Recipe: Appetizers for Christmas Dinner - Crostini Di Mozzarella, Caviar Spread, Mushroom Cheese, Shrimp and Melon Salad

Very elegant & easy to make!

CROSTINI DI MOZZARELLA
(recipe should be tripled or more according to number of guests)
4 servings

4 1/2 inch slices French bread, halved diagonally
3 ounces mozzarella, cut in inch slices
1 tb all purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tb vegetable oil
fresh lime wedges
Ali-Oli Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Top bread with the mozzarella, trimming the cheese to fit. Sprinkle flour over the cheese. Whisk milk and yolks in a bowl. Dip both sides of 1 cheese covered bread slice into egg mixture, holding the cheese in place. Allow excess to drip off. Dredge in Parmesan cheese, coating completely. Repeat with remaining cheese covered bread, egg mixture and Parmesan.

Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over Medium High heat. Arrange crostini in batches in the skillet, cheese side up. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Turn bread over and cook until the other side is golden brown. Transfer to heavy large already greased baking sheet, cheese side up. Bake for 2 minutes. Transfer to serving trays. Serve, passing lemon wedges and Ali-Oli Sauce.

CAVIAR SPREAD
3/4 cup

4 oz cream cheese softened
1 tb lime juice (I use Real Lemon)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Worcestershire Sauce to taste
4 tb red caviar
chopped cilantrillo, chopped boiled eggs and fresh lime slices for garnish
Toast points or crackers as an accompaniment

In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire. Fold in the 3 tb of caviar. Transfer to a beautiful crystal bowl. Garnish and serve with the accompaniments.

MUSHROOM CHEESE
1 1/4 cups

1/2 cup chopped onions
3 tb unsalted butter
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup Tawny Port
2 oz sharp cheddar sliced
4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
3 tb sour cream
crackers or potato chips and Nachos as accompaniment.

In a large skillet cook onion in thebutter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add mushrooms; cook stirring until almost all the liquid evaporated. Add the Port and continue reducing the liquid. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool to room temperature. Process the cheddar fine, add cream cheese and sour cream and blend the mixture until smooth. Add the mushroom mixture and blend until the mushrooms are chopped. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve the mushroom cheese dip with the crackers, Doritos or chips. Can also be used as a filling for mushroom caps.

SHRIMP AND MELON SALAD
6 servings

2 1/4 lbs large shrimps, shelled and deveined
1 small onion minced
1 small green bell pepper minced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped in small pieces
2 apples, peeled and cut into inch pieces
1/2 small honey dew melon, peeled and cut in pieces
2 tb fresh lemon juice

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tb fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp tarragon vinegar
Worcestershire sauce
White pepper (ground) to taste
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced for garnish

Add the shrimp to a saucepan of boiling salted water, remove pan from heat, let stand covered 3 minutes. Drain and let cool. Cut of shrimps in inch pieces, reserving reserved shrimps halved lengthwise for garnish. Transfer all shrim to bowl and chill for 1 hour. In small bowl combine onion, bell pepper, celery and tomato and chill also for 1 hour. In another bowls toss apples and melon with lime juice and chill, covered, for I hour. Make the dressing and chill. In large bowl, combine shrimp pieces, vegetable and fruit, toss with dressing and transfer to serving platter. Garnish with egg slices and reserved shrimp.