Pepper Jelly-Goat Cheese Cakes

                

I came across this receipt looking for something "pretty" for the holidays. Since the pepper
jellies are a little red and green, it seemed like the perfect fit. So we had them at a party and they
were a huge hit. Everyone wanted the recipe. So with that in mind, it just said "blog me baby".
So, here we are! Enjoy

24 aluminum foil miniature baking cups  Vegetable cooking spray  1/4 cup fine, dry Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs  1/4 cup ground toasted pecans  2 T grated Parmesan cheese  2  T butter, melted  1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened  1 (3-oz.) goat cheese log, softened  1 large egg  2 T heavy cream  1 T Asian Sriracha hot chili sauce  1/4 cup green pepper jelly, melted  1/4 cup red pepper jelly, melted      Preheat oven to 350°. Place baking cups in 2 (12-cup) miniature muffin pans;      coat baking cups with cooking spray     Stir together breadcrumbs and next 3 ingredients. Firmly press about      1 tsp. mixture in bottom of each baking cup.     Beat cream cheese and goat cheese at medium speed with an     electric mixer until light and fluffy; add egg and next 2 ingredients,     beating just until blended. Spoon into baking cups, filling three-fourths full.     Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pans     on a wire rack (about 20 minutes). Spoon 1 tsp. melted green pepper     jelly over each of 12 cheesecakes. Spoon 1 tsp. melted red pepper     jelly over remaining 12 cheesecakes. Cover and chill 2 to 12 hours before serving.

Roasted Buffalo Shrimp

This recipe is a keeper and a new favorite from the latest Martha Stewart Living magazine! It is packed with a lot of flavor and is a great appetizer. My suggestion is to use large shrimp; I used 16-21 count and it was perfect, smaller shrimp would cook down too much. It's sinfully easy! I plated the shrimp by sprinkling a bit of shredded cabbage on the platter first, then I added the shrimp. As you can see, it looks great on the platter!  

Shrimp
1 1/2 lbs. of large uncooked peeled & deveined shrimp tail on
2 cloves of garlic minced
3/4 t. celery seeds
2 1/2 t. paprika
1/2/ t. cayenne pepper
2 T. honey
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
finely grated zest of 2 lemons

Dip
1 cup of sour cream-I used light
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 t. Kosher salt
1/4 t.pepper
1/2 tabasco sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 cup of finely chopped celery leaves

Preheat the oven to 450 and put a rimmed baking dish in the oven to heat up. Combine all shrimp ingredients in a large bowl. Toss in the shrimp & coat with the sauce. Place shrimp in a single layer on the hot pan and roast without flipping until the bottoms are browned about 7-10 minutes. Meanwhile make the dip by combining all ingredients together. Arrange shrimp on a platter and pour the extra sauce from the pan over the shrimp. Serve with the dip and also some carrot and celery sticks too.

BLT Bites

20 large size cherry tomatoes
1/2 lb bacon hickory smoked bacon cooked and crumbled
1/2 mayo (not miracle whip)
1/3 cup minced green onions white and green parts
2 T minced romaine lettuce

Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each tomato. This is not the stem end. Scoop out the pulp and discard.
Drain the tomatoes, cut side down on paper towels for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring to mix well. Spoon this mixture into the tomatoes, but sure to push it in as there will be a air pocket. Refrigerate, covered for about 1 hour prior to serving.

Serve chilled.

We used Pearl Tomatoes from Trader Joe's and they were excellent. I think its better to make the mixture and let it blend together in the refrigerator for a few hours before stuffing the tomatoes. I used a bud vase for the display. It was Tom's grandma's and we put toothpicks through the tomatoes and then used different lengths of bar straws for the display. Filling in with fresh green grapes. Absolutely fabulous!!

Mike's Hot Peppers

10-20 hot cherry peppers (you can use any small hot pepper, save tops and chop up for mixture)

1/2 lb. of ground beef

1/2 cup of rice

1 package of taco mix

Slice tops off of peppers, rinse and set aside.  Brown ground beef add taco mix. Make rice at the same time. When beef is done you can add rice and tops of the peppers. Fill peppers with mixture. Put on grill and cook for about 10-20 minutes

We had these on our dish day and they were marvelous!

Coca-Cola Glazed Wings

These are really good. Mike and Kathy brought them to the last dish day and they were a big hit!

1 cup of Coca-Cola Classic

Juice of 2 limes

1 1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

3 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped, plus 2 jalapeno's, sliced for garnish

3 pounds of chicken wings (12 to 14 whole wings)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the glaze, in a saucepan, bring the soda, lime juice, brown sugar, and chopped jalapeno peppers to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy, about 30 minutes, keep warm on low heat. Prepare the chicken wings.  Place the wings in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour about half the glaze over the wings and toss to coat. Keep the remaining sauce over low heat.  Grill the wings place glazed wings on a grill rack that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Cook for 10 minutes per side, brushing twice on each side with the reserved glaze.Transfer wings to warm platter, garnish with sliced jalapeno's, and serve immediately!

Eric and Susan's Grilled bacon wrapped Scallops

This is one of the dishes Eric and Susan brought to our dish day 9/24.

It was excellent!

3/4 cup crisp dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup honey
1 t course salt
1 1/2 lbs scallops

6 oz thickly sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 4 inch strips
You will also need some wooden toothpicks.


Place the wine, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper in a large non reactive bowl and whisk until the salt dissolves. Add the scallops to the marinade and mix. Let this marinade in the refrigerator covered for 60 minutes.

In the meantime, precook the bacon about halfway. Not to a point where it gets crispy. The grill can take care of that.

After an hour, drain the scallops. Discard the marinade. Wrap each scallop in a strip of bacon, securing it with a toothpick.

Preheat the grill to medium and set it up for direct grilling.

When ready to cook,  brush and oil the grate. Arrange the wrapped scallops on the hot grate and grill until the bacon is browned and crisp and the scallops are cooked through. About 2-3 minutes per side plus 1-2 minutes on the edges to crisp the bacon.

Transfer the scallops to service dish and serve them hot off the grill.

Zucchini Fritters

If your garden is like mine right now and you've planted zucchini, then you are probably looking for a different recipe to make other then the usual zucchini bread.  I mentioned in a previous post that I collect cookbooks.  I have a couple hundred at least.  I also like things before they become a fad or popular. In 1979 I went with my Mom to a cookbook signing that was advertised on the radio.  The author was this lady named Giovanna D' Agostino aka
Mama D.  She was an older woman who was an excellent cook and owned a restaurant in Minnesota. I "Googled" her and sadly she died in March, 2009 at age 94. This recipe was adapted from her book "Mamas D's Homestyle Italian Cookbook".  As usual, I have changed it up a bit to make it mine. Enjoy!

2 medium zucchini unpeeled sliced paper thin
1 c. flour
2 eggs beaten
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 c. water (you may need a little more if the batter looks too thick)
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste

1 c. canola oil for frying

ranch dip/dressing or marinara sauce for dipping

Here's the ancient book in my collection.

So it's autographed too!

Here's what you need....

I sliced these zucchini super thin on my mandoline.

Fry those babies til golden brown.

Drain on paper towels

Combine all ingredients except oil & mix thoroughly. The mixture will be the consistency of pancake batter.
Heat the oil in a skillet. When hot, drop batter by tablespoonfuls into the oil & fry until golden brown about 5 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on two layers of paper towels.
Sprinkle with additional salt & cheese. Serve with either marinara or ranch or just eat plain-they are very tasty!

The zucchini is so tender-they will not last long on the plate!

Grilled Artichokes with creamy white wine vinaigrette

Tom and I love artichokes and this is a new twist but also allows us to cook on the grill all summer long!

1 T plus 1 t kosher salt
2 large lemons quartered
3 large artichokes (1 lb each)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T white wine vinegar
2 T honey
1/4 t kosher salt
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper

In an 8 quart saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil over medium high heat. Juice the lemons into the water and add the squeezed lemon shells.  Using kitchen scissors, remove the thorns from the tips of the artichoke leaves. Cut off the tip of the stem. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin from the remaining stem.

Cut each artichoke into 8 wedges. Take a paring knife and remove the fuzzy choke making sure to get all of it out. Take a toothpick and stick it through the center to hold all the leaves in place. Place the artichokes into the boiling water and allow it to return to a boil.  Cover the pan and boil until they are tender, about 20 minutes.  Using tongs, remover the artichokes and arrange on a single layer on a baking sheet.

Have the grill preheated to medium high. Brush the grate with olive oil.  Drizzle both sides of the artichokes with olive oil and season with 1 t salt and 1/2 t pepper.  Sprinkle with chopped garlic and rosemary.  Grill, cut side down, until lightly charred, 5-6 minutes on each side.  Side aside and allow to cool slightly.  This can also be done on your stove in a grill pan if you have one or just a frying pan in a small amount of olive oil.

For the Vinaigrette:
In a medium bowl,  whisk together the sour cream, olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until smooth.

Arrange the artichokes on a platter and serve the vinaigrette alongside as a dipping sauce.

Gazpacho Blanca (cold soup)

This recipe comes from my mom's bff,  CY, who has moved to Fairhope AL. She  recently visited the Old 27 Grill and came across this soup that she loved. She was able to get the the recipe from the chef, William Stitt and has shared it with all of us. It was his mothers recipe and he's been making it since he was child.  We made this soup and it is fabulous. By the way,  Tom does not care for cold soup but loved this as well.
So give it a try and let us know what you think.

If you are are gardener, then by now you are flooded with cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions and parsley, so here is a great use for all of this!

9 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped.
9 cups of chicken broth
9 cups of sour cream
9 T white vinegar
1 T salt
6 gloves of garlic, crushed

Condiments for topping per serving:
1 t tomatoes diced
1 t scallions, sliced
1 t parsley, fresh, chopped


Whirl the cucumber in a food processor with a little chicken broth for a very short time. Pour into mixing bowl.  Add remaining chicken broth, sour cream, vinegar, salt and garlic.

Stir just enough to mix. Chill thoroughly, at least 2-3 hours.

Before serving, stir again.  Ladle into cups or bowls and sprinkle condiments on top.

This yields 18 small bowls or 12 large bowl. We had 10 people over and served by the cup and had 2 bowls left the next day. Big hit. Probably even better the next day!

Thanks CY we love you!
Tom and Debbie

Confetti Corn Salsa

I love Summer so much! I am not a cold weather person at all-I enjoy so many aspects of the season and hanging out with friends is one of my favorites. I made this salsa this past Saturday night. We went over to our friends Julie & Kevin's patio for a very impromptu get together. I told Julie I'll bring a little something to nibble on.  I always have these ingredients on hand so out came the can opener, chef's knife & cutting board. I put it together in no time! I love this salsa because it is really versatile, it can be a dip or relish for grilled meat or fish. It's also a great base for a quick lunch or dinner; add some rice or pasta & grilled chicken or shrimp. My suggestion if you do you this-increase the dressing amounts until it's coated to your liking.

1 can whole kernel corn-drained
1 can black beans-rinsed & drained
1/2 c. red onion chopped
1/2 c. black olives chopped
1 small tomato chopped
2 green onions chopped
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
1/2 c. chopped green, red, orange or yellow pepper-use whatever you have don't stress!
1/2 c. cilantro chopped
1 clove garlic minced

Dressing
2 T. olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1 T. honey
1 t. cumin
1 t. salt-I use kosher
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. black pepper

Whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.  Put all chopped ingredients in a bowl & toss together with dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Chill and serve with  tortilla chips.

Cheese dip or Cheese ball

My friend Erin (and Ken of course) came for dinner last night. She brought this great dip and I wanted to share it. She brought gorgonzola crackers from Trader Joe's that made the perfect dip. Try it, you'll like it!


8 oz. package Philadelphia cream cheese
1 4 oz. package Blue Cheese Crumbles
1 Jar Old English Cheese spread
1 t. finely chopped onion
1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Blend all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. We had it as a dip, but it can also be
made into a cheese ball.

chopped nuts (optional) Shape into ball. Roll in nuts if desired.  Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Guacamole Salad so beautiful

This past weekend, we headed  to our friends lake house. My friend Laura made an wonderful guacamole  salad. It was so colorful! We ate some with chips, some with rosemary flat bread and the rest with breakfast. Its he perfect side for summer.

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half

1 yellow bell pepper seeded and cut into small pieces

1 can black beans (15 oz) rinsed and drained

1/2 cup diced red onion

2 T minced Jalapeno peppers

1/2 t freshly grated lime zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 olive oil ( we prefer Colovita)

1 t kosher salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

1/2 t minced garlic

1/4 t cayenne pepper

2 ripe avocado's peeled and seeded, 1/2" diced

In a bowl, add the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers and lime zest. In another bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic and cayenne pepper. Pour this over the vegetables and mix well. When you are ready to eat, add the chopped avocado and mix well. Adjust the seasoning and serve at room temperature.

Oyster's Rockefeller - or shrimp Rockefeller!! equally wonderful!

Its thought to have originated at Antoine's in New Orleans. We had this dish at the Union Oyster House in Boston and the chefs there have developed this wonderful combination of flavors. Some say its been given this name because its so "rich". This is the recipe from their chefs.

1 lb fresh spinach cooked, squeezed and chopped (or 1/2 lb thawed, chopped and squeezed dry.)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus a little more for sprinkling
1 T Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Fish Veloute (recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste

12 oysters freshly shucked on the half shell. Rinse thoroughly.
1 cup Hollandaise sauce (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 450. In a bowl, combing spinach, cheese, mustard and Veloute.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir well to combine.

Place the oysters on a baking sheet. Place a spoonful of spinach mixture over each oyster. Sprinkle additional parmesan on top. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until oysters are heated through and sauce is bubbling.

Top each oyster with a teaspoon of warm Hollandaise sauce. Serve Immediately.

 You can substitute shrimp for the oyster. Just combine the spinach mixture with 20 large shrimp in a baking dish. Bake until bubbling. Or make individual servings in ramekins. Bake until bubbling then add a little of the Hollandaise sauce.

To make Fish Veloute


To make  Classic Hollandaise Sauce- this easy to make sauce is great on everything from asparagus to white fish.

Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail

Just so you know Bloody Marys are one of my favorite cocktails (the recipe can be found under the Cocktails section) so when I came across this recipe I had to make it. It's simple and of course I put the "Pam" spin on it to make it mine!

Shrimp
1 lb. large shrimp peeled and deveined
1 c. green onions chopped
1 1/3c celery diced

Sauce
3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. vodka (Absolut Peppar if you have it)
2 t. prepared horseradish
1/4 c. cilantro chopped
2 T. chili lime hot sauce
2 t. worcestershire sauce
2 t. steak sauce
1 t. honey
salt & pepper
lime wedges & cilantro for garnish

Thaw shrimp if frozen, remove tails and place in a bowl with scallions & celery. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Season with salt & pepper and allow to chill for at least an hour. When you are ready to serve add the shrimp to the sauce mixture & combine well.  Spoon into chilled martini glasses & garnish with a lime wedge & a sprig of cilantro and serve. Makes 4 servings

My Big Fat Greek Layered Mediterranean Dip

I can't help it, I am a recipe junkie-there I said it! I have hundreds of cookbooks and thousands of recipes. I LOVE appetizers so I thought it was only fitting to make this my first post. It's Greek; like me:) Oppa!

1 6-8oz prepared hummus
½ c. sour cream
1 clove garlic minced
½ t. lemon zest
¼ t.salt
1/8 t. ground red pepper
¾ c. diced seeded tomato
¼ c. chopped kalamata olives
2 t. olive oil
¾ t. oregano
¼ t. salt
¼ t. t pepper
½ c. crumbled feta
¾ c. chopped cucumber
¼ c. red onion
¾ t. dried dill and fresh dill
Pita chips

Spoon hummus onto a large platter leaving a border around the edge of the plate.
Combine diced tomato, olives, oil, oregano, salt & ground red pepper together.
Spoon on top of hummus.
Mix feta, cucumbers, onion and dill together.
Spoon on top of tomato mixture.
Combine sour cream, garlic, lemon zest, dill, salt & pepper together.
Spoon on top of cucumber layer.
Sprinkle chopped kalamata olives on top.
Garnish with additional fresh dill if desired.

Serve with pita chips.