Tag: KOA

Cheese Triangles

You will make this many times – it is so easy and impressive!  And, it can be frozen before it is baked.  Filo dough is not to be feared!  Even if it tears, just keep layering.  All will end well.  These became Italian Cheese Triangles when we added a pound of diced pepperoni or salami. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb filo dough
  • 3/4 lb butter – melted
  • 6 eggs – beaten
  • 1 1/2 lbs Jack cheese, grated
  • 1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 425°.
  2. Mix cheeses with beaten eggs.
  3. Brush melted butter in a large (12×18) rimmed pan (jelly roll pan).
  4. Place sheet of filo, cut to size, in the pan.
  5. Brush with butter.
  6. Repeat 10 times.  (you can use the scrap pieces in layers also).
  7. Spread 1/2 the cheese mixture (easier with a large spoon).
  8. Layer 10 more sheets of filo – buttering each.
  9. Spread rest of cheese mixture.
  10. Layer rest of filo sheets brushed with butter.
  11. Cut into small diamonds or triangles.
  12. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes – until brown.
  13. Cool for 10 minutes.
  14. Recut the diamonds/triangles.

Serves:  about 80 bite size pieces

Source:  Peg Egeler

Note:  I have made this in a 9×13 pan for a luncheon dish.  You can add to the cheese layers a layer of well drained spinach, well drained sauted mushrooms, and/or bay shrimp.  Yum.

Grilled Salmon with Lemon Juice & Herbs

This works with individual salmon pieces or the  whole slab of salmon.  Can be done in the oven/broiler but really yummy when grilled.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh salmon fillets
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 c fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/4 c green onions, finely chopped
  • 2 Tab lemon juice
  • 1 Tab olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

  1. In small bowl combine herbs, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper.  Set aside.
  2. Remove skin from salmon fillets.
  3. Gently rub oil and herbs onto both sides of salmon, making sure each fillet is heavily coated with the mixture.
  4. Grill salmon fillets over a medium flame about 5 minutes on each side.
  5. Serve immediately.

Serves:  2-3

Source:  silveradocare.com/sierravista

 

 

Spinach Dip

Always a favorite – with many variations on a theme.You can forget the bread and just use this as a dip.  The flavor improves over night.  If you have trouble finding Knorr ‘s Vegetable Soup Mix, try Lipton’s – they bought Knorr.

Ingredients:

  • 20 oz frozen chopped spinach
  • 2 cans sliced water chestnuts, drained, chopped
  • 1 envelop Knorr’s vegetable soup mix (3 Tab)
  • 1 1/2 c sour cream
  • 1 c Miracle Whip
  • 2 green onions, tops and white
  • 1 loaf French bread, round

Directions:

  1. Finely chop spinach (while still frozen).
  2. Thaw.
  3. Squeeze dry.
  4. Mix sour cream, Miracle Whip, soup mix.
  5. Stir in spinach, water chestnuts.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Slice top off bread.
  8. Pull out insides of loaf, leaving shell.
  9. Fill with mixture.
  10. (You can bake it, wrapped in foil, at 350° for 30 minutes or until hot.)
  11. Use bread chunks for dipping.

Serves:  12????

Source:  Many

 

Bisquick Quiche

This is the ever-so-basic make-it-the-night-before (or not) quiche.  I have not found anything leftover that was not good in it! (maybe Lima beans)
Ingredients:
  • 1 1-2 c. fillings of your choice (ham, bacon, spinach, diced chilies, broccoli, mushrooms, smoked salmon, etc.)
  • 1 c. shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, etc.)
  • 1/4 c. chopped onion
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. Bisquick
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 400 °
  2. Grease 10″ pie plate or 8″ square.
  3. Sprinkle fillings, onions, etc. and cheese in plate.
  4. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth and pour into plate.
  5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean.
  6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 4-6

Source: Bisquick

Notes:  I someties add a dash of mustard to the eggs for a little zip.
The classic Quiche Loraine is just cheese and saluted onions – not to be snubbed! Delicious!

Easy Cajun Jambalaya

This recipe is loosely based on one from allrecipes.com. I cooked the rice separate from the jambalaya in order to use instant rice (for ease of cooking on a camp-out). I also added diced tomatoes because that is the way I like it. This version is lightly spiced, in response to those a little more sensitive to pepper.

Ingredients:

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 8 ounces smoked sausage, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 bay leave
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 4 cups instant white rice
  • 4 cups chicken stock

Directions

  1.  Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
  2. Saute chicken and sausage until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic.
  4. Season with cayenne, onion powder, salt and pepper.
  5. Cook 5 minutes, or until onion is tender and translucent.
  6. Add chicken stock and bay leaves.
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
  8. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce.
  9. Prepare rice according to directions.
  10. Serve over rice.

Serves: 6

Notes:  You can use 2 pounds of chicken tenders instead of the chicken breasts.

Mardi Gras Monkey Bread

 

Even without the frosting this is one good (and easy) breakfast bread.
:67
4 tubes refrigerated Homestyle Biscuits (not the Grands)
1¾ cup sugar, separated
½ cup finely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk
¾ cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces.
In a medium bowl, combine ¾ cup sugar, pecan pieces, and cinnamon. Roll each biscuit piece in sugar mixture and then place in a Bundt pan. You should use most of the sugar mixture up, but it’s ok to have some left over.
In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. Heat stirring occasionally, until butter melts. Pour over biscuit pieces.
Bake 40-45 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and then invert onto a cake stand or large plate.
For Icing, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Spread on top of Monkey Bread.

Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce

Not a diet dish, but delish!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups milk
1 (1 pound) loaf soft French bread, torn into small pieces
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins, or more to taste (optional)(could be chocolate chips – maybe?)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with 1/4 cup melted butter.
3. Pour half and half and milk over bread in a large mixing bowl.
4. Let soak for 10 minutes before gently stirring.
5. Stir eggs into the bread mixture until incorporated.
6. Add sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and raisins respectively, stirring each addition into the mixture before adding the next.
7. Spoon bread mixture into prepared baking dish.
8. Bake in preheated oven until bread mixture is firm and pudding-like, about 50 minutes.
Praline Sauce
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:
1. Stir 1/2 pound unsalted butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar together in a heavy saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low.
4. Stir pecans into the cream mixture, and simmer until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Pour over bread pudding to serve.

Servings: 16

Source: allrecipes.com

Note:  For KOA we used a generous mix of dried cherries, cranberries and raisins.  And, as sometimes happens, we forgot to put the pecans in the pudding so put them in the caramel sauce.  Still great!

Cheesy Mushroom Roll

“My husband loves mushrooms. Sometimes I think he makes up work functions just so I make a batch of these savory appetizers…and he can snack on them at his desk.”—Kathi Bloomer, Noblesville, Indiana

And I don’t blame him!  Yummy good!

We made these last week and had a “re-think” on the recipe.  Flatten each can of rolls.  Spread filling on one, top with other.  Cut into squares or strips.  Bake.

Ingredients:
  • 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
  • 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cans (4 ounces each) mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Unroll crescent dough into two long rectangles
2. Seal seams and perforations.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, mushrooms, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning.
4. Spread over dough to within 1 in. of edges.
5. Roll up each rectangle, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side
6. Seal edges.
7. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet.
8. Beat egg and water; brush over dough.
9. Sprinkle with cheese.
10. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Cut into slices.

Yield: 16 appetizers.

Source: Taste of Home

Note: The following spices may be substituted for 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning: 1/4 teaspoon each salt, garlic powder and paprika; and a pinch each of dried thyme, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.

Chunky Crawfish Spread

A rather more interesting dip.

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) frozen cooked crawfish tails, thawed (Sure! use shrimp)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 to 12 drops hot pepper sauce
Assorted crackers

Directions:

1. Chop crawfish.
2. Pat dry.
3. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
4. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, Creole seasoning, salt and hot pepper sauce; stir in the crawfish.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
6. Serve with crackers.

Yield: 3 cups.

Source:  Taste of Home

Note: The following spices may be substituted for 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning: 1/4 teaspoon each salt, garlic powder and paprika; and a pinch each of dried thyme, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.

Pear and Spinach Salad

Instructions:

  1. Place onion in a small bowl of ice water and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place mustard, vinegar, water, oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium nonreactive bowl and whisk until combined.
  3. Strain onion from ice water.
  4. Pat dry, and place in a large nonreactive bowl.
  5. Add spinach, pear, and 3 tablespoons of the dressing.
  6. Toss until evenly coated.
  7. Taste, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and add more dressing as desired.

Serves: 6
Source:  Chow submitted by Ali LaRaia