Appetizers

Picnic Spinach and Sausage Torte

Published on by carol lou

Every year, we try to attend at least one of the numerous performances held at Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts in Vienna, VA .  There is nothing better than having a wonderful outdoor picnic and great wine prior to a performance.  This year, the concert was Harry Connick Jr, and what a terrific concert it was.  I must say, our picnic prior was pretty terrific too.  I brought the picnic and our friends brought sensational wines!  What a winning combination.  This year, the assortment of recipes came primarily from my mom’s recipe collection; my menu was Chilled Tomato Soup, Poached Salmon, Antipasto Salad, Picnic Spinach and Sausage Torte followed by Chocolate Bark and Poppy Seed Bread.  I think the Spinach and Sausage Torte was the surprise of the night (now I know why it was one of my mom’s favorites) and is the one dish I wanted to highlight from the evening.  

 Our wine selection for the night

5 from 1 vote
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Picnic Spinach and Sausage Torte

Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 slices French bread, torn into pieces and crumbled in food processor or blender for fine crumbs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, steamed 3 minutes and well drained
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Crumble the sausage into a skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring until the pink color is gone.  Add the onion and cook, stirring until the onions are golden and the pork is browned, about 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.  Place the meat mixture in the food processor and pulse a few times to mince the meat and onions.  Place the meat mixture in a large bowl.  Add the bread crumbs and milk.  Chop the cooked spinach and add to the meat mixture.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Spoon the mixture into a buttered 9 - inch springform pan.  Bake uncovered for 50 minutes or until set.  Cool, cover and chill.  Bring to room temperature before serving.  Cut into wedges and serve with crusty bread and assorted mustards. 

    I reserved 12 - 14 spinach leaves and immediately when the torte came out of the oven, I placed them around the edge of the torte.

Marinated Shrimp with Peppers

Published on by carol lou

This is the prefect make ahead recipe for a spring party or picnic.  This recipe requires that you marinate the shrimp and peppers 8 – 48 hours.  All you do prior to serving is drain and place in a beautiful dish.  I served along side a chilled Rose and crackers.  What a delightful first coarse.

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Marinated Shrimp and Peppers

Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined and cooked
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 large green bell pepper
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons capers, drained
  • MARINADE
  • 1 1/2 cups canola oil
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut each pepper in half, remove seeds and flatten with the palm of your hand.  Place peppers, skin side up on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil.  Roast peppers until the skin blisters and chars.  This will take between 15 - 25 minutes, watch closely.  Remove peppers from the oven and place in a plastic bag to steam for 10 minutes.  Remove from the bag, the skins will remove easily, slice peppers into strips.  In a large bowl combine the shrimp, peppers, red onion, and capers.  Mix all of the marinade ingredients together.  Pour over shrimp mixture.  Stir to coat.  Refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.  Stir often while in the refrigerator.  When ready to serve, drain the shrimp mixture and serve.

Goat Cheese with Apricot Peppadew Glaze

Published on by carol lou

We were in Atlanta this past month and I was cooking dinner one night for friends.  Not being in my kitchen and with limited time, I decided to make a goat cheese appetizer for dinner.  I wanted to put together something to serve with cocktails prior to dinner while the grill was heating up.  I headed to the market, picked up some goat cheese, apricot jam, peppadews off of the olive bar, a jar of pickled jalapenos, dry sherry and some Dijon mustard.  A quick assembly, heated until bubbly and I will tell you I had no leftovers.  Easy and delicious.

 

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Goat Cheese with Apricot Peppadew Glaze

Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 16 oz goat cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  • 5 peppadew peppers, chopped
  • 1 pickled jalapeno, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • pita chips, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spread goat cheese in approximately a 7 inch baking dish. or ramekin.  Mix the preserves, peppers, jalapeno, mustard and sherry.  Pour over goat cheese.  Bake until hot and bubbly, 8 - 10 minutes.  Serve with pita chips or crackers.

 

Baked Wonton Crisps

Published on by carol lou

Ok, I must admit this recipe is almost too easy to post!  I had a package of wonton wrappers in my refrigerator with a large portion left from a previous recipe. I remembered the time I was served wonton chips as an accompaniment to a salad a few years ago.  I didn’t want to waste the remaining wonton wrappers so decided to try my hand at baked wonton crisps.  What a great alternative to a cracker or chip.  Trust me on this one- I think you will love them as much as we did.  I will defiantly be making these again!

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Baked Wonton Crisps

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated wonton wrappers
  • canola oil cooking spray
  • salt, if desired

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut each wonton in half diagonally.  Line a baking sheet with foil, spray the foil with cooking spray.  Place cut wontons on cooking baking sheet.  Spray tops of wontons lightly with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden.  Sprinkle with coarse salt, if desired. Remove from the oven and let cool.  They will crisp as they cool.

Tiger Tears

Published on by carol lou

If you are a fan of Thai food I am sure you have tasted a version of this recipe.  Basically it is sliced marinated steak served with a spicy chili dipping sauce.  One of our favorite local Thai restaurants serves this appetizer and every time we visit we order Tiger Tears.  I wanted to recreate Tiger Tears at home and experimented until I got the flavor combination that I thought was just right.  I sliced the sirloin prior to marinating and then quickly broiled the steak.  Delicious served with a side of romaine and carrots.

 

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Tiger Tears

Ingredients

  • Marinade
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablepoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Dipping Sauce
  • 5 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons dried red chili flakes
  • 3/4 poound sirloin steak, thinly sliced
  • lettuce leaves
  • carrot shavings

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients, pour over steak slices, refrigerate. 2 - 4 hours.  Combine all of the dipping sauce ingredients, set aside.

    When ready to serve, heat broiler, lay steak slices on a foil lined baking sheet.  Broil 1 minute per side.   Remove and serve with dipping sauce, lettuce and carrots.

Maple Popcorn

Published on by carol lou

Since my childhood I always associate Halloween with popcorn, apple cider and powdered sugar donuts.  I think the reason might be one of our neighbor’s when I was growing up always made the neighborhood children popcorn balls for Halloween.   Apple cider and donuts is an easy one, my elementary school always had a Harvest Festival and always served apple cider and powdered sugar donuts.  Isn’t it always fascinating how we associate certain foods with holidays and traditions.  To stick with my memories, I wanted to share this favorite recipe for popcorn.  It is a bit different from typical caramel popcorn since the identifying ingredient is maple syrup.  After this popcorn bakes, it is like eating maple sugar coated popcorn.  Always a hit no matter where I take it.  

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Maple Popcorn

Ingredients

  • 3 bags `microwave popcorn/plain, with added sea salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Pop corn as directed on package, pour into extra large bowl or roasting pan.  Combine butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla and immediately pour over popcorn.  Stir quickly, mixture will be extremely hot.  Stir until all of the popcorn is coated or almost coated. Pour onto foil lined baking sheets and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stir every 15 minutes.  Cool and serve

Hummus/Interesting Find – Lebanese Bistro, Burke, VA

Published on by carol lou

We recently ate at a Lebanese restaurant in Burke, VA, Lebanese Bistro. It is a gem tucked away in a strip shopping center.  Roland and Maria, the owners, invited us for an unbelievable dinner.   It was so fun, I never saw their menu since they ordered all of their specialties for us to try.  Every bite from every dish was just great.  I must admit I ate myself into a “food coma”  you know what that is – when everything is so good you just cannot resist a bite.  Maria graciously shared her Hummus recipe with me after I mentioned how delicious their hummus was.  One note, she never uses canned chickpeas.  This was not new to me since I have made other recipes with dried chickpeas, but you might not be familiar with cooking with dried chickpeas.  Similar to other dried beans that you cook, you soak them overnight and then simmer them until done.  I think this step is the key to her wonderful hummus.  

Photo of the hummus served at the Lebanese Bistro 

 

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Hummus- Lebanese Bistro

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup tahini sauce
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Process all ingredients in a food processor - Voila - exceptional hummus thanks to my friend Maria and the Lebanese Bistro, Burke, VA.


    To cook chickpeas - cover dried chickpeas with water to cover plus a few inches.  Cover and let sit overnight.  Drain and rinse.  Place in a saucepan and cover with water, plus a few inches, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours until soft.

 

Below are a few photos I took during dinner…

                                        

 

Southern Crab Nachos

Published on by carol lou

You might wonder why I call these Southern Crab Nachos.  Well, it is because I added a layer of cheese grits!  I met Parker Hinson  from Old School Mill in Albemarle, NC. and he graciously gave me a bag of their stone ground grits.  After living in Texas for five years and making grits frequently, I can absolutely say these are the best grits I have ever had. I wanted to add a southern twist to my nachos and decided to add a layer of cheese grits.  The best thing about these nachos is not only does the top of the Southern Crab Nachos ooze with deliciousness of cheese and crab, the bottom chips scoop up a wonderful layer of cheese grits with the other toppings.  Each bite is so delicious you will want to make extras!

These grits are a find!  Check out their website http://oldschool.com  Here is a little bit on info on their mill:

Old School Brand uses the art of stone grinding grains into wonderfully pure meals, flours, and grits. Since those first products were made we have developed a line of foods and mixes that bring back all the rich goodness and flavor of centuries ago.

 

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Southern Crab Nachos

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Cheese Grits
  • 1 recipe Black Bean Relish
  • 8 - 12 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
  • 1 large bag tortilla chips (flour or corn)
  • 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 recipe Avocado Lime Buttermilk Dressing

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare grits and spoon over the bottom of your ovenproof serving dish. Top with layers of tortilla chips.  Spoon over the black bean relish, crab meat and cheeses.  Bake until hot and bubbly, 8 - 12 minutes.  Serve with a side of avocado lime buttermilk dressing.

 

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Cheese Grits

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup stone ground grits
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Bring water and salt to a boil.  Add grits.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. 

 

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Black Bean Relish

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/3 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
  • 2 teaspoons jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 1/4 cup tomato, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons red pepper, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 lime, squeezed
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients.

 

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Avocado Lime Buttermilk Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut avocado in half and discard pit, scoop flesh into food processor bowl. Combine all remaining ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to serve

Easy Spinach and Cheese Bites

Published on by carol lou

In my arsenal of recipes, I came across this recipe that is from my mom’s recipe box.  She was always the master of making delicious, quick to prepare recipes, from easy to find ingredients.  I am aware of all of the online ship-to-your-house websites that advertise easy to prepare meals in a box.  I am sure there are many that use these sites for their weekly meals and I know in certain situations they are a lifesaver of convenience.  I even purchased a gift card on one site for a couple expecting twins; I thought they would appreciate a few meals that were easy to prepare and did not require a trip to the store. But, on an every day basis, it is easy to prepare foods just like my mom made, with fresh and easy to find ingredients.  Easy Spinach and Cheese Bites are perfect when entertaining, a light lunch or along side a cup of soup.  

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Easy Spinach and Cheese Bites

Ingredients

  • 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1 cup grated cheese, mozzarella and cheddar mixed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 4 English muffins
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • garlic salt
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook the spinach as directed, drain and dry the spinach.   In a medium bowl mix the spinach, cheeses, and egg until well blended.  Split the muffins in half, spread each half with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Spread spinach mixture on each half, top with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 10 minutes, then put under the broiler to brown and get hot and bubbly (watch carefully).  Cut each muffin half into 4 pieces to serve.

Goat Cheese Mousse

Published on by carol lou

Have you ever heard of goat cheese mousse?   I was one that had never heard of it or tasted it until I visited the farmers’ market in Durham, NC.  While shopping this lovely market,  I purchased a jar of goat cheese mousse topped with blueberry jam.  I wasn’t sure what it was, but with the reaction of shoppers all purchasing jars of Goat Cheese Mousse, I knew it had to be something good.  There was only one label on the jar that said Goat Cheese Mousse, no list of ingredients.  After a bit of research and experimentation, I think I have come up with the easiest appetizer recipe you can make.  I like to top the mousse with hot pepper jelly but you can be creative and top it with any of your preferred jams or chutneys.  Perfect on crackers, toast or bagels.

5 from 1 vote
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Goat Cheese Mousse

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. goat cheese
  • 5-6 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Put goat cheese into a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer beat until smooth, gradually add heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time.  Continue until goat cheese is smooth and fluffy.  Typically it will take 5 - 6 tablespoons of cream.  Once mixture is fluffy, spoon into a serving container. Top with preserves or chutney of choice.

    You can easily adjust the recipe according to the amount of goat cheese used.