Roasted Beet Chips

 I have loved beets since I was a kid and we are getting into beet harvest season.  I am going to give these a try.  Hopefully soon, it will cool off enough to run the oven.

3 medium red, golden, and/or white beets, 1lb. total, trimmed and peeled

1 tbsp. vegetable oil 

1 tsp. desired seasoning (see below)

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line two large baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.  Use a mandolin to slice beets 1/16 inch thick.  Layer slices between paper towels; press firmly to remove excess liquid.  Toss beets with oil, desired seasoning and salt.  Keep different colored beets in separate bowls.

Arrange beets in a single layer on prepared baking sheets.  Bake about 50 minutes, removing chips as they crisp.  Let them cool on paper towels.

**Seasoning suggestions

Red beets-Steak seasoning, Five spice powder, Caraway seeds

Golden beets-Curry powder, Sesame seeds, 1/2tsp. ground chipotle pepper 

White beets-za’atar, herbes de Provence, Italian seasoning 

Balsamic Bruschetta

I made this for our Labor Day BBQ today.  I used white balsamic vinegar, shredded Asiago cheese and I let the mixture chill for 4 hours before serving.  I also toasted thinly sliced French bread in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes after brushing it with a mixture of olive oil, granulated garlic and pepper.  It was a huge hit!

• 8 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf French bread, toasted and sliced

1. In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Mix in the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Serve on toasted bread slices.

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

I found this in the December issue of Food Network Magazine.  It’s a possibility for our annual New Years Eve party.  A lot of us love goat cheese.  This looks like a simple and delicious dip.

1 10oz. log goat cheese at room temperature
4oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. olive oil, plus more for brushing
Freshly ground pepper
8 small cocktail tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped
Kosher salt
Toasted baguette slices for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan, and 2tbsp. olive oil in a food processor and season with pepper; purée until smooth.  Brush a 1 quart baking dish with olive oil, then spread the cheese mixture in the dish, mounding it slightly higher around the edge than in the middle. Bake until golden and heated through., about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the tom, chives, vinegar, garlic, the remaining 2tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl.spoon the tomato mixture on top of the dip. Serve with baguette slices.

Prosciutto and Parmesan Pinwheels

i found this in the latest issue is All Recipes Magazine.  This is a possibility for New Years Eve.

1 17.5oz. package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets)
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
5oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced
5oz. finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll out 1 pastry sheet into a 10x12 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  Spread with half of the mustard and half of the prosciutto and half of the Parmesan.  Roll up, starting with the long side, then cut with a serrated knife into 1 inch thick pieces.  Arrange pieces on one of the baking sheets.  Repeat with remaining pastry, mustard, prosciutto, and Parmesan.

Arrange baking sheets in upper and middle thirds of oven; bake, switching positions halfway through, until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Cherry Almond Snack Mix

Who doesn’t love a crunchy, sweet and salty snack?  This is from BH&G’s Eat Healthy and Lose Weight.

4 C. sweetened oat square or brown sugar flavored oat biscuit cereal
3/4 C. sliced almonds
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. dried cherries and/or go,den raisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a 15x10x1 inch baking pan, combine cereal and almonds.  In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, apple pie spice and salt.  Drizzle butter mixture over cereal; toss to coat.

Bake about 20 minutes or until almonds are toasted, stirring once.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes.  Stir in dried cherries. Cool completely.

Blue Cheese Bites

I made these for an annual start of summer party last week. They were a huge hit.  I had thought when I first tasted them, I thought maybe they needed something.  With the way they disappeared, I guess I was wrong.

1 10oz. can refrigerated biscuit dough, separated and cut into thirds
1 C. crumbled blue cheese
1 C. melted butter (you could probably get away with 1/2 C.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange biscuits on a baking sheet.  Drizzle butter over biscuits and evenly top with blue cheese.

Bake until biscuits are cooked through and cheese is melted, 10 to 13 minutes.

Seven Layer Mediterranean Dip

I love Mediterranean food.  There is something about the combination of flavors that is so delicious.  I found this recipe in the Taste of Home Christmas cook book.  This will definitely make an appearance over the holidays.

1 8oz. carton hummus
1 C. reduced fat sour cream (I really think I will use full fat sour cream)
1 8oz. jar roasted sweet peppers, drained and chopped
1/4 C. crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C. chopped red onion
12 Greek olives, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Baked pita chips

Spread the hummus into a 9 inch pie plate.  Top with the sour cream, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, red onion, and Greek olives.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Refrigerate until serving.  Serve with baked pita chips.

Crab Rangoon Cheese Ball

I may try and make this for the Labor Day party next week at my sister's if it cools off.  I love crab rangoon.  It was a favorite of my mother in law as well.  I found this in Taste of Home's 2015 Annual Recipe book.  It looks yummy!

1 8oz. pkg. reduced fat cream cheese--I may use regular cream cheese here...sometimes full fat just tastes better!

1 C. reduced fat cheddar cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 6oz. can crab meat, drained or 6oz. imitation crab meat, chopped
3 tbsp. minced fresh chives
24 wonton wrappers
Cooking spray
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic and Worcestershire sauce until blended.  Stir in crab.  Shape mixture into a ball; coat with chives. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least one hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut wonton wrappers diagonally in half; arrange in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets.  Spritz with cooking spray; sprinkle with seeds, salt and pepper.  Bake 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the pans to wire racks to cool.  Serve with cheese ball.

Per serving: 116 calories, 6g. fat, 26mg. cholesterol, 286mg. sodium, 8g. carbs, trace fiber, 7g. protein.

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

This might make it into my holiday baking plan.  Something different.

1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle powder
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 tbsp. unsalted pepper
1 C. shelled walnuts
1 C. pecan halves
1/4 C. packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash Louisiana hot sauce

In a small bowl, combine the salt and spices; set aside.  In a large heavy skillet, melt butter.  Add the walnuts and pecans; cook over medium heat until nuts are toasted, about 4 minutes.

Sprinkle with spice mixture.  Add the brown sugar, water, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until sugar is melted.  Spread on foil to cool.  Store in airtight container.

Mediterranean Tomato Bites

I found this in Taste of Home's Award Winning Recipes for 2014.  I may try this sometime soon if we do a tapas night.  You could probably leave off the olive if you have olive haters in your inner circle.  Maybe a purple onion or some chopped cucumber could replace the olives; although I would probably add the cukes after the bites come out of the oven.

1 17.3oz. frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 1/2 C. shredded Gouda cheese
6 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 C. puttled ripe olives, coarsely chopped
1 C. crumbled feta cheese
Minced fresh basil and oregano

Unfold puff pastry, cut each sheet into 16 squares.  Transfer squares onto greased baking sheets.  Sprinkle with Gouda cheese; top with tomatoes, olives and feta cheese.

Bake a 400 degrees for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown; sprinkle with herbs.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a staple in my family's menus.  We make them with plain cheese, cheese and chorizo, cheese and chicken, cheese and carnitas....the list goes on and on.  I am planning to try these while the fresh sweet corn is still plentiful.

2 teaspoons olive oil 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 cup salsa 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons butter, divided 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. 2. Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Easy Guacamole

I made this yesterday for the 4th of July party at my sister's.  It was really good.  Photos to follow.

2 avocados
1 small onion, finely chopped (I used a yellow onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ripe tomato chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste-- taste it after each addition, to me it made a big difference.

Scoop avocado out of the shell add chopped onion, garlic, tomato and lime juice.

Serve with your favorite chips.

For a tasty twist add some bacon.  I cook 1 strip of bacon for every 2 avocados until crisp and then chop it into the guacamole.  Go a little easier on the salt you add if you are watching your sodium!

Pepperoni Crisps

OK, you're in a hurry and you need a quick appetizer...why not pepperoni crisps??

1oz. sliced pepperoni
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the pepperoni in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet; sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Remove sheet from oven and pat away grease with paper towels.  Return to oven and bake until crisp, 2 to 4 additional minutes.  Drain on paper towels.  Store cooled chips in an airtight container.

Blue Cheese Toasts

This is an appetizer toast to Chris (pun intended).  This caught my eye because of Chris' love of blue cheese.  We'll be trying this for sure.

16 slices  firm white bread, crusts removed
4oz. blue cheese, softened and rind removed
2 tbsp. margarine
2 tbsp.  finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease large cookie sheet.  With a rolling pin, roll each bread slice paper thin.  Spread about 2tsp. softened blue cheese over 1 slice of bread; top with second slice, pressing gently to form a sandwich.  Repeat with remaining bread and cheese.

In a small saucepan, melt margarine over low heat.  Remove from heat; stir in basil.  Brush some basil mixture over the top of each sandwich.  Cut each sandwich diagonally into quarters, cut each quarter in half.  Arrange triangles on cookie sheet.  Bake 12 minutes, or until golden.  Serve hot.

Caramelized Bacon

Now, that's better.  I had lost my mind with the spinach for a moment.  This is a recipe from Ina Garten.  I am a fan of hers and this is something I wouldn't really expect from her as most of her recipes are sophisticated and refined.  She is quoted in the magazine, saying, "This is the most outrageous hors d'oeuvre I've ever made, and maybe the most addictive.  I can see this turning up at a party in the not so distant future.

1/2 C. light brown sugar, lightly packed
2/2 C. chopped or whole pecans
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2lb. thick sliced applewood smoked bacon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and place a wire baking rack on top.

Combine the brown sugar and pecans in a food processor and process until the pecans are finely ground.  Add the salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and pulse to combine.  Add the maple syrup and pulse again to moisten the crumbs.

Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise and line up the pieces on the backing rack without touching.  With a small spoon, evenly spread the pecan mixture on top of each piece of bacon, using all of the mixture.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is very browned but not burnt.  If it's underbaked, the bacon won't crisp as it cools.

While it's hot, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside to cool.  Serve at room temperature.  The caramelized bacon can be made early in the day and stored at room temperature.

Swiss and Caraway Flatbreads

I saw this in the Oct/Nov issue of Simple and Delicious.  Kind of a cool appetizer idea.  I may try swapping different herbs and cheeses as well.

2 loaves, 1lb. each frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 C. butter, melted
1/4 C. canola oil
1 tbsp. dried minced onion
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. dry sherry, optional
2 C. shredded Swiss cheese

On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 15x10 inch rectangle.  Transfer to two greased 15x10x1 inch baking pans.  Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Using fingertips, press several dimples into dough.  In a small bowl, whisk buter, oil, onion, mustard, caraway seeds, Worcestershire sauce, and if desired, sherry until blended; brush over dough.  Sprinkle with Swiss cheese.  Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Rhubarb Salsa

Wow!!  This has a bite...I made this today and am going to take it to a crawfish boil and believe me, it will fit right in from a spicy perspective.

Special thanks to my aunts for the supply of rhubarb...you guys are going to want to try this.

2 C. rhubarb, diced small
1 C. chopped apple, I used Galas
3 green onions, chopped
2 limes, juiced, I used 3 because they were small
2 tbsp. honey
1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped-->be sure to wash your hands well afterwards if you don't use gloves.

Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat, stir in rhubarb.  Simmer for 2 minutes to blanch.  Drain in a colander and cool.

Stir together cooled rhubarb, apple, green onions, lime juice, honey and jalepeno until thoroughly combined.

Layered Ranch Dip

The April/May Taste of Home had a bunch of excellent recipes.  I could see this (or the Greek version) being a big hit at some Summer parties.

2 C. sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 4oz. can green chilies, drained
1 2 1/4oz. can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 C. finely chopped red onion
1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Corn chips or tortilla chips

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and dressing mix; spread into a large shallow dish. Layer with tomato, green chilies, olives, onion and cheese.  Refrigerate until serving.  Serve with chips.

To give it a Greek twist, swap out tomato, chilies and olives and swap in pepperoncini, kalamata olives and feta cheese.

Sauteed Scallops with Brussel Sprout Bacon Hash and Brown Butter Sauce

A couple of weeks ago...OK, it was the weekend after Valentine's Day...Chris and I went to a cooking class at one of our favorite cooking schools, The Chopping Block.  This was a demo class so we were able to sit back relax and eat.  The Chopping Block has fantastic chefs that have such a passion for cooking and with great personalities as well.  This class got Chris to eat Brussels sprouts and me to scallops.  Yep, it's possible the Earth fell off its axis that night.  All of the food was fabulous but the appetizer was one of the more amazing things I have eaten lately.

For the hash:

1/4lb. bacon, cut into thin slices
4 fingerling potatoes, sliced into thin circles
1lb. Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
t tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh thyme, rough chopped
salt and pepper to taste

For the scallops:

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
8 sea scallops
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. butter
4 fresh sage leaves

To prepare the hash, heat a saute pan over medium low heat.  Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until just crispy.

Add the potatoes and cook for about 2 minutes.  Stir in the Brussels sprouts and shallots and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender and the Brussels sprouts are crisp yet tender.

Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

To cook the scallops, heat a separate large saute pan over medium high heat and add the grapeseed oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper to taste.  Arrange them in the pan so they aren't touching and sear on the first side until very caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium, flip the scallops and swirl in the butter.  Baste the scallops with the butter until they are just cooked through, about 1 additional minute.  Remove from the heat and add the sage leaves.

For the assembly, place a small spoonful of the Brussels sprout hash on each plate.  Top with 2 scallops and drizzle the brown butter sauce around and over the scallops.  Garnish with sage leaves and serve.

Arancini

I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to live where I do because you have so many food choices right in the immediate area.   I love when people come from out of town and I take them for Italian ice or fajitas at our favorite Mexican place, there's are several stores within 5 miles I can get fresh homemade pasta and arancini.  What is arancini you ask??  Rice balls...with cheese, and/or meat and sometimes vegetables.  I've never made them before...this recipe seems easy...I may have to give it a try.

3 C. low sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
1 C. arborio rice
2 tbsp. pine nuts toast
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C. shredded fontina cheese
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 large eggs
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 C. breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Bring the broth and 1/4 tsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.  Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

Combine the pine nuts, mozzarella, fontina, and parsley in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl; then stir in the cooled rice, the Parmesan, and 2/3 C. breadcrumbs.  Shape the mixture into 16 1 1/2 inch balls.

Put the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl.  Press your finger into the center of each rice ball, insert 2 tsp. of the cheese mixture, then pinch the rice around the filling to enclose.  Roll the rice balls in the breadcrumbs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Loosely cover and refrigerate, at least one hour or overnight.  If refrigerating overnight roll in additional breadcrumbs before frying.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer reads 350 degrees.  Working in batches, fry the rice balls, until golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.; season with salt.