APPETIZERSSweet and Sour Chicken
Preheat oven to 375
Ingredients:
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into very thin strips
(can also use chicken wings)
1 (12 ounce) jar chili sauce
2 T. worcestershire sauce
1/2 C. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. grated onion
2 t. garlic, chopped
2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
prepared white rice
Directions:
Place chicken in a 9 x 13-inch pan.
Mix all other ingredients together to make a sauce.
Pour sauce over chicken.
Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes (wings will take longer).
Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Pour sauce into a saucepan.
Add 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and whisk.
Bring sauce to a gentle boil, stirring frequently.
Boil for approximately 15 minutes or until thickened.
Pour over chicken.
Place white rice in a bowl and pour chicken over rice.
White Bean Dip
Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can white beans (navy or cannellini) rinsed
3 T. good extra-virgin olive oil
1 t. to 1 T. minced garlic (your choice)
1 T. lemon juice (or to taste)
1 t. kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 t. ground black pepper
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a food processor.
Blend well.
Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with vegetables or crackers.
Pizza Puffs
Preheat oven to 450
Ingredients:
1 1/4 C. water
1/3 C. shortening
1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
4 eggs
3/4 C. finely chopped pepperoni (3 oz)
3/4 C. finely shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (3 oz)
2 T. snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. ground black pepper
Makes about 40 puffs.
Directions:
Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets; set aside.
In a large saucepan combine water and shortening.
Bring to boiling.
Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.
Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball.
Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition.
Stir in pepperoni, cheese, parsley, garlic powder and black pepper.
Drop by rounded teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
Position the 2 baking sheets on separate oven racks.
Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown, switching oven racks halfway through baking.
Transfer to a wire rack.
Repeat, as needed, for remaining dough.
Serve warm with pizza sauce.
Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 (15oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 oz) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 T butter, softened
1/4 C. milk
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 C. grated fresh Parmesan
Directions:
Mix artichoke hearts and spinach together and place in bottom of
small casserole dish. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Gradually add milk, salt and pepper to cheese mixture, spread over casserole.
(May be frozen for later use or refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point).
Sprinkle Parmesan on top.
Cover casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and continue to bake 10 more minutes or until golden brown.
Hot Artichoke Dip
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 (6 oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 C. mayonnaise
3/4 C. Parmesan
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and place in a baking dish.
Bake until thoroughly heated and bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Greek Cheese Spinach Roll
Preheat oven to 400
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
10 scallions, sliced
1/4 C. butter, melted
3 C. spinach, cooked and well drained
1 t. salt
1 t. dill
1/4 t. pepper
3 eggs
1/2 pound feta cheese
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
3 T. chopped parsley
1 package filo leaves, thawed according to package directions
1 C. butter, melted
Directions:
Saute onions and scallions in 1/4 cup melted butter.
Add spinach, salt, dill and pepper.
Cool for 10 minutes.
Beat eggs and add cheeses and parsley.
Add spinach mixture to cheese mixture and blend well.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Carefully spread 1 filo leaf flat and brush with melted butter; add 3 more layers of filo, brushing each layer with melted butter. Spread 1/4 of spinach mixture over 2/3 of the filo leaves lengthwise.
Roll up jelly roll fashion.
Place on baking pan and prick top in several places.
Pour butter over roll.
Repeat this 3 more times, making 4 rolls in all.
Bake for 30 minutes or until brown and crisp on top.
Slice and serve hot.
Baked Brie
Preheat oven to 400
Ingredients:
1 roll refrigerated crescent-style dough
1 (8 oz) round Brie Cheese
apricot jam (any flavor works well)
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 t. water
Directions:
Remove 4 crescents and place on a small, lightly greased cookie sheet.
With fingers, smooth out perforations to form a solid square.
Unwrap Brie and place in center of rectangle.
Place some apricot jam on top of Brie round.
Bring up all corners of dough to totally encase cheese making sure all openings are sealed.
Brush with egg wash.
May prepare to this point and hold for several hours.
When ready to serve, bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Allow to sit for a few minutes before slicing into wedges.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus with Spicy Dipping Sauce
Preheat oven to 450
Ingredients:
30 medium asparagus stalks, trimmed
10 slices peppered bacon
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 t. Asian chili sauce (Sriracha)
2 T. plus 1 t. fresh lime juice
1 T. plus 1 1/2 t. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Separate asparagus into bundles of 3 stalks each.
Carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each bundle,
starting 1/2 inch from the bottom; secure with a toothpick.
Transfer bundles to a rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with 3/4 t. salt; season with pepper.
Roast, flipping halfway through until asparagus begins to wilt
and bacon is brown, 20 to 22 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, chili sauce, lime juice,
cilantro and 1/2 t. salt in a small bowl; season with pepper.
Transfer bundles to a platter.
Remove toothpicks.
Serve with dipping sauce.
Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp with Aioli
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
3 large egg yolks at room temperature
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
coarse salt
1/4 C. canola oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds extra-large (24-30) shrimp
freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Make aioli:
Pulse garlic in the bowl of a food processor until it is finely chopped.
Add egg yolks and mustard and season with salt.
Process until mixture is blended.
With machine running, add half the canola oil, a few drops at a time,
until mixture is emulsified.
Add 4 teaspoons lemon juice.
With machine running, add remaining canola oil and olive oil.
Season with salt and lemon juice.
Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days.
Season shrimp with pepper.
Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
Lightly cover bottom with salt.
Arrange half the shrimp in a single layer.
Place a pan on top as a weight; cook 2 minutes.
Remove top pan and turn shrimp; cook until they are pink, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Transfer to a plate; wipe pan with a dry paper towel.
Repeat with remaining shrimp.
Serve with aioli.
Compliments of Martha Stewart
Avocado-Feta Salsa
Ingredients:
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped
1/4 C. finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. snipped fresh parsley
1 T. snipped fresh oregano
1 T. olive oil
1 T. red or white wine vinegar
4 oz. feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
pita chips or tortilla chips
Directions:
In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, oil and vinegar.
Stir gently to mix.
Gently stir in feta cheese.
Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
Serve salsa with pita or tortilla chips.
Tzatziki
Ingredients:
16 oz. Greek yogurt
1 English Cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 C. sour cream
1 T. white wine vinegar
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 1/2 t. minced garlic
1 T. minced fresh dill
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
Directions:
Grate the cucumber and place it on a towel.
Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the cucumbers.
Place cucumbers in a bowl.
Mix in all other ingredients and blend well.
You can serve it immediately or refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.
Sweet Weenies!
Preheat oven to 350
Ingredients:
1 pound package bacon
1 package cocktail weenies
1 pound brown sugar (or more, or less....)
toothpicks
Directions:
Spray a 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cut package of bacon into quarters.
Wrap a piece of bacon around each weenie
and secure with a toothpick.
Place weenies close together in pan,
leaving a corner empty for ease of basting.
Smother weenies with brown sugar.
Place in oven for 10 minutes.
Baste.
Continue baking and basting every 10 minutes
until bacon is completely cooked (approximately 30-40 minutes) and brown sugar is melted (I bake until brown sugar is caramelized).
Black Bean Cakes with Salsa
Ingredients for cakes:
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix
1/2 C. prepared salsa (drained)
2 1/2 t. chili powder
2 T. olive oil
*optional: chopped jalapenos
Ingredients for topping:
1 C. prepared salsa
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 t. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
*you certainly don't need to mix in the sour cream.
It's equally delicious with just salsa!
Directions for cakes:
In large bowl mash beans with vegetable masher or fork.
Stir in muffin mix, drained salsa and chili powder (and jalapenos)
In 12-inch skillet heat 1 T. oil over medium-high heat.
Roll bean mixture into desired size and put in skillet.
Flatten cakes with spatula.
Cook 3 minutes each side until browned.
Remove from skillet.
Repeat with remaining oil and bean mixture.
Directions for topping:
In bowl combine salsa, sour cream, chili powder and salt and pepper.
Spoon topping over cakes.
Cranberry-Orange Brie
Preheat oven to 400
Ingredients:
1 tube of crescent rolls
1 (8 oz) Brie
orange marmalade
dried cranberries
1 egg mixed with 1 t. water
Directions:
Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil.
Unroll crescents and place 4 on the foil.
Pinch seems together creating a square
(or circle) large enough for Brie to fit with plenty to wrap around Brie.
Spread orange marmalade in center of dough.
Place a handful of dried cranberries on top of marmalade.
Place Brie on top of cranberries.
Put more marmalade and cranberries on top of Brie.
Bring up all corners of dough to encase the Brie, making sure to carefully seal all perforations.
Brush top of Brie with egg wash.
Bake for about 20 minutes.
Tent foil over the top to prevent over-browning.
Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes.
Buffalo Zucchini Chips
Ingredients:
1 large zucchini (or amount of choice) sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 box Shake n Bake Crispy Buffalo coating mix
flour
milk
olive oil
Directions:
Place flour in one bowl (enough for dredging) and
Shake n Bake in a separate bowl.
Dip zucchini slices in milk then flour then back into the milk.
Then dip each slice into the buffalo seasoning mix making sure
the zucchini is well covered in the buffalo mix.
Heat oil until bubbly.
Place a few slices of zucchini into pot at a time.
Cook until golden brown.
Enjoy these dipped in your favorite sauce (I like Ranch dressing).
Hawaiian Turkey and Swiss Sliders
Ingredients:
2 packages (12 in each) King's Hawaiian original Hawaiian sweet rolls
mayonnaise
mustard (any type you like)
24 slices turkey (actually use as much or as little as you like)
6 slices of swiss cheese (use as much or as little as you like)
pickle chips, optional (not optional for me!)
1 T. poppy seeds
1 T. onion powder
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 C. butter, melted
Directions:
Note: 15 rolls fit perfectly in a 7 x 11-inch baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray bottom of baking dish with non-stick spray.
Cut rolls in half. Place bottom half in a baking dish.
Spread mayonnaise on bottom half.
Spread mustard on top half.
Place turkey and cheese on rolls.
Place pickle chips on top of turkey and cheese.
Place top of buns on top.
Whisk poppy seeds, onion powder, Worcestershire and butter together.
Pour over buns.
Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes.
Bake (covered) in oven for 10 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.
