Spice up your social event with some new flavors

I was recently given a new cookbook celebrating the Red Hat societies, "Red Hats, Purple Shoes and Pink Elephants: The Red Hatters Guide to Cocktails, Food and Fun." Of course, anyone can enjoy the recipes, and that is why I am passing them along to you today. The next time you have a church meeting in your home, a bridge group or some other type of meeting, many of these recipes will come in handy.

Easy Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets

1 (2 1/10-ounce) package mini phyllo tart shells

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped

2 tablespoons light cream

Pepper to taste

Bake phyllo shells according to package directions. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix blue cheese, chopped pear and cream. Season to taste with pepper. Spoon mixture into cooled phyllo shells. Bake tartlets for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 15 servings.

Bok Bok Popovers

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

6 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, diced

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 (8-ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cooked chicken, sesame seeds, parsley and minced onion. Mix well. Open package of crescent rolls, but do not divide into triangles. Keep every two triangles together, forming four squares. Pinch the seams together and carefully roll into a larger square. Put a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the center of each square. Fold the corners of the crescent rolls up and over the chicken mixture, layering the corners like flower petals so the roll is mostly sealed. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Makes four servings.

Pink Hat Raspberry Dip

1 cup sour cream

1 (8-ounce) package Neufchatel cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon raspberry extract

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

In a medium mixing bowl, beat sour cream, cheese, sugar and extract at medium speed. Blend until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh raspberries. Serve as a dip with fresh fruit.

Makes about 24 servings.

Fresh Peach Salsa

6 large fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped

2/3 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup sliced green onions

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 ounce crystallized ginger

2 teaspoons sugar

In a medium bowl, mix chopped peaches, orange marmalade, green onions, vinegar, ginger and sugar. Cover and refrigerate until serving. May be served cool or warm with chips and crackers.

Makes 16 servings.

Bruschetta with Fontina and Asparagus

1 loaf (about 1 pound) country bread

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large bunch (about 30 spears) pencil asparagus, tough ends trimmed

2 cups shredded Fontina or Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat grill. Cut country bread into eight to 10 1/2-inch thick slices. Grill slices until golden brown on both sides. Rub one side with garlic and brush lightly with olive oil. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Preheat broiler. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt. Add asparagus and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until tender, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain asparagus and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine Fontina and Parmesan. Sprinkle two-thirds of cheese evenly over bread. Arrange three asparagus spears on each. Sprinkle remaining cheese over asparagus, dividing evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Broil 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Makes about 10 servings.

Black Bean and Grilled Corn Salsa

1 jalapeno pepper

1 red bell pepper

4 ears fresh corn, shucked, or frozen fire roasted grilled corn

1/4 cup, about two limes, fresh lime juice

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat grill to medium high heat. Place jalapeno and red bell peppers on grill and cook, turning, until skin is black all over, about 5 to 10 minutes for the jalapeno and another 5 minutes or so for the red pepper. Place grilled peppers in a brown paper bag and let stand for about 10 minutes. Remove peppers from bag and peel away and discard black skin. Rinse fingers under cool running water, but do not rinse the peppers. Remove and discard stems and seeds. Mince jalapeno and transfer to a large bowl. Cut red pepper into 1/4--inch pieces and add to jalapeno. Set aside. Place ears of corn directly on grill. Cook until brown and tender, turning often, about 10 minutes. Remove from grill and let cool slightly. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels from the cob. Add to peppers. Add lime juice, black beans, parsley, red onion, garlic, olive oil and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 5 cups.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian sta