Spinach Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing

July 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Spinach Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Prep time: 20 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces young spinach
  • 2 large eggs
  • 8 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 large white mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 ounces red onion (1 small), very thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. Remove the stems from the spinach and wash, drain and pat dry thoroughly. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Place the eggs into an electric kettle and cover with cold water by at least 1-inch. Turn the kettle on. Once the water comes to a boil, the kettle will turn itself off. Leave the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Remove and peel off the shell. Slice each egg into 8 pieces and set aside.
  3. While the eggs are cooking, fry the bacon and remove to a paper towel to drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
  4. Transfer the fat to a small saucepan set over low heat and whisk in the red wine vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper.
  5. Add the mushrooms and the sliced onion to the spinach and toss. Add the dressing and bacon and toss to combine. Divide the spinach between 4 plates or bowls and evenly divide the egg among them. Season with pepper, as desired. Serve immediately.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Marinated Tomatoes With Basil Balsamic Vinegar

July 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Marinated Tomatoes With Basil Balsamic Vinegar
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cups ice water
  • 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 6 tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • Parmesan cheese curls (optional)
  • French bread (optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine onion slices and 4 cups ice water in a large bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, 2 tablespoons water, and next 4 ingredients. Stir in basil.
  3. Layer half of tomato slices in a shallow dish. Top with half of onion slices. Drizzle with half of dressing. Repeat with remaining tomato slices, onion slices, and dressing. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese curls, if desired, and serve with bread, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
  5. Note: Recipe may be prepared up to 3 hours ahead.

Recipe Source: Southern Living JUNE 2004

Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Fried Zucchini Appetizer

July 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Fried Zucchini Appetizer
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Prep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 28 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 4 cups canola oil
  • 1 cup toasted Italian breadcrumbs
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 splash cold water
  • 4 medium zucchini, washed, dried, ends trimmed, cut, lengthwise, into 10 wedges like pickles
  • 2 cups flour, for dredging
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon paprika, for dusting
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
  1. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy bottomed pot and heat to 350 degrees F.
  2. Make the breading mixture by combining the breadcrumbs, and Parmesan in a medium bowl. Mix to blend. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the splash of water.
  3. Place the zucchini in a large bowl and season with salt. Toss to blend. Sprinkle lightly with flour (use a sieve) to dredge then toss to coat evenly – this will help the breading to stick. Submerge the zucchini in the eggs. Remove the pieces, 1 by 1, shaking off excess egg and them roll them in the breadcrumb mixture until they are coated on all sides. Transfer to a platter or baking sheet.
  4. When the oil comes up to temperature, test the oil by dropping in one piece of zucchini. It should rise to the surface fairly quickly, begin the bubble and fry gradually. Prepare a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel and a slotted spoon (or, alternatively, a spider) to remove the zucchini from the oil. Drop a few pieces of zucchini into the oil and gently swirl the oil as they fry. This swirling will allow the zucchini to move around a lot, assuring they fry more evenly on all sides. When they are light to medium brown, remove them with the spoon and lay them out on the kitchen towel to cool. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and paprika. Repeat.
  5. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Parmesan Crisps With Bacon

July 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Parmesan Crisps with Bacon
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 2 Pieces Extra Lean Bacon
  • 1 cup Shredded Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Chopped Basil Leaves
  • ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place bacon on paper towels, on a microwavable plate, and cook until crisp. Remove from microwave, set on paper towels, pat dry, then finely chop. Using a small mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together until well blended. Drop by heaping tablespoon on parchment paper 1 inch apart. Bake 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let cheese stand until cool and crisp, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, carefully lift each round off baking sheet.

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Shrimp Remoulade in Endive Leaves

July 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Shrimp Remoulade in Endive Leaves
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons drained prepared horseradish
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, or to taste
  • 1 pound cooked and peeled medium (31/40 count) shrimp
  • Medium and small leaves from 3 heads Belgian endive (about 40 leaves)
  • Fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, relish, onion, lemon zest and juice, parsley, horseradish, and pepper sauce. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the sauce into each endive leaf and top with a shrimp. Garnish with a small, feathery piece of dill, place on a platter or individual plates and serve.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Chili’s Chili Queso Replica Recipe

July 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Chili’s Chili Queso Replica Recipe
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Ingredients
  • 1 bag of tortilla chips
  • 16 oz box of Velveeta Cheese, cubed
  • 15 oz can Hormel Chili (no beans, and not chunky)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 tspn. chili powder
  • 2 tspn. paprika
  • 1 Tblspn. lime juice
  • 1/2 tspn. ground cayenne
  • 1/2 tspn. ground cumin
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan. Place over medium heat. Stir frequently until the cheese is melted. Reduce heat, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes, Restaurant Replica Recipes

Shrimp Dip

July 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Shrimp Dip
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 to 4 Tbsp of lemon juice (2 if regular lemon, 4 if Meyer lemon), more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 3/4 pound cooked, shelled, small pink shrimp (salad shrimp)
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions, including the greens
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Beat until smooth (you may need to use a whisk.)
  2. If you have a food processor, pulse together the shrimp and the cream cheese mixture, three 1-second pulses. If not, or if you just don’t want to deal with the food processor, chop up the shrimp—fine to medium chop—and mix into the cream cheese.
  3. Return to the bowl and stir in the scallions and parsley. Add the hot sauce and black pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice to taste.
  4. Keep chilled. Serve with crackers or crudite.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Apple Sausage Stuffing Bites

July 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Apple Sausage Stuffing Bites
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Prep time: 6 mins
Cook time: 14 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 12 mini phyllo shells, pre-baked
  • 1 cup herbed stuffing mix
  • 1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 3 maple sausage links
  • 1/2 medium apple, chopped
  • 1 basil leaf, chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
Instructions
  1. In a medium pan, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion and celery. Cook until soft and browned, about three to four minutes. Add stuffing mix, basil, salt, red pepper and broth. Take off heat and set aside.
  2. In another small pan, cook sausage until fully heated, about five to six minutes. Take off heat and let cool.
  3. Once sausage has cooled, chop into tiny pieces and add to stuffing mixture.
  4. Carefully spoon about one tablespoon of stuffing mixture into each phyllo shell, filling to the brim. Season with additional basil and enjoy!

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Tomato, Mozzarella & Thai Basil Crostini

July 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Tomato, Mozzarella & Thai Basil Crostini
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 12 slices seven-grain or sesame bread
  • 1/2 garlic clove
  • 2 cups (about 10 ounces) halved cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Sliced fresh mozzarella
  • Thai basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Grill bread slices and rub with garlic clove.
  2. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, shallot, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Season with sea salt and pepper; let sit for 15 minutes.
  3. Put sliced fresh mozzarella on toasts. Spoon tomato mixture over mozzarella and garnish with Thai basil leaves. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Recipe Source – Bon Apetit, June 2011

Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes

Cream Cheese Penguins

July 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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Cream Cheese Penguins
Recipe Type: Appetizer
Prep time: 30 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 18 jumbo black olives, pitted
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 18 small black olives
  • 1 carrot
Instructions
  1. Cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.
  2. Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Recipes
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