Appetizers, Drinks, Starters

Bacon Water Chestnut Appetizers

MariLee A.

1 bottle of chili sauce

½ c. ketchup

½ c. soy sauce

4 Tbsp. sugar, divided

2 lbs. of bacon, cut in half crosswise

2 cans whole water chestnuts, drained

Toothpicks

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Soak toothpicks in water while bacon is cooking.  Combine chili sauce, ketchup and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the water chestnuts, soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp. sugar.  Let water chestnuts sit in sauce while bacon is cooking.  Cook bacon until about half done (too crispy and you can’t wrap it); drain on paper towels.  Wrap one piece of bacon around the marinated water chestnut, dip each in chili sauce mixture to coat and put on foil-lined, well greased cookie sheet.  Repeat until all bacon is used.  Bake at 450 degrees until bacon is crispy and appetizers are hot, about 8-10 minutes.

Cheddar Straws

MariLee A.

1 lb. cheddar or other hard, flavorful cheese

2 c. flour

Pinch of cayenne pepper

½ c. (1 stick) chilled butter

Few drops of cold water, as needed

Coarse salt, optional

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Grate the cheese in a food processor, then remove the cheese from the bowl.  Add the flour and cayenne pepper to the bowl and pulse.  Cut the butter into pieces, then toss it in.  Process until butter and flour are combined.  (If no processor, you can put this together by hand: grate the cheese; in a separate bowl whisk flour and cayenne pepper together.  Cut in butter with pastry cutter.)  Stir in cheese.  Knead by hand until it comes together, adding a few drops of cold water if necessary. 

Divide dough in half and roll one half to 12 x 7 inch rectangle, then cut into strips, each about ½ inch wide.  Place on lightly greased baking sheets and sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.  Repeat with remaining half of dough.  Bake until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.  Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Cheese Ball

Linda B.

2-8 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ c. grated cheese (Colby or mild)

2 Tbsp. chopped green onions

2 Tbsp. chopped green peppers

2 Tbsp. chopped red peppers

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 pkg. beef lunch meat, chopped

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 small can chopped olives

½ tsp. season salt

Combine all, form into a ball and refrigerate.

Fresh Salsa

MariLee A.

4 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and finely diced

¼ medium red onion, finely chopped

1-2 jalapeños, remove ribs and seeds, finely chop

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

¾ tsp. salt or to taste

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients.  Cover and store in refrigerator.  Best eaten the same day.

Ham and Cheese Puff Tart
MariLee A.

1 1/2 Tbsp. flour, plus more for rolling
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (not phyllo)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. whole milk ( I used 1/2 evaporated milk & 1/2 water)
salt and pepper to taste
pinch ground nutmeg
6 oz. thinly sliced deli ham
1 c. grated cheese (Gruyere, Provolone, Swiss, Mozzarella, etc.)
1 large egg, beaten

In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; add flour; cook stirring until golden, about 1 minute.  Whisking constantly, add milk and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Let sauce cool about 30 minutes or until slightly warm, not hot.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On floured work surface, roll one sheet pastry to about 10" x 13" rectangle.  Transfer to lightly greased cookie sheet; press dough to edges of pan if you can.  Cover surface of dough with ham slices, leaving about 1/2 inch border.  Sprinkle grated cheese over top of ham.  Drizzle sauce over ham and cheese.  Roll out the other pastry sheet to approximately the same size as the bottom piece--can stretch by hand if needed.  Brush pastry border on bottom sheet with egg (or water), top with 2nd pastry sheet and fold over edge and press to seal.  Brush top of tart with beaten egg and cut vents in tart to allow steam to escape.  Bake until browned and puffed, 25-30 minutes.  Allow to cool a few minutes to set before cutting.  May serve warm or at room temperature.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Pot Stickers

Brooke K.

1/2 lb. ground chicken breast/ground turkey

1/2 c. shredded cabbage

1 scallion, minced

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tsp. water

1/2 tsp. mustard powder

1/8 tsp. ground pepper

20 (3 in. sq.) wonton skins/wrappers

4 tsp. oil

1 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. flour

1. Filling: In a medium bowl, combine meat, cabbage, scallion, soy sauce, dissolved cornstarch, mustard and pepper.

2. Cover wontons with plastic wrap (they dry out); have a small bowl of water near your work area.  Working with 1 wonton at a time, spoon 2 tsp. of the filling into the center of each wonton.  Moisten the edges of the wonton with water; fold diagonally to form a triangle.  Seal the edges, pressing out any air.  Repeat with the remaining wontons and filling. 

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until it's almost smoking.  Place the dumplings in a circle in the skillet; reduce the heat slightly and cook until the bottoms are golden, 5-7 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.  Remove from the heat; sprinkle the flour and stir until the flour is dissolved.  Pour the broth over the dumplings; cook, partially covered, until the liquid evaporates.  Uncover and cook until the bottoms are crisp.  Carefully loosen the dumplings with a spatula.  Serve.

Rhubarb Slush

Kaye W.

20 c. rhubarb, cut in pieces

5 c. water

Cook and strain through cheesecloth to get juice.

4-5 c. sugar

5 c. water

Boil until sugar is dissolved, add to rhubarb juice.

Add 1 c. frozen orange juice or raspberry juice

Freeze in baggies. 

To serve: thaw until slushy.  Add 3 qts. soda (or less if you use smaller bags).  I like 1 club soda and 2 cream sodas or ginger ale.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

KathleenG.

7oz jar roasted red peppers

4 C grated pepper jack cheese (3/4 lb)

8oz cream cheese (I use low-fat)

3/4 C mayonnaise

2 T minced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Remove peppers from jar and blot excess water with paper towels. You want to make sure they are dry so they don't add moisture to the dip. Then dice 'em up.  Mix all ingredients and bake for 45 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly and golden brown.  Serve with toasted baguette slices, chips, veggies, or your choice of dippers.