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Warm Brie and Nut Bites

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Red Raspberry Jam or your preferred flavor

2 Tbsp. chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

24 Crackers

125 g Brie Cheese, cut into 24 small pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lay the crackers out onto a baking sheet. Cover each of them with one piece of brie cheese, ½ tsp. of the jam, and a few small pieces of nuts. Bake the crackers until the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes in the oven. 

Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients:


10 plum diced tomatoes
3 minced garlic cloves
French or Italian-style bread slices
Balsamic Vinegar, optional
3/4 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste


Directions:


Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.


Mix the garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes, olive oil, pepper and salt together in a small bowl and set to the side.
After slicing the bread into 1-inch slices, brush one side of the slices with the extra virgin olive oil and place on a cooking sheet with the oil-side facing down. Toast the bread slices in the oven until they have turned a golden brown color.
Top the slices with the tomato mixture. To serve, place the bruschetta slices on a serving plate. 

Sweet and Spicy Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

2 cups packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw mix)

1/2 of a 10-1/2-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and chopped (about 1 cup)

1/4 cup flaked coconut

6 Romaine lettuce leaves

1 cup sliced mango

6 8-inch round rice paper wraps

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 to 2 teaspoons wasabi paste

1 teaspoon lime juice

3 tablespoons light mayonnaise dressing or salad dressing

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

Take each piece of the rice paper and dip it in water. Place these damp papers in between damp paper or cotton towels, and allow to stand for ten minutes.

Combine the wasabi paste, ginger, and 1tsp of the line juice together in a small bowl. Stir the mayo or salad dressing into the ginger mix.

Toss the tofu, shredded broccoli, and coconut together in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayo mixture to the bowl and toss again to coat.

Line the pieces of rice paper with one leaf of lettuce. Spoon the slaw mixture over the lettuce. Add the mango slices to the paper, and wrap. Be sure to fold the ends in as you roll up the rice paper.

Stir the soy sauce, 1 tbsp of lime juice, and red pepper together in a small bowl for the dipping sauce.

Makes 6 rolls. 

Sweet and salty nuts

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Butter

  Coarse sea salt or kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon or 2 teaspoons salt

  Freshly ground black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)

  Coarse raw sugar
1 pound walnut pieces or pecan halves (about 4-1/2 cups)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light-colored corn syrup

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Butter a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan and set aside.

Stir the granulated sugar, corn syrup, nuts, pepper, and salt together in a large bowl until they are mixed together well. Spread the nut mixture out in the already butter baking pan.

Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the nut mixtures has started to bubble and turned a golden brown color. Stir the mixture a few times while cooking. After it’s finished cooking remove it from the oven and sprinkle a generous amount of raw sugar over it. Toss the nuts to cook them completely with the raw sugar. Cool the nuts completely. Break the nut mixture into small pieces to serve.

These nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for two weeks. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to three months.

Makes about 20-24, ¼ cup servings. 

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 ounces each) softened cream cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
Assorted crackers
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
4 minced garlic cloves
1 jar (7 ounces) oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2/3 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cream cheese, onion, mayo, and garlic until blended together. Stir the red peppers and tomatoes into the mixture. Next stir in ¾ cup of Parmesan cheese, the mozzarella cheese, and the Italian cheese blend. 

Place the mixture in a greased 13-in x 9-in baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese over the top and bake, uncovered for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges of the dish are lightly brown and bubbly.

Serve with crackers. 

Squash Vada

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups urad dal (split black gram)

Oil for frying

Salt to taste
2 medium yellow squash, grated with peel

5-6 green chilies, finely chopped

3-4 teaspoons, cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped

Directions:

The urad dal needs to be soaked in water for two hours. After its finished soaking, drain the water from the urad dal and grind it into a thick, smooth batter in a blender. Only add a little water to the urad dal when blending so that the batter isn’t too watery. Add the chopped chilies, cilantro and grated yellow squash to the batter.

Heat a deep frying pan with oil. Once the oil is hot, add the salt to the batter.  Grease a plastic sheet and put a small ball of the batter on it. Flatten the batter some, and poke a hole in the center like a doughnut. Drop the ring into the pan. Repeat with the rest of the batter, reduce the heat of the oil to medium and fry until the Vadas have turned a golden brown color.

These Vadas can be served with tamarind dips, ketchup or mint. 

Fresh Lemon Hummus

Ingredients:

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups canned chick-peas , rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
2 teaspoons chopped garlic

Directions:

Puree ¼ cup of the lemon juice in a blender with the tahini, lemon zest, chickpeas and garlic until nearly smooth.

More salt and lemon juice can be added to taste, mixed into the hummus thoroughly. 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

2 cups parmesan cheese
10 ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons minced garlic
14 ounces of drained and chopped caned artichoke hearts
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup cream cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the parmesan cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, together. Combine the rest of the ingredients together and then stir into the spinach mix.

Bake the dip for 2-30 minutes in the oven. This can be served with crackers or over toasted bread. 

Spanish Tomato Toast

Ingredients:


4 small ripe tomatoes cut in half
extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
Freshly ground peppercorns
8 slices country-style bread, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
4 cloves garlic peeled and cut in half


Directions:


Toast the bread lightly in the oven, or grill 2-4 minutes on each side. Rub ½ of a clove of garlic on the toasted bread while the bread is still warm. Make sure to use a fresh piece of the garlic clove on each side of the bread.  Rub the tomato over the bread. Press the tomato firmly into the bread to make sure to that the pulp is pushed into the bread. Discard the remains of the tomato.
Drizzle the finished breads with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. 

Roasted Pepper Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup packed fresh basil

1 tablespoon milk

2 small cloves garlic, quartered

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup roasted red sweet peppers, drained and finely chopped

6 6-inchflour tortillas
1 cup packed spinach leaves

Directions:

Combine the cream cheese, milk, basil, garlic, beans and black pepper in a blender until smooth. Stir the sweet peppers into the cream cheese mixture.

Spread about 1/3 cup of the cream cheese mix over each of the tortilla, leave about ½ inch along the edges. Place the spinach leaves over the filling, and roll each tortilla tightly. Cover and refrigerate the rolled tortillas for 2-24 hrs before serving.

Using a sharp knife, cut the tortillas crosswise in slices about 1-1/2 inch wide to serve.

 Serves 6

Ribbon Sandwiches

Ingredients:

6 hard-cooked eggs, shelled and finely chopped

3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion

1 teaspoon sugar

  Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, softened

5 slices thin-sliced white bread, crusts removed

4 slices thin-sliced whole-wheat bread, crusts removed

  Red sweet pepper stars (optional)
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives or pitted ripe olives

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts

  Pimiento-stuffed green olives (optional)

Directions:

To make the egg filling: Combine the eggs, green onion, sugar and three tbsp. mayo, salt and pepper to taste together in a small bowl. Cover the mixture and chill.

To make the olive nut filling: Beat ¼ cup of mayo (or salad dressing), and the cream cheese together until smooth. Stir in the chopped nuts and olives into the mixture gently until combined.

Butter one side of the bread slices. Place 2 slices of the white bread and 1 slice of the whole wheat bread on a cutting board. Next spread the egg filling across the top of the bread. Place a piece of the whole wheat bread over the two filled white bread slices, and one white bread slice over the filled whole wheat slice. The olive-nut filling will be spread over these slices. Top the bread slices, again alternating the white and whole wheat layers.

Take each stack of slices and cut them diagonally into four triangles. Cover the triangle stacks and chill in the refrigerator for up to four hours. Serve garnished with pepper star cutouts or stuffed olives.

Makes 6 to 12 sandwiches

Olive Medley Pinwheels

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped

1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, chopped

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel

1/4 tsp garlic powder

4 10-inchflour tortillas

8 large basil leaves

1/2 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, well-drained and cut in strips

Directions:

Beat the cream cheese until smooth in a medium bowl with an electric mixer set on the medium speed. Once smooth, stir the olives, lemon peel garlic power and ¼ tsp of the black peppers into the cream cheese. Set the mixture to the side.

Warm the tortillas, and spread the mixture evenly on each tortilla. Place the basil leaves and sweet peppers strips in the center of the mixture. Roll the tortillas parallel to the pepper strips in the center. Wrap the rolled tortillas in plastic and refrigerate for 2-4 hrs.

To serve cut the ends of each tortilla off, and then cut the rolls in to ½ inch slices.

Makes 10 servings. (Approx. 40 slices) 

Mini Cheese Balls

Ingredients:


2 (8 Oz.) Pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp Seasoned Salt
2 Tbsp Parsley Flakes
24 Tree Shaped Pretzels
24 Red Bell Pepper Strips, ¼ x 1"
1/8 tsp Cayenne
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup Crushed Pineapple, well drained
1/4 cup Thinly Sliced Green Onions
1/4 cup Roasted Red Bell Pepper, diced and drained
1½ cups Chopped Pecans


Directions:


Beat the cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and cayenne pepper together in a large mixing bowl on low speed until smooth. Stir the pineapple, bell pepper and green onions into the cheese mixture. Shape the mixture into 24 small balls about the size of a walnut.
With the pecans in a pie plate, rolls the balls over them. Place the pecan covered balls onto a large plate. Sprinkle parsley flakes over them, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
To serve, place one of the mini cheese balls on the center of a pretzel and add a small pepper strip on the top of it. These can also be served with crackers if desired.
Serves 12-16

Grilled Curry Pineapple

Ingredients:


1 medium fresh pineapple
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons toasted coconut
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt


Directions:


First remove the core and peel the pineapple. Cut the flesh into ¾ inch rings. Place the pineapple rings in a medium bowl. Whisk the brown sugar, butter and curry together in a small bowl until the brown sugar is completely dissolved. Pour this over the pineapple rings and toss until they are evenly coated. Allow the rings to set in the marinade for about 5 minutes.
Grill the marinated rings over medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Turn them once during cooking, making sure to continue basting the rings.
The grilled pineapple rings can be served warm with a yogurt or low-fat ice cream topping and sprinkled with coconut. 

Grilled Baby Leeks with Romesco Sauce

Ingredients:

2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 roasted red pepper from a jar, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

1 small ancho chile, seeded

3 tablespoons hazelnuts

2 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette, toasted, and torn into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons roasted almonds coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper

16 baby leeks or thick scallions, trimmed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the ancho in a small heatproof bowl and cover with hot tap water. Allow to soak for about 15 minutes or until soft. Drain.

Toast the hazelnuts in a pie plate for about 10 minutes in the oven, or until they become fragrant and have lightly browned. Once the hazelnuts have cooled, use a kitchen towel to rub them together to remove the skin. Let the nuts cool completely, and then coarsely chop them.

Combine the ancho, hazelnuts, toasted baguette, almonds and garlic together in a blender. Blend the ingredients until they form a smooth paste. Next, add the tomatoes, roasted red peppers and vinegar and puree the mixture. Leaving the machine on, slowly add ¼ cup of the olive oil to mix and process until it’s well blended and smooth.

Put the romesco sauce in a bowl and stir the parsley into the mix. Season this with salt and black pepper. Brush the leeks with some oil and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Grill the leeks over high heat until they are completely charred, or about three minutes.

Serve with the romesco sauce on the side. 

Eggplant Dip

Ingredients:

1 crushed garlic clove
1/4 cup onion, finely minced
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 pounds eggplants, whole and unpeeled
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

First take the eggplant and prick it in several different places with a fork. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and broil for about 20 minutes. Make sure to turn the eggplant several times while cooking so that is chars on all sides. Once finished, remove from the broil and let cool.

Once the eggplant has cooled, cut it in half, scrape out the insides and place them in a bowl. The skin can be discarded. Now add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, onion, salt and pepper to the bowl and mash it all together. Cover the eggplant mix and refrigerate.

To serve sprinkle the eggplant spread with olive oil, and minced parsley if desired. This can be served with pita bread, fresh or toasted bread, or even as a dip for vegetables.

Dried Tomato-Mushroom Crostini

Ingredients:

4 slices Italian bread
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato bits
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 3/4 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup onion, minced
1 dash rosemary, crushed
1 dash salt

Directions:

Place the olive oil in a small skillet and heat over medium. Add the onions to the skilled and sauté for about three minutes or until tender. Add the mushrooms and sun-dried tomato bit to the pan and sauté for an additional two minutes. Next, add the salt, rosemary and lemon juice to the pan and cook for another minute or until all the liquid has evaporated.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the slices of bread and top with the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Crisp Pickled Vegetables

Ingredients:

3 cups cauliflower florets

1/2 pound baby carrots, halved lengthwise

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon julienned fresh ginger

1 bay leaf

8 garlic cloves, smashed

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup snipped chives
1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch matchsticks

1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch matchsticks

1 zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch matchsticks (1/2 pound)

1/2 pound yellow wax beans or green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths

3 dried Guajillo chilies, seeded and cut into thin strips

3 cups cider vinegar

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Directions:

In a large heatproof or nonreactive bowl, mix the cauliflower, red bell peppers, beans, carrots, fennel and zucchini together.

Put the chilies in a medium heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let the chilies stand for about ten minutes, or until they have softened. Drain the water from the chilies and place them in a large saucepan. Add the white wine vinegar, sugar, cider vinegar, salt, peppercorns, ginger, coriander, garlic and bay leaf to the saucepan. Pour three cups of water to the pan and bring it to a boil. Stir the mix to ensure all the sugar dissolves. Once ready pour the liquid over the vegetables until they are completely submerged. Cover the bowl and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 days.  Drain the liquid off the vegetables and place them on a large platter. Drizzle the vegetables with oil and garnish with parsley to serve. 

Colorful Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Assorted fruits such as cantaloupe, pineapple honeydew, strawberries, seedless grapes, star fruit, or kiwi, cut into chunks.

Directions:

Place the chunks on skewers, alternating the different pieces. Set the finished skewers aside. Combine the cornstarch, sugar and fruit juices in a saucepan until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Brush the sauce over the fruit skewers. Refrigerate the skewers until it’s time to serve them.