Try recipes for appetizers including Acorn Squash Dip, Spinach Puffs

Judi Strauss teaches them in recent class at Mentor’s Wildwood Cultural Center

’Tis the season for quick bites, sometimes better known as appetizers or canapes. They’re perfect for this season’s festive hospitality when folks stop by or you need something to bring to another’s home.

Judi Strauss, who reigns over the kitchen at Wildwood Cultural Center in Mentor many Tuesdays, recently offered 56 appetizer recipes, printed out and ready to go, for five community members attending her Classic Appetizers class.

“We had a better turnout when the city printed its program for the season,” she explained, noting that she likes to keep class sizes to a dozen or so everyone has a chance to work at the counters, sink and stove without crowding.

After a pandemic hiatus, the City of Mentor’s Winter/Spring program guide has returned, complete with 14 Strauss classes from January to April.

Wildwood Cultural Center, 7645 Little Mountain Road, is a 1908 Tudor mansion set on a 34-acre wooded estate purchased by the city in 1980 and placed on the National Register of Historic Homes the following year. She gives classes in its kitchen from 7 to 9 p.m.

As members of the Appetizers class settled in at a long table and introduced themselves, Strauss was arranging the ingredients for dishes to be prepared on a large countertop. She chops, measures and packages up everything in advance so dishes need only to be assembled, cooked and served.

For many of her classes, she demonstrates how to do everything, but this class would be hands-on, with participants choosing which of several appetizers to make.

Classes cost $14 for Mentor residents and $17 for others.

A food fee, charged for each class and payable in cash on class night to Strauss, covers her expense for the ingredients, which are always fresh and high-quality. Class members who bring their own containers take home what’s left after everyone has sampled what’s been made.

For the class, on Nov. 9, I chose to make the Quick Herb Spread because I was intrigued with the ingredients, which included dates and walnuts.

“This recipe came from the Herb Society of America,” Strauss said.

The national headquarters for that organization are at 9019 Kirtland-Chardon Road in Kirtland.

“To figure how many appetizers to make, allow six bites per person if you’ll be having dinner or 10 to 20 bites a person otherwise,” she said. “You’ll want a combination of flavors and textures.”

Don’t put everything out at once, she told the class.

“Keep them in the fridge until they’re needed,” she said.

“Put down butcher’s paper or parchment paper and label everything, so if someone has an allergy, they can avoid it,” she said. “Hummus is a great substitute for sour cream if someone is lactose-intolerant.”

Cheese is a very versatile staple of the appetizer spread, she said.

“Display is everything,” she noted.

Build cheese towers with slices cut into one-half-inch by one-half-inch by 4-inch pieces and stack them log-cabin-style by placing two pieces parallel a few inches apart and two more pieces crosswise on top of them.

“Stack as high as you wish and fill the little towers with olives or tiny pickles,” she said. “You can make several towers of different heights on the same tray.”

Crackers or toasted slices of French bread can be the basis for other easy appetizers, such as a cracker spread with mustard, topped with a quarter slice of salami, a piece of cheese and pimento. Cream cheese is also a versatile basis for dozens of preparations.

The appetizer Strauss calls Cucumber Cools starts with softened cream cheese mashed with chopped dill and spread on a cracker. After that is topped with thin cucumber slices, a little more cream cheese is piped on top of each before it’s garnished with chopped chives, chopped green onion and a sprinkling of paprika. It’s as pretty as it is tasty.

The Acorn Squash dip is great because it can be prepared in advance and frozen for later. It also can be served as a tasty seasonal side dish.

Strauss’ next class at Wildwood is Cookies, Cookies, Cookies, set from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7. Hands-on experience with traditional and innovative cookie creations is promised with recipes that include Holiday Fans, Ginger Cookies and Snow People. Participants need to bring an apron and a baking sheet. The food fee is $9. Register at 440-974-5720 or CityofMentor.com/Parks-Recreation.

Recipes

Quick Herb Spread

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chervil or cilantro

1 Tablespoon finely chopped chives or green onions

1 Tablespoon finely chopped dates

1 Tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and serve as a spread on crackers or bread.

— Herb Society of America

Acorn Squash Dip

(Makes 4 cups)

Ingredients

2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded

1 cup sour cream or strained yogurt

½ cup diced sweet onion

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried minced garlic

½ teaspoon paprika

Dash hot pepper sauce

Salt to taste

Crusty bread and smoked sausage slices

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place acorn squash, cut side down in a shallow baking dish with one-half inch of water.

Bake for 45 minutes or until squash is tender.

Cool enough to handle and then scrape the pulp into a bowl.

Mash until smooth.

Add ingredients except bread and meat and stir until blended.

Heat before serving.

Serve with bread and heated sausages.

— Courtesy of Judi Strauss

Spinach Puffs

(Makes about 60)

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, cooked and drained well

2 Tablespoons dried minced onion

2 eggs

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

½ cup rate Parmesan cheese

½ cup Ranch dressing

2 Tablespoons oil

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups biscuit mix (Bisquick or Jiffy)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients and chill for several hours or overnight.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

— Courtesy of Judi Strauss