Semi Homemade Poutine

One word.  Addicting.

Yes, now when my MIL/FIL come over and I ask what would you like me to make for dinner (this is not dinner, but could be ;))...the response has been poutine! A delicious beef gravy over crispy fries with fresh cheese curds and rosemary.  Yep, that's it!  Love this Canadian dish!

So I cheat on the fries....just get 1-2 bags of frozen (extra crispy) fries and bake to your likeness (aka extra crispy, especially if you don't want your fries to be soggy)

Cheese Curds:  I buy regular fresh/local cheddar cheese curds. Some come in different flavors etc.

Rosemary:  Take off stem and use whole or chop.

Gravy:
2-3 cups of beef broth
2-3 TB flour
2-3 TB butter
In a small saucepan over low/medium heat, make a roux with the flour and butter.  When a browned, smooth thick paste add the broth and whisk until smooth and has thickened. Add fresh diced rosemary leaves and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a dish (I used my cast iron pan) layer fries and cheese curds.  Top with gravy.  

Bake until curds are melted and bubbling.  Enjoy every bite!

Cherry Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Puff Pastry Squares

I have NO idea why this was not posted a LONG time ago!  I was going through posts I have not published and this one was ready to go and never published...mommy brain!  I love this quick, pretty and tasty appetizer or snack!  It's best in the summer when all the delicious heirloom tomatoes are in season.

1 box frozen puff pastry

1 log of your favorite local goat cheese

heirloom tomatoes; diced into bite sizes

fresh basil

sea salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 375

Cut puff pastry into squares (9 squares; follow lines)

Mix tomatoes, basil, sea salt and pepper. Spread goat cheese on top of the puff pastry and top with tomato mixture. Bake until browned around the edges and enjoy :)

Pesto Avocado Toasts

This is great as an open faced sandwich for lunch or for an appetizer!  Full of flavor, fresh, and delicious!

Fresh loaf of baguette

fresh pesto

 

 avocado; thinly sliced 

 

prosciutto; thinly sliced

fresh mozzarella

Bake in oven or toaster oven for 10-15 minutes @ 350degrees until toasted and cheese is melted and bubbly!

Enjoy :)

Mini Twice Baked Red Potatoes

These are so much better than any other, because you can pop them right in your mouth!  Great  appetizer for any gathering!

1 bag of mini red potatoes

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter

1/4-1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/3 cup bacon crumbles (I cheated and got them from the prepared food bar at wegmans!)

1TB scallions

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash potatoes and place in tin foil.  Bake for 1 hour or until soft..
Cut a little more than half of the potato; 3/4 of the potato will be stuff the other 1/4 will just be used for the filling.  Use a knife to score the potato so it is easy to scrap out the potato.  Place baked potato in a bowl with mix with fixings.

Mix all ingredients in bowl, put in a bag and pipe filling into the potato haves.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned on top.  Enjoy!

They were so good, once they came out of the oven I didn't even get a picture they went so fast!

Soft Pretzel Bites with Cheese Sauce

Oh, how I love Pinterest! I am always looking for a good homemade cheese sauce, and this one is great with these pretzel bites!  With the leftover cheese sauce I also made nachos, yum!

Pretzel Bites:


1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
2 tbsp butter, melted
Pretzel or Kosher salt


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the water, sugar, yeast, and salt on low speed for 10 seconds.  Switch to the dough hook and add the flour and butter.  Mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an wide 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Slice each rope into 1-inch pieces.  Place a lightly damp towel over the pretzel pieces to prevent them from drying out while you roll and cut the other pieces.
Using a slotted spoon lower a handful of the pretzel pieces into the boiling water and boil them for 30 seconds, flipping them around in the water with the spoon a couple of times. Remove the pretzel pieces from the water using the spoon, drain as best you can, and place them on the baking sheets. Brush the top of each pretzel with the melted butter and sprinkle with the pretzel/Kosher salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 10 – 12 minutes. Brush with remaining melted butter before serving. Serve warm.

For the Homemade Cheese Sauce Recipe Click HERE!

Enjoy on a cool fall afternoon :)

Pizza Dip

I just learned of this week from a co-worker and already had to make it for a family party! Another VERY easy and tasty concoction. 


2 jars of chunky pizza sauce
1 pepperoni stick; thinly sliced and chopped OR 1 package of pepperoni; choppped
1 block of cream cheese
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese
Frito Scoops


In a saucepan or crockpot add the pizza sauce and pepperoni.  Cook on low for a half hour - hour to mix flavors.  Add cubes of cream cheese and mix into pizza sauce.  Add mozzarella.  Pour into serving bowl or keep in crockpot.  Serve with more mozzarella on top and eat up with Frito Scoops!

Nachos!

tortilla chips

cheese con queso

mexican cheese blend

1 tomato chopped

refried beans

scallions

Other Optional Toppings:
Olives
Chicken/Beef/Pork/Bacon
Hot peppers
Onions
Black beans
Cilantro
Corn

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Two layers of chips, cheese, tomatoes, con queso, beans and scallions.   Served with sides of sour cream, guacamole and fresh salsa :)

Bake for 15 minutes or until browned and bubbly!

ENJOY!

Bacon-Grits Fritters

The book club I am in met to review, 'The Help' and kept the theme of southern cookin'!  I really wanted to try fried okra, but since I wasn't feeling that brave, I am trying out this bacon-grit fritter recipe I found on a southern cooking website.  My favorite food when Jason and I traveled to Charleston, SC,  was shrimp and grits and I REALLY hope this little fried ball of grits takes me back to  Charleston :) 

I served this last night...AND...it was a hit!  Crispy and crunchy on the outside and creamy and cheesy on the inside....YUM!

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
• 4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup cooked and finely crumbled bacon (about 8 slices)
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups Japanese breadcrumbs (panko)
• Vegetable oil

Preparation

• 1. Prepare grits according to package directions, using 4 cups milk and 1 tsp. salt. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and next 3 ingredients, stirring until cheese is melted. Spoon mixture into a lightly-greased 8-inch square baking dish or pan, and chill 4 to 24 hours.
• 2. Roll grits into 1 1/2-inch balls. Whisk together eggs and 1/4 cup water. Dip balls in egg wash, and roll in breadcrumbs.
• 3. Pour oil to depth of 3 inches in a large, heavy skillet; heat over medium-high heat to 350°. Fry fritters, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep fritters warm on a wire rack in a pan in a 225° oven up to 30 minutes. Serve warm.
• Make ahead: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Cover and chill in a single layer up to 4 hours. Fry as directed. You may also prepare through Step 2 and freeze on a baking sheet for 30 minutes or until firm. Transfer to a zip-top plastic bag, and freeze. Cook frozen fritters as directed in Step 3, increasing cooking time to 5 to 6 minutes or until golden and centers are thoroughly heated.

ENJOY :)

Fried Zucchini Flowers

Zucchini flowers are simply delicious and if you haven't tried them yet, you're missing out!  They are some yummy, they don't even need to be stuffed with cheese, but if you see them on the menu when you're out, go for it!

At least 8 zucchini flowers because who can just eat one or two! Make sure you wash and pat dry carefully!

2/3 cup flour

3/4 cup water

1-2 tsp. sea salt

oil

Mix batter; flour, water and sea salt and let sit for at least 20 minutes.  In a cast iron skillet, heat oil until hot.  

Dip zucchini flowers into batter and fry!  

Once you take the flowers out of the cast iron, let sit on a paper towel to drain the oil and sprinkle with sea salt!

Eat immediately! YUM!

Layered Taco Dip

This is always a summer favorite!

1 container of sour cream

1 stick of cream cheese

1 package of taco seasoning

1 can of re-fried beans

2 avocados

2 cloves of garlic; minced

2 limes

handful of fresh cilantro

1 1/2 cups of diced tomato

shredded lettuce; optional

olives; optional

jalapenos; optional

salsa; optional

Mix together sour cream, cream cheese and a packet of taco seasoning.

Guac:  Mix avocados, minced garlic, cilantro, the juice of 1 -2 lemons and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Layer 1:  Re-Fried Beans

Layer 2:  Sour cream/cream cheese mixture

Layer 3:  Guacamole

Layer 4:  Fresh Diced Tomatoes

Layer 5:  Sharp Cheddar cheese

Guacamole 2 Ways!

#1  Traditional Guacamole:
2 avocados
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 small garlic cloves minced
dash of hot sauce
salt and pepper


Mix all ingredients and enjoy with your favorite tortilla chip!

#2  Bruschetta Guacamole

Courtesy of Alli Duff :)

This is a great recipe if you are on the run!

1/2 container of Wegmans pre-made bruschetta (from olive bar!)

1 avocado

Mix and Enjoy!

 HINT:  To keep guacamole fresh, keep the avocado pit in the guacamole until ready to eat!

Black Bean and Mango Salsa

Easy, Tangy, Sweet and Salty!  The perfect combination for a summer salsa!

1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 large mango (cut into tiny bite sized pieces)

1 large shallot, finely chopped

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon of tiger sauce

salt and pepper

Mix ingredients and enjoy with your favorite tortilla chip!

Baked Risotto Balls

Last month I made butternut squash risotto and since I always make enough for leftovers I decided to make some risotto balls for an appetizer.  Yesterday, I decided to take them out of the freezer for a tasty appetizer, which I must say was absolutely delicious.  If you are looking for a new appetizer this holiday season, try this recipe out!

Squash:

2-3 cups butternut squash (3/4 inch cubes)
fresh sage
olive oil
salt and pepper
Mix ingredients, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
When done, I left in oven to keep warm until risotto was done.

Risotto:
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
thyme
salt and pepper
1 Tb butter
1 - 2 Tb olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup provolone cheese (for risotto)
2/3 cup provolone cheese (for risotto balls)
2 eggs
plain (unseasoned) bread crumbs
In pot heat butter, oil, onions, garlic, thyme salt and pepper.  Add rice, heat through about 3 minutes over medium heat.  Add 1 cup of chicken broth. Stir often. Add next cup of broth once the liquid is soaked up in risotto.  Keep stirring!  Add 1 cup white wine.  Once all liquid is about all absorbed, add cheeses (1/4 of provolone cheese).  Add butternut squash.  Refrigerate overnight.  Form 1 inch balls with risotto, add a pinch of provolone cheese to center of risotto ball.  You will need two bowls, one for egg wash mixture and one for unseasoned bread crumbs.  Roll risotto balls in egg wash, then in breadcrumbs. On a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil so the pan has a thin layer of olive oil.  Bake risotto balls for 6 minutes at 375 degrees, then flip and bake for another 6 minutes.  Enjoy :)

Roasted Garlic and Stuffed Banana Peppers

One word. HOT. As it turned out, the banana peppers from my garden are SUPER SPICY.  Lip burning, nose running, need a LARGE glass of water spicy.  I should have got the hint when I was cleaning out all of the pepper seeds and my fingers were burning for over an hour!  I did have a small inkling, so I paired these tasty spicy peppers and cheese with roasted garlic!  Roasted garlic is one of my favorite appetizer, not only is it super easy to prepare, but because  its tasty with any of your favorite cheeses and fresh Italian bread.  

Banana Peppers
Provolone Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Cream Cheese


Clean out peppers, fry in pan to get some color, let cool, stuff with cheese mixture, Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Garlic
Cut off the tops, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Spread garlic on fresh baked bread.  Pair with cheese of choice.  I usually like Parmesan or provolone.

BON APPETIT!

Provolone Cheese, Roasted Garlic and Stuffed Banana Peppers!

Black Eyed Pea Salsa

I have just loved all the black eye pea salsas at all the fun picnics and parties over the summer and wanted a little bit of freshness this weekend.  Fresh, tasty and light.

1 can black eyed peas

1/2 green pepper diced

1/2 red pepper diced

1/2 small onion diced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 teaspoons tiger sauce

Mix ingredients together.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  Enjoy :)