THROW A GREAT PARTY; MAKE `THE SIMPLER, THE BETTER' YOUR SUMMER MOTTO.Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Food Editor June is the month to celebrate graduations, anniversaries and showers with stylish parties. For memorable festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. , keep the menu simple but great-tasting, advises Ina Garten  Ina Rosenberg Garten (born February 2 1948) is an American author, and host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa. , author of ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' (Clarkson Potter; $32.50), named after her East Hampton East Hampton or its variants is the name of several places in the United States:
``Entertaining is about recess; it's about having fun, not just for the guests but also for the host. It's about connecting with friends,'' said Garten, whose book is full of fun party ideas. ``The key to delicious simple food is, of course, to use the best ingredients.'' To honor new graduates, married couples or the bride-to-be, Garten suggests a a wonderful outdoor buffet with ham as the centerpiece and lots of good accompaniments such as grilled and roasted vegetable platters, assorted salads like Fresh Corn and Vegetable Coleslaw cole·slaw also cole slaw n. A salad of finely shredded raw cabbage and sometimes shredded carrots, dressed with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette. and fresh fruit platters. ``Ham is fabulous and the easiest thing in the world,'' Garten says. She uses a spiral-cut smoked ham and tops it with a glaze that takes just minutes to make in a food processor with mango chutney chut·ney n. A pungent relish made of fruits, spices, and herbs. [Hindi ca  n , Dijon mustard, brown sugar, orange peel and orange juice. Her corn salad is best made with fresh corn, she noted, as frozen doesn't have the texture or flavor desired for a fresh salad. Her coleslaw is the store's classic with more flavor than traditional recipes, she said. It's not necessary to cook all the food for a party. You can arrange gorgeous no-cook party platters with store-bought food that is stylish and delicious. Or you can simply assemble party food by arranging ingredients for an appetizer that might include farmhouse cheddar cheese, apple slices and chutney. Garten includes plenty of ideas in the back of the book. ``The secret is that platters are very easy to make!'' Vegetable platters are a cinch cinch a saddle girth on an American stock saddle. Tightens with a knot on a ring instead of with straps and buckles. for home cooks. Garten, who does lots of vegetable platters for parties, favors combining grilled, roasted and boiled vegetables - and allows about a half-pound per person. ``You can cook all the vegetables yourself, or add some prepared vegetables that you buy from a specialty food store.'' ``It is important to remember that the better the ingredients, the less you need to do to make the dish taste good. Be inventive - but mix the colors and textures to make a beautiful arrangement. I choose vegetables that have hot colors that seem to clash: carrots, beets, cherry tomatoes, purple onions and yellow peppers.'' For fruit platters, be sure to choose ripe, seasonal fruit. ``Visually, your eye needs to have a focal point focal point n. See focus. and to be able to see each type of fruit. I like to have one thing that is taller than the rest, such as a large bunch of grapes or a decoratively cut papaya papaya (pəpī`ə), soft-stemmed tree (Carica papaya) of tropical America resembling a palm with a crown of palmately lobed leaves. , to give the platter height.'' Then she adds berries and other fruits in casual but organized groups. Her design concept for her colorful platters is Japanese-inspired, she said. ``Tall represents the sky, something solid in the middle represents the earth, and foods that flow forward represent the water. Once you have those three elements in any platter, it gives grounding to the design and it looks better.'' On a fruit platter, for instance, she might arrange a big bunch of grapes that stand tall, melons in the middle and berries flowing forward. ``The simpler it is, the better it looks. Avoid lots of colors with no design element or focal point.'' Over the years, Garten has refined her style, recipes and entertaining. ``My entertaining at home has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. I've learned the simpler the food, the more fun the party. ``Food is not about impressing people,'' she said. ``In fact, it's just the opposite; it's about making them feel comfortable.'' Last Fourth of July Fourth of July, Independence Day, or July Fourth, U.S. holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Celebration of it began during the American Revolution. , for instance, she opted to grill hamburgers, and for dessert she set out all the fixings for ice cream sodas The ice cream soda or float is a treat made, typically, by mixing ice cream with either a soft drink or flavored syrup and carbonated water, often with some special technique to encourage the partial slushing of the ice cream itself. so everyone could make their own. ``Guests loved it - and loosened up. And I didn't have to cook.'' For successful parties, do as much as possible the day before the party. And get everything done before the guests arrive, emphasized Garten. Have all the drinks out on a table so guests can help themselves and each other. A party is about connecting with people. ``The most useful thing I learned by cooking professionally is that there are a million things that you can do in advance to make cooking less stressful.'' Use an eclectic mix of platters and baskets for serving. And when serving buffet style, be sure to position food items at different levels (use pedestals) for the most attractive presentation. Platters in the back should be higher than those in front. Garten's philosophy of food revolves around taking really good ingredients and enhancing them - not masking them - in cooking. ``I take a local chicken, for example, and my goal is to bring out the most wonderful flavor possible.'' It's really about simple food and using the best fresh local ingredients (i.e. cheeses, sausages, fruits, etc.) available. ``Recipes that are successful in the store are often the simplest.'' Garten doesn't feel threatened by giving out her recipes. `It feels like a generous thing to do for my customers.'' Garten believes a cookbook is just a starting place for cooks and that people should give recipes their own style. Garten's ideas for her creations come from various sources and, over the years, recipes evolve and change with the times. Sometimes she creates a dish to be reminiscent of something old-fashioned and familiar. For instance, the grilled salmon salad she came up with looks and tastes better and fresher than tuna salad. She grills the salmon and tosses it with raspberry vinegar and olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. for wonderful flavor. Her Pan-Fried Onion Dip brings back memories of that Lipton favorite, California Dip, but Garten's rendition contains caramelized onions and is more flavorful. For a summer party dessert, Garten recommends an easily prepared Raspberry Tart with a shortbread crust. And if you don't have time for that, assemble a platter of fresh raspberries with store-bought creme fraiche crème fraîche n. Cream that has been slightly fermented and thickened with lactic acid, often used as a topping or an ingredient in sauces. [French : crème, cream + fraîche, fresh.] and shortbread cookies purchased at a bakery. Also included are a couple of other dessert options for summer parties including Tuscan Rosemary and Pine Nut pine nut or piñon (pĭn`yən, pē`nyōn), edible seed of various species of pine trees. Among the North American species that bear such edible seeds are the nut pines or piñons, Pinus edulis Bars and Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake, both of which go together in a jiffy A fraction of time that has numerous interpretations depending on who uses it. It may refer to one computer clock cycle, one nanosecond, one millisecond or one AC power cycle. There may be others. See nanosecond. 1. . They're from the new ``Short & Sweet, Sophisticated Desserts in No Time at All'' by Melanie Barnard (Houghton Mifflin Houghton Mifflin Company is a leading educational publisher in the United States. The company's headquarters is located in Boston's Back Bay. It publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers ; $25). It features numerous shortcuts See Win Shortcuts. that result in delicious desserts in under 30 minutes with seven ingredients or less. Many of the simple creations would make great party fare. Try the following creations for a stylish party. SUN-DRIED TOMATO DIP Here is the most popular dip at Barefoot Contessa. Reminiscent of Russian dressing Russian dressing n. Salad dressing, such as mayonnaise, with chili sauce or ketchup, chopped pickles, and pimientos. Noun 1. Russian dressing , it is updated with the intense flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and fresh green onions. 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes) 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup dairy sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 10 dashes Tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon kosher salt kosher salt n. A refined, coarse-grained salt with no additives. [From its use in making meat kosher by drawing out the blood.] 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper black pepper or pepper Perennial, woody climbing vine (Piper nigrum) of the family Piperaceae, native to India; also, the hotly pungent spice made from its berries. 2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts) Puree pu·rée or pu·ree tr.v. pu·réed or pu·reed, pu·rée·ing or pu·ree·ing, pu·rées or pu·rees To rub through a strainer or process (food) in a blender. n. tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper
From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). BAKED HAM This is the ultimate party dish. The glaze takes only a minute to make, and the ham tastes like you worked for hours. Order a spiral-cut smoked ham from the butcher, so you don't have to slice it. Serve it for cocktails with mini corn muffins, or for an entree with extra mustard and chutney. 1 (14- to 16-pound) fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham 6 garlic cloves 8 1/2 ounces mango chutney (Major Grey's) 1/2 cup Dijon mustard 1 cup packed light brown sugar Peel of 1 orange 1/4 cup freshly squeezed
Place ham in a heavy roasting pan. Mince garlic in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add chutney, mustard, brown sugar, orange peel and orange juice and process until smooth. Pour glaze over glaze over Verb to become dull through boredom or inattention: the listener's eyes glaze over Verb 1. ham. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 1 hour, until ham is fully heated and glaze is well browned. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 35 entree servings; 50 appetizer servings. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). FRESH CORN SALAD For a particularly beautiful salad, you can mix white and yellow corn. Don't substitute frozen corn; it doesn't have the texture or flavor you want in a fresh salad. Water 5 ears corn, shucked 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion) 3 tablespoons cider vinegar cider vinegar n. Vinegar made from fermented apple cider. Noun 1. cider vinegar - vinegar made from cider vinegar, acetum - sour-tasting liquid produced usually by oxidation of the alcohol in wine or cider and used as a 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup chiffonade Chiffonade is a cooking technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and basil) are cut into long, thin strips. This is generally accomplished by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, then cutting across the rolled leaves with a sharp knife, producing fine fresh basil leaves In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook corn 3 minutes, until starchiness starch·y adj. starch·i·er, starch·i·est 1. a. Containing starch. b. Stiffened with starch. 2. Of or resembling starch. 3. is just gone. Drain and immerse in ice water to stop cooking and set color. When corn is cool, cut kernels off cob, cutting close to cob. Toss kernels into a large bowl with red onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss in fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). VEGETABLE COLESLAW This is like traditional coleslaw but has a lot more flavor. The vegetables can be sliced by hand, but it's faster to use a food process. Placing the vegetables horizontally in the food processor ensures long shreds. 1 pound white cabbage (1/2 small head) 3/4 pound red cabbage (1/2 small head) 5 carrots 2 cups mayonnaise 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons celery seeds 1 teaspoon celery salt Noun 1. celery salt - ground celery seed and salt flavorer, flavoring, flavourer, flavouring, seasoning, seasoner - something added to food primarily for the savor it imparts 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Fit a food processor with thickest slicing blade. Cut cabbages into small wedges and place horizontally into feed tube. Process in batches. Next, fit food processor with grating blade. Cut carrots in half and place in feed tube so they are lying on their sides. Process in batches and mix in a bowl with shredded cabbages. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, celery salt, kosher salt and pepper. Pour enough of dressing over vegetables to moisten. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 8 to 10 servings. NOTE: Vegetables can be prepared a day ahead and stored, unwrapped in plastic food container in refrigerator. Keep red cabbage separate, or it will turn other vegetables pink. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). VEGETABLE PLATTER Vegetable platters are very easy to do at home: You can cook all the vegetables yourself, or add some prepared vegetables from a specialty food store. Combine the flavors of grilled vegetables, roasted vegetables and even boiled potatoes boiled potatoes boil n → pommes fpl à l'anglaise or à l'eau boiled potatoes npl → Salzkartoffeln pl and beets. Be inventive, but mix the colors and textures to make a beautiful arrangement. Allow a half-pound of vegetables per person. Arrange the vegetables in groups on a large platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve either hot or at room temperature. GRILLED VEGETABLES Bell peppers, seeded and cut into quarters Zucchini, sliced diagonally 1/2-inch thick Eggplant eggplant, name for Solanum melongena, a large-leaved woody perennial shrub (often grown as an annual herb) of the family Solanaceae (nightshade family), and also cultivated for its ovoid fruit. , unpeeled Un`peeled a. 1. Thoroughly stripped; pillaged. 2. Not peeled. and sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick Red onions, sliced 1/2-inch thick Asparagus, tough ends removed Beets, unpeeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Toss each vegetable with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill over hot coals or on a cast-iron stove-top grill until soft and charred, about 15 to 20 minutes. ROASTED VEGETABLES Carrots, sliced in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts, variety (gemmifera) of cabbage producing small edible heads (sprouts) along the stem. It is cultivated like cabbage and was first developed in Belgium and France in the 18th cent. , ends cut off and any yellow outer leaves removed Fennel fennel, common name for several perennial herbs, genus Foeniculum vulgare of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), related to dill. The strawlike foliage and the seeds are licorice-scented and are used (especially in Italian cooking) for flavoring. bulbs, stems removed and bulb cut into 1/2-inch thick slices Butternut butternut: see walnut. butternut Deciduous nut-producing tree (Juglans cinerea) of the walnut family, native to eastern North America. A mature tree has gray, deeply furrowed bark. squash, cut into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch cubes New potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters Sweet potatoes, unpeeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick Beets, unpeeled and cut onto quarters Olive oil Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Toss each vegetables with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in preheated 400-degree oven 20 to 40 minutes, until tender on inside and crisp on outside. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). FRESH FRUIT PLATTER The most important thing about making one of these platters is choosing ripe, seasonal fruit. After that, it's just cutting and arranging. For 10 to 12 people, here's a suggested list of ingredients. 2 small ripe melons 1 golden pineapple 2 bunches grapes 1 pint fresh figs 1 pint raspberries 1 pint strawberries 1 pint blueberries 1 red papaya Begin platter with a base of ripe, colorful, sliced melons and pineapple - for example, cantaloupe cantaloupe: see gourd; melon. , honeydew OR Galia melons, plus pineapples. Peel outside of a whole melon, cut in half through stem end and scoop out Verb 1. scoop out - hollow out with a scoop; "scoop out a melon" core out, hollow out, hollow - remove the interior of; "hollow out a tree trunk" 2. seeds. Place melon halves, cut side down, on a board and slice straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan each half-melon out slightly and arrange on platter. Next, cut off top and bottom of pineapple, peel outside and use a sharp knife to remove ``eyes.'' Cut pineapple in half lengthwise length·wise adv. & adj. Of, along, or in reference to the direction of the length; longitudinally. Adj. 1. lengthwise and remove core by cutting a ``V'' down center of each half. Again, place pineapple halves, cut side down, on a board and slice straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan slices out and arrange next to melon on platter. Once base is set, you can add any kind of fruit that is available. I like to have one thing that is taller than the rest, such as a large bunch of grapes or a decoratively cut papaya, to give platter height. Then I add raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and fresh figs in casual but organized groups. Visually, your eye needs to have a focal point and be able to see each type of fruit. After all fruit is arranged, add flat green leaves around outside of fruit to set off colors. Use lemon and galax galax: see diapensia. leaves from a florist or fig leaves fig leaves used to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness. [O.T.: Genesis 3:7] See : Modesty and grape leaves from your garden. Make sure they are pesticide-free and well rinsed. Any kind of fruit will work well on this platter. For special occasions, add persimmons, kiwi, passion fruit, Queen Anne Queen Anne n. The style in English architecture and furniture typical of the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714). Queen Anne Adjective 1. cherries, fresh apricots and mangoes. Choose whatever is colorful and seasonal. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). RASPBERRY TART For this shortbread crust, just press the dough into the pan rather than rolling it out. TART SHELL: 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 3/4 cups all-purpose four Pinch salt FILLING: 1 cup raspberry preserves 1 1/2 pints fresh raspberries (3 packages) For Tart Shell, in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar together until just combined. Add vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt, then add to butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Press dough into a 10-inch-round or 9-inch-square removable-bottom tart pan, making sure that finished edge is flat. Chill until firm. Butter one side of a square of foil to fit inside tart and place it, buttered side down, on pastry. Fill with dry, uncooked beans or rice. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans, prick tart all over with tines of a fork and bake again 20 to 25 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature. For Filling, spread tart with raspberries preserves and place fresh raspberries, stem end down, in concentric circles. If making a square tart, place raspberries in rows. Serve immediately. Makes 10 to 12 servings. NOTE: Tart shell can be baked a day ahead, and tart can be assembled a few hours before serving. Never refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. a baked shell or a finished tart. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter). TUSCAN ROSEMARY AND PINE NUT BARS Don't scoff at putting pungent rosemary into cookies. These bars are simply terrific. Pair them with a plate of grapes or pears and wedges of dessert cheeses. 1/4 cup pine nuts 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary OR 2 teaspoons dried 1 cup all-purpose flour Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet baking sheet n. A flat rectangular metal pan, often with at least one rolled-up edge, used for baking. and place in preheated 350-degree oven. Toast, stirring once or twice to prevent burning, until they are a shade darker and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully; pine nuts burn easily. Remove from baking sheet and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Remove pan from heat and stir in powdered sugar, rosemary and pine nuts. Then stir in flour to make a stiff dough. Spread and pat dough evenly into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake until bars are golden and firm at edges, about 20 minutes. Cool pan on a rack, about 2 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Let bars cool in pan at least 10 minutes before removing with a small spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. . Bars can be stored, tightly covered, up to 5 days or frozen for 1 month. Makes 16 cookies. From ``Short and Sweet, Sophisticated Desserts in No Time at All'' by Melanie Barnard (Houghton Mifflin). RASPBERRY LEMON LAYER CAKE Most special events are commemorated with a layer cake. With high-quality prepared ingredients, such as store-bought pound cake and lemon curd Noun 1. lemon curd - a conserve with a thick consistency; made with lemons and butter and eggs and sugar lemon cheese conserve, conserves, preserves, preserve - fruit preserved by cooking with sugar Britain, Great Britain, U.K. , creating a delicious and beautiful layer cake takes just minutes and no skill at all. 1 1/2 cups whipping OR heavy cream, chilled 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 3 tablespoons orange liqueur Noun 1. orange liqueur - liqueur flavored with orange cordial, liqueur - strong highly flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal curacoa, curacao - flavored with sour orange peel triple sec - type of curacao having higher alcoholic content , such as Grand Marnier Grand Marnier: see liqueur. OR Cointreau OR orange syrup 1 store-bought pound cake (10- to 12-ounce package) 1 cup store-bought lemon curd OR 1/2 cup lemon OR orange marmalade 3 baskets (1/2 pint EACH) fresh raspberries, preferably 1 EACH of red, black and golden berries Whip cream, powdered sugar and liqueur liqueur (lĭkûr`), strong alcoholic beverage made of almost neutral spirits, flavored with herb mixtures, fruits, or other materials, and usually sweetened. The name derives from the Latin word to melt. to firm peaks; set aside. Use a serrated serrated /ser·rat·ed/ (ser´at-ed) having a sawlike edge. serrated (ser´āted), adj having a jagged or notched edge; saw-toothed. knife to cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers. Place a bottom layer of cake on a platter. Spread 1/3 of lemon curd over cake. Top with a single layer of raspberries, placed in rows, using alternating berry colors if you have them. Spread 1/3 of whipped cream over berries, taking care not to disturb rows. Make another layer of cake, lemon curd, berries and cream in same way. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining lemon curd over top of cake. Frost top and sides with remaining whipped cream. Decorate top with remaining berries. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 4 hours. To serve, use a serrated knife to cut thick slices. Makes 6 servings. From ``Short and Sweet, Sophisticated Desserts in No Time at All'' by Melanie Barnard (Houghton Mifflin). TOFFEE BARS The enduring candy-bar flavor combination of crisp, buttery toffee and milk chocolate is equally appealing in a shortbread cookie. Now that toffee chips are readily available, this recipe has become my favorite My Favorite is an independent synthpop band from Long Island, New York. They released two CDs: Love at Absolute Zero and Happiest Days of Our Lives. My Favorite broke up on September 14, 2005, when singer Andrea Vaughn left the band. for quick bar cookies. 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons toffee chips, such as Heath OR Skor 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir butter until it is melted, light brown and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove pan from heat and stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour to make a stiff dough, then stir in 1/2 cup toffee chips. Spread and pat dough into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Place pan on a rack. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Wait 1 minute to allow chocolate to melt, then spread over bars to form an icing. (If chocolate does not melt, return pan to oven for a few seconds, then spread.) Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons toffee chips. Let bars cool in pan 2 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes more, then refrigerate at least 5 to 10 minutes to set chocolate before using a small spatula to remove bars from pan. Bars can be stored, tightly covered, up to 5 days, or frozen up to 2 months. Makes 16 cookies. From ``Short and Sweet, Sophisticated Desserts in No Time at All'' by Melanie Barnard (Houghton Mifflin). CAPTION(S): 5 Photos PHOTO (1--Color) ABOVE: A fresh fruit platter makes a great addition to a summer party and requires no cooking. Be sure to use the best ripe, seasonal fruit you can find. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' (2--Color) TOP LEFT: For the ultimate party dish, offer a spiral-cut smoked ham, top left, glazed with mango chutney, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, garlic and orange peel and juice. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' (3--Color) LEFT: Assemble a vegetable platter, left, with grilled, roasted or boiled vegetables purchased from a specialty food store or prepared yourself. Mix colors and textures for a beautiful arrangement and allow about a half-pound of vegetables per person. From ``The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'' (4--Color) Don't turn your nose up at putting rosemary into Tuscan Rosemary and Pine Nut Bars. They're great. From ``Short & Sweet Sophisticated Desserts in No Time at All'' (5--Color) For a simply prepared cake for summer celebrations, whip up Raspberry Lemon Layer Cake with store-bought pound cake, lemon curd, whipping cream Noun 1. whipping cream - cream that has enough butterfat (30% to 36%) to be whipped light whipping cream cream - the part of milk containing the butterfat and raspberries. It only takes a few minutes. From ``Short & Sweet Sophisticated Desserts in No Time at All'' |
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