Baguette Melts

Serves 48

 

1/2  pound cheddar cheese, shredded

4 1/2  ounces ripe olives, chopped

2   ounces pimientos, diced

4   green onions, finely chopped

1/2  cup mayonnaise

1 1/2  tablespoons prepared horseradish

1    large baguette, sliced diagonally  

1. Mix together cheese, olives, pimientos, green onions, mayonnaise, and horseradish.

2. Spoon about 1 tablespoon cheese mixture onto each baguette slice.

3. Broil until cheese starts to melt.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

* Time-saver Tip: Cheese topping can be made up to 2 days ahead, refrigerated, and used as needed.

 

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Baked Brie

Serves 20

1 large brie, wheel

1/4 cup Pesto sauce

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Pre heat oven to 375.

Slice wheel in half, creating a top and a bottom.

Layer Pesto and sun dried tomatoes onto cheese. Place top back on.

place on a cookie sheet and bake 611 runny, about 20 minutes

OPTION: Wrap wheel in Buttered Filo pastry 4 to 5 layers.  Butter each layer keep Filo moist with towel.

 

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Basil Pesto

Serves 20

1  large basil, flesh, bunch

3  tablespoons parmesan cheese

2  tablespoons pine nuts

3  cloves garlic, minced

1  cup olive oil

salt

Roast pine nuts until golden in a pan or oven

Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic and salt in a blender or

Cuisanart. puree till a paste. Slowly add the olive oil and cheese.

Adjust seasoning if needed.

 

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Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a rustic grilled bread rubbed with olive oil and garlic and topped with juicy ripe tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, sweet garlic and coarse salt.

1 loaf good quality: bread, baguette or peasant

1/3 cup olive oil

1. Heat grill or use oven at 400 degrees. Brush sliced bread with olive oil and grill or bake until lightly brown and crisp. (Some people like a very crispy bread and others prefer just a light toast.)

2.    Top with one of the tomato toppings.

 

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Bruschetta with Fresh Tomato and Basil

2 large or 8 plum tomatoes, about 1 pound total, trimmed, seeded and small dice

1/4-cup basil, chiffonade

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2-4 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced or chopped

1/2 - 1 cup red onion, chopped, optional

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grilled or toasted bread

1. In a bowl mix together the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, vinegar garlic and optional onion. Season with salt and pepper. *

2.Serve with the toasted bread.

If tomatoes are very watery, let them drain in a strainer for 5-10 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.

'Sliced garlic will have a lighter flavor, chopped will be more intense and pressed the strongest.

 

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Chicken Satay

Serves 15

1 1/2  cups coconut milk, thin

1 1/2  teaspoons turmeric 

3/4   teaspoon curry powder -

1   pound chicken

1   cup coconut milk, thick

3   tablespoons red curry paste

3/4   cup coconut milk, thin

1   tablespoon fish sauce

2   tablespoons light brown sugar

1 112  tablespoons tamarind water

3   tablespoons peanut butter

 

Marinade for Chicken:

Combine 1st coconut milk, turmeric, and curry powder. thread chicken on skewers and marinade.

It helps to soak the skewers first in water, preferably over night.

Grill or broil chicken after marinating 1 hour.

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

Heat thick milk about 5 minutes on stove to thicken. Increase temperature and add Curry paste

cook 3-5 minutes. Add thin milk gradually. Stir in fish sauce, sugar, tamarind water and peanut

butter.

This recipe can be turned into a main course -- grill chicken with out skewers, place on a bed of rice. Dress the rice and chicken with the Peanut Sauce, Provide extra sauce.

 

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Cream Cheese and Garlic Dip with Pita Toasts

Serves 12

This rich, creamy dip is surprisingly low-calorie and goes well with a platter of crudités as

with these crunchy pita toasts. It can be made up to six weeks ahead of time and frozen, or will

keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. Serve the dip in a hollowed-out red or green bell pepper for an

elegant presentation.

Dip

8   ounces low-calorie cream cheese

2   tablespoons low calorie mayonnaise

juice of 1/2 lemon

3   large garlic cloves, pressed

1/4  small onion, finely minced

1   teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon herbal salt substitute

Tabasco sauce, to taste

1   red bell pepper

 Pita Toasts

3   large. rounds whole-wheat pita bread

1   teaspoon garlic powder

In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, onion, dill, and salt

substitute. Add Tabasco to taste. Cut top off bell pepper and remove seeds. Spoon dip into

hollowed-out bell pepper, cover with plastic wrap, and chill while you make the pita toasts.

Pita Toasts: Cut each round off pita bread into 4 equal wedges. Toast until crisp, then open each

wedge and dust inside lightly with garlic powder. Then arrange on a platter with dip.

Makes 12 wedges.

 

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Fruited Brie

Serves 6

This cheese-with-a-difference is a snap to make in the microwave. Offer the Brie at a cocktail party with crackers or sliced baguettes.

2  tablespoons brandy

3  tablespoons golden raisins

tablespoon currants or dark raisins

8  ounces brie

2  tablespoons toasted walnuts, chopped

1. Place brandy, raisins, and currants in a small bowl. Microwave on 100% power until raisins absorb brandy, 30 to 60 seconds.

2. Place Brie in a microwave-safe serving dish. Microwave on 100% power until cheese is warmed and begins to melt (30 to 60 seconds). Sprinkle raisins and walnuts on top of Brie.

 

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Mini Quiche

Serves 24

3  sheets short crust pastry

2  ounces gruyere cheese

2  ounces Swiss cheese

4  slices bacon, chopped

1  small onion, finely chopped

2  large egg

3/4  cup heavy cream

1/2  teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground

salt and pepper

Lightly grease a 12 hole small muffin tin.

Preheat oven to 375.

Using a 3 inch cutter cut rounds out of the pastry dough, and place into the tins.

Line the dough with a sprinkle of the cheese and set aside.(keep refrigerated.)

cook the bacon.

sauté the onion in the butter and add the cooked bacon to it for 2-3 minutes.

In a bowl whisk the eggs along with the cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

add the onion mixture to it.

carefully add to the tins and bake for 20 minutes.

They can be cooked up to 2 days ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.

 

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Ricotta and Sun Dried Tomato Ravioli

Serves 24

1 package won-ton wrappers

1 pint ricotta cheese

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes minced

2 tablespoons Parsley, Chopped

salt and pepper

Mix the cheese with the next 3 ingredients.

using a dumpling maker, assemble the ravioli, using 1 teaspoon of mixture.

Boil for 1 to 2 minutes.

drain well and then sauté with butter or sauce of your choice!

Sauces

1/2 cup butter, lemon juice and almonds

1/2 cup butter, ricotta cheese, heavy cream nutmeg

Basil Pesto

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Serves 15

2   large roasted red peppers

3/4  cup mayonnaise

1/3  cup parmesan cheese, grated

2   cloves garlic, minced

4   tablespoons basil, chopped

1/2  teaspoon salt

pepper

Puree the red peppers in a food processor or blender.

add the remaining ingredients and just mix in.

can serve this with Bruschetta, vegetables, crackers, or even over chicken.

 

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Roasted Red Peppers

Serves 10

with bread and cheese

6   large red bell pepper

3   large yellow pepper

3   large clove garlic, mashed

1/4  cup olive oil

3   Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

turn on broiler, roast peppers under broiler on all sides till black toast skins. check every few minutes or so. when nice and charred, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

peel off skins when cooled, and remove seeds. transfer to a bowl with juices from pepper( I will show you)

add olive oil, garlic, vinegar and salt and pepper.

serve room temperature.

If you refrigerated, bring up to room temp before serving.

 

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STEAMED DUMPLINGS

SUI MEI WITH CHICKEN, SHRIMP AND MUSHROOMS

Sui mei are steamed Chinese dumplings made up of a tasty filling, usually ground pork, inside very thin round dough wrappers. The wrapper is shaped around the filling and pinched near the top so as to have a "Waist," creating a basket-shaped morsel that can stand upright on the steamer rack. This recipe offers a pleasingly textured and fragrant mixture of chicken, shrimp, Shiitake mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Served with a garlicky soy dipping sauce, these sui mai are just great.

CHICKEN AND SHRIMP FILLING

Yield: 16 dumplings for hors d'oeuvres

4 dried shiitake mushrooms or fresh

6 ounces course ground chicken meat (preferable from the thigh)

2 ounces raw shrimp, shelled, deveined and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh or canned water chestnuts, peeled and chopped or Jicama -

1/2 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 i2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon chopped or grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoon dry sherry or vermouth

1 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

SOY DIPPING SAUCE

1/4 cup light soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoons chopped scallion

2 teaspoons finely shredded fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon chili oil

16 gyoza wrappers

16 fresh or frozen green peas

1.    Prepare the Filling: Put the mushrooms in a small bowl, add boiling water to cover, and soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, discarding the liquid,. Squeeze the mushrooms dry. Cut off and discard the stems. Mince the mushroom caps and place them in a mixing bowl or use fresh Shiitake and slice. Add the chicken and all the remaining filling ingredients, and mix well. Let stand for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.

2.    Prepare the Dipping Sauce: Place the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the scallion, ginger, sesame oil, and chili oil. Cover and set aside.

3.    Assemble the Sui mei: Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of a wrapper. Gather the edges of the wrapper up around the filling. Then, holding the little packet in the palm of your hand, lightly squeeze the dumpling between your index finger and thumb to form a "waistline." Use a teaspoon dipped in hot water to press the filling down so that it is smooth on top and compact. Lightly press one pea into the center of the filling. Place the filled dumpling on a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel while you fill and wrap the remaining dumplings.

4.    Steam the Dumplings: Fill the bottom of the steamer pot with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Stand the dumplings upright on an oiled steamer tray, 1/2 inch apart, cover and steam for 5 minutes over high heat. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Planning Ahead: The dough, dipping sauce and filling can be prepared a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. The dumplings can be assembled ahead of time, covered and refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw them in the refrigerator before steaming.

In this recipe, gyoza wrappers should be used because of their resilient and silky texture and their ultra thin quality. If gyoza wrappers are unavailable, wonton wrappers or homemade pasta dough cut into 3 inch rounds will do as convenient stand-ins, but the texture will be slightly different

 

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Walnut Gorgonzola Bites

Serves 36

 While you're readying the rest of the hers d'oeuvres, pass these toasted walnut "bites.

36   perfect walnuts, halved

1/3  pound ripe Gorgonzola cheese, at room

temperature

3   tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

I. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast walnut halves on a cookie sheet until they are fragrant

and lightly browned (5 to 10 minutes). Cool completely.

2. In a small bowl work cheese and butter together with a wooden spoon. Sandwich two nut

halves with a dab of the cheese mixture. Refrigerate briefly to firm the cheese. Serve cool but not

cold.

Makes 3 dozen "bites.

 

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Filo Prep

Brief overview of how to use Filo.

Be sure the package is completely defrosted, at least 5 hours at room temp is safe.

Unwrap package, cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent the drying out.

Take a single sheet of Filo and butter with a pastry brush, place a second sheet on top of the first and butter with pastry brush. repeat as many time as layers you wish to prep.

Wrap and freeze the leftover Filo.

 

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