by Kathy Douglas | Jul 24, 2017 | Appetizers, Sauce
A tasty pesto can be made with the combination of any greens and nuts plus some garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Create your own tasty combinations using your favorite greens and nuts. Lettuce leaves are another green that makes a delicious pesto. Any lettuce leaves will work including baby spinach, kale, or any small greens. The only exception is Iceberg lettuce – the water content is too high to use and it will make a watery pesto.
INGREDIENTS
4 cups small lettuce leaves or larger leaves with stems removed and torn into 2” pieces
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
¼ cup loosely packed parsley leaves, no stems
½ cup toasted nuts, such as pine, walnuts, or pistachios
½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
½ – ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the lettuce, garlic, herbs, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cheese to a food processor then pulse until finely chopped. With motor running, add the oil in a slow stream, using only ½ cup. If a more fluid consistency is desired, add more oil, a tablespoon at a time, and blend until incorporated and the desired consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste. Store in the refrigerator for one week or in the freezer for 6 months. Serves 6.
by Kathy Douglas | Jul 14, 2017 | Appetizers, Sauce
Use this easy, versatile sauce as a topping for bread, soft cheeses, scrambled eggs, beans, or even added to a sandwich. You can also add some cream and toss with pasta and a little pasta water to make a delicious pasta dish. This sauce uses only six ingredients and comes together quickly. It’s perfect if you have a surplus of cherry tomatoes and want to make the sauce ahead for a quick dinner or even freeze.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 carton cherry tomatoes, rinsed and dried
2 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the cherry tomatoes when the oil starts to smoke. Cook, stirring the tomatoes until they blistered on all sides. After about 5 minutes when they start to pop, crush the tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium, and add the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon of red pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper to taste preference. Cook over medium until the tomatoes are very soft about 1-2 minutes longer.
To serve with Toasted Bread
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, shredded or chopped
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese to taste
Thinly sliced toasted bread
Pour the tomato sauce into a bowl. Top with the fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese and serve with toasted bread. Or spread over the bread pieces and sprinkle with the herbs and cheese. Serves 6.
To Serve as a Topping
Shredded or chopped fresh herbs
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese, if desired
Pour the sauce over soft cheeses, scrambled eggs, beans, or add to a sandwich. Top with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.
To Serve as a Pasta Sauce
2 tablespoons cream
¾ pound pasta
2 tablespoons shredded basil
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese to taste
When the tomatoes are very soft, stir in 2 tablespoons cream, and then keep warm. Bring a large pot to boil, generously season with salt. Cook the pasta per the package directions. Remove 1/2 cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the cherry tomatoes. Stir and add ¼ cup of pasta water to make a sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water, one tablespoon at a time and up to 4 tablespoons, until you achieve the proper sauce consistency. Serves 6.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 26, 2017 | Appetizers
An easy appetizer for your next grilling party or summer event, these crostini come together quickly. Use your favorite grilled summer vegetables to go on top of a crunchy toasted baguette with a smooth and cheesy tomato pesto base. To finish, top with a sprinkle of fresh herbs. A tasty way to use leftover vegetables too!
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 loaf French baguette, cut into ¼ in slices on the bias
Olive oil
Kosher salt
6 ounces cherry tomatoes
2 ounces shredded Italian Blend cheese
½ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
½ cup fresh basil leaves, plus one tablespoon chiffonade or thin strips, divided
1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, divided
2 cups fresh grilled vegetables (recipe below) or leftover grilled vegetables, finely chopped & reheated
INGREDIENTS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the bread on a sheet tray covered with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned
Add the cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese blend, ricotta cheese, pine nuts, garlic clove and a big pinch of salt to a blender. Process until smooth. Add the basil and 1-1/2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary; process until the basil and rosemary are small flecks.
Combine the remaining herbs, 1 tablespoon of chiffonade basil and 1-1/2 teaspoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary, in a small bowl. Thinly spread the tomato pesto on the crostini. Top with the grilled vegetables and a pinch of the fresh herbs. Make 16-20 crostini.
Grilled Vegetables: Prepare a gas or charcoal grill. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss 2 cups your selection of thinly sliced vegetables (such as tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, yellow pepper, and onion) with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and a couple generous pinches of salt and pepper. Put the vegetables on the grill in a single layer. Grill, turning once, until grill-marked and tender, about 8 minutes.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 21, 2017 | Appetizers
We’ve got a simple, new party idea for the upcoming Kentucky Derby. “Wow” your crowd with our Bourbon Chicken Crisps. Easy to put together, our crisps are sweet, salty and flavored with a touch of bourbon. To speed things up, make the crispy base and chicken the night before, then just assemble on the big day.
INGREDIENTS
Crispy Bread
12 slices extra thin Pepperidge Farm white bread
olive oil
kosher salt
Chicken
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 large bone in skin on chicken breast
Bourbon Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1 tablespoon bourbon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 slices of thick cut apple wood smoked bacon, cooked, cooled and sliced into strips
24 baby pepper rings – red, yellow, and orange, sliced into very thin rings
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the crispy bread base
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a 1 ¾ “ round cookie cutter, cut 24 round bread pieces from the thin slices. On a baking sheet, place a piece of parchment paper. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and lightly salt. Place in one layer on the parchment paper and then in the oven. Bake 5 minutes, turn over, and bake 5 minutes more or until brown and toasted.
Prepare the Chicken
Whisk together the buttermilk, mustard, salt and pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Pour into a plastic zip-top bag and add the chicken. Make sure the chicken is coated with the marinade, then remove excess air and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours minimum or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the chicken from the marinade, rinse and pat dry. Place in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until the breast reaches 165 degrees in the center. Cool slightly, then remove the skin and bone, discard. Shred the chicken and set aside. Note: You can also seal the chicken breast in a vacuum bag, and cook sous vide using an immersion circulator set at 165 degrees for two hours. You can prepare the shredded chicken the night before or use 1 ½ cups of store purchased shredded chicken breast.
Prepare the Bourbon sauce
Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Simmer for eight minutes while often whisking until thickened. Add 1 ½ cups of shredded chicken and mix thoroughly to combine.
To Assemble
Place 1 tablespoon of bourbon chicken on the crispy bread. Top with bacon, a pinch of finely shredded cheddar, and a mini pepper ring.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 7, 2017 | Appetizers
Top these soft and crunchy Southern Pecan Biscuits with delicious shredded honey ham, a spicy ginger pepper jelly, and a slice of sweet pineapple. Easy to make, the dough for the biscuits comes together quickly in the work bowl of a food processor; chilled, then roll, cut, and bake. The balance of the appetizer is finished in just minutes, making these treats perfect for any spring party or buffet. We recommend Bermuda Jam Factory’s Ginger Pepper Jam for its mild heat and sweet ginger finish. You can find it at the Fresh Market.
Pecan Biscuits
INGREDIENTS
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup finely sharp cheddar cheese
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Appetizer
INGREDIENTS
30 Pecan Biscuits (recipe below)
¼ cup, room temperature whipped cream cheese
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons finely shredded cooked honey ham
2 tablespoons plus 1 ½ teaspoons Bermuda Jam Factory Ginger Pepper Jam or other high-quality Pepper Jam
Thinly sliced pineapple slivers, ½” x 1” by 1/8” thick
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the pecans in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the food processor to fine chop the pecans. Add the cheeses, butter, flour, salt, and cayenne pepper and pulse until dough forms. Turn dough out onto the work surface and gently knead, about 5-7 times, until it just comes together. Divide into two equal pieces and pat into two thin disks. Wrap with plastic and place in the refrigerator. Chill until dough is firm, at least 2 hours up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Roll the dough into 3/8 “ thick circle. The biscuits will crumble if cut too thin so be sure to stay at 3/8 of an inch. Using a round cookie cutter, cut into 2” round biscuits. Gather the remaining dough, gently shape into a disk and refrigerate until cold before you cut again. Repeat this process and cut all the dough into about 30 biscuits. Bake the biscuits until crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Be careful, when warm they can be crumbly. Let cool completely before handling.
Carefully spread a very thin layer of cream cheese on each biscuit, top with 1 tablespoon of shredded ham, ½ teaspoon hot pepper jelly, and add a slice of pineapple.
by Kathy Douglas | Dec 12, 2016 | Appetizers
Super easy, super fast and super tasty. These appetizers will be the hit of the party and they are made with just five ingredients. Using store bought Filo dough shells, tasty Brie, toasted almonds, fruit preserves, and baby mint leaves, you can bake up this dish in less than 15 minutes. So take the pressure off and remove some stress from the Holidays, while enjoying this delicious combination of savory and sweet.
For the best flavor match with Brie – choose one of these tasty jam preserves, marmalade or fruit butter: strawberry, cherry, apricot, fig, orange marmalade or apple butter. Or be creative and use a combination.
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup thinly sliced almonds
4 ounces of brie cheese, rind removed, cut into 30 cubes- ¾” x ¾” x 3/8”
30 mini Filo shells
5 tablespoons of jam preserves, marmalade or fruit butter: strawberry, cherry, apricot, or fig, orange marmalade or apple butter
30 baby mint leaves (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the almonds on a sheet tray and toast for 6 minutes until light brown; remove and cool. Move the oven temperature up to 375 degrees and preheat.
Place one cube of brie into each Filo shell. Bake the shells for 5 minutes or until the brie has melted into the bottom of the shell. Spoon ½ teaspoon of preserves over the melted brie. Place back in the oven and bake 2-4 minutes more minutes or until the preserves have slightly melted.
Remove from oven and immediately garnish each shell with toasted almonds. Cool slightly and add the baby mint leaves (if using). Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 30 Appetizers.
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