Appetizers

Maple Bacon Baklava

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For those of you who like a sweet savory with your cocktail – this is nirvana!  They say it can be a dessert too. The directions look harder than they really are.  Phyllo dough, done in a pan like this, is very forgiving.  I doubled the syrup

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound frozen phyllo dough, thawed in the refrigerator (about 20 sheets) (See notes)
  • 2 pounds bacon, cooked until very crispy and chopped (Save the bacon fat.)
  • 1 – 8-ounce package walnut pieces, ground
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 c bourbon

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Combine bacon, walnuts and brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. Gently unroll the phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. (I don’t bother with this.)
  4. In a 9- X 13-inch baking pan, lay out 1 sheet of phyllo dough.
  5. Brush with bacon fat.
  6. Repeat five more times to a total of six layers, one on top of each other.
  7. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the bacon/walnut mixture over the first layers of dough.
  8. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on top of bacon/walnut mixture.
  9. Brush with bacon fat.
  10. Repeat twice more, making three layers
  11. Lay what ever is left of the sheet of phyllo dough on top brushing each one with bacon fat.  If you run out of bacon fat use butter.
  12. Using a sharp serrated knife, make your first cut lengthwise down the middle. Gently cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan, holding the phyllo dough in place with the fingers of your free hand on either side of the knife. (A dough cutter or pizza cutter will also work.)For individual bite-sized servings, cut six equal lengths. Do not cut in the opposite direction yet.
  13. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat, being careful not to scorch or burn. Once it has melted, use a spoon to pour the butter over the baklava, making sure that it drizzles down into the cuts and along the sides. Use all of the butter. If it settles on top of the baklava, pick up the baking dish and rock it back and forth so that any remaining pools of butter soaks into the cuts and down the sides.
  14. Now that the phyllo dough is soaked with the butter, it will make it easier to cut in the opposite direction into individual pieces. Using the same method you used for cutting lengthwise, turn the pan and cut the baklava into individual pieces, holding the phyllo dough in place with the fingers of your free hand.  You can make this cut on a diagonal for a more draditional look.
  15. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  16. While the baklava is in the oven, heat the syrup in a small pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, and add the bourbon.
  17. When the baklava is done, remove it from the oven and drizzle immediately with the hot syrup. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Serves:  Makes  about 48 pieces

Source:   Loosely based on a recipe from Terri’s Table by Terri Powers.
Notes:  Phyllo dough never comes in the size of your pan.  Accept this.  Cut the pieces to fit (the whole stack at once) before you start.  Use the trim pieces in the middle of the stack – pieced like a patchwork quilt.  Save one whole sheet for the top.

Slice and Serve Garlic Butter Crescents

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These are tasty little morsels!  

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
  • 2 Tab butter, melted
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp diced garlic
  • 2-3 Tab grated Parmesan cheese
  • Ranch dressing and tomato pasta sauce, for serving (if desired – the group voted better without!)

Directions: 

  1. Heat oven to 375°F.
  2. Melt the butter.
  3. Add Italian seasoning, garlic.
  4. Open can but do not unroll dough.
  5. With serrated knife, cut dough roll into 12 even slices.
  6. Place slices on ungreased cookie sheet.
  7. Brush tops with melted butte.
  8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  9. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.
  11. Serve warm.

Serves:   Makes 12

Source:  Pillsbury

Prosciutto-Wrapped Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil

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There is no end to creative ways to use basil and tomatoes.  Prosciutto is the frosting on the cake!

Ingredients:

  • 8 thin slices prosciutto (preferably imported), halved lengthwise
  • 8 large basil leaves, torn in half
  • 8 small fresh mozzarella balls (about 1-inch in diameter), halved
  • 8 ripe grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Arrange 8 slices of prosciutto flat on a cutting board.
  2. Put a piece of basil on one end of each slice.
  3. Top each piece of basil with a piece of mozzarella and a tomato half, matching the cut sides to make a ball.
  4. Season very lightly with salt and generously with pepper.
  5. Roll up the balls in the prosciutto.
  6. Secure each with a toothpick.
  7. Set on a platter.
  8. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  9. Drizzle with the olive oil and serve.

Serves:  Makes 16

Source:  finecooking

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

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A very simple and easy marinade that makes your shrimp so yummy you don’t even need cocktail sauce! Don’t let the cayenne pepper scare you, you don’t even taste it. 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 c olive oil
  • 1/4 c tomato sauce
  • 2 Tab red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tab chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 pounds fresh (raw) shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium size)
  • skewers

Directions:

  1. Place the skewers (if wood) in a jar/bowl of water.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar.
  3. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper.
  4. Add shrimp to the bowl.
  5. Stir until evenly coated.
  6. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
  7. Preheat grill for medium heat.
  8. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head.
  9. Discard marinade.
  10. Lightly oil grill grate.
  11. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Serves:   Makes around 40

Source:   Allrecipes.com ,Recipe By:BLONDIEPEREZ

Pear Chutney Bruschetta with Pecans and Blue Cheese

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Sweet-tangy chutney pairs beautifully with pungent blue cheese and toasty pecans. You can make the chutney up to three days in advance; assemble bruschetta shortly before serving.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 c finely chopped shallots
  • 1 1/2 cs finely chopped peeled Anjou, Bartlett, or Bosc pear
  • 1/2 c pear nectar
  • 1/4 c finely chopped dried apricots
  • 2 Tab sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tab cider vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 4 oz French bread baguette.
  • 8 tsp chopped pecans, toasted
  • 8 tsp crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat.
  3. Add shallots, and sauté for 2 minutes or until soft.
  4. Add pear and next 6 ingredients (through cinnamon).
  5. Bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat to medium.
  7. Cook 20 minutes or until pear is tender and mixture is thick.
  8. Cool to room temperature.
  9. Discard cinnamon stick.
  10. Cut bread diagonally into 16 thin slices.
  11. Lightly toasted on both sides.
  12. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons chutney over each baguette slice.
  13. Top each with 1/2 teaspoon pecans and 1/2 teaspoon cheese.

Serves:  8 (serving size: 2 topped bruschetta)
Source:  Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light October 2011

Spinach, Herb, and Cheese Phyllo Rolls

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These golden, flaky rolls make an impressive party appetizer. Freeze leftover rolls up to 6 months. To reheat, cover loosely with foil and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 c finely chopped shallots
  • 1/2 c finely chopped green onions
  • 1/2 c finely chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 c chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 1/2 Tab chopped fresh thyme
  • 12 oz baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 6 Tab extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 3 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
  • Cooking spray
  • 20 (14 x 9-inch) frozen phyllo sheets, thawed (about 8 ounces)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°.
  2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons oil.
  4. Stir well to combine.
  5. Stir in pepper, egg, and cheese until well blended.
  6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Coat well with cooking spray.
  8. Working with 2 phyllo sheets at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), brush 2 sheets lightly with remaining olive oil (long edge of sheets should be closest to you).
  9. Top with 2 phyllo sheets.
  10. Brush lightly with oil.
  11. Arrange 2 cups spinach mixture in an even mound along phyllo edge nearest you, leaving a 1-inch border on either side.
  12. Fold sides of phyllo partially over mound; roll dough and filling, burrito-style, to form an 11 x 3-inch roll.
  13. Place roll, seam side down, on prepared pan.
  14. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, oil, and filling to form 5 rolls.
  15. Make 3 small slits in the top of each roll to allow steam to escape.
  16. Bake rolls at 375° for 50 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
  17. Carefully transfer to a wire rack; cool 20 minutes.
  18. Cut each roll diagonally into 6 slices.

Serves: 15 (serving size: 2 slices)

Source:  Food and Wine, via Donna Barasch

Anja’s Salsa

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This is a less chunky, more chip friendly salsa than most.  Feel free to adjust quantities to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

  • 3 – 4 big tomatoes – the riper the better
  • 1/2 a big onion
  • 3 -4 cloves of garlic
  • small amount of cilantro
  • 1/2 a small green chili
  • lime juice to taste
  • salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Put the onion and garlic in a food processor.
  2. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
  3. Add chili, cilantro and tomatoes.
  4. Pulse until chopped to desired consistency .
  5. Add some lime juice and salt.
  6. Stir
  7. Taste.
  8. Add more if needed.
  9. Chill.

Serves:  How many chips do you have??

Source:  Anja Askelid

Caprese Panino

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Here’s a sandwich that’s a riff on a favorite Italian street food, the delicious and simple caprese panini!

Ingredients:

  • half a loaf of ciabatta
  • pesto
  • 1 small really ripe, possibly heirloom tomato, sliced
  •  fresh mozzarella, sliced
  • torn basil leaves
  • salt

Directions:

  1. Heat the panini press, if you have one.
  2. Slice the Ciabatta in half lengthwise.
  3. Spread both inside halves with pesto.
  4. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on the bottom half of the bread.
  5. Sprinkle it with salt.
  6. Add the mozzarella slices.
  7. Top it with torn basil leaves.
  8. And finally, the top bread.
  9. If you have a panini press, go for it! If not, place the sandwich in a grill pan, then use a heavy flat lid to weigh it down.  If you have a waffle maker with reversible plates, use the flat side and grill it in the waffle iron.
  10. Grill the sandwich for 3-4 minutes, then flip it and grill it for another 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt. Panini in Italy are toasted, but not really warm and gooey in the center like an American grilled sandwich; to keep it authentic, don’t go for a full melt.

Serves:  1

Source:  Sage & Simple

Devils on Horseback

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 Recipes vary, but in general they are a variation on Angels on Horseback (bacon wrapped oysters), made by replacing oysters with dried fruit (prunes, dates) stuffed with nuts or blue cheese.  This classic appetizer combines sweet and salty flavors for a fantastic bite!

Ingredients:

  • 20 pitted dates
  • 10 slices smoked bacon (regular thickness) cut in half horizontally
  • 20 smoked almonds
  • Wooden Toothpicks

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 °.
  2. Cover a metal rimmed baking sheet with foil, dull side up, and fit with a baking/cooking rack.
  3. Sspray with non-stick spray.
  4. Using kitchen scissors insert the lower blade of the scissors into the pitted area of the date and cut a vertical opening (note: a paring knife can also be used but do not cut through the entire date, just one side).
  5. Inset an almond into the cavity.
  6. Holding the date together, wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around the date (will will wrap around twice).
  7. Secure the end of the bacon with a wooden toothpick.
  8. Place the Devils on Horseback on the prepared baking sheet leaving room between them.
  9. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until the bacon is done to your liking. The bacon will crisp further when out of the oven. The broiler can be turned on for a few minutes at the end if crisp bacon is desired however leave the pan in the middle of the oven and watch closely.
  10. Serve hot.

Serves:  20 appetizers – enough for me – make your own!

Source:   Toni Dash via Allison and Cathy Painter

Brie Crescent Rolls

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Dancing Brandyflake  “I’m a dancer, writer, and university professor in California.”   And a lover of food – these will attest to that.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans Pillsbury crescent rolls
  • 1 8 oz brie

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375° F
  2. Get your crescents ready on a baking sheet. (Divide into triangles)
  3. (Slice brie into thin wedges and place on triangles.)
  4. Roll ’em up and bake ’em for ten minutes (approximately).


A word about brie poop:  Brie spreads when it bakes, make no doubt about that.   An easy fix is to secure the ends of your crescent rolls so the goodness doesn’t escape (like a dough diaper. heh.)

Serves: 10 – 12

Source: Dancing Branflake.com Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Comment:  Dancing Brandflake also added an apple slice, pecan and honey. Italics are her directions

Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – March 15, 2014