Filled Celery
When I was growing up every Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve our family would all pile in the car and drive to my Granny and Grandpa's home for a big dinner and and extended family get-together. We always had a great time and enjoyed a lovely formal dinner.
One thing Granny served at the beginning of the meal was a "Relish Tray." This was what we call a vegetable tray now. It usually had carrot sticks, celery filled with a flavored soft cheese spread, small sweet pickles, radishes cut like roses, olives, and small things that looked like mini corn cobs (were they pickled?). As kids we stuck the olives on our fingers and ate them and tried some of the other foods.
For Thanksgiving last week I made filled celery (we also had baby carrots and olives, but that's as fancy as we got!). I don't think you could buy a ready made veggie tray like you can today. Back then, my Granny would prepare the vegetables all herself. She would use a Kraft cheese spread to fill the celery (you can still find this in the stores--it comes in small glass jars and it's by the salad dressings). I like to use a flavored cream cheese--the garden vegetable flavor tastes great with the celery.
Filled Celery
celery stalks, cut into short sections
flavored cream cheese
Wash and dry the celery (place it on paper towels to drip dry or actually dry it off). Cut it into short sections. Use a knife to fill the curved part of the celery with flavored cream cheese. You can also place the cream cheese in a zip top bag, cut off a corner, and pipe it into the celery sticks.
Tiffany's Notes: I used a pastry tip on a bag and filled the celery with lines of cream cheese. After doing a few that way I experimented with small flowers/stars--that was easier and looked cute! If the celery is wet the cheese will slip out. I'm sure you could flavor your own plain cream cheese with various spices and herbs!
One thing Granny served at the beginning of the meal was a "Relish Tray." This was what we call a vegetable tray now. It usually had carrot sticks, celery filled with a flavored soft cheese spread, small sweet pickles, radishes cut like roses, olives, and small things that looked like mini corn cobs (were they pickled?). As kids we stuck the olives on our fingers and ate them and tried some of the other foods.
For Thanksgiving last week I made filled celery (we also had baby carrots and olives, but that's as fancy as we got!). I don't think you could buy a ready made veggie tray like you can today. Back then, my Granny would prepare the vegetables all herself. She would use a Kraft cheese spread to fill the celery (you can still find this in the stores--it comes in small glass jars and it's by the salad dressings). I like to use a flavored cream cheese--the garden vegetable flavor tastes great with the celery.
celery stalks, cut into short sections
flavored cream cheese
Wash and dry the celery (place it on paper towels to drip dry or actually dry it off). Cut it into short sections. Use a knife to fill the curved part of the celery with flavored cream cheese. You can also place the cream cheese in a zip top bag, cut off a corner, and pipe it into the celery sticks.
Tiffany's Notes: I used a pastry tip on a bag and filled the celery with lines of cream cheese. After doing a few that way I experimented with small flowers/stars--that was easier and looked cute! If the celery is wet the cheese will slip out. I'm sure you could flavor your own plain cream cheese with various spices and herbs!
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