Hard-baked eggs

Hard-baked eggs....that's right.  No need to boil. Just place eggs in muffin tins and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Then drop them in a bowl of ice water to cool.  Peel and prepare your way.

Oven-roasted Asparagus

Spring brings a change in weather, wardrobe, and menus.  You'll find asparagus now at your local grocery and here's an easy and delicious way to prepare it.

• 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

• 1 teaspoon sea sal
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
  
  
  
  
  • Cook's Note
  • To remove woody ends, grab stalk of asparagus at either end and bend until it snaps. It will naturally snap where it starts to get tough.

  • Directions

  • Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.
  •  Recipe from AllRecipes.com

Cheese lovers day

    

I enjoy cheese in or on almost everything. And by itself. Here's a favorite way to enjoy it alone as a snack or to accompany a salad.                  FRICOS

Grate a 8 oz.  block of Parmesan-Reggiano

Mix with 2  1/2 Tblsp. flour &               !/2 tsp. black pepper.  Drop by Tablespoons 4 inches apart on a silpat lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly.  Bake 10-12 minutes at   375 degrees.  Cool 2 minutes and remove.

Presentation

Plain Jane to Fancy Nancy.  The humble cucumber and radish get all dressed up.


 Recipe from madiganmade:
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp chopped pecans (optional)
2 tbsp mint, thinly sliced
2 tsp chopped chives
4 ounces, softened cream cheese
1/8 tsp salt
1 seedless cucumber, sliced into 32 rounds
3-4 med radishes, sliced thinly into 32 rounds



Mix  Combine the first seven ingredients together in a large bowl.
Cut  Use a decorative cookie cutter (i.e. a flower) to cut the cucumber into shapes.

Assemble Layer the cucumber, then the radish slice on top of each other. Then top with about 1/2 tsp of cheese mixture.
Serve  Serve right away and enjoy!

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip

This dip was referred to as "crack', as it is addictively good.  


Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip

16 oz sour cream 1 packet Ranch dressing mix 3 oz bacon bits (in the bag not jar) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours. Serve with chips and/or veggies. www.plainchicken.com

Spinach and Strawberries Salad

Spinach and Strawberries Salad

  So simple, so delicious, so pretty

Maggie Mae made this to rave reviews and competed in dressage show bringing home 1st and 2nd place ribbons. Congratulations!
Recipe: A bag of baby spinach, 3/4 box of sliced strawberries, and 1/4 cup of poppyseed dressing. 

 

Bacon Deviled Eggs

What goes better together?

Ingredients:
6 hard-boiled eggs
3 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3 tablespoons onions, chopped finely
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained well
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
salt and pepper
 1/4-1/3 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Cut eggs in halves lengthwise. Remove yolks.

Mash yolks in medium bowl. Add relish, onion and bacon.

Add butter, salt, pepper, and mustard. Mix thoroughly.

Add mayonnaise to bind.  Refill egg whites.

Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate to meld flavors 

Source:  Food.com

Mini leek appetizers

Today Chef Peggy shared her adaptation of a leek tart.  Everyone enjoyed these tasty, tiny treats. And their preparation sounds simple.  She used a can of crescent rolls, cutting each triangle in thirds. These were pressed into a mini muffin tin.  For the filling: in a skillet, melt 2 Tblsp. butter and add 6 leeks (halved and thinly sliced crosswise) and 1 tsp. fresh thyme.  Cook covered until softened, about 5 minutes and 5 minutes more until slightly caramelized. Spoon into shells; top with a dollop of goat cheese and bake acc. to crescent roll instructions.

Check out more recipes at www.bistroonthego.com      

End of the World party

The thought I put into my menu names, I wanted revealed to my guests so tags were made for each creation.  They also helped to explain the composition in case the name wasn't a giveaway.  For example, the meatballs in a ring around a can of fuel gel didn't require the signage 'Great Balls of Fire' but 'Doomsday Dip' needed to be identified as spinach and artichoke dip.    'Satanic spheres' were, duh, deviled eggs.  'Mushroom clouds' were mounds of mashed potatoes while 'Hellfire and Damnation' was a spicy Mexican chile verde.  'Apocalyptic apple pie'  (thank you, Nancy) speaks for itself but 'Cataclysmic Cake' wasn't revealed until it was cut open when a cataclysm of fruit oozed out! 

It was simply an angel food cake with the top third cut off; a tunnel torn out, filled with sweetened strawberries, top returned and covered with whipped cream.  




And in keeping with the Mayan origins of this party, guests left with a baggie of chocolate, 'the gift of the gods'. (in this case, Lon.  Thank you)


              Happy Beginning of a New World!

Thanksgiving leftovers

Rarely do I set a table with paper plates but was considering these as I loved the message.  Moreover, I love a plate the day after Thanksgiving when filled with great leftovers. 

 

For example:

Turkey Empanadas

Bon Appétit | November 2009

by Maria Helm Sinskey

 

yield: Makes 6

These empanadas are moist and full of flavor. If your gravy is thin, simmer to reduce and thicken it, then chill before using.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced cooked turkey (white and dark meat)
• 1/2 cup chilled gravy
• 1 1/2 17.3-ounce packages frozen puff pastry (3 sheets), thawed
• 1 cup mashed potatoes, divided
• 1 cup stuffing, divided
• 1 egg white, beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon cold water (for glaze)
• Cranberry sauce

 

Preparation

Mix turkey with chilled gravy in small bowl. Roll out 3 pastry sheets to 12-inch long rectangles on floured work surface. Cut out 2 six-inch rounds from each pastry sheet, using small plate as guide (6 rounds total). Place each round on one 8- to 9-inch parchment square.

Spoon 2 1/2 tablespoons mashed potatoes onto half of each pastry round; press lightly to flatten, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with 2 to 3 tablespoons stuffing, then about 1/3 cup turkey mixture.

Brush glaze around filling on 1 pastry half. Fold plain pastry half over filling, stretching dough to cover. Seal edges with fork tines. Repeat to form 5 more empanadas. Transfer empanadas (still on parchment squares) to 2 rimmed baking sheets (3 on each sheet), spacing 2 inches apart. Chill empanadas 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Press edges of empanadas again with fork tines. Brush empanadas with egg-white glaze and cut small slits in top to allow steam to escape. Bake empanadas 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake empanadas until puffed and golden, 25 to 35 minutes longer. Serve empanadas, passing cranberry sauce alongside

Source:www.epicurious.com

Garbanzo Bean Day

Garbanzo beans also known as chick peas can make a great snack or party food.  Keep a can or two in your pantry for last minute entertaining.


Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In jelly-roll pan, toss chickpeas with oil, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt, then with flour to coat.
2.  Roast 27 minutes or until golden and crisp, stirring once. Cool on paper towels.

Source:  Good Housekeeping

Alaska Day

On this day in 1867, the U.S. formally took possession of Alaska after purchasing the territory from Russia for $7.2 million, or less than two cents an acre. The Alaska purchase comprised 586,412 square miles, about twice the size of Texas, and was championed by William Henry Seward, the enthusiastically expansionist secretary of state under President.     Happy birthday, Alaska!

            Baked Alaska Cakes

Ingredients

Cake and Filling:

4 slice(s) 3⁄4-in.-thick (from middle of loaf) purchased fat-free golden loaf cake

2 tablespoon(s) chocolate-flavored liqueur (crème de cacao) or maple syrup

1 pint(s) lowfat mint chocolate chip ice cream or cappuccino chocolate chunk, slightly softened

Meringue:

3 1/2tablespoon(s) Just Whites powdered egg whites

cup(s) warm water

cup(s) sugar

teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions

1.Clear a freezer shelf large enough to hold a small baking sheet. Line sheet with wax paper; place in freezer. Using a round 3-in. cutter, cut cake slices into rounds (save trimmings for snacks). Brush rounds with liqueur and top each with a 1⁄2-cup scoop of ice cream. Transfer to baking sheet. Freeze 6 hours, or until solid.

2.Meringue: Place oven rack in top third of oven; heat to 450°F. Beat Just Whites and warm water in a large bowl with mixer on low speed until whites dissolve. Increase speed to medium; beat just until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla. On high speed, beat until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Scrape meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain or star tip (or the meringue can be spread on ice cream cakes with small spatula).

3.Transfer ice cream cakes from baking sheet in freezer to another part of freezer. Discard wax paper from sheet; keep sheet in freezer. Working with 1 cake at a time, pipe small stars or dollops (or spread meringue) over cake and ice cream to cover completely. With a broad spatula, carefully transfer cake to sheet in freezer. Repeat with rest of cakes.

4.Place sheet with ice cream cakes on high rack in oven. Bake 2 1⁄2 to 3 1⁄3 minutes until tips of meringues are golden-brown and set. Transfer to dessert plates.

Tips & Techniques:  Can be prepared through Step 1 up to 3 days ahead. Freeze in an airtight container

Source:  Woman's Day

Moldy Cheese Day

Cheeses injected with blue mold are commonly called blue cheeses. Some popular types are Stilton, Gorgonzola and Roquefort .  Blue cheese can be soft or firm and is recognized by its strong flavor.  I like Gorgonzola which has a milder taste and is excellent crumbled on a salad, melted over crostini, or served with a fruit course.

TORTELLINI WITH GORGONZOLA CREAM SAUCE

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1715,158174-242192,00.html Content Copyright © 2012 Cooks.com - All rights reserved. 1 1/2 c. dry white vermouth 2 1/4 c. heavy cream (no substitutions!) Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Big pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 1 tbsp. salt 1 1/2 lbs. tortellini 3/4 lb. sweet Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled 1 1/2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese Bring vermouth to a boil in a small heavy saucepan and reduce by half. Add heavy cream, bring to a boil, and lower heat to a simmer. Season to taste with pepper, add nutmeg, and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until reduced by 1/3. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot, add salt and cook the tortellini until tender. Drain and return to the hot pot. Remove cream sauce from the heat, stir in half of the Gorgonzola and the Parmesan, and pour over the tortellini. Set over medium heat and cook gently, stirring constantly, for 5-8 minutes, or until cream has thickened slightly and the tortellini have absorbed some of the sauce. Serve immediately and sprinkle remaining Gorgonzola on individual portions. Serves 4-6.

Source:  www.cooks.com

Chocolate Coconut Pie

Simply elegant, simply scrumptious, simply simple.

Mix together 5 cups (about 1 1/2 packages) sweetened flaked coconut with 1/2 cup softened butter.

Press into a 9" pie pan and cover edges with foil.  Bake 10-15 minutes at 350' until inside crust is light brown.  Remove foil and brown edges (about 5 minutes).  Cool completely.

Chop 1 cup bittersweet chocolate. (I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao).  Heat 1 cup heavy cream to boiling.  Pour over chocolate and let sit 10 minutes.  Stir until completely melted and pour into crust.

Refrigerate until set (at least an hour).

National Lasagna Day

Easy recipe...
9 no cook noodles
2 jars (26 oz) sauce (your favorite)
1 lb. ground beef or italian sausage, cooked
1 1/2 Tblsp. italian seasoning
1 15 oz. container part skim ricotta
1 egg
2 pkgs. (8 oz each) italian bend shredded cheese

1.  Mix together ricotta, egg, and spice
2.  Spread 1 1/2 cup sauce on bottom of 13x9" pan.  Layer 3 noodles
3.  Top with 1/2 cheese mixture, 1/2 meat, 1 cup shredded cheese and 1 1/2 cup sauce
4.  Layer 3 noodles and repeat step 3
5.  Layer last 3 noodles and rest of sauce and shredded cheese.  Bake uncovered 40 min.
     at 350 degrees.  Uncover and bake 15 min more until cheese is melted and browned.
     Makes 6 large or 8 regular servings.

Happy Birthday, OREO

When planning a garden party themed luncheon, I was reminded that this is the 100th anniversary of the cookie.  Not just for dunking, it is used in the following recipe:

OREO COOKIE CAKE (DIRT CAKE)

1 (16 oz.) pkg. Oreo cookies 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 2 (8 oz.) pkg. whipped topping 1 c. confectioners' sugar 1 1/2 sticks butter 1 pkg. chocolate pudding 2 c. milk Crush Oreos very fine. Spread 1/2 Oreos on bottom of pan or flower pot and pour butter over Oreos. Let chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar to 1 box of whipped topping until smooth. Prepare pudding as directed on package. Spread cream cheese mixture over cookies, then layer chocolate pudding and other container of whipped topping. Sprinkle remaining Oreos on top. If you use flower pot you can make more layers and stick an artificial flower in for a surprise.

Source:  Cooks.com

Peaches and Cream Day

An alternative to strawberries, why not try a peach shortcake.  Some like sponge cakes; others prefer biscuits but choose one and top it with fresh sliced peaches and sweetened whipped cream.  I moisten the shells with some peach schnappes for additional adult flavor. A sprinkle of granola makes a nice garnish.

Won ton cups (savory)

You asked for my easy appetizer recipes.  My guests enjoy this one that has many variations and goes together quickly while making a presentation that looks like it took time.  First preheat oven to 400; then spray mini muffin pans with PAM.  Gently place wonton wrappers in each cup (there will be some overlap). Cook for 4 minutes until lightly browned.  Cool.  These can be kept in an airtight container for a long time to have at hand for unexpected guests.  There are several variations that I use and many that haven't a recipe so to speak.  #1  Cook  1 lb.crumbled Italian sausage until browned and remove with slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving fat.

  Add 1 cup each of shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese (Sargento makes a blend), and 1/2 cup ranch dressing,  

 Fill won ton wrappers. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 or until bubbly.  



  #2  Substitute 2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken, cheddar and swiss cheeses and thousand island dressing   # 3 Spoon in homemade or store bought artichoke dip.  

These are also baked and served hot.  Cold versions include filling with shrimp salad or a salsa and black bean combo.  Always a hit!

Butter and Eggs Day

Celebrated on the first weekend after the last Wednesday, this was first held in Petaluma, CA in 1983.  Parades, street fairs, and the presentation of the Good Egg award draw 25,000 people each year.

How to make scrambled eggs:

1. Break eggs into a bowl; allow 2 eggs per person.
2. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper to taste. 
3. For lighter eggs, add about a tablespoon of milk or water for each egg.
4. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter.
5. When the butter stops foaming, reduce heat to medium-low.
6. Add the eggs to the hot pan.
7. After a minute or two, when the bottom and edges have begun to cook and solidify, scrape and lift the edges with a spatula and allow the uncooked part to run under the part lifted. Fold cooked parts towards the center.
8. Repeat the scraping, lifting, and folding until the egg has formed curds. More stirring will make small curds and less will make larger, fluffier curds.
9. When the curds are firm but still moist, remove to plates or serving dish. They will continue cooking after they leave the pan.

National Cheese Ball Day

Cream 1 pkg (8 oz) softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, 1/4 cup diced apples, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, 2 Tblsp. apple juice and 1 Tblsp. curry powder.  Shape into a ball and coat with 1/2 cup chopped peanuts.  Wrap in saran and refrigerate. Serve with crackers and apple slices.