Mini Lobster Rolls

These mini lobster rolls are a delightful play on the New England classic!  You could cheat and use langoustine or shrimp – maybe even crab.  Just don’t call them Lobster Rolls.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Lobster meat, cooked fresh or frozen.  Chop into smaller pieces suitable for rolls
  • 1 1/2 Tab minced chives
  • 1/8 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tab lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp course sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 12 dinner rolls, small – King’s Hawaiian are preferred
  • 4 Tab Butter

Directions:  

  1. Preheat oven 350°
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together mayonnaise, chopped lobster meat, lemon juice, minced chives, Old Bay, cayenne, Dijon and sea salt.
  3. Pull the rolls apart and place on a baking sheet.
  4. Coat the rolls with melted butter.
  5. Bake in a 350° oven for about 5 minutes until warm.
  6. Using a knife, slice a hole in the top of each roll.
  7. Fill with the lobster mix.
  8. Coat again with melted butter.
  9. ENJOY!

Serves: 12 (not really – you can’t eat just one!)

Source: sugarandcharm.com

Cheesy Cheddar Lobster Dip

Once the chopping is done this goes very quickly.  You could also use langoustine, shrimp (especially bay shrimp – no chopping) or crab.  You can substitute old bay, lemon pepper or any of your favorite seasoning combinations for the paprika.  Make it different every time.  A recipe is just a suggestion!  Random, out of the box, thought – use this to stuff a small/large Portobello mushroom.  It can be frozen.

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz cooked lobster meat
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ c chopped red onions
  • 1 tsp horseradish
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 6 oz  grated Cheddar cheese (I used Costo’s Mexican Blend)
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ½ c sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 °.
  2. Chop the lobster finely, it has to be picked up on a chip.  Or, not so finely, and serve it with crackers.
  3. In a mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and sour cream.
  4. Add the salt, pepper, horseradish, mustard and smoked paprika.
  5. Add the lobster, onion, garlic. most of the grated cheese.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Spoon mixture into an oven-safe baking dish, spreading mixture evenly.
  8. Lightly sprinkle remaining  cheese on top.
  9. Garnish with paprika.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375° or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Small ramekins take about 15 minutes.

Serves: 6 – 8

Source: Liberties taken on a recipe from Insanely Good Recipes – Chef Dennis Littley

 

 

 

Chevie’s Cookies

Chevie was the waitress a our favorite bar and at Christmas she brought in the cookies.  Not exactly “bar food” but really good!

Ingredients: 

  • 5 c cornflakes  (1 c = 1 oz  approximately – not critical!)
  • 1 c nuts
  • 2 squares unsweetened chocolate
  • 14 squares sweetened chocolate
  • some small marshmallows
  • 1 c dates, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 box coconut ( obviously a very old recipe probably a 1 pound box/bag – not critical!)

Instructions:  

  1. Melt chocolate
  2. Mix cornflakes, nuts, marshmallows, dates. coconut in a very large bowl.
  3. Pour chocolate over.
  4. Mix quickly.
  5. Spoon in small mounds onto parchment/was paper.
  6. Refrigerate.

Serves:  a lot

Source: Chevie, a waitress at Rudolpho’s, our favorite bar in Palo Alto

Spiced Pecans

We used to bring recipes to the potluck events.  This was a keeper.  “Spiced pecans are so simple to make and so good to eat! I have tried several different combinations of spices but keep coming back to this one. I only use pecans, but mixed nuts would be fine.  By Pat”

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • 1 Tab water
  • 3 c pecan halves
  • ½ c white sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  3. Beat egg white and water together in a large bowl.
  4. Add pecans.
  5. Stir to coat.
  6. Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
  7. Sprinkle over moistened nuts.
  8. Spread nuts on the prepared pan.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring once or twice, until toasted and fragrant, about 30 minutes.

Servings: 6

Source:  Recipe card with no name on it.  Probably Pat Negus, Children’s Home Society auxiliary Los Ninos

Bacon & Tomato Dip

The best recipes come from someone else – usually at a party or event.  Ros brought this to a Stanford event and thoughtfully (and wisely) brought a copy of the recipe.  Thank you Ros!

Ingredients:

  •  9 slices bacon fried crisp and cooled
  • 3 small tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • 3 tsp prepared mustards
  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, quartered
  • 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 11/2 c blanched almonds
  • 3 Tab chopped green onions
  • chips or crackers

Directions:

  1. Place tomatoes, cream cheese and Tabasco in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Add almonds, green onions and bacon.
  4. Process just until almonds are chopped.
  5. Refrigerate several hours or up to two days.
  6. Serve with chips or crackers.

Serves:   Makes 3 cups

Source:  Rosalind Morris

Liptauer (Austrian Cheese Spread)

Liptauer (pronounced lip – tower) a classic Austrian spread, is shared between Slovakia and Austria, from their shared history from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its name comes from the northern Slovak region of Liptov. Traditionally, liptauer is made with bryndza, which is a sheep’s milk cheese, but you can also see it made with cottage cheese, quark and other goat cheeses. These cheeses are not widely available,  cream cheese is the suggested substitute..

If you ever travel to Austria, you’ll be sure to find this cheese dip in Austrian heurigers, or wine taverns. Each tavern and restaurant will have their own house spread. Each recipe is a little different from the next!

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 Tab butter soft
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika – the traditional, sweet kind of paprika made from bell peppers,  not the Hungarian or smoky kind.
  • 1/4 tsp caraway seeds ground
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1 Tab of pickles minced
  • 2 Tab yellow onion minced
  • 3 Tab of red bell pepper minced
  • Dill to garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Mix the cream cheese and softened butter together in a bowl.
  2. Then add in the Dijon mustard, paprika, ground caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.
  3. Fold in the pickles, chopped onion, and 2 tablespoons red pepper.
  4. Garnish with remaining red pepper and dill.

Serves: 4 – 6
Source: Globally Flavored

Alternative recipe – and there are many more

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz smooth farmer’s cheese (at room temperature)
  • 3 Tab finely chopped onion
  • 1 Tab anchovy paste or finely chopped anchovies
  • 1 Tab finely chopped capers
  • 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

Directions: 

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
  3. Serve on rye or pumpernickel bread’
  4. Garnish with fresh cut chives.

 

Honey Mustard Dip

This dip is intended for pretzels but would be great with chips and vegetables.  Sweet and creamy and not a variation on onion dip.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c   mayonnaise (real)
  • 1/2 c  Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 c  honey
  • 1 Tab yellow mustard

Directions:

  1. Mix together mayonnaise, Dijon, honey and yellow mustard until smooth.
  2. Serve in a small bowl with fresh soft pretzels.

Serves: 1 1/4 cup

Source: Elizabeth Marek, Sugar Geek Show

Lucia’s Hamilton Dessert

Only five ingredients are needed to make creamy fruit salad/dessert.  It is not particularly fresh or healthy, but will bring back childhood memories of Grandma’s house to those over fifty.

Ingredients:

  • 11 ounces mandarin oranges -1 can, drain well
  • 8 ounces crushed pineapple – 1 can, drain well
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, coconut, and sour cream.
  2. Stir until completely mixed together.
  3. You can eat it immediately after mixing, but recommend that you refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving so that the sour cream can be sweetened by the fruit.

Serves:  6

Source:  Lucia Henderson, Margie’s Godmother

Taco Cream Cheese Dip

 

Cream cheese dip is always a crowd favorite! It’s super creamy, cheesy, and perfect with any dippers you may be serving, from chips to veggies!

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ½ c sour cream
  • ½ c salsa
  • 1 package taco seasoning
  • 1 c sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend, finely shredded
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • ¼ c jalapenos finely chopped and drained (optional)

Directions:

  1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning and salsa with a hand mixer until fluffy.
  2. Fold in cheddar, onions and jalapenos if adding.
  3. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Servings: 8
Source:  SpendWithPennies.com. Holly Nilsson

Bacon Crackers (aka Pig Candy)

Went next door for cocktails last night.  Had my new favorite appetizer! Crackers – topped with bacon and brown sugar – a yummy, sweet, and porky treat!  Want a spicy-sweet flavor? Add a bit of ground black pepper or cayenne pepper over the brown sugar.  Bonus – you can freeze them and reheat.  There are those who use parmesian cheese, but I can’t imagine it being as good as brown sugar.
Ingredients:

  • 1 package (13.7 oz.) club crackers (or any recutangler cracker)
  • 1 lb regular sliced bacon, cut into thirds
  • brown sugar –  don’t skimp

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 250° F.
  2. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  3. Arrange crackers on a rack over the baking sheet in a single layer.
  4. Top each cracker with 1/3 slice bacon (to fit the top of the cracker).
  5. Evenly sprinkle plenty of brown sugar over the top.
  6. Bake for 1 hour or more until browned and crisp.
  7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 cracker (no one will eat just one!!)

Source:  Nancy-Next-Door Oglesby and several on-line recipes

  1. Or wrap bacon, cut in half lengthwise, around the center of the cracker making sure to cover the entire cracker.
  2. Place the crackers on the rack with the bacon ends facing down. This will help to keep the bacon from unraveling.