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Cheesy Tomato Basil Toast
Servings = 6
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Ingredients
6 bread slices, firm, close-textured 2 Tablespoons fresh garlic, minced, or garlic powder maybe substituted
½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
½ cup Mozzarella cheese, finely grated
6 Tablespoons 2 to 3 garden fresh tomatoes, rinsed, and sliced
6 Tablespoons olive oil
This recipe is great before or along with your meal. For appetizer or just for snacking.
Place bread slices onto cookie sheet. Place the olive oil, basil leaves, garlic powder in a medium sized bowl.
Mix all ingredients well. Spoon onto each bread slice, equal amounts about 1 heaping Tablespoon of the mixture.
Spread onto the bread slices.
Add the tomato slice.
Add the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
You may top the bread with fresh black pepper and a whole basil leaf is desired.
Place slices into a 400-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese are thoroughly melted and golden.
Transfer to a platter and serve hot.
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Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Servings = 4
Ingredients
6 oz. milk chocolate
1 Tablespoon shortening
1 pint strawberries, rinsed and dried well.
Line small tray with waxed paper.
In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with shortening, stirring until smooth. Dip tips of strawberries into chocolate.
Place on prepared tray. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Hush Puppies
Ingredients
6 cups canola or peanut oil
1½ cups self-rising cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Using a deep pot, preheat oil for frying to 350 degrees F.
Using a mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt.
Stir in the onion. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and egg.
Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until blended.
Drop the batter, 1 teaspoon at a time, into the oil.
Turn the hush puppies during the cooking process.
Fry until golden brown.
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Korean Wontons
Yield: 5 dozen.
Ingredients
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup canned bean sprouts
½ cup shredded carrots
1 ½ teaspoons plus
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/3 pound ground beef
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1½ teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 package (12 ounces) wonton wrappers
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons water
In a wok or large skillet, stir-fry cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots in a 1-1/2 teaspoons oil until tender; set aside.
In a small skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add to the vegetable mixture.
Stir in the onions, sesame seeds, ginger garlic, sesame oil, salt and pepper.
Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Combine egg and water.
Moisten wonton edges with egg mixture; told opposite corners over filling and press to seal.
Heat remaining vegetable oil in a large skillet. Cook wontons in batches for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown,
adding additional oil if needed.
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Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients for the brine:
4 Cups Water
½ Cup Kosher Salt
½ Cup Sugar 36 Shell-On Shrimps, medium sized
1 Cup Ice for the court bouillon: 16 Cups Water
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves, preferably fresh 1 Lemon, halved
Make the brine:
In a large bowl, whisk together the water, salt, and sugar until dissolved.
Add the shrimp, ice and let soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, make the court bouillon:
In a large saucepan, combine the water, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves.
Squeeze the lemon juice into the water, add the lemon halves, and bring to a boil.
Add the shrimp to the water and cook until they just turn opaque, about 3 minutes.
Drain the shrimp, transfer to a baking sheet, and let cool.
When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel and de-vein them and chill in the refrigerator.
Serve immediately.
Serve with favorite cocktail sauce.
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Shrimp With Mango Salsa
Servings = 4
Ingredients
2 lbs. shrimp, medium sized, cooked and cleaned
1 cucumber, large sized, peeled, seeded and diced
5 scallions, trimmed and sliced thinly
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 jalapeno, stemmed and minced
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, minced
Salt, to taste
Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Season to taste with salt and toss together.
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Stuffed Grape Leaves
Servings: 5 dozen.
Ingredients
2 (16-ounce) jars grape leaves
2 (6¼ -ounce) packages long-grain and wild rice mix, uncooked
2 (14½-ounce) cans ready-to-serve chicken broth
½ cup chablis or other dry white wine 2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tablespoons parsley, freshly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
½ cup pine nuts
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup water
Garnish:
Lemon Slices Wash grape leaves thoroughly and drain; remove stems, and set aside.
Remove seasoning packet from rice, reserve for other use. Combine rice, chicken broth, and next 7 ingredients in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Stir in pine nuts, and let cool. Place each grape leaf, vein side up, on a flat surface, reserving any torn leaves.
Spoon 1 ½ tablespoon of rice mixture onto center.
Roll up tightly, folding in sides. Repeat with remaining grape leaves and rice mixture.
Line bottom of a 6 quart Dutch oven with torn or remaining leaves to prevent stuffed leaves from sticking or scorching.
Arrange stuffed leaves in even layers in Dutch oven.
Pour oil, lemon juice, and water over leaves, and place a small heavy plate inside Dutch oven on top of stuffed leaves.
Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
Garnish if desired.
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Wild Mushroom and Gruyere Tart
with Fresh Salad
6 to 8 Appetizer Servings
Tart:
½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons plus
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup crème fraiche or sour cream
1½ pounds assorted fresh wild mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 Tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal (about 1½ cups)
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)
4 ounce Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
Puree ricotta in processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add 1 yolk and 2 teaspoons oil and blend.
Transfer ricotta mixture to bowl; fold in crème fraiche.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté 7 minutes.
Mix in thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add butter and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes longer.
Mix in green onions.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 13x9-inch rectangle.Using sharp knife and starting ¼" inch in from edge,
cut score line around entire perimeter of dough, cutting halfway through.
Brush ¼" inch dough border with glaze.
Transfer dough to ungreased heavy baking sheet.
Spread ricotta mixture over dough, inside border.
Top with half of mushrooms, half of Gruyere, then remaining mushrooms and Gruyere. Bake tart until crust is golden and Gruyere melts, about 25 minutes.
Salad:
6 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/3 cup ½" inch pieces fresh chives
3 Tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
3 Tablespoons fresh chervil leaves
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Toss herbs with oil and lemon juice in small bowl.
Season with salt and pepper. Cut tart into rectangles.
Transfer to plates.
Garnish with herb salad.
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