Pineapple Freeze
16oz. Crushed Pineapple, undrained
Place unopened can of pineapple in freezer until hard. Then, place under hot running water for 30 seconds and remove from can. Place in blender half at a time and blend to slush consistency.
Marinated Mushrooms
1 C. White wine
2 T. Brown sugar
1/4 C. Sliced green onion
1 tsp. Hot red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Oregano leaves
1/2 C. White wine vinegar
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. Diced red pepper
1 lb. Small fresh mushrooms, trim
1/4 tsp. Ground black pepper
Combine wine, vinegar, sugar, garlic, green onion, red pepper and red pepper flakes in 8 C. microwaveable casserole. Cover; microwave at high 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture is simmering. Add mushrooms. Cover; microwave at high 6 to 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender but not mushy. Stir partway through cooking. Stir in salt, oregano and pepper. Let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. Transfer to covered jar or container. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Marinated Shrimp with Artichokes
1 lb. prepared shrimp (cooked, peeled, de-veined, tails removed)
2 C. quartered canned artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 C. Italian parsley, minced
1 C. Italian dressing
Mix ingredients, Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours to allow flavors to marry, stirring occasionally. Serve with toothpicks.
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Hide and Seek Muffins
1 ½ C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
¼ C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 C. Milk
½ tsp. Vanilla
4 T. melted Butter
12 medium Strawberries
2-3 T. Sugar
Sift together all dry ingredients into a medium size bowl.  Preheat oven to 375. Place muffin papers in tin.  Breaks eggs into a second bowl. Add milk, vanilla and melted butter. Whisk about 20 times. Pour milk mixture into the flour mixture. Mix with the spoon “until the flour is all goneâ€. Fill muffin papers halfway (use a ¼ C measure). Roll a strawberry in sugar the put it in the center of the muffin, pushing it down into the batter. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way down comes out clean. Remove from pan to cool and let sit at least 10 minutes before eating.
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Grilled Quesadillas
8 10 inch flour tortillas
6 oz. jack or cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 to 4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 to 4 fresh or pickled jalapeno chilies, thinly sliced
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 C. Fresh cilantro sprigs
3 T. melted butter
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high. Place the tortillas on the grill and warm just until pliable, 10 seconds per side. Transfer the tortillas to a work surface. Arrange a few cheese, tomato, and chili slices on half of each tortilla. Top with scallions and cilantro. Fold the tortillas in half. Brush on both sides with melted butter. The quesadillas can be prepared an hour or 2 ahead to this stage. Return the quesadillas to the grill and grill until the tortillas are golden-brown and the cheese is slightly melted, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Take care not to let the quesadillas burn. Serve at once either whole or cut into wedges.
Variations: You can stuff quesadillas with just about anything-goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, gouda cheese and roasted peppers, sliced grilled chicken, fish, or pork. You could also use corn tortillas instead of flour. The possibilities are limited only to your imagination.
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Garlic and Anchovy Crostini
1 baguette, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 anchovies, minced
â…“ C. extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350°F (198°C). Toast sliced baguette in the oven, turning to brown both sides. In a small bowl, mix garlic, anchovies and olive oil together. Brush toasted baguette slices with mixture.
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Southwestern Egg Rolls
1 package Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets
2 T. vegetable oil
2 T. minced green onion
2 T. minced red bell pepper
1/3 C. frozen corn kernels
1/4 C. black beans, rinsed and drained
2 T. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 T. diced jalapeno peppers
1/2 T. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/3 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
3/4 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 quart oil for deep frying
Rub 1 T. vegetable oil over chicken breast. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken approximately 5 minutes per side, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat remaining 1 T. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender. Dice chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack cheese so that it melts. Wrap tortillas with a clean, lightly moist cloth. Microwave on high approximately 1 minute, or until hot and pliable. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, and then roll tightly around mixture. Secure with toothpicks. Arrange in a medium dish, cover with plastic, and place in the freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil for deep frying to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry frozen, stuffed tortillas 10 minutes each, or until dark golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.
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Pickled Mushrooms
1 lb. Mushrooms, uniform size
1 1/2 C. Water
3/4 C. Olive Oil
2 T. Lemon Juice
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 stalk Celery, diced fine
1 T. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Fennel Seed
1/4 tsp. Oregano
3/4 tsp. Coriander
1 bay Leaf
1/4 tsp. Whole Peppercorns
1 tsp. Salt
Clean mushrooms and trim off gritty stem end. In a pan combine all ingredients except mushrooms. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the mushrooms whole and cook another 5 minutes. Cool and chill at least 24 hours. Serve at room temperature.
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Brie, Tomato & Zucchini Puff slice
11 x 200g Puff pastry ready rolled sheet (or roll out a block to form a rectangle approx. 8†x 6â€)
1 pack (125g) Brie Cheese or Camembert Cheese
1-2 medium tomatoes
½ zucchini
Beaten egg to glaze
Preheat oven to 220ºC/425ºF Unroll pastry sheet, trim edges with a sharp knife and place onto a lined baking sheet. Slice the tomatoes, zucchini and cheese. Arrange the ingredients in lines across the pastry sheet, leaving a good border of 2.5cm/1†all round, and overlapping the ingredients slightly. Brush the border with beaten egg and bake for 15 – 18 minutes until the pastry is risen and golden and the cheese melted. Serve hot. Serves 2-3
Marinated Feta and Olive Salad
2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. orange zest
3 T. orange juice
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) cubes
24 mint leaves
1/4 large English cucumber, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
12 pitted green olives, halved
Special equipment: 24 (6-inch) skewers
In a medium bowl combine the fennel seeds, orange zest, orange juice, and pepper. Gently stir in the feta and marinate for 1 hour or more. To make the skewers, place a mint leaf about 3/4-inch up the skewer, then add an olive half, then a chunk of cucumber. Gently place a cube of the marinated feta on the end.
Yield: 6 servings
Calories:Â 80
Fat: 6g
Fiber: 0.5g
Grilled Eggplant with Pistachios and Mint Salsa
12 small eggplants, 3-4 inches long
salt
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, sprinkle liberally with salt and let drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
1/2 C. shelled pistachio kernels
1/2 C. loosely packed mint leaves
1/2 C. loosely packed parsley leaves
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
3/4 C. virgin olive oil
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Blend the nuts, mint, parsley, garlic and scallions to form a fairly smooth paste. Stir in rest of ingredients and let stand. Wash the eggplants thoroughly, dry well, brush with oil, and place under a broiler for 4-5 minutes until skins blister and char. Turn over and brush with oil, brown 1 minute until brown, and serve hot with plenty of salsa.
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Frozen Banana Rolls
1 tortilla (I use La Tortilla wholegrain low-carb, so flexible!)
1 banana (I’ve found the ones slightly past their prime are best)
your favorite brand of peanut butter
a dinner plate covered in plastic wrap
a good, sharp chef’s knife.
Lay the tortilla on the wrap-covered plate. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter evenly over the entire top surface, right to the edges. A couple of inches away from the edge lay the peeled banana directly onto the peanut butter. Bring the smaller edge of the tortilla up over the banana and roll it VERY TIGHTLY into a tube. If you don’t roll it tight, it’ll fall apart when you cut it. Release the plastic wrap from around the plate and roll it up around the tortilla-tube to keep everything in place. Pop in the freezer for a couple of hours. You don’t want it frozen solid, but firm enough so that it slices well. When the tube is frozen, bring it back out onto the plate, cut the ends off with the chef’s knife- you might have to use a slight sawing motion. If the tube feels squishy, put it back in the freezer. Cut the tube into 1″ slices and serve.
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Critter Crunch
1 C. animal crackers
1 C. teddy bear-shaped chocolate or honey-flavored graham cracker
1 C. small pretzel twists
1 C. yogurt-covered raisins
1 C. candy-coated chocolate candies
10 colorful ice-cream cones , if desired
Mix all ingredients except ice-cream cones. Serve snack in cones.   Store in covered container.
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Chihuahua Dip
1 lb. Well-Seasoned Sausage
16oz. Can Refried Beans
4oz. Can Chpped Green Chiles
2 C. Jack Cheese, grated
Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off fat. Spread refried beans in ungreased shallow baking dish. Layer with sausage, chiles, and cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.
Creamy Seafood Dip
4oz. Cream Cheese
1 pint Low-fat Cottage Cheese
3 tsp. Lemon Juice
2 tsp. Prepared Horseradish
1/4 tsp. Tabasco
1/4 C. Chopped Green Onion
1 can Minced Clams, Shrimp, or Crab, drained
Allow cream cheese to sit to room temperature. Blend with cottage cheese and following three ingredients until smooth. Stir in onions and seafood. Serve with raw vegetables or crackers.
Saffron Pistachios
8 ounces roasted pistachios, shelled
2 tsp. Spanish olive oil
4 saffron threads
Salt
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Put all flavor ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add nuts and toss. Transfer to a roasting pan into which the nuts will fit in one single layer. Roast for 20 minutes or until nuts begin to color. Transfer to a paper towel to drain excess oil. NOTES : For a drier consistency substitute spray olive or corn oil.
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Prawn and Lemon Relish
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
6 large prawn, peeled, and, deveined
1/4 C. tomato, concasse
1/4 C. diced preserved lemon, or Lumiere reversion, see recipe for directions
2 T. capers, rinsed
3 tsp. tarragon, finely, chopped
3 tsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely, chopped
1/2 tsp. sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp. black olive tapenade
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat add 1 T. Olive Oil. Add prawns, seasoned with salt and white pepper, cook for one to two minutes until they turn pink and golden brown. Remove from heat and place prawns on a plate to cool. In a bowl, combine tomato, lemon, capers, olives, tarragon, parsley, sherry vinegar and olive oil. Roughly cut cooled prawns and add prawns and juice to mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use. Add tapenade to mixture at very end, just before serving. Mix well.
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Avocado with Ginger & Carrot Dressing
Avocado with Ginger & Carrot Dressing
2 tablespoon water
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2- inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup grape seed oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sweet white miso paste
1 avocado, fanned
Sesame seeds, for topping
To a blender or food processor, add the water, carrots, shallot and ginger. Pulse until carrots and shallot are thoroughly minced. Scrape down the sides and with the blender running, pour in the grape seed oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and sweet white miso paste. Allow the blender to run for 30 seconds or so. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to taste. I added just a pinch of salt. To assemble the snack: half an avocado. Peel the avocado and place flesh side down on a cutting board. Slice it thinly and then gently press on the top, fanning it out. Place a liberal tablespoon of dressing onto the plate. Top with the avocado and then garnish with a few sesame seeds and a pinch of salt.
Fried Not-So-Green Tomatoes
Freshly cooked bacon and the rendered bacon fat
A large green tomato that shows tinges of pink
Salt, pepper and flour
Brown sugar
1/2 C. light cream or half and half
Slice a thin slice off the top and bottom of the tomato and remove the core. Slice into half inch slices. Salt and pepper each slice and dredge in flour. Fry in enough hot bacon fat to cover the skillet. Turn tomatoes over and sprinkle with brown sugar. Brown, flip again, and sprinkle with more sugar. Each side of the tomato will be cooked twice and the brown sugar should caramelize. Remove tomatoes from pan and leave about 1 T. bacon fat. (Sometimes you will have to add an extra T. of fat because the tomatoes will have soaked up the fat in the pan.) Add a tsp. Â or two of flour and cook and stir a minute or so. Stir in half a C. of cream and bring to a boil. Season, pour gravy over tomatoes, and serve with the bacon. Note: Use fairly high heat and watch closely. The tomatoes will turn to mush if the browning process takes too long.
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Oysters with Crème Fraiche, Lemon, and Tarragon
1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
1 T. minced fresh tarragon
1 lemon, zest grated
1 1/2 tsp. undiluted orange juice concentrate
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Kosher or rock salt, for layering
18 large oysters, scrubbed and shucked, oysters left intact in bottom shell
Preheat the broiler. In a mixer bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the creme fraiche or sour cream until soft peaks form. Stir in the tarragon, lemon zest, orange juice concentrate, salt, and cayenne; set aside. In a jelly-roll pan, layer the kosher or rock salt 1/4-inch thick. Gently press the oyster shells into the salt to hold them in place. Broil the oysters 6 inches from the heat source for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until they begin to release their juices and the shells pop open slightly. Remove from the broiler and remove the top oyster shell by inserting a butter knife and popping the shell off. Top each oyster with a spoonful of creme fraiche topping and serve immediately.
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Oysters with Crème Fraiche, Lemon, and Tarragon
1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
1 T. minced fresh tarragon
1 lemon, zest grated
1 1/2 tsp. undiluted orange juice concentrate
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Kosher or rock salt, for layering
18 large oysters, scrubbed and shucked, oysters left intact in bottom shell
Preheat the broiler. In a mixer bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the creme fraiche or sour cream until soft peaks form. Stir in the tarragon, lemon zest, orange juice concentrate, salt, and cayenne; set aside. In a jelly-roll pan, layer the kosher or rock salt 1/4-inch thick. Gently press the oyster shells into the salt to hold them in place. Broil the oysters 6 inches from the heat source for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until they begin to release their juices and the shells pop open slightly. Remove from the broiler and remove the top oyster shell by inserting a butter knife and popping the shell off. Top each oyster with a spoonful of creme fraiche topping and serve immediately.
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Avocado Fries with Spicy Mayo
1 avocado, sliced into ¼ inch slices
½ C. milk
½ C. flour
1 egg, beaten
Canola oil, for frying
½ C. mayonnaise
Juice from ½ lime
Sriracha, or other spicy chili sauce
Fill a skillet with oil until it’s about ¼ – ½ inch full. Heat on high until oil sputters when a drop of water is dropped in. Place the milk, flour and egg into three separate shallow dishes. Beat about a T. of water into the egg mixture. Take a slice of avocado and dunk in milk, then the flour, then the eggs, then back in the flour. Place each slice on a plate until you’ve dunked the whole batch in batter. Slowly add the slices to the oil. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan, so stop before they all start touching each other. After about a minute you’ll see the edges turning brown, this means it’s time to flip them over. Allow to cook for another minute and then remove them from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels. To make the mayonnaise, mix together the mayo, lime juice and sriracha. Add the Sriracha to taste depending on how spicy you want it. Serve alongside your avocado fries and enjoy!
Spicy Toasted Garbanzo Beans and Pistachios
2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1/4 C. corn oil
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 C. shelled raw pistachios
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss garbanzo beans with next 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until garbanzos are golden and crisp, stirring occasionally with metal spatula, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature.) Stir pistachios and thyme into garbanzo mixture. Bake until beans and pistachios are crunchy, about 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl and serve warm.
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Italian Pancake Dunkers
Pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce
2 C. Original Bisquick® mix
1 C. milk
2 eggs
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz.)
1/2 C. finely chopped pepperoni
1/4 C. finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 small tomato, finely chopped (1/2 C.)
Heat pizza sauce until warm; keep warm. Stir Bisquick, milk and eggs until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients.  Spoon batter by T. onto hot griddle; spread slightly.  Cook until edges are dry. Turn; cook until golden. To serve, dunk pancakes into sauce.
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Avocado Egg Rolls
1 pkg (6″) egg roll wrappers
3 avocados, peeled and sliced into long chunks
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/4 C. cilantro, chopped
light oil, such as vegetable oil, for frying
soy sauce
Pour enough oil in a heavy pan to cover the bottom. Heat on medium high. While the oil is getting hot, chop avocado, onion, mango and cilantro. Run your knife through the cilantro thoroughly until it is almost a paste.  To assemble to egg rolls, place a single wrapper on your work surface at an angle so it looks like a diamond rather than a square. Spread a pinch of the cilantro across the center of the wrapper. Top with a slice of avocado, mango and red onion. Fold the corner closest to you over the filling. Fold the sides of the wrapper in and roll the whole thing away from you – much like you are wrapping a burrito. Seal the edge with a little bit of warm water. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.  To fry the egg rolls, place 3-5 in the hot oil, seam side down. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side and drain on paper.
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Smoked Salmon Spirals
1 daikon (Japanese white radish), peeled
4oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 tsp. Fresh Dill, finely chopped or 1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. Finely Chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tsp. Drained Capers
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Grated lemon peel
1/8 tap. Cracked pepper
4oz. Sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
Cucumber Slices
Fresh dill sprigs
Lemon slices
Using vegetable peeler, cut off thin 8×1-inch strips down length of daikon. Mix cream cheese, dill, parsley, capers, mustard, lemon peel and pepper in small bowl. Spread about 1 1/2 tsp. mixture on 1 side of each radish strip. Top with salmon. Roll up tightly. Arrange spiral side up on platter. Garnish with cucumber, dill and lemon.
Crostini with Smoked Trout, Lemon and Chives
12 oz. smoked trout or other smoked fish, skin and bone removed
3 T. mayonnaise
3 to 4 tsp. lemon juice
3 T. chopped dill
2 T. capers, chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 baguette, cut diagonally into 3/8″ slices
2 T. chopped chives
In a large bowl, flake trout coarsely. Fold in mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, capers, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Toast bread until golden on each side. To serve, spread the trout on toast. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley leaf.
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Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip
2 (8 oz.) pkg. Light Cream Cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 (8 oz.) container Sour Cream
2 sm. cans Artichokes (chop finely)
1 (10 oz.) pkg. Frozen Spinach
2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Marjoram
Crushed Red Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and place under a broiler until the dip browns, and is hot and bubbly.
Grilled Scallion Skewers
20 scallions
4 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 10 minutes
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat the grill or a grill pan. Cut the roots and tops off of the scallions so you have the bulb plus 1-inch of the green left. Reserve the scallion tops for future use. Make a few slices into the green part of the scallion so it sprays out a little. Thread the scallions onto the skewers, brush with oil, and grill over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning once or twice.
Yield: Â 4 servings
Calories: Â 45
Fat: 2.5g
Fiber: 2g
Marinated Olives
1 lb. kalamata or other Greek olives
1/4 C. olive or vegetable oil
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Rinse olives with cold water; drain. Place olives in 1-quart jar with tight-fitting lid. Mix all remaining ingredients; pour over olives.  Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 48 hours but no longer than 2 weeks, turning jar upside down occasionally. Serve at room temperature.
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Eggplant Caviar
1/4 C. Olive Oil
2 C. Chopped Celery
2 lg. Onions, chopped
2 lg. Eggplants, peeled and cut into 1†cubes
6 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp. Sugar
1/4 C. Tomato Paste
2 C. Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 tsp. Capers, rinsed and drained
20 large Ripe Black Olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 C. Fresh Parsley
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onions and sauté until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the vinegar, sugar, tomato paste, and mushrooms to the skillet and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Return previously cooked vegetables to the skillet. Add capers, black olives and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and , cover, and simmer until the eggplant is very tender and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate, covered, for 24 hours before serving. Serve with pita crisps or crackers.
Cheese Twists
1 C. Flour
1/4 tap. Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Ground Red Pepper
1 C. Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/4 C. Butter
3-5 tsp. Cold Water
1 Beaten Egg
2 tsp. Toasted Sesame Seed or Poppy Seed
In large mixing bowl combine flour, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper. Cut in cheese and butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tsp. water over part of the mixture. Toss gently with a fork to coat. Push to side of bowl. Repeat until all flour mixture is moistened. Shape dough into ball. On lightly floured surface, flatten dough with hands. Roll out dough from center to edges, forming a 10†square. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seed. Cut dough into 5 x 1/2†strips. Twist each strip. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in 400F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Shrimp & Cucumber Spread
3oz. Cream Cheese, softened
2 tsp. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. Catsup
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
Dash Garlic Powder
4 1/2oz. Canned Shrimp, drained, rinsed and chopped
1/4 C. Finely Chopped Seeded Cucumber
1 tsp. Finely Chopped Onion
Assorted Crackers or Melba Toasts
In mixing bowl stir together first 5 ingredients. Stir in shrimp, cucumber and onion. Spread on crackers or toasts.
Salmon-Spinach Party Dip
1 can (71/2 oz.) Alaska salmon
1 pkg. Frozen Chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 C. Plain Nonfat yogurt
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1/2 C. each chopped Parsley and Chopped Green Onions
1/2 tsp. each Dried Basil and Dill Weed
1/4 tsp. grated Lemon peel
Assorted raw vegetables and crackers
Drain and flake salmon. Combine flaked salmon with remaining ingredients, except vegetables and crackers. Chill several hours to blend flavors. Serve dip with vegetables and crackers. Makes 16 servings, about 4 Cups.
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Roasted Garlic
8 fresh garlic bulbs
2 to 4 tsp. olive oil
4 rosemary sprigs, or oregano sprigs
Remove outer layers of skin from garlic, leaving cloves and head intact. Place all heads on double thickness of foil; top with olive oil and herbs. Fold up and seal. Bake in 375 degree F. oven for about 1 hour. Serve one whole head per person. Squeeze cooked cloves from skin onto cooked meat and vegetables or on French or rye bread. Note: If you prefer you may trim tops off garlic heads to expose tops of garlic cloves. This makes cloves easier to scoop out. Then bake as instructed. Cooking time may be slightly reduced.
Smoked Salmon Spread
12oz. Light Cream Cheese
1/2 C. Sour Cream
1 tsp. Liquid Smoke
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
11/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
15 1/2 oz. Can Red Salmon, drained
2 tsp. Celery, chopped
2 tsp. Green Onion, chopped
Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature. Remove skin from salmon. Blend first seven ingredients in blender. Remove from blender and stir in salmon, celery and onion. This is a delicious spread on raw vegetables or crackers.
Southwestern Turkey Salsa Roll
1/2 pound sliced, smoked turkey breast
1/2 C. shredded reduced-fat Monterey jack cheese
1 C. no-sugar added tomato salsa
Place turkey slices on a counter or plate and sprinkle each slice with cheese. Roll up slices and divide between 2 plates. Microwave each plate on high for 1 minute or until the cheese melts. If not using a microwave oven, place turkey rolls in a toaster oven or on a foil-lined tray under a broiler for 1 minute. Remove plates from microwave and spoon salsa over the top.
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Marinated Roasted Peppers, Olives and Cheese
6 large red or green bell peppers
1 C. whole Greek or pitted ripe olives
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 C. olive or vegetable oil
1/4 C. lemon juice
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil leaves or 1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage leaves or 1/8 tsp. dried sage leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Set oven control to broil.  Broil bell peppers with tops about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, until skin is blistered and evenly browned. Place peppers in a plastic bag and close tightly. Let stand 20 minutes.  Remove skin, stems, seeds and membranes from peppers. Cut peppers into 1/4-inch strips. Place peppers, olives and cheese in glass bowl or jar.  Shake remaining ingredients in tightly covered container; pour over pepper mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavors, stirring occasionally.   Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Turn this recipe into a scrumptious gift by filling a decorative glass jar with the roasted pepper mixture and tying with a pretty ribbon. Attach a copy of the recipe with a sprig of fresh herbs.
Yield:
Calories:
Fat:
Fiber:
Hush Puppies
1 Beaten Egg
1/2 Buttermilk
1/4 C. Sliced Green Onion
1 C. Cornmeal
1/4 C. Flour
2 tsp. Sugar
3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
Shortening / Oil for Deep Frying
In a bowl stir together egg, buttermilk, and onion. In another bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt.   Add egg to cornmeal mixture. Stir until just moistened. Drop batter by tablespoonsfull into hot grease or oil. Fry about 1 minute, or until golden, turning once.
Honey Ginger Chicken Bites
2/3 cup honey
2 T. minced peeled fresh ginger
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 16 thighs)
Cooking spray
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. water
2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake well. Add chicken; seal and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Arrange chicken in a single layer on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray (spray the catch-pan too, helps with clean up). Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once. While chicken is cooking, strain marinade through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Place marinade in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes; skim solids from surface. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan, stirring with a whisk; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; pour glaze into a large bowl. Preheat broiler. Add chicken to glaze; toss well to coat. Place chicken mixture on a pan (if you want to use the same broiler pan, put down some foil under the chicken or rinse and use the catch pan part only, you don’t WANT the glaze to drop away); broil 5 minutes or until browned, stirring twice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 oz.)
Calories: 179
Fat: 4.4g
Fiber: 0g
Notes:Â This was my new recipe of the week. It was very very yummy. The hubby swears it tastes just like his favorite sesame chicken at our local chinese place.
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I made it with chicken breast tenders so I wouldn’t have to skin and debone thighs, and to bring down the fat and calories so I could have a larger portion. Since they cook faster than thighs, I halved the original cooking time, and that seemed about right. Also, this was originally an appetizer recipe. I just halved the recipe, since I didn’t need 12 servings. I think it would taste OK if you used a different kind of oil if you didn’t have sesame, but it would definitely taste different. Even that little bit of sesame oil was quite obvious in the recipe; it is strong stuff.
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This is not a quick recipe. With the switching of pans and such, it can be a pain if you are trying to get a meal on the table fast. Also, clean up can be a real mess. I am liberal with my use of cooking spray in the catch pan of the broiler pan, and I use a non-stick aluminum foil (Reynold’s Wrap Release, I think it’s called) to line the second pan when the chicken goes back in the oven.
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I have since made this several more times, sometimes with chicken breast, sometimes with skinned, boned thighs, ever since I found a store that sells them in bags, frozen. Either way it’s really tasty and we like it alot.