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Category: Appetizers & Snacks

Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

potatostuff

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:  8 servings

Serving Size: 2 potato halves, 1 T. avocado cream, 1/2 tsp. scallions and 1 tsp. bacon bits

Calories:  180

Fat: 10g

Fiber: 3g

 

 

 

Merguez Sausage with Halloumi Cheese and Flame-Roasted Peppers

Merguez Sausage with Halloumi Cheese and Flame-Roasted Peppers

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.

 NL0209_Merguez_with_Halloumi_lg

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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Garlic Chicken Puffs

Garlic Chicken Puffs

chickenpuffs-14 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

Tomato Tartlets

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 Pea Christmas Trees

Snap Pea Christmas Trees

xmasSnap 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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Cranberry & Pistachio-Topped Jicama

Cranberry & Pistachio-Topped Jicama

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.

Leek, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart

Leek, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart

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

 delicious

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.

Baked Cheese Dip with Tomato and Basil

Baked Cheese Dip with Tomato and Basil

dip1 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.

Baked Parsnip and Sweet Potato Chips

Baked Parsnip and Sweet Potato Chips

baked1 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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Pimento Cheese Crisps

Pimento Cheese Crisps

pimcrisps1 (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.

Zucchini Fritters with Chili Lime Mayo

Zucchini Fritters with Chili Lime Mayo

frittersVegetable 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.

Cheesy Quinoa Cakes with a Roasted Garlic and Lemon Aioli

Cheesy Quinoa Cakes with a Roasted Garlic and Lemon Aioli

quinoa cakes2 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.

Hawaiian Ham & Swiss Slider

Hawaiian Ham & Swiss Slider

hamsliders24 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.  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.

Roasted Tomato, Basil & Cheese Crostini

Roasted Tomato, Basil & Cheese Crostini

Apps-RoastedTomato-Cheese-BasilCros5 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.

Cheesy Herb Kale Chips

Cheesy Herb Kale Chips

kale1 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 Bites

Pizza Bites

pizzabitesPizza 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.

Baba Ganouj

Baba Ganouj

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.

 

Chile-Roasted Edamame

Chile-Roasted Edamame

edamame1 (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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Marinated Roasted Peppers, Olives and Cheese

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.

 

 

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Lacy Zucchini Herb Fritters with Jack Cheese

Lacy Zucchini Herb Fritters with Jack Cheese

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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Baked Polenta Fries with Spicy Lime Mayo

Baked Polenta Fries with Spicy Lime Mayo

Baked Polenta Fries with Spicy Lime MayoFries:
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.

Burrata with Fruit, Pesto & Crostini

Burrata with Fruit, Pesto & Crostini

Burrata with Fruit, Pesto & Crostini

 

Hot summer evenings practically beg for snacking dinners that you can get on the table without ever turning on the stove. This simple combination is the perfect answer; it doesn’t require anything other than a food processor (or some premade pesto) and a good knife, but it’s elegant enough to feel really special. By pairing creamy burrata with an assortment of sweet fresh fruit, and then drizzling it all with a quick pesto-based sauce, you can get all the sweet, bright, sharp, and creamy flavors into one bite. Eat this with some sliced baguette, toasted or not. This works equally well with fall fruit like figs, soft pears, sliced red grapes, and even jellylike pieces of Hachiya persimmon.

 

⅓ of a baguette

¼ C. (60 ml) pesto, homemade or store-bought

½ tsp. red wine vinegar

Extra-virgin olive oil

One 4½-ounce (130 g) ball of burrata

Assorted very ripe fruit (ideally a mix, such as 1 peach, 1 or 2 apricots, some figs, and a few cherries)

Honey

Flaky sea salt

 

Cut the baguette into ½-inch (1.3 cm) slices and toast them until golden and slightly crunchy, if you like. Put the pesto into a small bowl and stir in the vinegar. Add olive oil as needed to turn the pesto into a smooth sauce that you can drizzle from a spoon. Arrange the burrata in the center of a dinner plate, and gently tear it open to expose the cream in the center. Pit the fruit as needed and cut it into pieces. Arrange the fruit around the burrata. Drizzle as much pesto sauce as you want over the cheese and fruit, then drizzle on some olive oil and a few thin lashings of honey. Sprinkle sea salt on top and enjoy with extra pesto on the side.

Spiderweb Eggs

Spiderweb Eggs

webegg1 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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Halloween Devilled Spider Eggs

Halloween Devilled Spider Eggs

spider3 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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Zucchini, Cheddar and Bacon Cakes

Zucchini, Cheddar and Bacon Cakes

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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Baked Brown Sugar Chicken Wings with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Baked Brown Sugar Chicken Wings with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

wings2 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.  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.  In a large bowl, combine wings, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste.  Place wings onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, using metal tongs to turn at halftime.  Serve wings immediately with dipping sauce.

Preston Bentley’s Cheese Straws

Preston Bentley’s Cheese Straws

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

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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Orange Pekoe Tea Popsicles

Orange Pekoe Tea Popsicles

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.

 

Dilled Hummus

Dilled Hummus

dill1 (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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Crispy Pepperoni Chips

Crispy Pepperoni Chips

6 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced

 chip

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:  4 servings

Calories: 211

Fat: 19g

Fiber: 0g

 

 

Lime Chili Cilantro Roasted Chickpeas

Lime Chili Cilantro Roasted Chickpeas

roasted chickpeas done1 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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Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce

Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce

firecracker25 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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Spicy Toasted Garbanzo Beans and Pistachios

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.

Zucchini Bread

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups grated, peeled, raw zucchini

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Beat the eggs until light and foamy. Add the sugar, oil, zucchini, and vanilla and mix lightly but well. Combine the flour, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon and add to the egg zucchini mixture. Stir until well-blended, add nuts, and pour into two 9-x-5 x-3-inch loaf pans. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 hour. Cool on a rack.

 

Wonton Shrimp Blossoms

Wonton Shrimp Blossoms

wonton24 square wonton skins/wraps

1 T. butter, melted

10 ounces peeled, cooked shrimp, finely chopped

2 green onions/scallions, finely chopped

1/3 C. carrot, finely grated

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

Small pinch cayenne pepper, or dash of Tabasco sauce

1 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).  Spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray. With a pastry brush, brush one side of each wonton square with melted butter and gently press into muffin cups, buttered side up. Bake 8 minutes or until brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool. Meanwhile, combine cream cheese and remaining ingredients, mixing well. With a small scoop (or 2 tsp.), fill each baked wonton C. with a rounded scoop of shrimp mixture. Place filled C. on a baking sheet as you fill them, then bake 5 to 6 minutes, or until filling is hot and bubbling around edges.

 

 

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Antipasti Bites

Antipasti Bites

anti24 slices of hard or genoa salami (about 4 inches in diameter)

1 C. marinated artichoke hearts, chopped fine

1/2 C. roasted red peppers, chopped fine

4 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

1/4 C. fresh basil, chopped

 

Press one salami slice down into a regular sized muffin cup in a muffin tin.  Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 10 minutes until salami is crisp.  Transfer to a plate to cool.  Mix all other ingredients together and spoon into cups to serve

 

Chevy’s Pico De Gallo

Chevy’s Pico De Gallo

2 C. Tomatoes, diced into 3/8″ pieces

½ C. White Onion, diced

2 T. chopped Cilantro

1 ½ T. Jalapeno, stemmed and seeded, then minced

2 tsp. fresh Lime Juice

½ tsp. Salt

 

Combine all ingredients; mix well.  Serve chilled.

From Chevy’ Tex Mex Cookbook

 

 

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Cheesy Herb Pinwheels

Cheesy Herb Pinwheels

3 C. Original Bisquick® mix

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2/3 C. water

2 T. butter or margarine, melted

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 C. pizza sauce

Heat oven to 425ºF. Grease cookie sheet. Mix Bisquick, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and water until dough forms. Turn dough onto surface dusted with Bisquick; gently roll in Bisquick to coat. Knead 10 times.   Roll dough into 18×10-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with cheeses. Tightly roll up dough; pinch edge to seal. Cut roll into eighteen 1-inch slices. Place on cookie sheet.    Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden. Heat pizza sauce until hot. Dip pinwheels into sauce.

 

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Zucchini Fritters – Meze

Zucchini Fritters – Meze

Although these fritters are at their best when hot, in many Turkish cafés they are served at room temperature accompanied by the yogurt-cucumber sauce called cacik. Traditionally part of the meze course, they also make a nice side dish for seafood, poultry or lamb.

1 pound small zucchini, coarsely grated

Salt

1/2 pound feta cheese, or equal parts feta and kasseri or ricotta

6 green onions, minced

1/2 C. chopped fresh dill

1/4 C. chopped fresh mint

1/4 C. chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 C. all-purpose flour

Freshly ground pepper

Peanut oil for frying

Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce

Place the zucchini in a sieve or colander, salt it lightly and toss to mix. Let stand for 30 minutes to draw out the excess moisture. Using a kitchen towel, squeeze the zucchini dry and place it in a bowl. Crumble the cheese over the zucchini and add the green onions, dill, mint, parsley, eggs, flour and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mix well.  In a deep frying pan over medium-high heat, pour in the peanut oil to a depth of 1/4 inch. When the oil is hot, using a serving spoon, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the fritters to paper towels to drain. Keep warm until all the fritters are cooked.   Arrange the fritters on a warmed platter and serve hot.

 

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Shrimp & Pork Potstickers with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Shrimp & Pork Potstickers with Spicy Dipping Sauce

pic30m6qp1 1/2 T. soy sauce

1 T. seasoned rice vinegar

1 T. chili-garlic sauce

1 tsp. hot chili oil

 

1/4 pound ground pork

2 oz. uncooked shrimp, shelled, deveined, and finely chopped

1 egg white

1/4 C. minced water chestnuts

2 T. minced Chinese celery

1 tsp. minced cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp. minced ginger

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. sesame oil

Dash ground white pepper

24 potsticker wrappers

3 T. cooking oil

2/3 C. chicken broth or water

 

To make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, chili-garlic sauce and hot chili oil. Mix well and reserve. To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine, the pork, shrimp, egg white, water chestnuts, celery, cilantro, ginger, sugar, salt and sesame oil. Season with a little pepper and mix, stirring rapidly in 1 direction until the mixture is well combined and spongy. To make the potstickers: Working in batches, lay 4 potsticker wrappers on a clean surface. Keep the remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Put a heaping tsp. of filling in the center of each of the 4 wrappers. Brush the edges with water. Fold the wrappers in half over the filling, pinching the edges together to form semi-circles. Put the potstickers on a baking sheet seam-side up and cover with a clean towel. Repeat until all the potstickers have been formed. To cook the potstickers: Heat a large skillet over medium. Add about 1 1/2 T. of oil. When the oil is hot add half the potstickers, seam-side up. Cook the potstckers until the bottoms are golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Add 1/3 C. broth. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the cooked potstickers to a platter. Repeat, cooking the remaining potstickers. Serve the potstickers warm accompanied by the dipping sauce.

 

 

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