Category Archives: APPETIZER RECIPES

DRIED CRANBERRY AND PECAN CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

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Well, for those of you who have been to this site before, I have a huge confession to make. (Those of you who are new to this blog, ignore my following comments. I don’t want you to shy away from this site because I went crazy this Thanksgiving and prepared way too much food!)

Anyway, I always considered myself a good judge of how much food to prepare for the size of any given group I planned to feed. But this year, I over-achieved in every single dish I prepared. Every – single – one! (Well except for the turkey gravy. No matter how much gravy I prepare, there is never any left.)   

Anyway, I should have known better than to fix so darn much food. We can’t eat like we did when we were, say, 25. So, what made me think that 12 adults between 65 and 80, 3 adults in their 50s, and 2 guests in their late teenage years were likely to put away a full complement of appetizers, a first course soup,  a 20 pound turkey, plus an extra turkey breast and 6 drumsticks (for the dark meat), 10 pounds of mashed potatoes, enough dressing to feed a small cavalry, and a huge casserole dish containing corn pudding! Not to mention all the lovely appetizers, side dishes, salads, and desserts brought by our guests. OMG. If I was ever in doubt that my brain was aging right along with my body, this Thanksgiving proved that my brain was totally in step with the rest of this old gal’s declining body parts! So, lesson learned. Next year, half as much as I think I need, and everything should come out just about right! And speaking of something that is right, this spread I found on the food.com site is absolutely, right on! The flavor is amazing, the prep time so short as to be almost nonexistent, and best of all – the spread must be made ahead of time. And I can’t think of a better spread to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Festive looking and incredibly delicious.  Just like the other spread I made – Kalamata Olive Spread – to be published in the near future. Both absolutely perfect for any appetizer spread. So, do make these 2 spreads in the near future. They are simply yum!

So now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to think about Christmas. And this year I’m even more excited about baking cookies and putting up our holiday decorations. After not being able to spend the holidays with our family and dearest friends last year, I can hardly wait to sit in front of our Christmas tree with a Speculaas (Dutch Ginger Cookie) in one hand and a warm cup of Glögg in the other. (And yes, both recipes are on this site.)

So, have fun in your kitchen. Consider baking extra cookies this year and gift them to a friend or neighbor who might profit from a little extra Christmas cheer. Or invite them over for a special dinner or present them with cinnamon rolls to make their Christmas morning special. It’s the little things that remind people how much we care about them.

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 pkg. (8-oz.) cream cheese, room temp.

¼ c. orange juice concentrate

½ c. chopped dried cranberries

½ c. chopped toasted pecans, plus more for garnish

Beat the cream cheese until soft. Slowly add in the concentrate until creamy and completely smooth. Add the chopped cranberries and pecans.

Mound the spread on a small plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least overnight. Remove from fridge an hour before you plan to serve. Just before serving, decorate with a few chopped pecans.

Serve with crackers.

 

BAKED SHRIMP WONTON CUPS WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

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I have this tendency (a holdover from earlier years spent carefully watching my bank account balance), to see a leftover ingredient in my refrigerator and build a new dish around that ingredient. So, after making Baked Crab Rangoon with Sweet and Sour Sauce (recipe on site) a couple days before and having both leftover wonton wrappers and Sweet and Sour Sauce, I decided to try my hand at shrimp wonton cups. And boy am I glad I did!

I started with a recipe for wonton cups I found on the anerdcooks.com site. Then of course, I played with the recipe because I simply can’t help myself. But the result was terrific, so as in many cases, asking for forgiveness is so much easier than asking for permission. But Lauren, I do apologize for the changes I made to your perfectly fine recipe without your permission.

Anyway, the result was much better than expected. And even though there are still unused wonton wrappers in my refrigerator, I have reduced their number by 24. Of course, I have also used a half pound of large shrimp, 4 ounces of cream cheese, a bit of sour cream, and some grated mozzarella in the process. But I already had them in stock, so no visit to the grocery store was required to prepare this treat. (I still have left over Sweet and Sour Sauce too. But I have decided to let it go. There is a line over which even I refuse to cross!)

So, if you too love shrimp wonton cups with a truly delicious sauce, then I recommend these easy to prepare recipes. Perfect as an appetizer or accompaniment to other Chinese dishes.

As always, keep smiling. And keep your family and friends smiling too by preparing great food and serving it in beautiful serving dishes and on lovely dinnerware.

I don’t know about you, but food served on nice plates always seems more appealing. So, don’t save your good dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Use them whenever you get the urge. Sure, a piece could get broken. It happens. But while the pieces are still around, they should be made to earn their keep, not tucked away for your inheritors to dispose of. Because realistically, your kids tastes and yours, when it comes to fine china that is, are probably quite different. So, enjoy them while you can. (That goes for the kids too!)

Peace and love to all.

2 tsp. unsalted butter

½ lb. lg. raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, and tails removed

freshly ground black pepper (just a bit)

24 square wonton wrappers

4 oz. (½ lg. pkg.) cream cheese, room temp.

2 T. sour cream

1 garlic clove, finely minced

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 green onions, finely chopped

½ c. grated mozzarella cheese  

Heat the butter in a small frying pan. Cut the large shrimp into very small pieces. Add the shrimp, lightly sprinkled with black pepper to the frying pan and cook just until done. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Lightly spray mini-muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully press wonton wrappers into wells of pan. Lightly spray the wonton wrappers in the pan. Bake 7-8 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown. Remove pan from oven.

Meanwhile, stir the cream cheese, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce together in a mixing bowl until well blended. Stir in the cooked shrimp, green onions, and mozzarella cheese; mix well. Using a #100 (2 teaspoons) ice cream scoop, plop the shrimp mixture into each wonton cup.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until wontons are golden brown and the filling is starting to bubble. 

Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Great dunked in Sweet and Sour Sauce.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

¼ c. lightly packed brown sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 T. ketchup

1 T. soy sauce

3 T. plain rice vinegar (not seasoned rice vinegar)

½ c. water

2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Combine the sugar, salt, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a near boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Give the cornstarch a stir and then add it to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 15 seconds, or until the sauce comes to full boil and thickens.

Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be made ahead.

      

BAKED CRAB RANGOON WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

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The last time I ordered crab Rangoon in a restaurant I was terribly disappointed. (And yes Rangoon should be capitalized because it is from the city Yangon, also called Rangoon, the former capital of Burma, which is now Myanmar.) Anyway, the crab used in the making of the Rangoon at this otherwise fine Chinese cuisine dining establishment, was very sparingly used, to say the least. In fact, if there was any crab in the mix, I would be very surprised. If anything, there might have been a bit of surimi (fake crab) in the filling. And that not only scares me; it makes me madder than a wet hen! I hate fake crab! And everything about it! For interesting facts about imitation crab, skip to the bottom of this post. But back to this recipe.

The other day when I got a hankering for Chinese food, I decided to pull out my old recipe and build me some crab Rangoon with what I consider to contain the requisite amount of crab. And since I abhor deep fat frying anything, even something as delightful as crab Rangoon, my old standby recipe for baking the Rangoon seemed perfect for the occasion.

And there was much rejoicing at table that evening. Not only was the Rangoon terrific; the sauce was over the top delicious. And nary a spattering of hot fat to be seen on either me or the immediate vicinity around the stove!

So, the next time you are looking for just the perfect appetizer, please give this baked Rangoon recipe a try. And don’t even think about serving the Rangoon without the Sweet and Sour Sauce. Not only is this sauce perfect with Rangoon, it’s equally great with the next recipe I am going to post – Shrimp Wonton Cups with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Plus, this sauce is terrific with my recipes for Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), Easy Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers, baked eggrolls (still working on the recipe), or as a glaze for grilled chicken or seafood. Plus both the recipe for the Rangoon and the sauce are very easy to prepare.

So, as always, have fun in your kitchen. We all must eat to stay alive. And eating can be such a pleasure. As cooks we can make this happen.

And believe me, I know there are times when even the thought of cooking one more meal is overwhelming. But cooking is a lot like exercising. Once you get started, the effort initiates a biological cascade of events that results in the release of endorphins — those chemicals that make you happy! So, stay happy. Keep cooking!

Peace and love to all.

8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1 clove garlic, very finely minced

1 green onion, finely diced

¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp. sugar

pinch white pepper

8 oz. crabmeat (canned real crab is fine for this recipe)

¼ tsp. kosher salt, if needed

square wonton wrappers

Mix the cream cheese, garlic, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and pepper together. Taste the crab meat. If it isn’t terribly salty, add the ¼ teaspoon salt to the cream cheese mixture. Then gently stir in the crab.

Grease 12-16 muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges of wonton wrappers are golden brown and the filling is heated through.

Serve warm with Sweet and Sour Sauce.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

¼ c. lightly packed brown sugar

¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 T. ketchup

1 T. soy sauce

3 T. plain rice vinegar (not seasoned rice vinegar)

½ c. water

2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Combine the sugar, salt, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a near boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Give the cornstarch a stir and then add it to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 15 seconds, or until the sauce comes to full boil and thickens.

Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be made ahead.

Imitation Crab (From webmd.com)

“Imitation crab is made with surimi, a paste made out of finely shredded or pulverized fish. After the fish is minced, it is heated and pressed into shapes that resemble meat from a crab leg. The resulting imitation crab looks similar to the original crab in its coloring and texture.

Binding agents, like egg white, starch, vegetable oil, or sugar, are added to the surimi paste to make the meat stick together. Occasionally, monosodium glutamate (MSG) is added to the surimi. Orange or red coloring is the key ingredient added to make the mixture resemble shellfish meat. For the preservation of the product, the makers vacuum seal and pasteurize the imitation crab meat.  

Real crab has significantly higher nutrient levels than imitation crab. For example, imitation crab derives most of its calories from added carbs. The calories in an Alaskan king crab are derived from proteins, not from carbs. If you’re on a keto or low-carb diet and are trying to cut your carb intake, real crab would be the better choice.

Real crab provides a higher amount of vitamins and minerals. It’s a good source of vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc. When making surimi, these nutrients are lost during washing and processing when the fish meat is exposed to heat. Real crab also has a higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids than its mock substitute. Some packages of imitation crab may have added omega-3, but this isn’t always the case.

Imitation crab contains several processed ingredients. The largest component of the imitation crab product is surimi. It contributes 35% to 50% of the product’s weight. The other 50% to 65% that makes up imitation crab contains:

– Starches like wheat, potato, or tapioca starch make the surimi firm and freezable. 

– Salt (sodium chloride) adds flavor and helps turn the minced meat into a sturdy gel. Sometimes, potassium chloride is used.

– Vegetable oil enhances texture, shelf life, and white coloring.

– Sugar and sorbitol add some sweetness and help imitation crab to freeze and thaw with ease.

– Egg whites or soy are often added for a boost of protein and to improve texture, color, and glossiness.

– Water takes up the biggest percentage of all the extra ingredients. It helps create the right texture.” 

   

BUTTERMILK SALAD DRESSING OR DIP

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OK, this has to be the easiest salad dressing/dip I have ever made. Absolutely no chopping of anything involved. But after working up this recipe for the other evening’s salad, I must admit I was a bit disappointed. It tasted OK, but it had that kind of raw taste. I wasn’t too surprised because of all the dried veggie action. And having a bit of experience in the kitchen, I should have remembered that it might take a day or two for the dried veggies to re-hydrate and mellow. But I was in a hurry and wanted to get dinner on the table. (You know how that goes.) So, we ate our salad, and I put the rest in the fridge. Jump forward 3 days.

While grating and chopping veggies for coleslaw, I remembered that I had envisioned this dressing as also a dip for crudité. And really, sacrificing my fingertips just to not waste the nub ends of celery stalks and carrots just didn’t seem like the reasonable thing to do. So, both the practical and smart answer was to nibble on whatever part of the veggie that I deemed prudent not to grate. So, I retrieved the dressing/dip from the fridge and took my first bite. OMG – all this wonderful blend of ingredients needed was just a bit of time together. And I tell you true, this is the best buttermilk dressing/dip I have ever tasted. But I can’t state this too fervently – THIS DRESSING MUST BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME. TWO DAYS AHEAD OF TIME, AT LEAST! (And no cheating.)

But it is so worth the wait. Perfect on salads. Perfect as a dip. PERFECT period! And just so darn easy to prepare, that I’m almost embarrassed to post it for all to see. But I must. Because it is just that darn good. And I like to share.

As always, have fun making food. And Happy 4th of July. And while we are celebrating with family and friends, let’s all remember why we still celebrate this day in history. Because on July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring at the beginning of the second paragraph: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  

Peace and love to all.

¾ c. buttermilk (full-fat Bulgarian buttermilk is best)

½ c. mayonnaise

1 tsp. dried parsley

½ tsp. granulated onion*

½ tsp. granulated garlic*

½ tsp. celery salt

scant ¼ tsp. seasoned salt

pinch dried dill weed

freshly ground black pepper

Whisk or shake together in a lidded container. Use as a salad dressing or dip for crudité.

*You will notice that I almost always use granulated onion and garlic rather than onion and garlic powder. It’s just a preference because the difference in these forms is merely texture, powder having a flour-like consistency and granulated being coarser, like fine cornmeal. Most reputable manufacturers sell 100% pure versions of both, but occasionally you will find additives to improve flow or prevent caking, especially in the powdered variety.

But the main thing to know is that anyone who uses granulated or powdered onion or garlic is not less of a cook than those who always use the fresh variety. To my way of thinking, there is certainly a place for the fresh variety, and I use fresh garlic and onion a great deal in my cooking. But there are also times when a more delicate flavor is preferable. And I get to make that judgement. Not because I’m lazy (well sometimes because I’m lazy), but mainly because it’s my kitchen and my choice! And I always love having a choice.      

HONEY ROASTED NUTS

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This recipe from noted NW culinary figure Greg Atkinson appeared in the December 13th Pacific NW section of the Seattle Times. Now of course, most of you who are refined, sophisticated, and savvy denizens of greater Seattle probably also subscribe to the Times. And have undoubtedly already made a batch of these nuts. But if you don’t subscribe to the Times, or don’t live in the area, or haven’t had the time or inclination to build a batch, then boy oh boy, do I have a treat for you.

These nuts are absolutely perfect. They aren’t too sweet. They aren’t too salty. They are, as Goldilocks would put it, “just right”! And extremely easy to throw together. And I’m telling you true; even a beginning cook should be able to make these nuts with no trouble at all. And what a lovely gift for someone or just as a special treat for your family. So, a big thank you to chef Atkinson for this marvelous recipe.

As always, continue to stay safe, continue to have patience with your family members, and continue to take super good care of yourself. It’s very easy to get so wrapped up in everyone else’s needs, that we forget about our own. I know how it goes, because once upon a time I was “mommy” to 4 kids. Some of those years are still a blur in my memory banks. I’m hoping that when I get really old, as opposed to just old like I am now, some of those memories will re-surface crystal clear. Because I loved being a mom, even with all the hassles, hard work, inconvenience, and exhaustion not mentioned in the original job description.

I guess what I’m trying to say, is treasure the time you have with your family. Your kids will be grown and gone sooner than you can say, for the millionth time, “I said clean up your room, and I mean now, not tomorrow!”

Peace, joy, and love to all. And a very, very Merry Christmas.

8 c. whole pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, or almonds (I use 2 cups of each)

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 T. kosher salt  

1 T. brown sugar, packed

1 T. water

2 T. honey

2 T. canola oil

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. Spread the nuts out on a rimmed baking pan. Toast in the oven until a light golden brown and they begin to smell toasted, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir the sugar and salt together in a large bowl; set aside.

When the nuts are toasted, remove them from the oven and make the glaze.

In a large frying pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, water, honey, and oil. Stir until the mixture is boiling. Reduce heat and immediately stir in the warm, toasted nuts and cook, stirring just until the glaze is stuck to the nuts and the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and toss the hot, glazed nuts in the sugar and salt mixture. Gently stir the nuts until every single one is coated. Return them to the baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Pop them back in the oven for one minute to set the glaze and the sugar coating.

Remove from oven and allow the nuts to cool completely on the pan before you move them around. (Tossing or packaging them before they are completely cool could cause the coating to come off.) When the nuts are completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

CREAM CHEESE AND CHUTNEY SPREAD

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It was really fun to try a new slant on one of my favorite appetizers, Baked Brie with Curry Powder, Chutney, and Toasted Pecans last evening. We had been invited to dinner (social distancing rules in place, of course) at the home of our dear friends Jim and Margo.  I had offered to bring an appetizer, hence the reason for fixing an appetizer in the first place. (And no, we don’t usually enjoy appetizers before our evening meal unless we are entertaining. I do understand when and where to draw the line in our quest for a reasonably healthy life style!)

Anyway, in deciding what appetizer to prepare, I remembered that I had some cream cheese in my fridge quickly coming to the end of its shelf life. I also had a partial jar of mango chutney staring me in the face every time I opened the refrigerator door. So I did what I often do. I searched under the ingredients I wanted to use, in this case cream cheese and mango chutney. Then I simply took my pick of all the recipes that were metaphorically speaking – laid at my feet. (In other words, I let some other cook do all the heavy lifting so that I could take all the credit. (My mom never raised no dummy!)

Anyway, with a tiny bit of modification, this recipe from the food.com site is perfection personified. The flavors in this spread are unusual, so really fun to serve in that regard. And creamy and rich without being cloying. And visually attractive. And wonderfully easy to prepare. And I know I talk a lot about ease of preparation in my recipes. But the older I get, the more I search out fast and easy ways to bring delicious food to our table. And I’m not even busy raising children or working for a living. I’ve already had that pleasure. But I can still empathize with those of you who are busier than you have ever been. So I like to feature recipes that can be fixed with a minimum of effort.

Now granted, some of my favorite recipes like Kouign Amann, might be classified as “for later when I have nothing better to do” by many of you. I get that. When I had kids at home and was a working mother, I would have pitched a recipe like that right into my much used circular file. And instead would have settled for baking a cake or making a batch of cookies. Any labor saving device I could use to fill the kids tummies while at the same time preparing tasty and nutritious food. It’s a real balancing act for a busy home cook. And believe me, for many years I knew that proverbial pivot point (or should I say breaking point) all too well.

So when I mention that a recipe is easy to prepare, it’s really for my own benefit. But the end result is that it might help you out too. I simply like ease of preparation. It works for me in my golden years, and I hope it works for you as well. (And yes, once in a while I still go crazy and prepare a food item that takes hours to prepare. But this is happening less and less as the years go by.)

As always, stay active, stay productive, but stay reasonable. If you need to put your feet up, do so. If you need help, ask for it. If you can make a positive difference in someone’s life, please make it happen. But not at the expense of losing your own health or happiness. No one should even consider asking that much of you. Peace and love to all.

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 tsp. curry powder (like McCormick)

¼ tsp. ground ginger

¼ c. minced green onions

¼ c. golden raisins, roughly chopped

¼ c. mango chutney

¼ c. chopped cashews

Combine the cream cheese, curry powder, ground ginger, most of the chopped green onions, and raisins together. Spread about ½-inch thick on a small plate. Spread the chutney evenly over the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with the chopped cashews and reserved minced green onions. Serve at room temperature with crackers.  

CRISPY OVEN BAKED GREEN BEANS

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OK, I surrender. I thought I had prepared green beans every which way there was. But I was wrong. Daughter Paula gave me this recipe and said I just had to try them. She said the green beans were amazing. And she was right!

Now the great thing about these beans, aside from the fact that they are absolutely delicious, is that you can season them any old way you wish. I just used the combination listed below. But you could substitute any number of different ingredients to suite your taste. Paprika, for example would be a great addition to the breading concoction. Don’t like Sriracha, leave it out. Soy sauce might be interesting in its place.

This is a recipe that’s practically begs for culinary creativity. And I plan to give this recipe exactly what it deserves. Next time, I’m going to use Moon Cheese* in place of Parmesan. (I know. I had never heard of Moon Cheese either until Paula told me about it. So of course I had to order some. Now I’m hooked!  Well of course I am! These little crispy bits of cheese are delicious.)

Anyway, I can’t wait to fix these crispy, tasty beans again. And they aren’t even deep fried! I especially like that. They are simply finger food at its finest! So yes, of course they would make a fabulous appetizer at your next dinner party. (When we can once again safely invite people into our homes, that is.)

In the meantime, we here at Chez Carr plan to enjoy these vegetable treats all by ourselves. But you can bet your last bottle of hand sanitizer, that we will be serving these beans to our guests once it is safe to do so.

As always, virtual hugs from me to you. And Paula, thanks again for the recipe. It’s almost as amazing as you are. And that says a lot!      

40 fresh green beans, washed, ends trimmed, and dried with paper towels

2 T. mayonnaise or your favorite creamy salad dressing

1 egg

squirt Sriracha

2 T. flour (regular or gluten free)

¾ c. panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs or ¼ cup almond flour (Keto)

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese or ground Moon Cheese* (Keto)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Whisk the mayonnaise, egg, and Sriracha together in a shallow container. (I use an 8-inch cake pan.)

Toss the green beans in the flour to lightly coat them.

Mix the panko crumbs with the seasoned salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and Parmesan.

Dip the flour coated green beans in the egg mixture, then coat with the panko bread crumb mixture.

Place the green beans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the coating begins to brown. Serve immediately!

*Moon Cheese is made with 100% cheese that they crunchify to make the tastiest, crunchiest snack ever. Moon Cheese comes in three delicious flavors – Gouda, Cheddar, and Pepper Jack. Moon Cheese is the perfect keto snack because it is high in protein, low-carb, all natural, gluten free and a source of calcium.

CHUNKY SHRIMP, AVOCADO, AND TOMATO DIP

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This lovely seafood/guacamole/salsa like appetizer is simply delicious. The recipe comes from one of my favorite recipe sites – Natasha’s Kitchen. I changed a couple of amounts here and there, but this gem can only be attributed to Natasha’s culinary genius.

It’s like guacamole on steroids. Every bite beckons you to take another bite. So in that way, this is a dish where you could conceivably make a pig of yourself in front of your friends and family. So maybe the first time you prepare this before meal nibble, you should do so all by yourself in the privacy of your own kitchen. Just sayin’. It’s just that good. Or, you could always make a double batch and eat as much as you want, leaving the lions share for your family and friends. (Sounds like I speak from experience, right?!?!) Actually not.

I made this last Sunday for a Mexican food themed pre-concert meal for our 101st JazzVox concert in our home. But I barely got a taste of it before our guests heartily enjoyed their way through the whole bowl. But the bite I did get made me certain that it would not be too long before I made some just for Mr. C. and me.

So if you are ever in the mood for a special appetizer, give this delightful recipe a try. I would also advise you to visit Natasha’s site. She has a wonderful flair for food and her recipes are mostly easy to follow and include, again mostly, readily available ingredients. Happy eating!

Oh, and sorry I haven’t posted recipes for a while. We were enjoying another adventure out in this amazing world of ours. If you would like to follow us on our recent trailer trip, klick on September 2019 Trailer Trip.

1 lb. lg. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 med. limes, juiced, or more to taste

couple dashes of hot sauce (I use Frank’s Red Hot), opt.

½ English cucumber, semi peeled, seeded, and finely diced

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

3 avocados, diced  

½ c. finely diced red onion   

1/3 c. chopped cilantro

yellow and blue tortilla chips, for dipping

Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Add shrimp and sauté just until cooked through. Remove from pan. Allow to cool, then coarsely chop and place in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the lime juice over the shrimp, and let sit for a few minutes before gently stirring in the hot sauce, cucumber, tomatoes, avocados, onion, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with tortilla chips.

CREAMY FETA CHEESE DIP

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I almost always prepare a veggie tray when I entertain a large crowd of family and friends. Because invariably there are those on a diet, or vegetarian, vegan, or genuinely allergic to almost everything, but are able to eat veggies. Plus of course, there are those people like myself that simply love raw vegetables. But I also love to dip those darling little veggie morsels in something that tastes yummy. (My downfall, I know!) So for a recent get-together I whipped up this tasty Once Upon a Chef site recipe to serve along-side the veggies.

And oh my! It was very tasty and well received by my guests. And the best thing – there was enough left that for breakfast this morning, I was able to spread each of our toasted half bagel with this delicacy. Oh baby – what a treat! And yes I know. A bit decadent for a Tuesday morning, but I simply could not let it go to waste. (My story and I’m sticking to it!)

So if you are planning a get-together and want to make sure there is at least one dish that almost everyone can enjoy – cut up a variety of fresh veggies and plop them on a plate. Then if the spirit moves you, go the extra mile and serve this dip with the veggies. And no, perhaps not everyone will be able to partake of this dip, but for those who can, you will be hearing nothing but praise. And just so you know, toasted pita bread wedges are also wonderful served with this dip. See recipe below.

8 oz. feta cheese

½ c. sour cream

½ c. mayonnaise (I use light mayonnaise)

zest of ½ lemon  

1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped

¼ tsp. dried dill

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. dried thyme

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper, plus a couple of grinds for garnish

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

crudité

Combine the feta cheese, sour cream, mayo, lemon zest, garlic, dill, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Process until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until about an hour before you plan to serve. Sprinkle lightly with coarse ground pepper and serve with crudité.

Can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Toasted Pita Wedges: Brush pita bread on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Cut into wedges and place on a large baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.  

BLUE CHEESE, CREAM CHEESE, AND DATE SPREAD

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For those of us for whom God created blue cheese, this spread is going to be seriously up your alley. It is so delicious, that you might seriously wonder if some benevolent deity didn’t have at least some input into its creation. This spread is just that scrumptious!

So in adhering to my full disclosure policy, this dish is really just my take on an Epicurious recipe for Date & Blue Cheese Ball. The main gist of the recipe is all Epicurious. I just took the liberty of changing a couple of quantities, removed walnuts from the ingredient list, adjusted the preparation instructions, and prefer serving it in a lovely serving dish rather than forming it into a ball. But the thanks and credit still belong to Epicurious.    

Of course, I already knew that I loved the combination of blue cheese and dates because of my recipe for Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates already on this site. But as with every dish, I like to change things up a bit just for the shear fun of it. And creating a creamy blue cheese and date spread held a great deal of appeal. (Plus I am trying to stay away from bacon. I know – good luck with that!)

I whipped this up last Friday to take along to our friends Paul and Vivianna’s home. Great fun that evening sharing wonderful food with wonderful friends. There is just nothing finer than the combination of great friends and great food. Thanks again Vivianna and Paul for another fabulous dinner.

So next time you need an easy to prepare appetizer to serve to family or friends, make this delightful spread. It is just so, so good. And you can make it ahead. In fact, it’s even better if made a day or two ahead. How lovely is that! Enjoy

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

5 oz. blue cheese, roughly crumbled

3 T.  buttermilk

1 T. minced shallots

pinch kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 T. minced fresh Italian parsley

8 pitted dates, roughly chopped, plus 2 more chopped for garnish   

 In the bowl of a food processor, whirl the cream cheese, blue cheese, and buttermilk until smooth and creamy. Add the dates, shallots, salt, and pepper and whirl just until the dates are finely chopped. Do not over whirl. Add the lemon zest and pulse a couple of times or until the zest is evenly distributed.

Scoop the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours or up to 2 days.

Before serving, decorate with remaining 2 chopped dates and minced fresh parsley. Serve with crackers.