Category Archives: Appetizers

SPINACH ARTICHOKE PINWHEELS

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    • 1 Package of frozen puff pastry

    • 1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

    • 1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

    • 1/3 cup black olives chopped

    • ½ cup mayonnaise

    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

    • 1 tsp. onion powder

    • 1 tsp. garlic powder

    • ½ tsp. pepper

Drain thawed spinach well, squeezing to remove water.  Combine
spinach with remaining ingredients.
Unfold one sheet of pastry onto lightly floured surface.  Roll out slightly to thin a bit and remove the fold lines.  Spread half of mix on
dough leaving about ½ inch on one end to seal.
Roll up jelly roll style and seal edge.
Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes.  Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut each roll into 12 slices.  Place on baking sheet and back for 20 minutes until golden brown.

TEX MEX DIP

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  • 1 can Frito Bean Dip

  • 2 small or 1 large avocados

  • 1 package of Taco seasoning

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1-2 tomatoes chopped

  • ¾ cup chopped olives (black/green or both)

  • ¾ cup chopped green pepper

  • ½ cup chopped onion

  • 1 ½ cups cheddar or Monterey jack cheese shredded

In a 10” Pyrex pie dish or circular casserole, layer bean dip, mashed avocado (mixed with a little lemon juice), mixture of Taco seasoning and sour cream, chopped vegetables.
Top with shredded cheese and serve with Taco chips.

TACOS IN THE SHELL

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  • 3 T. salad oil

  • 1 large onion finely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic minced

  • 1 small green pepper finely chopped

  • 2 # ground chuck

  • 1 t. salt

  • ½ t. pepper

  • 1 T. Chile powder

  • 1 t. oregano

  • 1  6 oz can tomato paste

  • ½ T. brown sugar

  • 3 T. vinegar

  • 1 T. prepared mustard

  • 1 ½ cups water

  • 24 Taco shells

Heat oil in heavy skillet.  Add onion, garlic, and green pepper.  Sauté until onion is brown.  Brown beef in skillet.  Add rest of ingredients and simmer until hot.  Serve in Taco shells.

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

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  • 1 # mushrooms

  • 2 T. bacon drippings

  • ¼ cup chopped onion

  • 1 minced clove garlic

  • ½ cup finely chopped ham or bacon

  • ½ cup bread crumbs

  • 2 T parmesan cheese

  • 1 egg

  • 1 T parsley chopped

  • ½ t oregano

  • ½ t salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

Pour boiling water over mushrooms.  Let stand 15 minutes then remove stems.  Actually, I try to remove stems dry so they don’t get too watery.  Chop stems.  Sauté onion, garlic, ham/bacon and mushroom stems in oil.  Add bread crumbs, cheese, egg and seasonings.  Stuff caps.  Bake 425 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

SPICED NUTS

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  • 1//2 t. ground cumin

  • ½ t. cayenne pepper

  • ½ t. ground cinnamon

  • 4 cups unsalted mixed nuts

  • 4 t. unsalted butter

  • 6 T. brown sugar

  • 1 t. salt

  • 1 T. water

Mix spices and reserve.  Heat nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently until they begin to toast – about 4 minutes.  Melt butter in microwave; add spices, water and salt.  Add to nuts, stirring until the sauce thickens and nuts are glazed – about 4 minutes.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating them with a fork. Let nuts stand until cooled and the sugar has hardened – about 10 minutes.   Store in an airtight container.

SHRIMP TOASTS

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  • ½ # raw peeled shrimp minced (light food processor)

  • 4 water chestnuts chopped finely

  • 1 t. salt

  • ½ t. sugar

  • 1 t. cornstarch

  • 1 egg lightly beaten

  • 2 t. chopped scallions – white part only

  • 6 stale slices of bread

  • Vegetable oil

Mix shrimp, chestnuts, etc. Trim crusts off bread.  Spread each slice with 1/6 of
mixture.  Fry upside down in oil for 1 minute (40 seconds works better).  Then
turn and fry a few seconds.  Drain on paper towel and serve warm.

SHRIMP SPREAD

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  • 2 three ounce packages of cream cheese

  • 2 packages of Good Seasonings Italian dressing

  • 4 t. lemon juice

  • 1 ½ cup sour cream

  • 2 cans of de-veined shrimp

Mix everything, but shrimp.  Then, fold in drained shrimp.

ROQUEFORT PINWHEELS

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  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed

  • 4 ounces Roquefort blue cheese

  • 1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 t. cold water

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter an 8 or 9 inch baking dish.

Open the sheet of pug pastry and flatten with a rolling pin.
Crumble the blue cheese on the sheet leaving a good inch-wide border all
around.  Roll up the pastry the long way; cut into twelve to fourteen ½ inch thick slices with a sharp knife.  Place the rounds in the prepared dish; brush with egg wash.  Bake until puffed up and golden brown – about 10-12 mintues.