Month: September 2011

Pepper – Cheese Crackers

1 cup bread flour
1 cup corn meal, or instant polenta
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup cheddar cheese, sharp, finely grated
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut small
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside.

Place bread flour, polenta, salt, baking soda, paprika, pepper, and cheese in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add buttermilk. Continue processing until dough just forms a ball. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few seconds. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Cut dough into quarters. Using 1 piece at a time, roll out dough 1/16 inch thick on a lightly floured work surface. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off the excess flour. Keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap.

Using a 1 3/4-inch fluted round cookie cutter or a small fluted pastry wheel, cut out crackers and place on prepared baking sheet at least 1/2 inch apart. Roll out a second piece of dough 1/16 inch thick and repeat cutting process; place on second prepared baking sheet. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until crackers are golden brown and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking. Transfer crackers immediately to a wire cooling rack; let cool completely. Repeat process with remaining dough.

10 Servings

Appetizers Chicken

Peach-Bourbon Wings

1 cup peach preserves
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon whiskey, or rum
2 teaspoons cornstarch, stirred into 1 tablespoon water
4 pounds chicken wings

Heat oven to 450. Line a 15 x 10 inch jelly-roll pan with nonstick foil.

In a food processor, combine the preserves, brown sugar, garlic and salt. Process until garlic is finely chopped. Remove to a small saucepan. Stir in vinegar and bourbon (or rum). Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes or until thickened. (You will have about 1 1/2 cups glaze.)

Cut wing tips off and discard; cut wints in half at joint for about 36 pieces total. Place on prepared pan. Remove 1/2 cup peach-bourbon glaze and set aside. Brush wings with 1/2 cup glaze. Roast at 450 for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven. With tongs, turn wings over. Brush with remaining glaze. Roast 15 minutes more, until juices run clear.

To crisp skin, increase oven temp. to broil. Broil wings for 2 to 4 minutes. Serve with remaining glaze, if desired.

36 Servings

Appetizers Dips Vegetarian

Onion Dip

3 large onions, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
dash cayenne
dash salt

Saute onions in butter and olive oil until caramelized. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. Pour into serving dish, cover with plastic wrap or lid and chill overnight.

Serve with potato chips or crackers.

10 Servings

Appetizers Mexican Vegetarian

Mushroom Quesadillas

Vegetable oil spray
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas
6 tablespoons shredded low-fat Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeqo peppers or low-fat cheddar cheese
Salsa (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large skillet with vegetable oil. Cook mushrooms, onion and garlic in skillet over medium heat until onion is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.

Arrange one-third of the mushroom mixture on half of one tortilla. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Fold the other half of the tortilla over cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 3 quesadillas total.

Bake quesadillas about 5 minutes, or until filling is hot and cheese melts. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Serve warm with salsa if desired.

Microwave Method:

Spray a microwave-safe casserole with vegetable oil. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 5 to 7 minutes, or until onion is tender, stirring twice. Stir in cilantro.

Assemble quesadillas as directed above and arrange them on a microwave-safe plate or platter. Cook, rotating plate once, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 to 2 minutes, or until filling is hot and cheese melts.

Appetizers Cheese Vegetarian

Mozzarella Nuggets

12 sticks mozzarella cheese, (string cheese)
6 sun-dried tomatoes, (not packed in oil)
4 eggs
2 cups bread crumbs, Italian flavored
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup bottled spaghetti sauce

Remove cheese from plastic wrappers. Cut each cheese stick crosswise into thirds. With a small knife, cut a thin opening along the length of each piece, being careful not to cut completely through.

If tomatoes are not pliable, soak in boiling water for 5 minutes. Place them in a stack. Slice stack crosswise into 6 thin slices for a total of 36, each about the same length as cheese pieces. Gently tuck one tomato slice into a piece of cheese. Repeat, using all tomato pieces and cheese nuggets.

Break 2 of the eggs into a small bowl. Beat lightly. Place 1 cup of the bread crumbs in a shallow dish or pie plate. In a med-size heavy bottomed saucepan, heat oil to 350 on deep fry thermometer.

Meanwhile, coat 18 of the nuggets: Dip all 18 nuggets in egg, then coat with bread crumbs. Return to egg for a second round of coating, return to bread crumbs, tossing to cover completely with crumbs. Repeat double coating for remaining 18 nuggets, using remaining 2 eggs and 1 cup bread crumbs. Beginning with the nuggets coated first, fry 5 or 6 at a time for one minute, until golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon. Place on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Keep warm in 200 degree oven while frying remaining nuggets.

Heat marinara sauce in microwave for 1 minute. Serve nuggets alongside warm sauce.

NOTE: You may assemble nuggets ahead and refrigerate for 2 days or freeze them up to a month before frying. Do not thaw before cooking.

36 Servings

Appetizers Mexican

Mini Taco Cups

48 corn tortillas, chips, such as Tostitos Scoops
3/4 cup sour cream, low fat
8 pickled jalapenos
1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
1 -15 oz. can chili , vegetarian
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, taco flavored, shredded
fresh parsley, chopped

Place rack in uppermost position. Heat oven to broil. Select 48 unbroken chips and place in single layer on one or two baking sheets. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, jalapenos and taco seasoning mix.
Place about 1 teaspoon chili into each tortilla cup. Top with about 1/2 teaspoon shredded cheese per cup. Place on top rack and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese melts and chili is heated through (tortilla edges will just begin to brown). Once cups are heated, top with a small dollop of the jalapeno sour cream. Garnish with parsley; serve with additional sour cream on side.

48 Servings

Appetizers Dips Ham

Hot Ham & Cheese Spread

1 -8 oz. package cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3 slices smoked ham, finely chopped
Ritz crackers

Mix cream cheese, cheddar cheese and ham until well blended. Spoon into ovenproof crock or bowl. Bake at 350 degrees or until puffed and lightly browned. Serve warm as a spread with crackers.

24 Servings

Tags appetizers, Cheese, Dip, ham, spread

Appetizers Dips Seafood

Hot Crab Dip

3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
6 ounces crab meat
1/4 cup onions, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients, spread in oven safe dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve with crackers, pita chips, etc.

16 Servings

Appetizers Eggs Vegetarian

Deviled Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 cup salad dressing, or mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar, or pickle juice
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash Worcestershire sauce
dash fresh ground black pepper
dash paprika, for garnish, (optional)

Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Place yolks in a bowl, mash with a fork. Add other ingredients. Stir until smooth. Refill egg whites. To make them look special, use a star tip and frosting bag. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.

**To hard boil eggs:

Place eggs in bottom of a saucepan and cover with water. Place on burner of stove and heat until just boiling. Turn heat off and cover pan with lid. Set timer for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid until the timer goes off. Place pan in sink and run cool water into pan until the hot water is displaced and cool water is all that remains. Place in fridge for one hour. After cooled, crack eggs on the fat end, roll on the counter to loosen shells then place back in the cool water for a few minutes. They should now shell easily.

12 Servings

Appetizers Snacks

Crescent Dogs

8 hotdogs, slit lengthwise
1 package crescent rolls
4 slices American cheese, cut in half

Insert strips of cheese into each hot dog slit.
Wrap 1 crescent triangle around each hotdog.
Bake in 375 oven on ungreased cookie sheet, 12 – 15 minutes.

8 Servings