Shrimp Fritters

This recipe is amazing and is not an original of mine.  It is from here.  Loved these.  These work great as an appetizer or as your protein with a salad for a meal.  Yum.

Shrimp Fritters

Ingredients:

1 lb Large Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 oz. Mozzarella Cheese (about 1 and 1/2 cups shredded)

1 Large Egg

1/4 Cup Mayonaise

2 Tablespoons Parsley

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour

2 Tablespoons Oil (to cook in)

Lemon Aioli Sauce:

1/2 Cup Mayo

1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest

2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 Garlic Clove, pressed or finely minced

Instructions:

Step 1:  Pat dry shrimp with paper towels then dice into pea-sized pieces.

Step 2:  Transfer chopped shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Add 4 oz shredded mozzarella, 1 egg, 1/4 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp parsley, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir together then add 1/4 cup flour and mix until batter is creamy and well combined.

Step 3:  Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add 1 heaping Tablespoon at a time (or a level ice cream scoop) and flatten out the tops of your fritters as you go so they are about 1/2" thick patties. Saute about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on the edges and cooked through.

How to Make Lemon Aioli Sauce:

In a small bowl, add mayo and stir to remove any lumps. Add 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 Tbsp lemon juice and pressed garlic clove and stir to combine. 

Asian Lettuce Cups

I am a sucker for Asian food.  Honestly, I really am.  And it is the one type of cuisine our family can always agree upon.   These lettuce cups are soooooooooo good . . .and not unhealthy either!  Very easy and quick to make with all the good Asian flavors.  Yum.  This can easily be served as a meal or an appetizer for a party.  Furthermore, you can make it with pork, chicken or turkey.  It's definitely versatile that way!

Asian Lettuce Cups

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

1 Pound Ground Pork

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Small White Onion, Diced

1/4 Cup Hoisin Sauce

2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Ginger

1 Teaspoon Chile Garlic Paste (or Sriracha)

1 (8-ounce) Can Water Chestnuts, Drained and Diced

2 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced

Chopped Nuts (Peanuts or Cashews) - Optional

1 Head Boston Bibb Lettuce, Cleaned and Separated

Step 1:  In a large fry pan, add the sesame oil, ground pork, garlic and white onion.  Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks. 

Step 2:  Once the pork is cooked through, add in the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, chile garlic paste and water chestnuts.  Stir to combine and let cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed and chestnuts are heated through.

Step 3:  To assemble, place a spoonful of ground meat on a lettuce leaf and top with green onion and nuts.  Enjoy!

French Bread Toasts

French Bread Toasts are the perfect accompaniment to warm, steamy soups as well as tasty, spreadable, creamy dips.  They are so simple to make - I almost thought about not posting the recipe.  However, everybody loves them!  They are crunchy, a bit savory from the olive oil and store well in a sealed container.  You know what that means?  You can make them ahead of time before your big shin-dig and store them until you need them.  On the counter.  No refrigeration necessary.  And you serve them at room temperature.  You can thank me later.

This year on Christmas, we went with a self-service soup bar (how fun is that?!?!?).  We served 3 different soups along with these toasts.  They are just so much yummier than crackers.  Trust me.  And the neutral flavor of them goes well with all types of soups etc.  

French Bread Toasts

Ingredients:  

1 lb French Bread Loaf

Olive Oil

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  On a large baking sheet, drizzle a little olive oil. 

Step 2: Carefully slice the French bread with a serrated knife into 1/2 inch slices (rounds).  Place them in a single layer onto the baking sheet.  Drizzle with additional olive oil.

Step 3:  Once the oven is preheated, place the pan in the oven.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops start turning golden brown.

Step 4:  Remove from oven and flip the slices over.  The bottoms are likely pale compared to the browned tops.  Once the slices are all flipped up, place back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes - or until golden brown.

You can serve these warm, cold, or room temp.  Once they are cooled, you can store them in an air-tight container for up to a week.  Please note, these do not freeze well.

Spinach Cheese Squares

Looking for a great, easy and yummy appetizer for the your NYE party?  Look no further.  This is it.  Spinach.  Cheese.  One bowl.  Bake It.  Easy, easy, easy.  Any yummy.  Did I mention yummy?  As well, these are great served hot or cold.  And they store well too (in case you have leftovers, which I doubt you will).

Spinach Cheese Squares

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter 

3 Eggs

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

20 Oz. Frozen Spinach (this is usually two boxes if using that type.  I prefer to use the the loose leaf frozen spinach - but I know that isn't as easy to find)

1 Pound Monterey Jack Cheese, Shredded (approx. 4 cups)

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place butter in a 9x13 cake pan.  Set in oven and let the butter melt (appox. 5 minutes).  Remove from oven let stand while you prepare the next set of ingredients.  Be sure to leave the oven on.

Step 2:  In a large saute or frying pan, heat the spinach thoroughly - letting any water evaporate through the cooking process.  Once heated through, drain the spinach and then lay out on a clean dishtowel (or paper towels or cheesecloth) and wring out the spinach.  You want the spinach to be as dry as possible.  Set aside.

Step 3:  In a large bowl, beat the eggs and then add the flour, milk, salt and baking powder.  Stir until well combined.  Add the cooked spinach and the cheese.  Mix well.  

Step 4:  Spread into the pan and bake at for 35 minutes - until it just starts to brown around the edges.  Cut into squares and serve.

Polynesian Party Wings

These are so dang good . . .I had forgotten about how delicious they taste.  When chicken wings were on sale last week at the grocery store, M & I thought to ourselves . . .yeah, we could totally go for some wings.  But we had just had spicy buffalo chicken not too long ago.  So then what?  Aha . . . . sticky wings!!  These are a potluck favorite and are always gone instantly.  Beware – although this recipe makes 3 lbs of wings, you soon learn that 3 lbs really isn’t that much!  You can easily serve these as a main dish with some rice on the side.   They also make a great finger food/appetizer (hint hint . . .holiday or Superbowl time).   The best way I can describe them is a blend between an Asian flavor and a Polynesian flavor.  They are not spicy at all – however, some red pepper flakes would add a new dimension for those who like it hot (experiment at own will)!  As well, I highly recommend lining the cookie sheet/baking pan with tinfoil OR just use a cheap tinfoil pan.  The sauce gets real sticky when you bake the wings – and the pan is not fun to clean!  Unless, of course, you are not the one doing the dishes – then who cares!  I also need to put a plug in about soy sauce in general.  Although this recipe calls for regular Soy Sauce, our family has discovered that we actually prefer Low-Sodium Soy Sauce by Kikoman.  It actually has flavor, other than salty.  If you haven’t tried it – I recommend it.

 Polynesian Party Wings

3lbs Chicken Wings, thawed or fresh

1 Cup Soy Sauce

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

½ Cup Pineapple Juice

1 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Garlic Powder

 In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients excluding the meat.  Mix well.  Add the wings and stir to coat the meat.  Cover and let marinade for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the fridge.  I like to mix this up at night and let them marinade overnight.  

Prepare baking sheet:  line sheet with tinfoil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Or, prep tinfoil pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake wings for 1 – 1.5 hours, until tender and fall off the bone.  Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Oysters Rockefeller

Talk about a real treat!  This past weekend we made Oysters Rockefeller.  And OMG.  They were amazing.  And let me tell you, oysters are far easier to open/shuck than clams.  If you love seafood, this is a very easy one to prepare at home.  Fresh, succulent oysters topped with a warm, garlicky, gooey yet slightly crunchy topping.  Oh my gosh . . . now I want them right now!  The original recipe I used is here.  However, I just had to make it my own . .. and here it is:

Oysters Rockefeller

Creates 12 Oysters 

1 dozen oysters, shucked

2 TB Butter

1 Large Teaspoon of Chopped Garlic

1/3 Cup Breadcrumbs

1/4  Cup Spinach (frozen, crumbled - not the kind frozen in a block)

2-3 Green Onions, sliced

1-2 Dashes of Tabasco

2 Tablespoons Parsley, chopped

1/4 Teaspoon Tarragon

1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Step 1:  Shuck the oysters keep the oyster on the half shell. You can discard the other half of the shell.  Place shells with oysters on them on a large baking sheet.

Step 2:  In a saucepan, melt the butter over low.  Add in the garlic, spinach, green onion and tarragon.  Saute until the spinach is hot.

Step 3:  Next, add the parsley, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs to the spinach mixture.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.

Step 4:  Top each oyster with a heaping spoonful of the mixture.  Be sure to use up all the mixture.

Step 5:  Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

BBQ Black Beans

Versatile = Black Beans.  Gotta love them. Firm, mild flavor, nicely sized.  Delish.  I like to buy the canned variety, specifically Wild Harvest brand.  They come out of the can not-too-sludgy and are still whole and have a very nice creamy texture when you eat them.  Not all brands tend to be that way.   

This recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat them.  It can be eaten as a meal, a side dish, or an appetizer.  Meal - serve along with some fruit (this is what I'm having for lunch today) or wrap it up in a flour tortilla for a bbq bean burrito.  Side Dish - would be yummy with a thick slab of meat on the side.  Appetizer?  Serve along with your favorite corn chips for dipping.  It's a little sweet - but the green onion helps to offset it.  As well, the sweetness is very dependent on the BBQ sauce that you use.

BBQ Black Beans

Serves 4 as a Side Dish

Ingredients:

1 (15-oz) Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce

1/2 Cup Cheddar or CoJack Cheese

3 or 4 Green Onions, cleaned and sliced

Step 1:  Place the black beans in a microwave-safe bowl and mix in the BBQ sauce.  Place the bowl in the microwave, covered with a paper-towel, and cook on high for 2 minutes.

Step 2:  Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the beans.  Sprinkle the cheese on top of the BBQ beans.  Return the bowl to the microwave, place paper-towel on top again.  Heat on high for 1 minute.

Step 3:  Remove the bowl from the microwave, sprinkle the beans with the sliced green onions and serve.

Mini Stuffed Peppers

I ran across these at the grocery store the other day and had.to.have.them.  

Luckily, they weren't too spendy either.  SO CUTE!!!!  They are small bell peppers - not spicey ones! I love stuffed jalapenos, but my family isn't too crazy about them.  So these are a good compromise.  And my little guy couldn't get enough of the peppers stuffed and unstuffed.  He just loved them.  I hope you will too.

Mini Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

6 Mini Bell Peppers (orange, red, yellow)

4 oz Cream Cheese

1 TB Chopped Bacon

1 TB BBQ Sauce

Pepper to taste

Step 1:  Rinse the peppers and cut in half lengthwise (be sure to leave the stem on - don't remove it).  Remove the seeds.

Step 2:  In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, bacon and bbq sauce.  Taste.  Add pepper as desired.

Step 3:  With a small spoon, fill each mini bell pepper half with the cream cheese mixture and place on baking sheet.

Step 4:  Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, until hot, bubbly and starting to brown on top.

Serve as an appetizer or side dish.

Blue Cheese-and-Pecan-Stuffed Celery

Have you ever tasted something and then you were instantly addicted?  I save that statement for a few things in life  . . .and this recipe is one of them.  I originally tasted these little devils while at a good friends party.  Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Cream Cheese, Pecans . . .SWOOOOOOOON!  I ate one and became embarrassingly addicted.  I suddenly didn't care about anything else at the bbq . .. just these celery sticks.  I couldn't stop eating them.  I didn't ask for the recipe because I knew I would be in big time trouble.  

Fast forward two years:  said friends are having party again.  I I-N-S-I-S-T on them serving these "fancy ants on a log" or I refuse to attend.  They complied and I camped out next to these fancy-ants-on-a-log and then tried to convince no one else to eat them.  

And then my friend Teri pinned the recipe on Pinterest for me so I had no option other than to repin it and save it.  Turns out it is originally a Rachel Ray recipe.  I very slightly modified it by increasing the dried cranberries and stirring in the black pepper.  I just went with what worked for me.  I'm convinced that the celery is only there to make yourself feel better about eating this evilly delicious concoction.  I could totally forgo the celery and just eat a bowlful with a spoon.  It's that good.  

Blue Cheese and Pecan Stuffed Celery

aka:  Fancy Ants on a Log

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Blue Cheese

4 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans, toasted

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries

Black Pepper

Celery

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and blue cheese.  Mix together until well blended.  Add the pecans and cranberries and stir until combined.  Add black pepper to taste.  Spread on Celery.

Deviled Eggs

Every once in while you might crave a little super-simps savory treat.  This fits that ticket:  Deviled Eggs. No occasion needed.  

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

6 or 7 Hard Boiled Eggs, Peeled and Silced in Half

4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon (generous) Yellow Mustard 

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Step 1:  Place mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl.  

Step 2:  Remove the yolks from the eggs and add to the bowl with the mayo/mustard.  Mash together until smooth.  Add pepper and mix thoroughly.

Step 3:  Carefully divide the mixture among the egg whites.  I like to use my little scooper.  It makes it go quickly and cleanly and seems to measure out the perfect amount!  If you don't have a scoop, you can use a spoon.  

Viola!  Deviled Eggs:

Optional Step 4:  Garnish!  I typically sprinkle the deviled eggs with paprika.  But why stop there?  You can garnish with almost anything.  The sky is the limit!  In the below photo I garnished each with paprika and two of each with the following:  bacon bits, black sesame seeds, green onion, capers, parsley, broccoli and salami.  Now, that's what I call a sampler!