Category: Appetizers

Boise Chicken Bites

This reminds me of some of the chicken dishes at the many Asian fast food places.  It is tasty!

Ingredients:

Sauce:

  • 1 can apricots (13 oz)
  • 1 piece ginger (½ inch) peeled and shredded (A micro-plane makes this easy)
  • 1 Tab soy sauce
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tab cold water
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced

Chicken:

  • 3 lbs chicken tenders
  • 4 Tab butter
  • 2 Tab vegetable oil
  • tooth picks

Directions:

Sauce:

  1. Drain the apricots, reserving the syrup.
  2. Combine 1/4 c syrup with the ginger and apricots in a food processor and blend until smooth.
  3. Combine apricot purèe with soy sauce in a sauce pan.
  4. Mix cornstarch and water.
  5. Add to sauce pan.
  6. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. (If too thick, thin with reserve juice)

Chicken:

  1. Rinse and pat dry.
  2. Cut chicken tender into 4 – 5 pieces – approximately ¾ inch cubes.
  3. Sauté in butter and oil for 5 minutes until golden brown.
  4. Place warm chicken in chaffing dish
  5. Pour sauce over chicken and mix to coat
  6. Sprinkle with green onion and serve with toothpicks

Serves: 100-120Pieces

Source: Idaho à la cARTe A Gallery of Treasures, Traditions and Tastes Beaux Arts Société

 

Hilda Koegel Pitts Crab Cakes

Not the most traditional recipe, but quite good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb crab meat. Fresh is best! ( you can use canned from the refrigerated section but make sure it’s “back fin” vs                       claws or Trader Joe’s lump crab)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 Tab Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tab baking powder
  • 3 slices white bread, crust removed
  • 2 Tab milk (a little extra if bread is dry)
  • 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 tsp mayo (she swore by Hellman’s which is Best Foods here)
  • 1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
  • ¼ tsp white vinegar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • vegetable oil or shortening

Directions:

  1. Break bread into small pieces in bowl.
  2. Moisten with the milk until almost soggy.
  3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Using approximately 2T of mix, shape into cakes. Place on plate.
  5. Refrigerate.
  6. Fry in a small amount of vegetable oil or shortening.

Serves: 20 cakes at 2 tablespoons/cake or (40 minis at 1 tablespoon/cake)

Source: Hilda Koegel Pitts (Robbie Pitts grandmother)

 

Authentic Anchor Bar Buffalo Chicken Wings

It’s not a game without chicken wings!

Ingredients:

  • 18 chicken wings
  • 1 Tab vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 c flour
  • 1½Tab white vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 6 Tab Louisiana hot sauce (Frank’s is the brand used in Buffalo)
  • 6 Tab unsalted butter
  • celery sticks
  • blue cheese dressing (see below)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 425°.
  2. Cut whole wings into two pieces. (1 wing makes 2 pieces, the flat and the drum)
  3. In a bowl toss the wings with the oil and salt.
  4. Place into a large plastic bag – add flour – shake to coat evenly.
  5. Remove wings and shake off excess flour.
  6. Spread evenly on oiled, foil lined baking pan. Do not crowd.
  7. Bake 20 minutes, turn the wings, bake another 20 minutes or until wings are cooked through and browned.
  8. While the wings are cooking, mix next 8 ingredients for sauce in a pan.
  9. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Stir occasionally. Turn off.
  10. After wings are cooked, transfer to large bowl.
  11. Pour sauce over the hot wings and toss to completely coat.
  12. Return to foil lined baking pan.
  13. Reheat.
  14. Place on platter with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

The One True Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

  • ¾ c sour cream
  • ¾ c blue cheese, crumbled
  • ½ c mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • ½ tsp grated onion or 1 tsp dried onion
  • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • freshly ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Mix ingredients in order given using an electric mixer on low.
  2. Blend well.
  3. Cover and chill over night to allow flavors to blend.

Serves: Makes 2 cups

Source: An ad for Danish Blue Cheese

Comments:  It will turn watery after 3-4 days.  (Later discovery – 1 cup of cottage cheese will help stabilize it and add texture.)
I added the Worcestershire sauce to the original recipe

 

Cocktail Lobster Rolls

“This sandwich is truly one of life’s simple pleasures. While this will not be an inexpensive sandwich to assemble, once you taste the amazing contrast between the buttered bun and the cold, sweet lobster salad, you’ll realize it was worth every penny!”

 Ingredients:

 

  • 3 lobster tail, fresh or frozen – 4 oz each (about 2 cups)
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tab celery, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp tarragon
  • 4 fresh hot dog buns
  • 4 Tab butter

Directions:

  1. Boil lobster as directed.
  2. Remove meat from shell and dice.
  3. Mix with mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, celery, tarragon.
  4. Refrigerate mixture.
  5. Split open and butter the buns.
  6. Toast under the broiler.
  7. Cut bun halves into 4 pieces.
  8. Mound lobster mixture on each piece.

Serves: 32 pieces

Source: John Mitzewich, About.com

 

Green Bay Beer Brats

Boiling the brats in beer makes a good, good difference.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 bratwurst, plain (about 12 inches total)
  • 2-3 bratwurst, smoked (about 12 inches total)
  • 1 c onion, thinly sliced
  • 24 oz beer
  • 1 Tab oil or butter
  • mustard – German or yellow
  • 12 hamburger pickle slices quartered
  • 1 Trader Joe’s soft pretzel roll or small French roll (about 7 inches long)
  • 2 T ab butter
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Bring the beer to a boil.
  2. Add the onions and bratwurst.
  3. Simmer about 10 – 12 minutes. (20 – 30 minutes if uncooked).
  4. Remove the bratwurst – save the beer.
  5. Brown the bratwurst in butter or oil.
  6. Return bratwurst to beer to keep warm.
  7. Cut pretzel roll into ½ inch slices, then into quarters.
  8. Toss cubes with 2 T melted butter.
  9. Bake at 450° stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes minutes until toasted, but not hard. Cool.
  10. Spread pretzel squares with small dab of mustard.
  11. To serve – Cut bratwurst into ½ inch thick pieces discarding small ends.
  12. Skewer with toothpick: pickles, bratwurst and bread.

Serves: Approximately 36 – 48 pieces

Source: cdkitchen.com

 

Chicago Mushroom Puffs

 This is a classic 1940’s hors d’oeuvre from Jim’s mother.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 lb mushrooms, chopped fine
  • 2 Tab butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ½ Tab onion, grated
  • 6 – 8 white bread slices

Directions:

  1. Cut bread into 24 1 ½ ” rounds. (Easier if bread is frozen)
  2. Brown one side of bread rounds in broiler.
  3. Saute mushrooms in butter until soft.
  4. Drain excess juice off mushrooms.
  5. Cool mushrooms to room temperature.
  6. Mix cream cheese, onion with electric mixer.
  7. Stir in mushrooms.
  8. Mound mixture on toasted side of bread rounds with a spoon.
  9. Broil until warm and lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes

Serves: 24 pieces

Comment: Will freeze uncooked.

Source: Winifred Kleerup, Kenilworth, Illinois

 

Bacon-Wrapped Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Watch these disappear! And so simple.

Ingredients:

  • 24 fingerling potatoes
  • 24 slices bacon – thin sliced works best (1 lb regular sliced bacon has about 17 slices)
  • toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Wash and dry the potatoes.
  2. Microwave on high for 5 minutes or until the potatoes just begin to yield slightly when pressed.
  3. Remove from the microwave and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  5. Cut bacon slices in half crosswise.
  6. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise.
  7. Wrap each potato with half a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
  8. Place wrapped potatoes with the bacon seam side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  9. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
  10. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is cooked.
  11. Remove from oven and cool.

Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 c sour cream
  • 3 Tab half-and-half or cream
  • 3 Tab finely chopped chives
  • 1 Tab prepared horseradish
  • Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Serve with roasted potatoes.

Serves: Makes 48

Source: Never Enough Thyme when Lana is Cooking

Meatballs in a Cabernet Sauce

In this recipe, the meatballs actually are just the carriers for the sauce.  The sauce brings out the fruit in the wine and is balanced by the bouillon and tomato to pair will with the meat.  The wine can be substituted to pair well with many styles of food needing a red wine.

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1 can (16 ounces)tomato sauce (use a good quality sauce; it makes a big difference!)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 – 3 teaspoons beef bouillon
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon corn syrup
  • 3 loves crushed garlic
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons oregano (dried)
  • pinch of salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heart while stirring.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, with occasional stirring, until desired thickness.  Be patient to allow the sauce to thicken.
3. Adjust the sweetness with honey or brown sugar and tartness with lemon juice.
4. Pour the sauce into a crock-pot filled with Italian style meatballs (store bought works well!) and keep hot.  Yummy!

Note:  Due to operator error, we used Marinara sauce instead of tomato sauce – delish!

Note 2:  Margie says “Reduce the wine first, then add the Marinara.  You don’t have to watch it as carefully.  Wine does not burn and tomato does.”

Source:  Orange County Wine Society February Mini Tasting 2006 – Nick Stavros’s winning recipe

Classic Cheese Fondue

So simple, so satisfying!

Ingredients:

  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 c white wine
  • 4 c cheese, grated (1 pound) Elemental or Gruyere
  • 3 T flour
  • dash of nutmeg
  • 6 T Kirsch
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 loaf sour dough French bread cubed

Instructions:

1. Peel garlic and rub over the bottom of earthenware casserole or chafing dish (or fondue pot).
2. Pour in the white wine and heat very slowly.
3. Mix cheese with flour.
4. When air bubbles rise to the surface of the wine add a handful of cheese and stir constantly until cheese is melted.
5. Continue adding handfulls making sure each is completely melted before adding another.
6. Stir constantly.
7. When cheese mixture is smooth and starts to bubble add salt and pepper to taste and a dash of nutmeg.
8. Slowly pour in kirsch, stirring constantly until blended.
9. Cut bread into bite size pieces, each with an edge of crust.
10. Place pot on the table and grab a long fork, skewer bread and dip.

Serves: 2 big eaters

Notes:

• If fondue becomes too thick, thin with a little warm white wine.
• You also can use a fairly decent domestic Swiss cheese.
• I usually do the melting stuff on the stove rather than over sterno/alcohol burner.  Easier to control heat. Keep warm on table burner.
•With the advent of Melting Pot type restaurants we now serve many things to dip: shrimp, sausage, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, apples, etc.  Let your palate run wild!

Source: Sunset Cookbook (the original one)

Tequila Shrimp

Note: Not for the faint of heart – flames about 2 feet high!!!  But really yummy!

Ingredients:

  • 1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 t kosher salt
  • 2 T butter
  • ½ c white or reposado tequila
  • ¾ c crema or sour cream
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced

Instructions:

  1. Toss shrimp with salt and ¾ t coarsely ground pepper
  2. Heat butter in 12 inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides.
  3. Saute shrimp, turning, until pink and just cooked through, 3 – 5 minutes.
  4. Reduce heat and add tequila.
  5. Increase heat to medium high.
  6. Tilt skillet over gas burner to ignite tequila (or ignite with a long match). USE CAUTION – FLAMES MAY SHOOT UP HIGH!
  7. Cook, shaking gently once or twice, until flames subside.
  8. Remove from heat and stir in crema.
  9. Serve sprinkled with scallion.

Serves: 4

Source:  Epicurious via Quick Kitchen (Melissa Rruggiero)

Could be done with scallops too.
Accompaniment: rice if using it for an entree.