Wooden Spoon
By Elaine Revelle

  The holidays are alive and well in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Businesses host open houses, people plan parties and kids are suddenly on their best behavior.
  Fall is definitely here. After a late, hot summer it's a treat to build a fire and feel the nip in the air.
  With all the festivities ahead, The Wooden Spoon felt a few party foods were in order. So…, with this issue we are "visiting" the season and setting the mood to wrap up another year.

  THIS IS A TERRIFIC SHRIMP hors d'oeuvre. Colorful and festive, just right for Christmas or New Year's Eve parties.

SIN-SATIONAL SHRIMP
1 to 1-1/2 pounds medium sized shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined*
2 medium sized Bermuda (or red) onions, peeled,
sliced thin and separated into rings
1 handful of bay leaves, about 15 to 20
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon white wine or water
1-1/2 cups olive oil
2/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional (use more if you want it spicy)
parsley sprigs
crostini (recipe following) or crackers

  In a small dish or cup, mix dry mustard with wine or water and let stand for about ten minutes to “develop” the flavor. Meanwhile, use a large glass bowl and layer shrimp, then separated onion slices and bay leaves. Continue layering, using all the shrimp, onions and bay leaves. Make marinade by combining mustard, oil, vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, sugar, paprika and cayenne. Place in a jar, cover tightly and shake vigorously. Pour marinade over shrimp and weight down with a plate so that all ingredients are covered.   Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Drain well, remove bay leaves. Pile shrimp and onions in a large bowl or on a serving platter lined with decorative lettuce leaves. Add a few parsley sprigs and serve with crackers or crostini.
  HINT: Decorate finished plate or platter with edible flowers to serve in the spring. Or, use shrimp in a salad or as traditional shrimp cocktail.
  *If using frozen shrimp, thaw and drain completely before using.

  REMEMBER WHEN we all "discovered" rumaki? Traditional rumaki is labor intensive, the following is a quick (?) or at least quick-er, version of that late 60's favorite.

REMARKABLE RUMAKI
Two 4-3/4 ounce cans of liverwurst spread
or an equal amount of deli case liverwurst
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 small can water chestnuts
1/2 pound bacon
Crostini (recipe following)

  Combine liverwurst with soy sauce and brown sugar. Mix well and place in refrigerator to chill. Fry bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside. Drain water chestnuts and slice thin. When ready to assemble, place one slice of water chestnut on crostini, cover with a spoonful of liverwurst mixture and top with crumbled bacon. Place on serving plate and chill, covered, until ready to serve. Makes enough spread for about 2-1/2 dozen servings.
  NOTE: You can make this even quicker. Chop the water chestnuts finely and add to liverwurst mixture. Assemble as above, omitting the sliced water chestnut step.

  You can go to a lot of trouble to make homemade crostini, you can purchase some pricey pre-make ones or try the following. Not quite as involved as some, these are delicious and will guarantee raves from your family and guests.

QUICK CROSTINIS
1 long thin loaf French bread
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly “cracked”

  Slice bread crosswise into half-inch rounds. Heat olive oil and gently fry garlic cloves. Brush bread slices with garlic oil, place on rack in baking pan and toast in a hot oven (425 degrees) until lightly toasted. Watch carefully so that crostinis don’t burn. Place on layers of paper towels to cool before serving. Can be made ahead, they will keep for several days in a tightly closed container.

  YOU CAN FANCY THIS ONE UP if you want, use nuts, a little bourbon or brandy, increase the spices (slightly)…but I think it's best as is, just pure old-fashioned, unadulterated pumpkin pie. Also, you can use fresh pumpkin instead of the canned. Save one of your Halloween pumpkins. Don't carve it, just scoop out seeds, cut up and steam until tender. Scrape pulp from rind until you have two cups and follow below directions. (Omitting the canned pumpkin, of course.)

PUMPKIN PIE
One 9 in. deep dish, unbaked pie shell*
2 eggs
1 16-ounce pumpkin**
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1-1/2 cups (or use 12 ounce can) evaporated milk***

  Using a large mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add rest of ingredients, in order given, mix well and pour into prepared pie shell. Bake in a 425 degree, preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool and garnish with sweetened whipped cream.
      *Make absolutely certain that pie shell has no holes, tears or cracks. If necessary, wet inside of shell slightly, sprinkle with a little flour and rub smooth with your fingers. This is basically a custard pie. If it seeps, the filling will cook between the shell and pan, resulting in a soggy mess.
      **Use solid packed, prepared pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
      ***Do not use sweetened condensed milk.