APPETIZERS
Cheese Puffs
6 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
5 eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese
Fresh ground salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray
Combine butter, water and salt in pan and bring to a boil, stirring often.
Remove from heat and then add flour, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
Return to heat and continue to stir for about 1 minute to melt remaining lumps of butter.
Remove from heat and add eggs one at a time, gently mixing in each egg completely before adding another egg.
While dough is still warm, mix in cheese and salt and pepper.
Spoon out individual dough/cheese puffs onto baking sheet.
Puffs should be about 1 to 2 inches around. You can also spoon mixture into muffin pan that has been coated with non-stick. Bake about 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.
The Skinny: Use your favorite egg substitute and low fat cheese.
Cajun Honey Wings
This recipe makes 1 cup of the sauce that you can use to coat beef, pork or other chicken parts. This recipe requires the meat variety of Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends, but it will also work with other Cajun seasoning blends available in most markets.
Sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
4 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic
1 tablespoon canned green chilies, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (hickory flavor)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
6 to 8 cups vegetable shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon MSG (Accent Flavor Enhancer)
20 chicken wing pieces
1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until ingredients are well combined and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until thickened.
2. As sauce is simmering, heat up 6 to 8 cups of shortening in a deep fryer set to 350 degrees. 3. Combine the beaten egg with the milk in a small bowl.
4. In another small bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and MSG.
5. When shortening is hot, dip each wing first in the flour mixture, then into the milk and egg mixture, and back into the flour. Arrange wings on a plate until each one is coated with batter.
6. Fry the wings in the shortening for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. If you have a small fryer, you may wish to fry 10 of the wings at a time. Drain on paper towels or a rack.
7. When the sauce is done, brush the entire surface of each wing with a coating of sauce. Serve immediately. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)
Makes 4 to 6servings (20 wings).
BLT in a bite
Makes 18 Appetizers
6 slices white bread
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1/4 lb. (6 strips) bacon, cooked and
crumbled
9 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Preheat oven to 300°F. Using a small 2"
round cookie cutter, cut out 3 coin shapes from
each slice of bread. Place on an ungreased
cookie sheet and toast in the oven until crisp
on both sides, but not brown. Spread a thin
layer of mayonnaise on each round. Top each
piece with crumbled bacon and a cherry
tomato placed face-side down.
Chef's Note: Chopped lettuce can be tossed over the bites if desired.
Bacon Shrimp Wraps
Serves 20 (2 pieces each)
20 pieces of bacon, cut in half across
2 bunches fresh basil
40 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined,
tails left on
Salt and pepper
4 lemons
Preheat broiler. On a large cutting board
lay bacon strips flat. Place a basil leaf on each
piece of bacon across the middle (so you
are making an X shape). Top each leaf in the
same direction with a shrimp. Wrap the
bacon around the shrimp and place seam side
down on a broiling pan. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper. Broil, 4 to 5 inches from the heat,
for
3 minutes. Turn over and broil another 3
minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and curled
and
the bacon is crisp. Sprinkle with lemon
juice and serve.
Appetizer Meatballs Anisette
Makes 5 to 6 servings
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 thick slices seeded rye bread, cubed and
crusts removed
5 Tbl. snipped fresh parsley, divided
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 small onion, grated
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can pasta-style tomatoes,
drained
2 Tbl. Hiram Walker Anisette or Sambuca
2 Tbl. tomato paste
1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon
2 tsp. basil
Pinch garlic powder
Combine beef, bread cubes, 2 Tbl. parsley, dill weed, coriander, onion, 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Shape into 24 meatballs. Brown meatballs on all sides in hot oil. Set aside and keep warm. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the meatballs to sauce and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
Cheese & Herb Sticks
Makes 30
Who can resist crispy, flaky, cheesy little pastries? They may be the ultimate "savoury" in any buffet. You can make these gems in greater quantity and freeze them, but they are best served up fresh.
2 ounces (60 g) white flour
Pinch each salt and cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons (50 mL) unsalted butter,
very cold
2 teaspoons (10 mL) finely chopped fresh
chives
1/4 cup (60 mL) sharp cheddar, finely
grated
Sift the flour into a food processor and add the salt and cayenne.
Cut the butter into small dice and add it to the flour.
Process on low speed until the mixture is uniform and crumbly. Place pastry in a bowl and add the chives and cheese. Work with your hands as gently as possible just to incorporate the ingredients into a dough; you don't want it too dense.
Wrap the dough and chill it for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). On a floured surface, roll the cold dough into a ribbon about 1/4 inch in diameter.
Cut into lengths of about five inches, and give each stick a little sideways twist. Place on a no-stick cookie sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container until meal time.
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