by Kathy Douglas | Oct 14, 2019 | Appetizers
Smooth and creamy then topped with sautéed garlic chips, pepitas, and fresh sage, this delicious Pumpkin Hummus has amazing flavor. It’s guaranteed to become a regular on your Fall party buffet. We like to serve it with toasted pita chips, but it’s just as delicious with fresh veggies.
15-ounce can Cannellini beans
¾ cup pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
½ teaspoon ground roasted cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon coriander
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Sage, Garlic and Pepita Topping
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8-10 small sage leaves
¼ cup pepitas
For serving: Toasted Pita Bread
Rinse and drain the cannellini beans. Then add to a food processor or blender along with pumpkin, lemon juice, tahini, roasted cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, and cayenne. Purée until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Process again until incorporated. Pour into a serving bowl and swirl to create grooves in the surface to hold the topping.
For the Topping: Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic, sage, and pepitas and sauté for a few minutes to brown slightly. Pour over the pumpkin hummus and serve with warm toasted pita bread.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 2, 2019 | Appetizers, Entrees
Nothing beats a grilled cheese sandwich except this skewered, deconstructed sandwich, cooked on a bbq grill. Tossed in olive oil and Za’atar spices, it’s a grilled baguette, halloumi cheese, and cherry tomato delight finished with a sprinkle of olive oil, more Za’atar, and fresh basil leaves. Great as an appetizer for six or dinner for three.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon Za’atar spice plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
18 cherry tomatoes
12 two-inch cubes of baguette
8 ounces of Halloumi Cheese, cut into 12 cubes
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, small leaves or larger torn into smaller pieces
Equipment
6 metal skewers
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Add the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of Za’atar spice, garlic powder and the salt to a large bowl. Whisk the spices and oil together. Add the cherry tomatoes and baguette cubes to the bowl; toss to coat. Make each skewer by alternating two pieces of baguette, three cherry tomatoes, and two pieces of Halloumi per skewer. Brush the remaining oil mixture left in the bowl over the cheese pieces on the skewers.
Grill, turning frequently, until the cherry tomatoes skins just start to break, the bread is toasted and the cheese is slightly browned.
Remove from the grill on to a platter. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over a little more Za’atar spice and top with the fresh basil leaves. Makes 6 skewers.
by Kathy Douglas | Aug 12, 2019 | Appetizers, Entrees
Fresh off the grill, this delicious dish is spicy and cheesy. Seasonal Anaheim peppers are stuffed full of corn, chorizo, and cream cheese, then topped with crispy panko bread crumbs and Mexican cheese before grilling.
INGREDIENTS
6 large Anaheim Green Chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
6 ounces Mexican cheese mix, finely shredded
½ pound fresh chorizo
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 green onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup fresh corn
1 tablespoons lime juice
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare an outdoor grill or stove top grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.
Slice the top ⅓ off the Anaheim green chiles, remove the seeds and white membrane inside the chilies; set aside. Chop the chili tops into small pieces and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat; add the garlic and breadcrumbs, cook 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from the heat and add to a small bowl; add ½ the cheese mixture and toss; set aside.
Put the sauté pan back on the heat and add the remaining olive oil then the chopped pepper pieces and chorizo, cook 4-5 minutes until browned. Stir in cilantro, green onion, cream cheese, the remaining cheddar, corn, and lime juice; add black pepper and salt to taste. Fill pepper halves with chorizo cheese mixture; sprinkle with the bread crumb cheese mixture.
Place peppers, skin side down, on hot grill rack; cover and cook 5 minutes or until grill marks appear and cheese melts. Make six servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 3, 2019 | Appetizers, Salad, Vegetables
Summer’s early bounty in a delicious and beautiful salad. Farm stand scallions, radishes, tomatoes, and fennel are combined with Grilled Bread Cheese, ciabatta bread and corn then topped with sunflower sprouts, mint leaves, fennel fronds, and chive flowers. It’s lightly dressed with simply fresh lemon and olive oil right before serving.
Bread Cheese has a high melting point so it can be grilled. It is traditionally a Finnish cheese made with reindeer milk. The American version uses pasteurized cow’s milk that looks like it’s been toasted because it actually has – baking it is part of it’s cheesemaking process.
INGREDIENTS
2 red scallions, sliced very thinly slice
2 white radishes, very thinly sliced
2 red radishes, slice very thinly
2 tomatoes, sliced thin
2 baby fennel, sliced very thinly sliced
2 slices ciabatta bread
¼ cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons
Kosher salt
1 ear of corn, husked
8 ounces Bread cheese
¼ cup sunflower sprouts
Mint leaves for garnish
Fennel fronds for garnish
Chive flowers for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a mandoline slicer or a very sharp knife, thinly slice the vegetables. Set aside.
Heat a barbeque grill to high. Brush the ciabatta bread pieces on both sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil and top with a big pinch of salt. Brush the corn with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill the corn until cooked through and charred in spots, and the bread until just charred in spots; remove and set aside.
Brush one side of the Bread Cheese with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and place oil side down on the grill. Cook for about 2-2 ½ minutes. Brush the top with oil, turn, and cook until lightly charred in spots, about 2-2 ½ more minutes.
Transfer to the plate with the croutons and corn; let cool.
Arrange the thinly sliced vegetables on salad plates.
Cut kernels from cob, cube the Bread Cheese and cut the bread slice into cubes. Arrange on the plate with the vegetable. Add the sprouts, mint leaves, fennel fronds, and chive flowers.
Whisk together lemon juice and ¼ cup olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over the vegetable plate and serve. Makes 4-5 salads.
by Kathy Douglas | May 14, 2019 | Appetizers, Entrees
Using only the stove top and a blender, Sesame and Peanut Noodles are the perfect spring dinner. Loaded with peanut butter, sesame oil, ginger, and red pepper, the healthy wheat noodles are complemented by crunchy celery, peanuts, and green onions. As a healthy, meat-free meal, they can be served as a pasta entree, tucked into a lettuce wraps, or in Asian Spoons as an appetizer.
Sesame & Peanut Noodles
12 ounces udon noodles or whole wheat thick spaghetti
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
1 large garlic clove
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves only
½ cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Using the directions on the package, prepare the noodles. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Allow to drain well and add to a large bowl.
While the noodles cook, add to a high-speed blender the peanut butter, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, ginger, and garlic. Process until very smooth. Toss the celery and half the peanuts with the noodles. Pour the peanut dressing over; toss to mix in well. Add warm water as needed, up to ¼ cup, to loosen the sauce. Top with the remaining peanuts and green onions. Serve 8 or add to Asian spoons for 24 one-bite appetizers.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 29, 2019 | Appetizers
This super easy appetizer will make you a star at any Derby Party. Using only seven ingredients, Kentucky country ham, cream cheese, mayo, and mustard, it comes together easily before topped with Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Peach Jam and thinly sliced fresh green onions.
If you don’t have a food grinder you can use a food processor. Just be careful to chop the meat to an even consistency.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounce piece of Country Ham
4 ounces cream cheese, room-temperature
¼ cup mayonnaise, we recommend Dukes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Colemans hot mustard
½ cup Stonewall Kitchen Hot Pepper Peach Jam
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Crackers for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
Using very cold ham, cut into strips and run through a food grinder twice to a medium grind. Mix the ground ham with the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard until thoroughly combined. Pack in a jar or bowl, then top with the pepper jelly and scallions. Serve at room temperature with crackers. Can be stored refrigerated for three days.
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