Victoria MN Newspaper

Pineapple Chutney♫

from Sue Orsen, pianist

1 eight-oz. can crushed pineapple

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tblsp. finely chopped onion

2 Tblsp. vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

dash red ground pepper

1 eight-oz. pkg. cream cheese

Drain pineapple, reserving the liquid. Put liquid in saucepan and add raisins, sugar, onion, vinegar, salt, and red pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in pineapple and then chill. After chilled, spoon pineapple mixture over cream cheese on a serving plate. Serve with crackers or slices of party bread.

Writes Sue, "I used to make this recipe over 30 years ago, before there were so many easy store-bought chutneys available. As a matter of fact, I wrote the recipe on the back of a computer card dated 1982, when computer cards were stacked and fed into rather large contraptions. For your information, I was also adept with the slide rule! In any case, I made this recipe again recently and was happy to say that I made it 'from scratch.' But I was even happier to remind my tastebuds of this delicious concoction. In the past I recall serving the pineapple chutney over a round of brie cheese. I just learned that true brie cheese is a soft farmhouse cheese made of unpasteurized cow's milk. Byerly's in Chanhassen has an excellent assortment of unpasteurized cheeses."

Smoked Salmon Spread♫

from Sue Orsen, pianist

1 lb. smoked salmon

16 oz. cream cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 Tblsp. dijon mustard

1/2 Tblsp. lemon juice

1 Tblsp chives, finely chopped

Finely shred the smoked salmon. Add softened cream cheese, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, chives, and mix together well with a fork. Pepper to taste. Enjoy on crackers, bagels or bread. Serve with capers on your favorite crackers. I've substituted finely chopped red onion for the chives, which works well too.

Writes Sue, "This delicious recipe was served to us several years ago in Alaska, while in a little boat on a side tour, off our cruise ship, in Sitka, when we were looking for whales, sea lions, and puffin birds. I suspect the fresh Alaskan air made it taste even better. But we love it even on land!

"I've played piano for the St. Victoria Choir for over 30 years, most of those years in the choir loft of the old church, now these past few years behind the pillar in the new church. All of these years I have played for the Christmas Midnight Mass, which has never been held at midnight in my time. Every year I give up the peace and comfort of Christmas Eve at home with my family, to accept the weight of piano responsibility and go out alone on a cold winter's night. Why? It must be a labor of love -- not unlike with the Gazette. Indeed, I love the challenge of difficult piano pieces. I love playing for Jamie and the choir. I love the friendships. I love the music, all of it.

"One of my favorite Christmas hymns, which our choir does sometimes as a soft and simple congregational piece, is 'Night of Silence' sung simultaneously with 'Silent Night.'

"Yes, I asked our good choir members about butterflies before our annual concerts. Looks as though I'm the only one. I am always rather excited to receive the new music and learn it, but I'm always a bit unnerved by the responsibility of a concert setting. If I mess up in a big way, it could ruin things for Jamie and the choir.

"I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and good time spent with people you love and people who love you. Above all, I wish you to have good will -- toward yourself, your friends, your family, including those people you don't like so much. What goes around, comes around, and I wish for peace and good will to go around and come around."