‘Appetizers’

Spicy Shrimp

 Spicy Shrimp

 

Serves 6-8

2 lb frozen raw shrimp

 (Look for large, deveined or cleaned shrimp in the shell, 16-20 per pound)  

Remove the frozen shrimp from the package and place in a bowl of cool water to thaw for 30 minutes. Peel the shrimp and place in a colander to drain. Leave the tails intact or remove if you prefer.

 

3 cloves garlic

¼ cup olive oil

4 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp Frank’s Red Hot sauce

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp Provence or Italian herb Mix

½ tsp salt

Grated black pepper

  

Mince or finely chop the garlic.

 

Heat the oil, butter and garlic in a sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Add the seasonings. 

 

Carefully add the shrimp, protecting yourself with a splatter screen. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon and cook for 4-5 minutes, just until the shrimp becomes pinkish-white and opaque.

1 fresh lime

 

Remove from the heat and squeeze the lime juice over top.

 

For an appetizer, serve on a bed of crisp Romaine lettuce leaves.

 

For a main dish, serve on top of rice or pasta.

Thinking of Bing Crosby? No wonder… Christmas Eve dinner starts with this shrimp appetizer at our house.

Olive Tapenade

Olive Tapanade 

1 jar (12 oz) green olives stuffed with pimento

1 jar (8 oz) Kalamata olives, pitted

1 can (15 oz) black olives, pitted

1 jar (4 oz) tiny capers

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp salt

1 tsp Provence herbs or Italian herb mix

¼ cup olive oil

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)

  

Drain the olives and capers well. Mince or finely chop the fresh garlic.

Blend everything together in a salsa chopper or blender using the pulse mode.  Don’t over-blend; try for 1/8” bits.    

Serve with warm Herbed Flat Bread or garlic toast.

Bruschetta Salsa

 

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes or 1 large fresh tomato

3 Tbsp pine nuts

½ sweet yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp dried oregano

 

If you are using a fresh tomato, cut in quarters and peel. Pour the tomatoes into a sieve or colander and press out the water with a paper towel. Blend everything together in a salsa chopper or blender using the pulse mode until fairly smooth.

2 cups fresh basil leaves

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes or 1 large fresh tomato

 

Wash the basil leaves and dry with paper towel. Add another can of well-drained tomatoes and remaining ingredients and blend a few times until the basil is well chopped.

 

Serve with warm Herbed Flat Bread or garlic toast.

Herbed Flat Bread

Herbed Flat Bread

 

Oven 425 F

1 cup of warm water

2 pkgs dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

3 Tbsp Provence Herbs or Italian Mixed Herbs

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 ½ cups flour

 

Warm the mixing bowl by filling the bowl with hot water, pour it out and dry. Add the cup of warm water. Dissolve the yeast into the water with a fork. Add all ingredients. Mix with the mixer on low speed for a few minutes. Cover with a warm damp towel and let it stand for 15-30 minutes.

½ cup flour

¼ cup course cornmeal

1 Tbsp olive oil

Spread ½ cup of flour on the countertop in a 12” circle. Turn out the dough onto the flour. Gently knead about 50 times, push with your palms from the center to the outer edge, pick up the outer edge and fold in to the center. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky. Sprinkle a little more flour on the counter. Use a rolling pin to roll out a thin circle about ¼” thickness. Make a circle for one large pizza pan. If you don’t have a pizza pan, divide the dough for two smaller circles on a cookie sheet.

 

Sprinkle corn meal on the baking pan. Lift the dough and place it on the pan. Brush lightly with olive oil.

 

Bake on the center rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes until the bread is golden brown.

 

Remove from the oven and slide onto a cutting board. Cut into 2 “ strips and across into diagonal shaped pieces.

 

For a wonderful appetizer, serve this fresh bread with Bruschetta Salsa or Olive Tapenade.

 

This is a basic pizza crust recipe, with the addition of herbs to jazz it up for appetizers.

Black Bean Bake

 

Oven 350 F

2 (15 oz) cans black beans

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

½  cup Salsa

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

 If desired, spice it up with:

1  jalapeno pepper, diced (canned)

 

Drain the black beans and chop them a bit, leaving most of the beans whole. Mix all ingredients.

2 Tbsp olive oil

Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Pour olive oil into a small flat casserole dish or pie plate. Add Bean mixture. Top with grated cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and starts to brown.

 

Serve with tortilla chips as a dip appetizer or spoon into warm soft corn tortillas.

Quesadillas

Flour tortillas

Monterey Jack cheese or mild Cheddar cheese

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

 If desired:

Cooked chicken or turkey, shredded

Grate the cheese and arrange all ingredients close to the stove. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle to medium high. Place a flour tortilla in the pan for 1-2 minutes. Flip and top with cheese and other ingredients as desired. Top with another flour tortilla. Cook 1-2 minutes until the bottom is crisp. Flip and cook until the second side is crisp. Slide out onto a cutting board and cut into wedges.

 

Sour cream

Guacamole

Salsa

Serve with sour cream, guacamole and salsa.

Salsa!

2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes

½  large sweet yellow onion

  

Drain the tomatoes in a sieve and press out most of the juice. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes.

 

If you are using a salsa chopper, spin half of the tomatoes and coarsely chopped onion together until the onion is finely chopped. Add the rest of the tomatoes.

2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies

2 cloves garlic, chopped (or ½ tsp garlic powder)

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp salt

½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp Frank’s RedHot Sauce

1 tsp lime juice

¼ tsp dried cilantro

 

Add and mix.

If desired:

1 -2  jalapeno peppers (canned)

If you like it hotter, add more Frank’s Sauce or 1-2 jalapeno peppers. If you open a new can, wrap the leftover jalapeno peppers individually in plastic and freeze for your next salsa.

 

Serve the salsa with warm tortilla chips. Place the chips on a cookie sheet and heat for 5 minutes in the oven at 350 F.