½ cup Greek yogurt, fat free, plain
¼ cup natural peanut butter, crunchy recommended
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, refrigerate until ready to eat. Serve with your favorite fruit or veggie.
Serving Size: 2 T.
Calories: 40
Fat: 3g
Fiber: 0g
1 lb. brine-cured cracked green olives
¼ C. chopped cilantro
3 T. chopped mint
Peel of ½ preserved lemon, julienned
3 T. preserved lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp. ground coriander
Red pepper flakes, to taste
In a bowl, cover olives with cold water and soak 4 hours to remove excess salt. Drain well. In a bowl, stir together olives and remaining ingredients. Marinate, covered and chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight. Olives may be prepared 1 week ahead. Serve at room temperature.
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3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred)
1/2 lb medium mushroom, stemmed, quartered
4 -6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
½ fresh milk Red Chile, seeded and finely diced (or ¼ tsp. crushed Red Chile Flakes)
2 -3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry sherry (DO NOT use cooking sherry!)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon spanish paprika
salt, to taste fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, garnish
Lemon slices, garnish
Crusty Bread, serving
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Sauté the mushrooms for about 1 minute, add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more being careful not to burn! Add the remaining ingredients except for the parsley and lemon and simmer for 2 minutes more. Garnish with parsley, add lemon slices to one side and serve with crusty bread for scooping.
From Easy Tapas
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3 C. tomato juice, divided
4 large green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 (3-inch) piece lemongrass, trimmed and sliced
1 (1 1/2-inch) cube fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 large garlic clove
3 C. beef broth
3 C. orange juice
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish: Green Onion Flowers
Puree 2 C. tomato juice and next 4 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Whisk remaining 1 C. tomato juice, broth, and orange juice in a large nonreactive pitcher. Pour 1 1/2 to 2 C. into an ice-cube tray, and freeze 2 hours or until frozen. Combine tomato mixture in blender with remaining broth mixture in pitcher in a nonreactive bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Divide frozen cubes and tomato consommé among 6 decorative glasses or bowls, and garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.
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1 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1 C. buttermilk
1 large bulb fennel, cut into 1/8-inch thick lengthwise slices
4 C. vegetable oil
Salt
Buttermilk Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
Preheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Pour the buttermilk into another bowl. Dip the fennel in the buttermilk, then dredge in the seasoned flour. Carefully place in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Lightly season with additional salt to taste and serve with the Buttermilk Dipping Sauce.
Buttermilk Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and coarsely grated
3/4 tsp. salt, plus 1/4 tsp.
3/4 C. buttermilk
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Place the cucumbers in a small bowl and sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. of the salt. Stir to combine, then set aside while you assemble the remaining ingredients. In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, garlic, dill, cayenne and salt and stir to combine well. Drain the cucumber in a small colander, then, using your hands, squeeze to remove as much excess water as possible. Add the cucumber to the buttermilk mixture and stir to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 day in advance.
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1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
16 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup white wine (can substitute chicken or vegetable broth)
2 sheets puff pastry (thawed according to directions on package)
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (can substitute any variety of Swiss cheese)
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten together (for the egg wash)
Handful of parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are completely soft and all of the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and the thyme and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to pull up all of the browned bits, and cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. Unfold the thawed sheets of puff pastry and cut out circles from the dough, placing them evenly spaced on the baking sheets. Using a very sharp knife, make four small scores around the perimeter of the dough, about ¼ to ½-inch from the edge. Top the rounds of puff pastry with a small spoonful of the onion and mushroom mixture, trying to keep the filling within the score marks. Top with the shredded Gruyere cheese. Brush the edges of the dough rounds with the egg wash. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 to 25 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
1 pkg. puff pastry, frozen
mushroom-almond pate (recipe below)
Thaw the puff pastry. Make the mushroom-almond pate. (recipe below) Using a large star shaped cookie cutter, cut out star shapes. You will need 2 for each filled star. Oil a cookie sheet or use baking paper to keep the stars from sticking to the cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on the package (220 C). Place a star on the cookie sheet and using a spoon, place a spoonful of the mushroom pate in the center. Take a 2nd star, put some water along the inside edges of the star and lay it carefully over the star with the mushroom pate. Gently line up each of the points of the star to match, they will swell and close as they bake. Do this procedure for the rest of the dough. With the left over pieces of dough, you can put them together and roll out the dough again to cut more and thus use all of the dough. Bake the stars for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
Mushroom-Almond Pate
1 cup almonds, ground
50 grams margarine
200 grams mushrooms, chopped
1/2 T. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/8 tbs. white pepper
1/2 cup water
Melt the margarine, add the herbs and olive oil and sauté the mushrooms. Add the water and allow the mixture to season and cook off a bit. When the liquid is about halved, remove from the heat add the ground almonds and puree to a fine pate.
1 pound sweet potatoes (approximately 2 medium), peeled and diced
8 strips bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large gala apples
½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Kosher salt
2 sheets puff pastry
Flour for dusting
1 egg
Boil a large pot of water and cook sweet potatoes until soft, approximately 10 minutes (the smaller the dice, the faster they will cook). Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over low heat to render out the fat and then turn the heat up to medium and cook for several minutes until crisp but not overdone. Allow the bacon to drain well on a paper towel. Dice the bacon and set aside. Peel, core and coarsely chop the apples. In a dutch oven or heavy bottom saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat and then add the apples. Toss to coat the apples and then add the nutmeg and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Cook the apples, stirring frequently, until they are lightly caramelized and soft but not mushy. Set aside. Mash the sweet potatoes and stir in the maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Set aside. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out one chilled sheet of puff pastry (keep the other sheet in the refrigerator until the last second). You will want to work swiftly with the dough before it becomes too soft. Square off the dough if necessary with a bench scraper or pizza cutter and slice into 6 even squares. Place a small spoonful of the sweet potatoes inside one of the squares. Top with a larger spoonful of apples and a sprinkle of chopped bacon. Make sure to leave some space between the filling and the sides of the dough so that the turnover can be sealed once it’s folded. Repeat this process with all 6 pieces of dough. Fold the dough over from corner to corner into a triangle shape. Use a fork to press the edges together and seal in the filling. Place the turnovers on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Repeat the same process with the second sheet of puff pastry and the remainder of the filling, placing the turnovers onto the second prepared baking sheet (any leftover filling is delicious by itself). Whisk the egg together with a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Remove the baking sheets from the refrigerator and use a small knife to poke 3 holes in the top of each turnover. Use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of egg wash over each turnover. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and golden brown on top.
Vegetable oil for frying
2 chicken breasts (skinless and boneless), sliced length-wise into 4 strips, then those strips sliced length-wise in half, making a total of 8 strips per breast
Pinch curry powder
Salt
Pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
½ cup flour
2 eggs
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 tablespoon chives, finely minced
Creamy, Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce (recipe below)
Begin by filling a medium-sized pot about half-way with the vegetable oil (roughly 6-8 cups), and bring the temperature of the oil slowly up to 350° while you prepare the strips. Place the chicken strips into a bowl, and add the pinch of curry powder, a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, to the strips; toss the strips to coat them in the seasoning, and set them aside for a moment. Set up your “coating†station by putting the flour, along with another couple of pinches of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, into a medium-sized bowl and blending to combine; put the eggs into another medium-sized bowl and beat them, and put the sweetened shredded coconut into another medium-sized bowl; to coat the chicken strips, dredge one strip at a time into the seasoned flour and coat it well; next, dip it into the beaten eggs, and then into the shredded coconut; press the strips into the coconut very well to coat them thoroughly, and place the coated strips onto a plate to hold until all strips have been coated. To fry the strips, work in batches by adding about 4-5 strips into the hot oil, and allow them to fry for about 1 ½ – 2 minutes, moving them very gently with tongs every now and then, until they are a deep, golden color; remove from oil and place onto a paper towel-lined platter to drain, and sprinkle each batch with a pinch of salt and pepper while they’re still hot; repeat the process until all strips have been fried. Serve the strips hot, garnished with a sprinkle of the minced chives and a side of the Creamy, Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce.
Creamy Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce ingredients:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup frozen mango chunks, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch (small) curry powder
3-4 drops Sriracha sauce (add more if you like it a bit more spicy)
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, and process until completely combined and well-blended; serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for a couple of days.
8 small Idaho potatoes (about 2 1/2 lb. total), scrubbed and dried
4 tsp. canola oil
1/4 tsp. salt
8 ounces broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (about 4 C.)
Cooking spray
3 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced (about 3 ounces)
3/4 C. grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 3 ounces)
Avocado Creme:
2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens reserved
1 medium avocado
2 T. reduced-fat sour cream
2 T. lime juice
1/4 C. cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in paper towels. Microwave on high for 13 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from microwave and cool until potatoes are easy to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop all but 1/8 inch of the inside of the potato, leaving skin intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use. Brush both inside and outside of potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place potatoes, skin-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until skins are crisp and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until crisp stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve. To make avocado cream, combine scallion whites, avocado, sour cream lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in the small bowl of a food processor and process on high until smooth. About 30 seconds. Toss the broccoli with cheese and spoon filling evenly among potatoes. Lower oven to 400 degrees F and return potatoes to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Spoon 1 T. of the avocado cream on top of broccoli-filled potatoes, then top with scallion greens and 1 tsp. crisped bacon bits.
Yield: Â 8 servings
Serving Size: 2 potato halves, 1 T. avocado cream, 1/2 tsp. scallions and 1 tsp. bacon bits
Calories: Â 180
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 3g
8 merguez or spicy sausages (approximately 12 oz.)
1 (8-oz.) block halloumi cheese
1 (8-oz.) jar flame-roasted peppers
1 T. garlic oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
 
Place the sausages into a low-sided roasting pan (this makes the cooking time quicker). Slice the halloumi into 1/4-inch slices and then lay them on and around the sausages in the pan. Take the peppers out of the jar and also strew them around the sausages and cheese, cutting them into smaller slices and pieces as you go, then drizzle over the oil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, by which time the sausages should have browned and the cheese colored in places.
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4 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken
2 (8 count) cans refrigerator crescent rolls
Mix cream cheese, garlic and chicken until well blended. Unroll crescent rolls and cut each triangle into 2 triangles (when you unroll the crescent rolls, 2 triangles are attached making a big square, I just cut from there following the perforation for one cut and made another cut from the other corners = giving you 4 little triangles). Place 1 tsp of chicken mixture on the center of each triangle and fold the corners in over the creamy mixture. Place on cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with no stick spray. Bake at 375 for 11-14 minutes.
Tomato Tartlets
All-purpose flour, for rolling
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 1/2 ounces grated sharp white cheddar (2/3 cup packed)
3 medium tomatoes, cut into ten 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ground pepper
1/3 cup small basil leaves, for serving
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with racks in upper and middle thirds. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out puff pastry to a 14-by-16-inch rectangle. With a 4-inch cookie cutter, cut out 10 rounds and transfer to two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets; with a fork, prick each round all over. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese on each, leaving a 1/4-inch border, and top with 1 tomato slice. Brush with oil and season with pepper. Bake until pastry is deep golden at edges, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let tartlets cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, top with basil.
Snap Peas
Cheese
Pretzel Sticks
Arrange peas on a plate in the shape of a tree. Add a cheese star (cut with a cookie cutter or knife) and a pretzel stick trunk and your healthy snack just got a whole lot more fun!
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1 Jicama
5oz. Blue Cheese Spread
1/3 C. Dried Sweetened Cranberries
1/3 C. Salted Pistachio nuts, chopped
Slice jicama into 1/4†slices. Cut into holiday shapes with cookie cutters if desired. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon onto jicama slices. Refrigerate until serving.
1 small bulb fennel
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and rinsed carefully
16 medium cremini or white mushrooms (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 4-ounce package puff pastry (like Dufour), defrosted according to package directions
3 eggs
8 ounces goat cheese
 
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim fennel of green top and root end, reserving fronds and quarter bulb from top to bottom. Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, cut fennel and leeks into paper-thin slices. Clean and slice mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat; add fennel and leeks and sauté until just tender but not brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining teaspoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and sauté until they release all their liquid and most of it boils away, about 5 minutes. Combine fennel mixture with mushrooms and sauté together briefly; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Unfold puff pastry onto lightly floured surface or Silpat; cut in half lengthwise to form two long rectangles. Gently roll out each rectangle to approximately 5 by 14 inches and place on cookie sheet (or cut into two circles, if desired). Trim edges by 1/4 inch strips all around; set strips aside. Break one egg into a small bowl; beat slightly. Brush edges of pastry with some egg. Use trimmed strips to make a raised border on each. (Or, fold pastry edges over to form a rim.) Brush entire surface with remaining beaten egg. Prick interior of pastry all over with a fork. Bake until pale gold, about 10 minutes. If pastry has puffed up inside edge, press it down gently. Set aside. Meanwhile, combine remaining eggs with 6 ounces of goat cheese and blend until smooth. Spread onto pastry. Return to oven and bake just until set, about 4 minutes. Remove from oven and spread with mushroom-leek mixture. Crumble remaining cheese on top. Just before serving, broil tarts for a few minutes, until cheese softens and starts to brown. Garnish with fennel fronds.
1 cup (233 grams) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces (227 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
12 ounces (340 grams) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 cups)
1 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Extra basil leaves
1 baguette, sliced
Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Stir sour cream, mustard powder and thyme in a large bowl then add mozzarella, Monterey Jack and the cup of chopped basil leaves. Stir then add to a small baking dish or pie dish. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese has melted and is bubbling. While the dip is in the oven, add bread slices, in one layer, to a baking sheet. Slide into the oven and bake 6 to 8 minutes until toasted. After baking the cheese dip, turn oven to broil and broil the cheese dip 2 to 4 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve warm with tomato and extra basil leaves scattered on top and alongside toasted bread slices.
1 small parsnip, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small sweet potato, peeled
a little salt, optional
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a sturdy potato peeler or small swivel peeler to peel thin strips from the parsnip. Put the strips in a bowl and toss with half of the oil. Spread out in a single layer on one of the prepared baking sheets. Do the same with the sweet potato, spreading the strips on the second baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets. Bake for a further 5 minutes, then check and remove from the oven if crisp and browned at the edges. Otherwise continue cooking for a further 4-5 minutes, checking every minute, as the crisps can go brown very quickly. You may find that the parsnips cook slightly more quickly than the potato. Transfer the cooked chips to a bowl and sprinkle with a little salt. These are best served the day they are made but can be stored in an airtight container overnight (they may soften a bit).
From Top 100 Finger Foods
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1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos
8 ounces sharp cheddar
½ cup (1 stick) cold butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper
A generous pinch of salt
A few grinds black pepper
½ cup chopped pecans
Rinse and drain the pimentos and place them on paper towels. Pat them dry and then leave them for 10 – 15 minutes to air dry. Grate the cheese and the cold butter together in a food processor. Switch from the grating blade to the metal blade, then add the flour, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne salt and pepper. Process until the dough just begins to come together and looks moist and grainy. Add the pecans and process until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and form a ball. Add the pimentos and pulse a few times until the dough is a ball. Dump the dough onto a piece of waxed paper, scrapping out all the pimento pieces from the bowl. Knead the dough a few times just to incorporate and distribute the pimento pieces. Cut two more lengths of waxed paper, divide the dough into two portions and place each portion on one waxed paper length. Form each into a log and roll tightly, pressing in to form a nice solid log. Twist the ends like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate the logs for at least an hour before baking, but you can refrigerate them for two days or freeze them for 3 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the rolls from the fridge and slice into medium-thick wafers, about 1/4 inch each. Place on the baking sheet with a little room to spread and bake until golden around the edges and firm on the top, about 10 – 12 minutes. Cool on the pans for a few minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool.
Vegetable oil for frying
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup diced onion
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup prepared mayo
juice of half a lime
1/2 tsp chili powder
I started by pouring the vegetable oil in my skillet so that it was half an inch deep and turned the heat to medium. Meantime, I combined the zucchini, onion, and eggs in a large bowl. I gave the mixture a good stir to combine. It got all kinda frothy. Awesome.  Next, I combined the flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp of chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl and stirred to combine. To finish the batter, I added the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and folded it all together. To test my oil, I dipped a spoon into my batter then dipped the spoon into the oil. Once the oil bubbled in contact with the batter, I knew it was hot enough. I dropped my batter into the oil by the heaping tablespoon, frying about six fritters at a time. They cooked for 2-3 minutes a side. Once the centers were firm, I removed the fritters from the oil and let them drain on a dinner plate lined with paper towel. To make the dip, I simply combined the prepared mayo, lime juice, and chili powder in a small mixing bowl and stirred it all up.
2 cups cooked quinoa
2/3 cup grated fontina cheese
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
aioli:
½ cup light mayonnaise
1 head of garlic, roasted
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
For the cakes: Place all ingredients, except for the oil, into a mixing bowl and stir together until well combined. Season with salt and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Pour oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium heat. Form ¼ cup patties with the quinoa mixture and place in the heated sauté pan. (this will have to be done in batches) Cook quinoa cakes for about 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining patties until all of the cakes have been cooked. Set aside. For the aioli: Place all ingredients into a food processor, season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and serve alongside the warm quinoa cakes.
24 Slices of deli honey ham
6 Slices of Swiss cheese
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1 T. Poppy seeds
1 1/2 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Butter melted
1 T. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Pkg. (12 count) KING’S HAWAIIAN Original Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls
Spread mayo onto 1 side of roll. Place a slice or two of ham and slice of Swiss cheese in roll. Replace the top of the rolls and bunch them closely together into a baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, melted butter, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes. Â Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for additional 2 minutes until tops are slightly browned and crisp. Serve warm.
5 Roma tomatoes, roasted (see instructions below)
10 fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onion, green & white parts
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
kosher salt & pepper
1 baguette, sliced about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick
olive oil (for drizzling on the baguette slices)
To roast the tomatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and arrange on the baking sheet cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are somewhat caramelized. Remove from oven and allow to cool. These can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. To prepare the baguette slices: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle a large baking sheet with olive oil. Lay the baguette slices flat on the baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle the tops of the slices with olive oil and use a small brush to evenly distribute the oil on top of the baguette slices. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until they are toasted to your liking. The longer they bake, the crunchier they become. Keep in mind that you will bake them again when making the appetizers. For the cheese mixture and assembly of the crostini: Combine the green onions, cheeses and mayonnaise and mix well. Set aside. Stack all of the basil leaves on top of each other and roll them up. Slice the rolled leaves in thin slices and separate the slices. This technique is called chiffonade. Set the basil chiffonade aside. Cut each of the roasted tomato halves in half which should give you 20 pieces of roasted tomato. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. To assemble the crostini, spread each of the baguette slices with some of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the basil chiffonade on top of the cheese mixture. Top with a piece of roasted tomato. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese mixture is hot and bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
1 large bunch of kale, washed and dried
2 T. olive oil
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. water
2 T. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. dried parsley
1\2 tsp. garlic powder
1\2 tsp. dried dill
1\2 tsp. kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients. (Olive oil though salt.) Pour over kale and mix well. Spread out in a single layer onto 2 baking sheets. Bake for about 50 minutes, turning the leaves halfway through, about 25 minutes. **At about 40 minutes, I’ll check on them and take out the ones that are already crispy. The leaves will never cook evenly. It helps to remove the crispy ones first and leave the rest so they can continue to bake!
1. There’s a variety of different kinds of kale. The most common type is curly kale which I used in this recipe. I’ve also used tuscan kale which is more tender and a little less bitter. I actually prefer to use tuscan kale, but it’s not always available.
2. Practice makes perfect. Even though recipes for kale chips are pretty simple, it takes a few tries to get them how you’d like. I’ve tried cooking them at many different temperatures, but have come to a conclusion that their best cooked at lower temperatures for a longer period of time. Cooking them at too high of a temperature causes them to burn easily and results in them being bitter.
3. Bake them in a thin layer. You want the kale chips to bake as evenly as they can, so be sure to place them side by side without overlapping.
Pizza dough (or 2 cans refrigerated pizza dough)
8 oz. block mozzarella cheese
4 oz. thin sliced pepperoni
2 tsp. Italian seasoning (combine oregano, basil, parsley, and garlic)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza or marinara sauce
Prepare pizza dough and roughly chop pepperoni. Cut block of mozzarella into 48 cubes. If you are going to bake some (or all!) right away preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 3 pie pans. If using refrigerated pizza dough: roll one dough out into a large rectangle and cut into 24 pieces. Repeat with 2nd pizza dough. If using homemade dough just pinch off walnut sized pieces as you go. In each dough piece place a couple pieces of chopped pepperoni and a cube of cheese. Seal dough around meat and cheese and place seam side down in pie pan. Repeat, placing approximately 16 dough balls in each pie plate. Once assembled, combine oil and spices and brush over the dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Now you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze or you can bake right away. When ready to bake: bake at 400°F for 16-20 min. Serve with warm pizza or marinara sauce.
4 Medium-small eggplants
Juice from two lemons
1/2 – 1 C. Tahini
6 Cloves of Garlic
1 C. finely Chopped Parsley
1/2 C finely Minced Scallions
Black Pepper
2 T. Olive Oil
Cut off and throw out the stem-ends of the eggplants. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork. Place them directly on an oven rack (preheated to 400 degrees), and roast them slowly until they pop (about 45 minutes). When they are sagging, wrinkled, crumpled and totally soft, they are ready. Remove them from the oven and wait for them to cool enough to handle. Scoop out the insides and mash them. Combine will all other ingredients except the olive oil. Chill completely. Drizzle olive oil on just before serving.
1 (12-oz.) package edamame
2 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. each onion salt and ground cumin
1/8 tsp. each paprika and black pepper
Split the edamame pods and release the beans into a bowl. Discard the pods. Stir together the oil, basil, chile powder, onion salt, cumin, paprika and black pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle the mixture over the beans and toss to coat. Arrange the beans in a single layer in a shall baking dish. Roast, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until the beans begin to brown. Serve hot as a vegetable side dish or cooled as a snack. Refrigerate any leftovers.
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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.
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1 C. Flour
3/4 C. plus 2 tsp. cold Chicken Stock
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
6 small Zucchini, ends trimmed and shredded
1/2 C. minced Parsley
1/4 C. minced Mint
1/4 C. minced Chives
1/2 C. grated Jack Cheese
1/4 C. Parmesan Cheese
Corn Oil for Deep Frying
Combine flour, stock, eggs, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. In large bowl combine zucchini, herbs and cheeses. Add batter and mix well. In deep saucepan or deep fryer, heat at least 2 inches of corn oil to 350F. Spoon batter by generous tablespoonfuls into the oil in a sweeping motion to create a thinnish, lacelike, fritter and fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve right away.
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Fries:
4 C. whole milk
1 C. water
2 T. unsalted butter
2 1/4 C. cornmeal
1/2 C. grated Parmesan
2 tsp. kosher salt, and more for sprinkling
2 T. olive oil
Chili Lime Mayo:
3 T. mayonnaise
3 dashes Cholulua (or Tobasco)
1 tsp. lime juice
Pinch salt
Spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet (or casserole dish). Bring milk, 1 C. water and butter to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook until polenta is very thick and starts to pull away from sides of pan, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and salt. Add more salt if you like. Immediately transfer polenta to prepared baking sheet, spreading mixture to a 1-inch thickness. Mine filled up half of the baking sheet. No biggie. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool and firm, about 1 hour. (You can totally do this a day ahead. Just be sure to cover and keep refrigerated.) Cut polenta lengthwise in pan into three-inch-wide rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Set polenta strips aside. Preheat oven to 450F. Transfer polenta fries to lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with about a tsp. of kosher salt and some olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping the fries at the 10 minute mark. Fries, when done, will be slightly golden brown at the edges. Meanwhile, mix together the mayo, hot sauce, lime juice and pinch of salt.
1 dozen large eggs
8 cups water
2 cups frozen blueberries
sea salt, for serving
Place eggs in single layer in a large saucepan, and cover with water and blueberries. Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat. Cover; let stand for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs one at a time, and place on several layers of paper towels. Lightly crack shell on one side with the handle of a whisk or wooden spoon. Transfer egg to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs and then pour all of the cooking liquid on top of the cracked eggs. Place bowl in the refrigerator and let cool completely. Carefully peel shells from eggs. Serve with salt. Serve in a Halloween Bento with plastic spiders.
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3 slices bacon (3 oz.)
8 hard-cooked large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Salt and pepper
8 large black olives
In an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning slices as needed, until browned on both sides and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon. Cut each egg in half lengthwise; gently scoop out yolks and place in a bowl. Mash yolks with a fork, then stir in mayonnaise, green onions, mustard, and crumbled bacon until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Spoon or pipe about 1 tablespoon yolk mixture into the hollow of each egg-white half. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 4 hours. Then: cut pitted black olives in half lengthwise and nestle one half on top of an egg for the body, and then cut the other half crosswise into thin slices to form the creepy legs.
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4 slices of bacon chopped into small pieces and fried until crisp
1 small zucchini shredded in a box grater
1 C shredded cheese
2-3 scallions, thinly chopped, white and green parts
2 eggs separated
½ C white flour
½ C yellow corn meal
2 T sour cream
dash of cayenne pepper
salt
Garnish: Fresh tomato, avocado, sour cream
Oil and Butter for frying
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the egg whites. You will want to whip those up until soft peaks form and gently fold those into the mixture. Play with the batter until it is the texture of thick pancake batter. Heat up a large flat skillet with both a pad of butter and some olive oil until it is hot. Add a generous dollop of the batter to the hot pan and watch carefully (I lost a few because they burned!) and flatten into discs with a spatula. Be sure to fiddle with the cakes so that they don’t stick to the bottom. Once they get brown on one side flip. Place on a plate with paper towels. Serve warm with fresh tomatoes, avocado and sour cream!
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2 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
1/3 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
2 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Â To make the dipping sauce, combine roasted red pepper, goat cheese, sour cream and salt in the bowl of a food processor until emulsified; set aside. Â In a large bowl, combine wings, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste. Â Place wings onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn at halftime. Â Serve wings immediately with dipping sauce.
1 C. sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more if you like spicy food)
1/3 C. butter, melted
1 C. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 T. ice water, or, as needed
Celery seeds to sprinkle over top of cheese straws
Pre-heat oven to 350F°. In a medium bowl, sift flour with salt, dry mustard and cayenne pepper. With pastry blender, cut in butter and cheese until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water and stir to blend. Shape into ball. On lightly floured surface, roll out 1/8″ thick wide. Cut into strips about 3″ long and 1/2″ wide with pastry wheel. Sprinkle with celery seeds. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet and bake about 10 to 12 minutes, or until crisp.
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5 C. orange pekoe simple syrup
4 C. orange juice
1 C. water
Orange Pekoe Simple Syrup
1 quart water
4 C. sugar
6 bags orange pekoe tea
To make simple syrup bring ingredients to a boil. Cool, and set aside. Once cooled, mix popsicle ingredients and strain. Pour into popsicle molds, insert wooden sticks, and freeze.
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/4 C. tahini (sesame paste)
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil or cooking oil
2 tsp. snipped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp. dried dill
1/4 tsp. salt
1 dash ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Combine garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, oil, dill, salt, red pepper, and garlic in a blender container or food processor bowl. Blend or process until mixture is smooth. Cover and chill up to three days. Stir before serving.
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6 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced
 
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lay the pepperoni slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and soak up the excess grease by pressing paper towels against the pepperoni chips. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 2 to 4 minutes, until the pepperoni slices are very crispy. Serve as a snack anytime or use in place of crackers for dipping or for topping with your favorite cheese! They’ll stay fresh and crispy for 1 to 2 days if you store them in an airtight container.
Yield: Â 4 servings
Calories: 211
Fat: 19g
Fiber: 0g
1 15-oz can chickpeas
3 tsp. chili powder
1 T. olive oil
1 T. fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 T. cilantro, finely chopped
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees. Drain and rinse canned chickpeas.  In a large bowl combine chickpeas, chili powder, and, olive oil. Toss. Spread chickpeas in a single layer on lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for ABOUT 35-50 minutes, lightly shaking the pan every 15 minutes or so. They’re done when the chickpeas are lightly brown and totally crunchy. (Sorry for the less-than-exact cook time. I got a little distracted playing lumberjack—don’t ask—and lost track of how long my chickpeas were in the oven. So keep a close eye on yours from about 35 minutes on. They burn quickly at the end!) Remove from oven. Let cool completely. Toss with lime juice, cilantro, and sea salt. Serve.
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25 large tail-on shrimp, deveined
15 eggroll/springroll wrappers, cut in half diagonally (2 triangles)
Oil for frying
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. grated ginger (using rasp grater)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sweet chili sauce, plus additional for dipping
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 C. water
Taking a cue from the Japanese shrimp tempura, score or nick the shrimp several times along the inside of the “curve.†This lets you straighten out the shrimp so you don’t get a short, curly roll. Just be sure not to cut too far…three little nicks is good. Combine marinade ingredients in bowl, marinate shrimp for 20 minutes. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Wrap each shrimp tightly in a eggroll/spring roll wrapper half. Seal with a little cornstarch paste on the corner. Fry in hot oil (375) for 3 minutes, until golden brown and shrimp is cooked through. Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping
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