Recipes

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Published on by carol lou

This is a quick and easy appetizer that you can put together in a snap.  The sugar caramelizes as they bake, a great appetizer that you can make at a moments notice.

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Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
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Ingredients
  1. 1 5 oz. can whole water chestnuts
  2. 9 strips of bacon, cut in half
  3. 1/8 cup soy sauce
  4. 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
  1. Drain water chestnuts and marinate in soy sauce for 1/2 hour. Drain and roll each water chestnut in sugar, wrap each water chestnut in bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Place on rack in shallow pan.
  2. Bake 400 for 20 minutes, broil for an additional 5 minutes until the edges of the bacon brown
  3. Serve hot
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Roasted Pear Salad

Published on by carol lou

I was in the produce department and picked up a few Bosc pears, baby spinach, and goat cheese. I then thought I would create a roasted pear salad. I have baked pears previously, however this time I thought a salad with a warm pear would be delicious. I am writing this the morning after I served this salad, it was so good, I don’t want to forget how I made this salad. The goat cheese melts on the warm pear and the result is wonderful.

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Roasted Pear Salad
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 2 Bosc pears
  2. 1 tablespoon honey
  3. 1 teaspoon bourbon (optional)
  4. 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  5. 1/8 -1/4 teaspoon roasted red pepper flakes (add amount according to your preference)
  6. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  7. fresh baby spinach
  8. Goat cheese crumbles
  9. Dried cranberries
  10. Maple dressing
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Cut pears in 1/2 and remove core. Place flat side up in a baking dish. Mix honey and bourbon together and drizzle over pears. Drizzle butter and sprinkle with red pepper and cinnamon. Bake 15 minutes, turn pears over and bake and additional 5 minutes.
  3. Prepare salad plates. On plates put a layer of spinach leaves. Top with warm pear, goat cheese crumbles and dried cranberries. Drizzle with maple dressing. Salt and pepper, if desired.
Notes
  1. Maple dressing
  2. 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  3. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  4. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  5. 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  6. Salt and pepper
  7. Mix well.
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Blueberry Crisp

Published on by carol lou

Nothing better on a cold winter day than walking into the grocery store and seeing buy 1, get 1 free on fresh blueberries.  How could I pass up that bargain?  So, I headed home thinking they would be wonderful on yogurt; my husband however thought immediately about blueberry crisp.  What a splendid idea on a cold February day.  Can you think of anything better to serve than warm berries with a sugary crunch topping?  Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream… heavenly.

blueberry crisp[

 

Blueberry Crisp
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Ingredients
  1. 3 cups blueberries
  2. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  3. 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  4. 1/2 cup flour
  5. 1/2 cup oats
  6. 1/3 cup butter, softened
  7. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  8. 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375
  2. Arrange blueberries in a baking dish. Sprinkle lemon juice over the berries. Combine remaining ingredients until crumbly. Top the berries.
  3. Bake until topping is lightly browned, approx. 30 minutes.
  4. Serve warm.
  5. Serves 4 - 6
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Crab Cake Sliders with Sriracha Tarter Sauce

Published on by carol lou

I don’t think I have ever met anyone that does not like crab cakes.  I had just made Portuguese Pan Rolls and had one pound of lump crabmeat in my refrigerator, I thought it was time to make crab cake sliders.  I also know that everyone seems to love sriracha sauce so thought I would make a sriracha infused tarter sauce.  I think you will agree that this is the perfect combination.

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Crab Cake Sliders with Sriracha Tarter Sauce
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Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. fresh lump crabmeat, drained
  2. 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  3. 1/4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  4. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  5. 1/3 cup milk
  6. 1 large egg, beaten
  7. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  8. 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
  9. 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
  10. 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  11. Dash of white pepper
  12. 1/4 cup flour
  13. 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
  14. 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
  1. Combine breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, baking powder, milk, egg, mayonnaise, green onion, Italian parsley, garlic salt and while pepper in a large bowl. Gently fold in crab meat; form into patties and refrigerate covered a few hours for the crab cakes to firm up. One hour prior to cooking, dredge each cake in flour and Old Bay combined. Melt butter in skillet, cook patties over medium high heat, approx. 4 minutes per side or until brown, watch carefully.
  2. Serve on roll with sriracha tarter sauce.
  3. One pound of crabmeat yields 9 sliders
Notes
  1. Sriracha Tarter Sauce
  2. 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  3. 1 tablespoons pickle relish ( I prefer sweet pickle relish, you could however use dill pickle relish)
  4. 1/4 teaspoon sriracha - you can adjust according to your taste
  5. 1 squeeze of lemon juice
  6. Combine and serve on sliders
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Wine Marinated Beef Stew

Published on by carol lou

When I think of beef stew, I think of the ultimate comfort food.  The one thing I have changed from my mother’s original recipe is marinating the beef cubes in red wine.  The addition of the wine makes a very rich broth that sends this stew over the top.  My husband says this is better than any restaurant meal.  To me, that is five stars!

 wine marinated beef stew

 

 

Beef Stew
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Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds stew meat, beef chuck, cut into 2 inch pieces
  2. 1/2 bottle of red wine
  3. 1/3 cup flour
  4. Salt and pepper
  5. 1 tablespoon canola oil
  6. 2 tablespoons butter
  7. 1 medium onion, diced
  8. 1 large clove of garlic, minced
  9. 1 - 2 cups beef broth
  10. 1 teaspoon allspice
  11. 2 bay leaves
  12. Sliced carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and frozen peas
Instructions
  1. Marinate beef in wine 12 - 24 hours.
  2. Drain beef and reserve marinating wine. Dry meat on paper towels. Combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge meat in flour mixture. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter and canola oil in a dutch oven. Brown meat. Once brown, remove meat. Add remaining tablespoon of butter to pot and saute onion and garlic. Cook until onion is transparent. Add 1 1/2 cup of reserved wine. Heat and scrape browned bits in bottom of pan. Add 1 cup beef broth, bay leaves, and allspice. Return beef cubes to pan. Bake covered, 325 for 1 1/2 hours.
  3. Remove from oven. Add vegetables, cover and bake for an additional 45 minutes. If you desire more sauce, you can add the additional 1 cup of beef broth. Remove bay leaves prior to serving.
Notes
  1. This is delicious to serve with a crusty bread, delicious dipped in the wonderful wine sauce.
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Caramel Muffins

Published on by carol lou

Entertaining extends beyond setting a beautiful table and having friends and family over for dinner.  Entertaining includes hosting the unexpected house guest, neighbors stopping by and even taking a sweet treat to a friend who is under the weather.  Whatever the occasion, it is always nice to have a stash of recipes that are easy to prepare, use ingredients from your pantry, and yield terrific results.  This recipe for caramel muffins is just one of those recipes.  You can make these muffins in under 30 minutes from the first mix to the finished product.  Your house will smell great and these muffins are just delicious.  No butter, jam or honey accompaniment needed, these are just perfect just as they are.  One important note, these need to be removed from your muffin pan immediately after removing from the oven.

caramel muffins

Caramel Muffins
Yields 12
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup butter
  2. 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  3. 1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  4. 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  5. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  6. 1 egg, slightly beaten
  7. 3/4 cup milk
  8. 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425
  2. Grease 12 muffin cups
  3. Combine butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar until mixture is crumbly, divide among muffin cups.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and the cinnamon. In another bowl, combine egg, milk and oil; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes. Immediately remove muffins from pan and invert onto serving tray.
Notes
  1. As a substitute for 1-1/2 cups self-rising flour, place 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup. Combine with an additional 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
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Zucchini Tomato Bake

Published on by carol lou

 This is a one dish wonder.  Combine all of the ingredients in your casserole dish, bake as directed and you have a baked vegetable casserole that is perfect to serve with chicken, fish or beef.  The croutons add a wonderful crunch.  A very different and delicious side dish. 

vegetable casserole

 

Zucchini Tomato Bake
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  2. 3 cups small croutons (I use seasoned croutons found near the salad dressings)
  3. 4 cups sliced zucchini
  4. 1/2 cup chopped onion
  5. 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
  6. 3 tomatoes, cut in large chunks
  7. 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the croutons.
  3. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into greased baking dish and top with remaining crouton and cheese mixture.
  4. Bake, covered for 1 hour, serve hot
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Oven Barbecued Chicken

Published on by carol lou

This recipe is easy to make and the results are outstanding. A great alternative during the winter months when you really do not feel like battling the weather to go outside and grill.   This recipe lends itself to all cuts of the chicken.  I prefer skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.  The sauce leaves a wonderful glaze and the chicken just falls of the bone it is so tender.

bbq chicken

 

Oven Barbequed Chicken
Serves 6
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Ingredients
  1. Flour
  2. Salt and pepper
  3. Assorted chicken pieces to serve 6, I used skinless chicken thighs
  4. 1/3 cup melted butter
  5. Paprika
Barbeque sauce
  1. 1 cup catchup
  2. 1 cup water
  3. 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
  4. 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (optional)
  5. 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
  6. 1 tablespoon vinegar
  7. 1 tablespoons chopped garlic
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, salt and pepper is a large zip bag, add chicken and shake to coat. Place floured chicken in a greased baking dish, drizzle chicken with melted butter.
  2. Bake in 350 oven for 1 hour.
  3. Combine sauce ingredients, pour over chicken and bake and additional 30 - 45 minutes until the sauce has reduced and glazed the chicken. Baste chicken frequently.
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Herb Pita Chips

Published on by carol lou

I opened my freezer and discovered a package of pita bread.  I also had quite an assortment of fresh herbs in my refrigerator, so I wanted to try something different with pita chips.  I have tried the basic recipe of drizzling pita triangles with olive oil and sea salt and baking, they are very good but quite basic.  I brought out my herbs and some butter and tried a different approach to baked pita chips.  I have to say they were amazing.  When my husband came home from work; I had just brought a batch out of the oven. It was all I could do but to take the photo below before we decided we needed to try my creation.  Can I just say, not sure how to recommend storing these since we ate the entire batch with a great class of wine!  Off to the gym tomorrow…

pita chips

 

Herb Pita Chips
so much better than pita chips in a bag!
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Ingredients
  1. 3/4 cup butter, softened
  2. 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
  3. 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
  4. 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  6. Fresh grated pepper
  7. 6 pita rounds
Instructions
  1. Cream butter, add remaining ingredients, except pita bread. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 450.
  3. Halve the pitas, spread with butter mixture, cut each pita into 6 triangles.
  4. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer, bake 5 - 7 minutes until lightly browned and crisp, watch closely so they do not burn.
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Peppadew Goat Cheese Appetizer

Published on by carol lou

When I was in Atlanta last week, I had an amazing Peppadew appetizer at one of the BBQ restaurants we visited.  It was so good, I came home and  tried my hand at recreating it.  I served my creation this past weekend and all agreed it was delicious. A Peppadew is a sweet piquant pepper grown in the Limpopo province of South Africa.  Interesting how combining a few basic ingredients, you can produce such fantastic results. This appetizer is very unique and if you are not familiar with Peppadews, what a good time to give them a try.  It is very easy to make, you can make this ahead and pop in the oven when your guests arrive.  I served this with water crackers.

peppadew appetizer

Peppadew Goat Cheese Appetizer
You can find peppadews in jars at your local market or many times on the olive bar
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Ingredients
  1. 1 10.5 oz. log of goat cheese
  2. 1 jar Peppadew peppers, drained
  3. 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  4. 1 tablespoon, honey - I used bourbon infused honey
  5. Fresh cracked pepper
  6. Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Drain peppers and place on a cookie sheet, broil until the skins begin to char. Watch carefully, this does not take very long.
  2. Preheat oven to 400
  3. In an oven proof serving dish, crumble goat cheese, top with peppers and pine nuts.
  4. At this point you can cover and refrigerate, if you are making this ahead.
  5. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until the goat cheese has melted.
  6. Remove from oven, drizzle with honey and olive oil, sprinkle with cracked pepper
  7. Serves 8
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