Tag: KOA

Tomato Cilantro Sauce – Wounded Pico de Gallo

Traditional Pico de Gallo is a great salsa.  However, it does present a challenge when used as a dip.  Hence, “wound” it in the food processor – just enough to dip, but still chunky.

Ingredients:

  • 3 c diced Roma tomatoes (about 6 tomatoes)
  • 2/3 c diced white or red onion (about half of a medium white onion)
  • 2/3 c  fresh cilantro, loosely packed
  • 1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, stemmed, cored and finely diced (don’t touch your eyes while cutting these! Peppers burn.)
  • 1 lime,  juiced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • (optional) 1/4 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients except lime in a food processor and pulse only until chunky creamy.
  2. Stir in lime juice
  3. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 days.

Serves:   4 cups

Source:  Many Pico de Gallo recipes

Green Chili Wontons 

Not too authentic but delicious! 

Ingredients:

  • 1 package wonton skins
  • 1/2 lb jack cheese, grated
  • 4 oz can gr chilies, drained, chopped
  • oil

Directions:

  1. Mix cheese and green chilies.
  2. Place 1 scant teaspoon of the mixture on a won ton skin.
  3. Fold like an envelope.
  4. Fry in 2 inches of hot oil until brown, turning so that both sides will be brown.
  5. Drain. Serve hot with Tomato Cilantro Sauce or Guacamole Dip.

Serves:   Makes 40 – 50

Source:  Arizona Farm Bureau’s Fill Your Plate,  Provided by:Dawn E. Urton, Case Grande Valley Cotton Wives

Note:  See Wonton Primer for more information and folding directions.

Bread Sticks 

You know those bread sticks you buy that look so good but somehow are not?  Make them yourself – easy pesy!  Frozen bread dough for the win.

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet of bread dough (if you can find them.  If not use frozen rolls.)
  • sesame seeds, or poppy seeds, or dried onion, or mixed herbs, or grated Parmesan cheese, or, or, or (use your imagination!)
  • garlic salt or sea salt (optional)
  • Butter

Directions:

  1. Thaw the dough – in the frig overnight is best.
  2. Place the dough on a buttered sheet pan.
  3. Cut into strips – maybe 1/2 inch wide and 6 inches long
  4. Spread generously with butter.
  5. Cover with a towel.
  6. Let rise in a warm place until almost double and a finger dint remains. It may take a couple of hours. (Turn the oven to the lowest setting for just a few minutes, then turn it off. Place the dough in the center of the oven.)
  7. Brush the top with more butter.
  8. Sprinkle on seeds etc.
  9. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes or until golden..

Source:   We just did it.

Note:  If you use frozen rolls, roll them into snakes.

If you want “stuff” all around your bread sticks, put some on the pan first and after you cut the dough, separate the sticks and roll them.

 

Pain Perdu the Way Bill Makes it.

 Pain Perdu or “lost bread” is the original French Toast from France. With a crisp crust and rich interior, it’s a sinful brunch treat.

Filling Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. soft cream cheese spread (not the block of cream cheese)
  • 1/4 c raspberry jam
  • 6 1-inch thick slices of bread (Texas Toast)

French Toast Batter Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk or cream
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • butter for griddle pan

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Mix the cream cheese and jam with a mixer or spoon until blended together.
  3. Take 2 slices of bread per serving, and spread a thick layer of cream cheese mixture to the center of a slice of bread.
  4. Top with another slice of bread to sandwich the mixture.
  5. Mix ingredients of batter together.
  6. Dip each “sandwich” into the batter and let them soak for a minute or two.
  7. Heat a large griddle pan over medium high heat,
  8. Add butter.
  9. Grill until golden on each side.
  10. Transfer to a pan and place in oven, 10-15 minutes, until cooked through and custardy in the middle.

Serves:  3

Source:  Bill Kerfoot – only his had 60 slices of bread, 3 pounds of cream cheese, a large jar of raspberry jam, 15 eggs, and 1/2 gallon of milk.

Pesto Cheese  

Well, I had the list of ingredients but no recipe – so I made up the directions.  Seemed reasonable to me.  This obviously makes enough for a crowd.  Easy to half or quarter for a few.

Ingredients:

  • 1 C pine nuts – toasted
  • 16 oz ricotta cheese
  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 1 C pesto
  •  2 cucumbers – diced fine
  • 2 red bell peppers – diced fine
  • French bread

Directions:

  1. Dice the cucumbers – 1/4 inch or so.
  2. Place in a strainer.
  3. Sprinkle with salt.
  4. Set aside.
  5. Toast the pine nuts – watch carefully.
  6. Dice the red peppers – 1/4 inch
  7. Mix the ricotta and cream cheese.
  8. Stir in the pesto.
  9. Press the water out of the cucumbers.
  10. Stir in the cucumbers and peppers.
  11. Place in shallow bowl.
  12. Top with pine nuts.
  13. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Serves:  Probably 50

Pizza For a Crowd

This is pizza for a crowd!  Two chicken pizza, two vegetarian pizza, two pepperoni, two sausage, two white pizza.  You can make them (with a little help) or let the whole group participate.  Below are just some suggested ingredients and combinations.  Mix and match, add anything else – different cheese, meat, veggies, even an egg on top.

Ingredients:

  • 10           16 oz balls of pizza dough, or ready made, or in a tube, or make from scratch (see the internet) or make your own with Bisquick (see below)
  •                 cornmeal
  •                 olive oil
  • 1 #10      tomato sauce (total) (about 12 cups)
  • 1 1/2       jar roasted garlic (total)
  • 5# lb       Mozzarella cheese (total)
  • 2 lb         Parmesan cheese
  • 3 lb         chicken meat (think Costco)
  • 1/2 Jar    marinated artichoke hearts – drained
  • 1 lb         mushrooms – sliced
  • 1 lb         onion – red or yellow -thinly sliced
  • 1/2         green pepper – thinly sliced
  •  a lot       fresh basil –
  • 11           tomatoes – Roma – sliced or chopped
  • 3             small zucchinis thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 lb   pepperoni
  • 1 1/2 lb   Italian sausage – cooked
  • 2 pkg     white/ Alfredo sauce mix
  • 1 lb        bacon – cooked, crumbled

Directions:

2 Chicken pizza: 3 lbs chicken meat, diced, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 Vegetarian pizza: green pepper, mushroom, zucchini, onion, tomatoes, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 Pepperoni pizza: pepperoni, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 Sausage pizza: sausage, 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

2 White pizza:  Alfredo sauce, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes, roasted garlic, 2 lb Mozzarella, 7/8 cup Parmesan (or so)

Preheat the oven 400°.

Roll out the dough to 16 inches.

Place on pizza stone or baking sheet covered with parchment paper/foil.

Sprinkle a little corn meal on stone/sheet.

Place dough round on cornmeal.

Brush with a small amount of olive oil.

Bake for about 5 minutes to firm up the surface.

Top with tomato sauce or Alfredo sauce.

Top with choice of topping – ending with cheese.  (some argue the cheese should be before the toppings – your choice.)

Bake about 15 minutes – until done.

Serves:  Each 16 oz ball makes a 16 inch circle.  You know how much you eat.

Bisquick Pizza Dough

Especially good for making pizza with kids – indestructible.  Great for making individual pizza.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c warm water (110° – 115°)
  • 1 pkg dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 c Bisquick
  • flour

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 425°.
  2. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
  3. Add Bisquick and beat vigorously.
  4. Turn dough onto well floured surface and knead until smooth – about 20 times.
  5. Divide dough into 4 pieces.
  6. Roll each piece paper thin. into a circle, about 10 inches in diameter. (Letting the dough rest for a few minutes after kneading will help in rolling it out.)
  7. Place on ungreased baking sheet or in shallow pie pan.
  8. Finish with toppings.
  9. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until crust is brown and filling hot and bubbly.

Serves: 4  Note the smaller diameter

Source: Bisquick Cook Book

Baked Brie with Salsa Verde Nachos

Another variation on baked brie – Tex Mex this time.

Ingredients:

  • 1 3 lb brie
  • 1/2 c  red onion – diced
  • 1 Tab garlic – minced
  • 1/2 cup sweet corn.
  • 16 oz green salsa – Salsa Verde (buy or make from scratch)
  • 1/2 c sun dried tomatoes in oil – diced (you can sometimes buy them this way) (or use 1 cup fresh tomatoes – whatever)
  • 1/2 tsp chili pd
  • 4 cups tortilla chips
  • Small plates

Directions:

  1. Mix Salsa Verde, corn, onion, garlic,  tomatoes.
  2. Place brie in a shallow ovenproof casserole or pan 2 inches wider than the cheese. (A cast iron frying pan works great.)
  3. Score the top of the brie in diamonds.  (Don’t bother peeling it)
  4. Spoon salsa mix around cheese.
  5. Dust cheese with ground New Mexico chili or chili powder (For something fancy, use a stencil – like a star or logo -cut out of a paper plate).
  6. Bake in a 400° oven until melted in center, 8 to 10 minutes. (Or heat in a microwave oven at full power, 100%, for 4 to 6 minutes.)
  7. Keep hot on an electric warming tray or over a candle warmer to serve.
  8. Place chips on plate.
  9. Spoon cheese and salsa over tortilla chips.

Serves:    Probably about 15

Source:  Sort of based on  Sunset Magazine, November 1997

Sundowner Shrimp Dip

A touch of the Orient in a mild, flavorful dip that is great with veggies or Triscuits. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1/4 c mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
  • 4 oz bay shrimp or 4 ounce canned shrimp, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 c celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 c water chestnut, finely chopped
  • 1/4 c green onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground ginger (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic salt
  • dash Seasoning salt
  • vegetables, for dippers

Directions:

  1. Coarsely chop shrimp.
  2. Mix all ingredients in medium bowl until well combined.
  3. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving.
  4. Serve with veggie dippers such as bell pepper strips, celery, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, jicama, etc.

Serves:   2 cups

Source: Lost to the ages.

Sunset Salad   

This salad can be mixed in a bowl for a crowd or plated for individual service.  Just mix with the dressing or top with the dressing.

Ingredients:

  • 3    cantaloupe (16 slices/cantaloupe)
  • 8    banana (6 pieces/banana)
  • 2    pineapple
  • 2 c mayonnaise
  • 2 c sour cream
  • 1/4 c lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp curry powder or more
  • 1/2 lb slivered almonds – toasted  (2 c)

Directions:

  1. For mixed salad, cube the fruit in 3/4 to 1 inch cubes.  For plated salad, cut into strips.
  2. Mix mayonnaise and sour cream,
  3. Add lemon juice, mustard, garlic salt, curry powder to taste.  Remember it will get stronger the longer it sits.
  4. Mix dressing with fruit cubes or spoon over strips (on a lettuce leaf).
  5. Sprinkle with almonds.

Serves:  40 – 50

Source:  Sunset

 

 

Notes:

  • Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip – both good.

 

Major Bailey’s

This is an absolutely deadly summer sipper – so cool, so tasty, so easy to drink!  Use the juice can as a measuring cup.  No, Aunt Emma, gin does not come in cans.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can frozen orange juice
  • 1 can frozen lemonade
  • 1 can Gin (or rum)
  • 3 cans water
  • mint for garnish
  • ice

Directions:

  1. Mix juice, water, gin in a large pitcher.
  2. Fill a tall glass with ice.
  3. Add mix.
  4. Garnish with mint.

Serves: Using a 12 oz can this makes 9 8 oz servings.  How many are you going to down??

Source: A riff on an old Mr Boston recipe via Dorothy Trotter (Peter’s mother)