broadest end. (Flat side becomes the back of the pineapple.)

11. Place pineapple frond on top. Surround with small crackers, for spreading. Let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.

Makes enough to spread 180 crackers.

FINGER FOODS

Cream cheese pineapple celery sticks

Yield: 25 Servings

1 lg Bunch Celery

1 pk (8 Oz) Cream Cheese; Room Temp

1 cn (8 1/2 Oz) Crushed Pineapple, Well Drained

1/2 c Pecans; Chopped

2 tb Green Pepper; Finely Chopped

1 tb Onion; Finely Chopped

1 1/2 ts Seasoned Salt

1. Clean celery well.

2. Cut each stick into 2 1/2" pieces.

3. Mix together cream cheese, pineapple, nuts, green pepper, onion, and salt.

4. Chill for several hours or overnight.

5. Fill celery pieces with mixture and arrange on platter.

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Pineapple seven-up cake

Categories: Brunch Buffet dish Cakes

Yield: 12 Servings

1 pk Yellow cake mix

1 pk Instant pudding mix; (Pineapple)

3/4 c Cooking oil; (Crisco)

4 Eggs

1 Bottle Seven-Up; (10-oz.)

1 1/2 c Sugar

2 tb Flour

1/2 c Margarine; (1 stick)

2 Egg yolks; , slightly beaten

1 cn (med) Crushed pineapple; , do not drain

1 c Coconut; (+more if needed)

1 c Chopped pecans; (+more if needed)

FROSTING Mix together cake mix and instant pudding.

Add oil. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.

Add Seven-Up. Mix well.

Bake in 9x13-inch greased and floured pan at 350 deg. F

for approximately 30 minutes, or until cake pulls away from edge of pan.

Frosting: Mix together sugar and flour.

Add the rest of the frosting ingredients except the coconut and chopped pecans.

Cook on top of stove, or in microwave oven, until thick; then add the coconut and chopped pecans.

Spread on cake.

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Coconut & pineapple upside-down muffins

Categories: Muffins

Yield: 6 Servings

6 ts pineapple preserves

1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 lg egg white

1/2 c milk

1 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 ts double-acting baking powder

1/2 ts cinnamon

1/4 ts salt

3/4 c sweetened flaked coconut -- : toasted lightly

Drop 1 heaping teaspoon of the preserves into each of 6 well-buttered 1/3 to 1/2 cup muffin tins.

In a bowl whisk together the brown sugar, the oil, and the egg white until the mixture is smooth and whisk in the milk.

In another bowl whisk together the flour, the baking powder, the cinnamon, the salt , and the coconut, add the milk mixture,

and stir the batter until it is just combined.

Divide the batter among the tins and bake the muffins in the middle of a preheated 400oF oven for 20 minutes,

or until a tester comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 3 minutes, run a knife around each muffin,

and lift each muffin out with a fork, inverting it onto a rack.

Makes 6 muffins

Pineapple-walnut muffins

Categories: Dessert

Yield: 12 Servings

1 Egg

2 c Bisquick original baking mix

1/3 c Packed brown sugar

1/2 ts Ground nutmeg

1/2 c Milk

2 tb Vegetable oil

1 cn (8-oz) crushed pineapple in juice; undrained

1/2 c Chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups, 2-1/2x1-1/4 inches,

or line with paper baking cups. Beat egg slightly in large bowl.

Stir in remaining ingredients just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown.

1 dozen muffins.

Bisquick Classics and New Favorites

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Baked Pineapple with Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

Two 15.5-ounce cans pineapple tidbits packed in own juice, drained

2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated, or 1 cup each cheddar and Velveeta processed cheese

1 stick butter

1 stack Ritz crackers, crushed

Mix sugar and flour together.

Add pineapple and cheese; toss thoroughly.

Place in 1-1/2 quart casserole. Melt butter; add crackers and toss to coat.

Spread on pineapple mixture.

Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

May be prepared ahead.

Serves: 8

Serve with crackers.