Bruschetta

I have to thank my friend T. for teaching me how to make this. It has been a favorite for awhile.

It is really flexible, you can make any amount and change the amounts of the ingredients to taste.

Here I used 2 Roma tomatoes; diced, 3 green onions; sliced, about 2 oz of feta; crumbled, 7 slices of French bread and pepper to taste. Normally, I would have used about 4-5 leaves of fresh basil, chopped; but it was after Christmas and the store was completely out.

It is pretty simple, just grill the sliced bread in a pan with olive oil (about 2 tbsp), over medium heat and top with mixture. Sometimes I use grape tomatoes because they are sweet. I believe my friend T. recommended that to me.

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

I had some leftover spinach dip, and some extra mushrooms. I added about 1/2 c bread crumbs, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese to about 1 1/4c spinach dip and stuffed it into the mushrooms that I did not use for my traditional stuffed mushroom recipe. Baked at 350 for 15-20 minutes. These were good and a great use for leftovers.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Jalapenos

Basically, you can use any amount of shrimp. This is a very flexible recipe.

Directions:

• Marinade shrimp (tails removed) in a favorite marinade for 15 minute to 1 hour(I used balsamic vinegar dressing)
• Microwave bacon for 1-2 minutes (I did one, but should have done two so it would be crispier)
• Wrap shrimp with 1/2 piece of bacon, skewer with toothpick
• Slide a slice of jalapeno in there, either seeded or with the seeds--your call
• Broil for 9 minutes, turning every 3 minutes

I was thinking that roasting the jalapeno first might have given the pepper a bit more flavor and also made it softer. Next time I will do this.

Boy oh boy! These were awesome!

Crispy Oven Buffalo Wings

I used Frank's Red Hot Chile-Lime Sauce, and this recipe as a guide. I omitted the salt and vinegar and just melted butter with hot sauce. I was a little more than generous with the hot sauce, I served the extra wing sauce on the side.

They were crispy and you would have mistaken them for being fried. Delicious.

Chicken Fingers

Ingredients:

• 5 chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise about 1/2-1 inch thick
• 2 cups flour
• 3 eggs beaten
• 4 cups bread crumbs
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• dash fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. In one bowl, add flour 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper to taste, 1/8 tsp paprika, and a few dashes of cayenne, mix with a fork
2. In a second bowl beat eggs
3. In third bowl add bread crumbs and remainder of spices, with a dash of pepper and cayenne
4. Dip a strip of chicken into flour, shaking of excess
5. Next dip floured chicken into beaten egg
6. Last, roll chicken piece in bread crumbs, shaking off any excess and lay on a greased baking sheet
7. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces
8. Bake at 400 for 7-8 minutes and turn, then bake for 8 more minutes or until juices run clear
9. Serve with your favorite sauce (mine is ranch mixed with a generous amount of hot sauce)

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

Ingredients:

• 2lbs baby spinach
• 1 package of filo dough (found in the frozen section)
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8-10 ounces, feta cheese, crumbled
• olive oil
• pepper
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, sautee garlic and green onions in olive oil, about 6 minutes over medium heat.
2. Remove garlic and onions to a large bowl
3. Using same skillet and working in small batches, cook spinach until wilted and add to bowl with green onions and garlic
4. Add feta cheese to your taste (I like a lot) and mix well
   Melt unsalted butter
5. Open filo dough and slice strips of about 3-4 inches in thickness
6. Working quickly, brush butter thinly onto one strip of filo dough, adding about a 2 heaping tbsp of spinach mixture, until it is gone
7. Fold into triangle shape and place on rimmed baking sheet
8. Brush triangles on the outside with remaining butter
9. Bake for 30-45 minutes (or until triangles are a light, golden-brown) on 325

My Favorite Spinach Dip

I cannot remember where this one came from, but my mother first made it for my graduation party and we've been making it ever since.

Ingredients:

• box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water strained
• 8oz brick of cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar ( I use a Mexican Blend)
• 1 bunch of green onions sliced
• 1 small tomato, diced

Directions:

1. In a microwavable bowl, add spinach, cream cheese, shredded cheese and green onions
2. microwave for 3 minutes in 1 minute intervals, stirring between each interval
3. add tomatoes and mix well
4. serve with crackers or pretzels

Note: Reduced fat cream cheese and cheeses work fine in this recipe. Sometimes, I make a tomato rose for the center, if I am bring this to a party.

My Favorite Spinach Dip

I cannot remember where this one came from, but my mother first made it for my graduation party and we've been making it ever since.

Ingredients:

• box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess water strained
• 8oz brick of cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar ( I use a Mexican Blend)
• 1 bunch of green onions sliced
• 1 small tomato, diced

Directions:

1. In a microwavable bowl, add spinach, cream cheese, shredded cheese and green onions
2. microwave for 3 minutes in 1 minute intervals, stirring between each interval
3. add tomatoes and mix well
4. serve with crackers or pretzels

Note: Reduced fat cream cheese and cheeses work fine in this recipe. Sometimes, I make a tomato rose for the center, if I am bring this to a party.

Quick Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Appetizer

Ingredients:
tomatoes
fresh mozzarella
fresh ground pepper
fine ground sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Slice tomatoes and mozzarella, arranging in a fan or a line.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle with olive oil.

Optional: Add fresh basil leaves and or sliced onion

Quick Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Appetizer

Ingredients:
tomatoes
fresh mozzarella
fresh ground pepper
fine ground sea salt
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Slice tomatoes and mozzarella, arranging in a fan or a line.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle with olive oil.

Optional: Add fresh basil leaves and or sliced onion

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 16-20 large stuffing mushrooms, save 10-12 of the stems
• 1 small green pepper or 3/4 of a large green pepper
• 1 medium onion
• garlic powder
• 1-1.25 lbs bulk Italian sausage
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated hard cheese such as Romano or Parmesan

Directions:

1. begin to brown sausage over medium heat
2. chop onions, green peppers and about 10 of the stems and add to pan with a few dashes of garlic powder
3. brown meat and cook off any excess liquid
4. add butter and melt it, mixing it into the other ingredients
5. allow mixture to cool enough that you can work with it
6. grate cheese into a large bowl
7. add meat mixture and breadcrumbs
8. preheat oven to 350
9. stuff mushrooms with mixture
10. cook for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender

This can be a great appetizer or can be served as a meal with a side salad.

Save a few dollars:

• buy store brand sausage
• or buy sausage in bulk
• buy mushrooms (and a big wedge of grating cheese) at a wholesale club and save any extras for dinner on another night
• make or use your own bread crumbs

Splurge:

• make your own sausage (I have yet to do this but I just bought a grinder!)

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 16-20 large stuffing mushrooms, save 10-12 of the stems
• 1 small green pepper or 3/4 of a large green pepper
• 1 medium onion
• garlic powder
• 1-1.25 lbs bulk Italian sausage
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated hard cheese such as Romano or Parmesan

Directions:

1. begin to brown sausage over medium heat
2. chop onions, green peppers and about 10 of the stems and add to pan with a few dashes of garlic powder
3. brown meat and cook off any excess liquid
4. add butter and melt it, mixing it into the other ingredients
5. allow mixture to cool enough that you can work with it
6. grate cheese into a large bowl
7. add meat mixture and breadcrumbs
8. preheat oven to 350
9. stuff mushrooms with mixture
10. cook for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender

This can be a great appetizer or can be served as a meal with a side salad.

Save a few dollars:

• buy store brand sausage
• or buy sausage in bulk
• buy mushrooms (and a big wedge of grating cheese) at a wholesale club and save any extras for dinner on another night
• make or use your own bread crumbs

Splurge:

• make your own sausage (I have yet to do this but I just bought a grinder!)