One of the things I most love about living in our little corner of New Hampshire is the unbelievable bounty of performance, visual and written arts. I am so grateful for the inspiration, enlightenment, and joy that they bring to our community.
After moving here 12 years ago we were thrilled to discover the Peterborough Players. We instantly felt an affinity, and have continued to enjoy their offerings on a regular basis. The hole that was left when they were forced to cancel the summer season could not be filled by any amount of TV binge watching. It also left a huge hole in the Players budget, as 60% of income comes from ticket sales.
As co-chair of this year’s annual Players Gala and Auction with Mia Mead, we quickly had to pivot from our usual event on the Players stage to a virtual event. Our full auction is online now until Oct. 25. And the good news is, everyone can attend the Gala, no ticket required. So on Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m., we are excited to present a fun and entertaining evening of performances and surprises to benefit the Players Fund a Future program, and remind us of the importance of sustaining our wonderful artistic community. The auction site is 32auctions.com/PeterboroughPlayers20. You can view the Virtual Gala on Facebook Live and You Tube. For more information visit www.peterboroughplayers.org.
You can create the feeling of the Gala by making your own appetizers to enjoy, and mixing up a cocktail to sip. You will have to tune in to get the tutorial from Kraig Swartz on making his famous Second Company mojito. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
This is a good choice for something a little more substantial. If you want them with a kick, put a little squirt of Sriracha in the mushroom cap before stuffing. The leftovers make a great lunch.
■15-20 Baby Bella mushrooms, stems removed. Wipe mushroom gently with a soft dry cloth, and carefully remove gills.
■1 tbsp butter
■2 tsp diced garlic
■6 ounces salmon, fresh poached or good quality canned drain well
■3 ounces cream cheese, softened
■1 large egg, beaten
■½ cup shredded fresh parmesan
■½ cup panko bread crumbs
■¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms, and finely dice. Sauté in a medium pan over medium heat with butter and garlic. Mix the cooked stems with the remaining ingredients. Spoon the mixture into mushroom caps. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until filling is melted and hot.
A nice warm dish of cheesy goodness for a cool autumn evening. Leftovers can be used as a pasta sauce or sandwich spread.
■1 tbsp olive oil
■1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
■8 ounce log goat cheese
■¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
■1 clove garlic, minced
■¼ tsp salt
■1 tsp fresh lemon juice
■¼ cup chopped fresh basil
■¼ lb red cherry tomatoes
■¼ lb yellow cherry tomatoes
■Toasted baguette for serving
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 6 inch baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, ricotta, goat cheese, feta, garlic, salt, lemon juice, and basil. Combine as much as possible. Gently stir in half of the red and half of the yellow tomatoes. Pour into the baking dish and top with remaining tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned. The tomatoes should burst during cooking, but if any are still whole, pierce them to burst before serving.
It’s hard to find vegetable appetizers beyond crudité and dip. Brussels sprouts are in season and at their sweetest right now. And since they are naturally bite sized and so easy to prepare, I think they make a perfect appetizer. You can also prepare them ahead and serve warm or at room temperature. The balsamic syrup takes them up a notch.
■1 lb Brussels sprouts, stem sliced off and halved. Remove any damaged or discolored leaves.
■2 tbsp olive oil
■¼ tsp sea salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet combine Brussels sprouts, olive oil and salt. Toss until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer, cut sides down. Do not crowd the pan. Roast about 20-25 minutes, until tender and deeply golden. Drizzle with balsamic syrup.
Balsamic Glaze
■2 cups balsamic vinegar
Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally until it thickens, coats the back of a spoon, and is reduced to about ½ cup. Set aside to cool – it will thicken slightly more as it cools. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Use it on meats, pizza, any roasted veggies, classic Caprese salad, or just sliced fresh tomatoes.
This is an easy little sweet to round out the menu. It’s a perfect use for the other half of the cream cheese used in the mushrooms, and half of the baguette from the cheese tomato dip. They can be served warm or at room temperature. Leftover spread is great on toast or a bagel for breakfast, or on graham crackers.
■4 onces cream cheese, softened
■¼ cup pumpkin puree
■1 ½ tbsp brown sugar, packed
■¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice
■½ tsp vanilla
■¼ cup finely chopped pecans
■Baguette sliced 5/8” thick
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese for about 30 seconds. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, spice, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread a generous amount on to baguette slices. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake for 5 minutes, or until heated through.
This is a spicy and sweet take on a classic Manhattan, which makes it an ideal after dinner sipper. To make it extra festive, and more of a dessert, rim the glass with crushed candy.
■2 ounces Canadian Whiskey, Rye or Bourbon
■1 ounce Fireball cinnamon whiskey
■1 ounce sweet vermouth
■Maraschino cherry
■Atomic Fireball or hard cinnamon candies, crushed, for optional rimming of glass
Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a cherry. To rim the glass, coat the rim with water. Place crushed candy on a saucer. Turn glass upside down and press rim into crushed candy, twisting around a bit to ensure the entire rim is coated.