Stonewall Kitchen

Stonewall Kitchen is owned by Jonathan King and Jim Stott. Look for their great products at the flagship store in York, or at their Portsmouth store. You can also order on-line at www.stonewallkitchen.com, or through their catalogues. For more information about Stonewall Kitchen, call (207) 351-2712, or visit the website.

Jonathan King offers a bounty of easy, flavorful ideas. "I love recipes that you can pull together quickly, and I don't hesitate to use prepared product," he says. "If you want to entertain spur-of-the-moment, this is the way to go. Or, if you need help reducing the workload for a party, these work perfectly."

Appetizers   

Jonathan suggests having filo cups from Pepperidge Farm on hand. These little pastry cups can be purchased frozen or completely cooked, and are found in any grocery store. They come in different shapes and sizes so they have a range of uses. If you buy the frozen, be sure to thaw them first. He also doesn't hesitate to use quality store-bought meatballs.  * Fill the pastry cups with goat cheese and top with a savory jam, such as their Pepper Jelly or Holiday Jam. Serve warm.

* Mix a Stonewall chutney with a quality bar cream cheese, shredded cheddar or Colby cheese and scallions for the perfect cheese ball. "I made this for Martha Stewart on her television show," recalls Jonathan. "She loved it. She never knew a cheese ball could be so easy."

* Top a bar of quality cream cheese with pepper jelly or other savory jam and serve with crackers. For a real treat, top half the bar with a savory jam and half with a sweet jam.

* Warm store-bought meatballs in your crockpot, but give them some zip by adding a jar of great grilling sauce, such as wasabi ginger, maple chipolte or mushroom sauce.

Desserts

* Use puff pastry tarts with no center; serve warm and filled with a mixture of lemon or lime curd  and sour cream, and topped with fresh berries. Drizzle the tarts with a high quality warm chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce. "People will think you are an amazing cook," says Jonathan. "And total prep time is only 10 minutes!"

* Buy profiteroles and fill them with high-quality ice cream, then top with a great hot fudge sauce, or to be a bit more creative, and use a cognac or black cherry chocolate sauce.