Asian Ramen Salad

We can't end 2014 without a post in December! Yes, I'm sitting at home alone on New Year's Eve, but this is by choice. I swear! I am writing one of the last food blogs of the year! But, have no fear there's plenty more to come!

I found this yummy recipe on Table for Two's blog! She called it "Ridiculously Amazing Asian Ramen Salad." Now, I do think it was a good recipe, but "ridiculously amazing?" Eh. I don't think so. Honestly, it was a little weird using raw ramen noodles, but I did add the dressing in the morning and by lunch time the ramen noodles had softened. Everyone at my potluck did enjoy the recipe, so I'd definitely make it again! It's really simple to throw together, and I wonder what it would taste like if you eat it right away. Probably crunchy! Anyway, give it a whirl and let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) bag of Cole Slaw Mix
1 cup Sunflower Seeds (seeds only and not the shells)
2 (3 oz) bags of Ramen, crushed (throw out the seasoning)
5 stalks of Scallions, sliced
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In order to crush the Ramen noodles; place in a large ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin by rolling over the noodles. Now, take out a large bowl and add the cole slaw, sunflower seeds, crushed ramen, and scallions. Take out a medium bowl, and combine the vegetable oil through the sugar. Whisk well. No worries if the sugar doesn't completely dissolve. Pour the oil mixture over the noodle mixture and stir well making sure all the noodles are coated well with the dressing. Now, you can either serve it immediately or place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple hours. Serve cold or at room temperature! Enjoy!

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Puffs

Today we had a fun event at work. We all got together to have a potluck and play games. These types of events don't happen very often, so it's always nice to get out of the office for a bit. Well, we had a sign up sheet to determine who would bring what for today. I decided to sign up for an appetizer. Normally, I would make a dessert since that's my favorite thing to make, but I decided to sign up for an appetizer. Everyone and their brother signed up for desserts. It took me quite a while to decide what I wanted to make. Eventually, I settled on this cheese puff recipe from With Love and Cupcakes. Instead of Chipotle Cheese I used Bacon Cheddar Cheese since TJ's didn't have that option. And, I must not know how to make things smalls because my cheese puffs were quite large. What really matters is how it tasted, and these were great! I would definitely make these cheese puffs again, but smaller! And, my co-worker's must have liked them, because only 2 were left! Leftovers for the win! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon mustard
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 cup grated chipotle-flavored cheddar cheese, like the one here (Or Bacon Cheddar Cheese from Trader Joe's)
 

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Take out a small saucepan and combine the water through mustard. Set the stove to medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture begins to boil. Add in the flour and lower the heat to low. Stir until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook the dough and stirring for about five minutes. The mixture should start to steam. Transfer the dough to your standing mixture. Go ahead and beat for a couple minutes to help release some of the heat from the dough. Next, add in an egg one at a time. I beat the egg prior to adding to the mixture. Stir well after each addition. Fold in the cheese and combine well. Put some of the mixture into a piping bag and pie out the mixture in small amounts...1 1/2 inches side and 3/4 inches tall. Bake the puffs for about 15-20 minutes or until nice and golden in color. Remove from oven and cool completely. Enjoy.

Pizzette with Fontina, Tomato, Basil, and Proscuitto

One of our Iron Chef alum is moving to Wisconsin...boo...so we had a going away party in her honor. The theme was cheese and wine. Yum. But, I decided to bring a little appetizer to the party. After all, cheese isn't the most filling food in the world. I perused a couple of my cookbooks before settling on this recipe from Bon Appetit. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to put the prosciutto on the pizza but they still came out pretty tasty. I also used Trader Joe's pre-made pizza dough which definitely saved me some time. I also used a biscuit cutter to make little round pizza bites. Overall, I thought this was quite a tasty little appetizer. I will definitely make the next time I need to bring an appetizer to a party! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 13.8 oz refridgerated pizza dough
3/4 c grated Fontina cheese (about 3 oz)
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 c thinly sliced fresh basil
1 1/2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely torn into strips

Preheat your oven to 475. Lightly sprinkle rimmed baking sheet (or pizza stone) with flour. Next, roll out the dough on a floured surface and use a 2 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut the dough rounds. Arrange the rounds on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the Fontina cheese on the rounds. Divide equally. Next, place 2 tomato quarters on each round, pressing gently into dough. Sprinkle tomatoes with grated Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until the cheese is a golden color. Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil and then top with the basil. Then, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Drape prosciutto strips over. Serve immediately.

Mushroom Bruschetta

You really don’t have to do much to mushrooms to make them really mouthwatering. A little salt and pepper, sauté them in butter, toss in some garlic for good measure and viola—mega deliciousness for your mouth! It’s always wonderful when something good is also so simple. I found this Mushroom Bruschetta on Everyday Maven. It has a few more ingredients but is still relatively simple to make and definitely looks and tastes absolutely wonderful. My parents really enjoyed it, as did I, and I will definitely make it again. One caveat, which is true of all mushroom dishes, is that it needs to be served and eaten warm.

Ingredients

20 oz mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 Tbsps finely chopped parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Baguette, thinly sliced

Garlic salt (optional)

1 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Pepper to taste.

1 Tbsps Butter

½ Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsps grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)

Splash of lemon juice

Start by prepping all the ingredients: clean and slice your mushrooms, chop parsley, prep garlic and slice your bread. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees to toast your bread. Put the slices on a baking sheet and spray each with olive oil (I just sprayed with olive oil flavored Pam cause I’m that person). Sprinkle a little garlic salt over the slices if you are so inclined and then toast. It only takes a few minute per side. Just keep an eye on them so you don’t burn them.

In a pan over medium heat, heat up your olive oil and then add in the mushrooms. You want to cook them until they are nice and golden brown, which should take about ten minutes. Set them aside. Add the butter to the pan and once it’s melted add the garlic. Cook about 30 seconds, making sure you don’t burn the garlic. Drain any liquid from the mushrooms and add them back into the pan along with the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring, for just another minute and then remove from heat. Splash with a little lemon juice, if desired. Spoon the mushrooms onto the toast and the mushroom mega deliciousness!

Restaurant Style Hummus with Smoked Paprika

Here's my hummus post, and, man, is this a deeelicious recipe. I first tried making a jalapeno hummus, and it turned out quite awful. It wasn't a smooth consistency and lacked flavor. So, I decided to scope out my favorite cookbook Cook's Illustrated to see if they had any hummus recipes. Sure enough they did...and a scrumptious one at that. Now, making your own hummus can seem daunting, but it is really quite easy. One of the major steps to getting a smooth consistency is to peel the outer shell from the chickpeas. For me that is the most annoying part. So, what I do is park myself in front of the tv and gather two bowls. One for the empty shells and one for the shell-less chickpeas. It will help make the process go a lot quicker, and you'll end up with restaurant quality hummus. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water (or juice from the chickpea can)
3 tbsp lemon juice (Fresh)
6 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste you can find at your local grocery store)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and de-shelled
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked parika
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 tbsp thinly sliced scallion greens (optional)

Take out a small bowl and combine chickpea juice (or water) and lemon juice. Set aside. Next, whisk together the tahini and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-small bowl. Set aside. Now, take out your food processor and process the chickpeas, garlic, salt, cayenne, and smoked paprika for about 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Then, with the machine running (and lid attached), add lemon juice mixture in stead stream. Again, scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Then process for an additional minute. With machine running, add in the tahini mixture in steady stream, continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Transfer hummus to a large serving bowl and garnish with 1 tbsp thinly sliced scallion greens (optional), 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts and olive oil. As you can tell in the picture I went a little overboard on the pine nuts. Oh well. Enjoy.

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls

I save a lot of steak recipes. Mostly because steak just looks so darn good. So I have a bookmark folder full of recipes like “steak with burgundy mushrooms,” “steak with chimichurri,” “sugar steak,” “garlic steak” or “steak with stout pan sauce.” YUM. But here’s the rub. I never make any of those recipes. Why? Because the Hubs has a secret weapon for awesome steak. It’s some sort of magical steak seasoning that he gets in Wisconsin at a local shop, and it turns a ribeye into something worthy of worship. I LOVE this seasoning. It may have been a big factor in my decision to marry the Hubs. Just saying. Anyway, I digress. All this to say, I don’t often make steak recipes, but I’m really glad I tried this one that I found on Picture the Recipe. It was truly excellent and a nice way to get your meat and veggies all rolled up into one. Plus, balsamic glaze. I mean, you can’t go wrong. I think this could make a great appetizer, but we ate it as our main course and that works too! 

Ingredients

1 1/2 – 2 lb skirt steak/ 8-10 thin sliced sirloin

Salt & Pepper

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Steak seasoning (Whichever kind you like)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 carrot

1 bell pepper (I prefer yellow or orange)

½ a zucchini

5 green onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp italian herb seasoning

2 tsp butter

2 tbsp finely chopped shallots

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

¼ cup beef broth

Ok, full disclosure here… I totally cheated this recipe and went super lazy by buying a bag of broccoli slaw instead of slicing all those veggies. Don’t judge me. But I will probably try the non-lazy route next time just to see if it’s worth the trouble. We also used sliced tri-tip because we couldn’t find skirt steak or a sirloin thick enough. Use whatever you can get.

Start by marinating your steak for at least a half hour or up to a couple hours. Simply slice it fairly thinly, season with salt and pepper, and pour the Worcestershire over the slices. I’m guessing we used more than just 3 tablespoons because we didn’t measure. So you can totally eyeball it. While the steak is marinating you should prep your veggies (even if that’s just opening a bag) and start on the sauce.

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and then sauté your shallots for just a few minutes. Then add in the balsamic, beef broth, and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Boil it until the sauce is reduced by half and turns into a sort of syrup. This only took about 5-7 minutes for us. Pour the sauce in a bowl and set aside.

Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan and add the crushed garlic cloves. You cook for a few minutes to get the garlic flavor in the oil, then add your veggies (except the green onion). Salt them and also add in the Italian seasoning. You only want to sauté them for a few minutes so they still retain their crunch.

Now it’s assembly time! Lay out the strip of steak and place the veggies on it (including the green onion). Then roll the steak over the veggies tightly and secure it with a toothpick. In your skillet, coat the bottom lightly with oil over medium high heat and add the rolls with the seam down. Don’t move them for a couple minutes to get that nice brown crust. Repeat this on all sides of the steak if you can. Ours was so thin that we could only do two sides or else we would have overcooked it. Here’s where you add some of your steak seasoning. To serve, remove the toothpick (it should stay together pretty well) and drizzle some of the balsamic sauce over the top. It’ll be a great addition to your steak recipe repertoire! 

Smoked Wings with Homemade Ranch Dip

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a year since we got our smoker. Since then we’ve smoked ribs, we’ve smoked pork butt, we’ve smoked salmon. And three times, we’ve smoked chicken wings. It all turned out fabulous, don’t get me wrong, but the wings are so easy (relatively) and so, so good. That’s why we make them so often. And I should clarify, when I say “we” I definitely mean the Hubs. The smoker is his baby and he handles everything from start to finish. I just make the sauces. Speaking of which, I have this great recipe for homemade Ranch dip that goes well with the wings. I found it on Carla’s Confections. It’s garlicky with a hint of dill, and a smidge thinner and slightly chunkier than the stuff you buy at the store, which makes it perfect for dipping your wings! The wings themselves are a tiny big spicy, with tons of great smoky flavor. We found the rub recipe on The Black Peppercorn.

WING RUB

¾ cup paprika

½ cup sugar

½ cup salt

¼ cup ground black pepper

3 tbsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp thyme

2 tbsp dry mustard

2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp sage

This makes a ton of dry rub, so if you aren’t having a huge party, you might want to cut it down. Mix all the ingredients together well in a Tupperware container or mason jar. You can store leftovers in the fridge and use it for other chicken or pork or hey, more chicken wings.

The Hubs gets full wings and breaks them down instead of getting precut drummies. Cut it at the joints and toss the wing tips (unless you have some great recipe for them that I don’t know about). You’ll want to get the rub on the wings 24 hours in advance if possible. It just helps the flavor to seep into the wings a little bit. On the day you’re going to smoke them, put them in a single layer into a disposable metal tray (or two, or more) with a lip. The lip is important because your next step is to slice pats of butter and scatter them on top of the chicken. This is the Hubs secret for keeping the wings moist (and delicious!). I’d say roughly a stick of butter per 9 by 12 tray.

Hopefully if you are interested enough in smoking wings I don’t have to explain to you how to use a smoker. Get it up to 200-225 degrees and keep it there as you smoke the wings for around two hours. We use Mesquite wood, but I've also heard that any fruit tree is great for chicken. To make sure they are done, cut one open after the two hours and make sure the juices run clear. If you want to use a meat thermometer instead, just make sure the internal temp is up to 160 degrees. 

RANCH DIP

1 c mayonnaise

1/2 c sour cream

1/2 c chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

2 Tbsp green onion chopped small

2 large cloves of garlic

1/8 - 1/4 c milk (more if needed)

1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp fresh dill, bruised

1/2 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dip flavors to develop you want to make it ahead of time. At least two hours, but I think it’s better to make it a day ahead if you can. Mix all the ingredients together and stir well. I wanted my dip to be a little thinner so I was close to the ¼ cup of milk, maybe more. If the chunky texture bothers you, you can always make it in the food processor. This makes a good amount of dip, but if you have leftovers there are plenty of places to use good Ranch. I’m sure you’ll come up with something!

Iron Chef Grape: Sweet Potato Crostini with Goat Cheese and Grape Salsa

This little appetizer was the winner of Iron Chef Grape. Kim found this recipe on MyRecipes and decided to try it because it had really good reviews and there aren't a lot of ingredients to make it. It was the clear winner at Iron Chef. This little nugget of an appetizer has a lot of flavor and depth to it. The goat cheese gives it a nice tang while the grape adds a hint of sweetness. And, the sweet potato helps give it a nice crunch. It is a wonderful appetizer albeit a bit messy, so be sure you have some napkins handy if you serve. But, I guarantee it will be a huge hit at your next party. I mean it won Iron Chef, so you can't go wrong with it!



Ingredients: 20 large frozen waffle-cut sweet potato fries
2 tablespoons red pepper jelly
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup quartered seedless red grapes
1/4 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely diced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 (4-oz.) package crumbled goat cheese

First set your oven to 425 degrees. Bake your sweet potatoes according to the manufacturer's instructions. Mine needed to bake for about 25 minutes. I turned my sweet potatoes half way thru to ensure even cooking. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Next, take out a small bowl and add the red pepper jelly and lime juice. Stir in the grapes. Then, add the next 3 ingredients. I used chives as I couldn't find green onions at the grocery store (go figure). Take a sweet potato and add a teaspoon full of the grape salsa on top. Then, sprinkle the goat cheese on top of the salsa. Enjoy!

Baked Brie

Baked Brie is one of those appetizers that are sure to be a hit at your next party. One of my friend's made this recipe at a Volleyball party and it was gobbled up by everyone. I asked her for the recipe, and I've made it several times since. It's a really simple recipe, but tastes like you put a ton of effort into making it. If you like brie, apples, cranberries, brown sugar, and pastry dough then you will love this recipe. Give it a try and you will be a big hit at the next party. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 of a red apple, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 brie wedge (okay to keep the rind on)
1 Pillsbury Crescent dough sheet

Simply roll out the crescent dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the brie on the crescent sheet. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar, diced apples, and cranberries on top of the brie. Gently fold up the dough and twist to seal. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes or until the dough is a pretty golden brown color.

Mango & Pineapple Salsa

I went to the grocery the other day, and noticed that Mango's were on sale for a $1 each. I believe we are entering Mango season if we aren't already there, and I had this great idea to make Mango Salsa. Several years ago my Aunt made this Mango and Pineapple salsa and it was to die for. We ate it up in a flash. I decided to try and replicate it, so I purchased a pre-cut pineapple core as well. I have to say this Mango and Pineapple salsa is really delicious. It's not quite exactly like my Aunt's because I didn't add a tomato to it, but pretty darn close. The addition of a jalapeno and a Serrano pepper gives it a nice spice. If you like Mangoes and Pineapples then you will love this salsa. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Mangos, diced (about 2 cups)
2 cups diced Pineapple
1 Jalapeno, seeded if you don't want it spicy and diced
1 Serrano, seeded if you don't want it spicy and diced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Juice of one lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Dash of Salt

Combine all the above ingredients into a medium sized bowl and stir well. For optimal taste, place in a fridge, covered, for an hour or so before eating. Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips.

Mini Shrimp Cakes with Ginger Butter

These mini shrimp cakes were one of the recipes I tried for Iron Chef Ginger, and I almost made these instead for the big night. I thought they were very tasty, but a little greasy. I think I used too much oil to fry these little guys. The ginger butter really made it. I decided not to go with these for our Iron Chef, because I really didn't feel like frying anything at our Hostess' house. I do think these would have been hit had I decided to make them. But, if you are hosting a party these would make great little appetizers. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Shrimp Cakes:
3 tablespoons vegetable olive oil
5 large button mushrooms, stemmed, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 4 ounces)
2 large shallots, minced
1 medium carrot, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 pound extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
1 large egg
Zest of 1/2 large lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ginger Butter:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
One 1/2-inch-long piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and finely grated (about 4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed

To make the shrimp cakes, take out a medium sized skillet and saute in the olive oil the mushrooms, shallots, and carrots until softened.  Transfer the mixture into your food processor. Add in the shrimp, eggs, breadcrumbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper to the food processor. Pulse until combined but still chunky. Form the mixture into 15 patties, place on a cookie sheet lined with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

To make the butter, combine the butter, ginger, and soy sauce. Stir well with a rubber spatula and then place the butter on plastic wrap. Form the butter into a log and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the 1/4 cup of vegetable oil into a skillet, and fry the shrimp cakes until golden in color at least 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve the shrimp cakes while still warm and add a slice of the ginger butter on top. Enjoy.

Iron Chef Ginger - Sweet & Sour Pork Sliders

I had a tough time trying to decide what recipe to use for Iron Chef Ginger. I tried a different pork slider recipe that just wasn't good. I tried latkes, sauteed shrimp, and shrimp cakes with a ginger butter. I normally always go with a recipe that I've tried. Well, I decided to wing it this time, and went with Giada de Laurentiis' Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders . It had 5 stars on Food Network, so I figured it had to be tasty. My question was whether it would have enough ginger in it to tell it was there. Well, the slaw didn't call for ginger, so I added it in to the mixture. The marinade was very tasty. The ginger didn't hit you over the head, but I thought it was nicely subtle. This pork slider was very tasty, and I really recommend it. Thanks for voting this one the winner! Sometimes winging it pays off!

Ingredients:

Slaw:
1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/4 cabbage)
1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced red cabbage (about 1/4 cabbage)
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 thinly sliced green onions (about 1/2 cup)

1 tbsp minced ginger (optional)

Pork:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 packed cup golden brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Zest of 1 large orange
One 1 to 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 teaspoons arrowroot
10 to 12 mini Hawaiian-style sweet rolls, halved horizontally

To make the slaw, combine all the ingredients above. Stir well, and place covered in the fridge while you prepare the pork. By the way, for the cabbage I just used pre-packaged cabbage that you can find in the veggie aisle.

For the pork; combine the orange juice thru the zest of an orange in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well. Pour the mixture into a ziplock bag, and add in the pork. Place in the fridge for an hour at the least or overnight at the most. I let it marinade for about 3 hours. Be sure to turn the pork over a couple times while it's marinating. Set your oven to preheat at 425. Take out the pork, and pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Place the pork on a baking sheet, and cook in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the temperature reads 140 to 160 degrees. Next, cook the marinade over medium heat and add in the arrowroot to help thicken the sauce. If you don't have arrowroot, then use about a 1/4 cup of water and 2 to 3 tablespoons of corn starch. Mix and then pour into the marinade. Once the pork is ready, remove from the oven and let rest for a couple minutes. Cut into thin slices. Take your roll and cut in half. Add the pork to the bottom half of the roll, add some of the sauce, add the slaw, and top with top half of the roll. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Barefoot Contessa's Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry

I made this recipe for a friend's 40th birthday party a year ago, and I remember it being such a hit that I decided to make it again for a White Elephant Christmas party. I think Ina Garten hit the nail on the head with this appetizer. I love me a ham and cheese sandwich, but adding puff pastry to the mix just takes this rather plain sandwich to another level. Also, substituting gruyere cheese in place of swiss cheese makes it even fancier. And, using Dijon mustard instead of plain ol' yellow mustard takes it to gourmet status. Plus, it's super simple to make and tastes yummy! Really. Give this fancy version of the plain ol' ham and cheese a try and you will want to make it for your next party! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

First, roll out your puff pastry so that it's around 10 by 12 inches. If you have trouble rolling it like I did then just skip this part. The sandwich will still taste the same. Next, spread the dijon mustard on the puff pastry, but leave space around the edges. Then, add the ham and then the cheese. Brush the border with the egg wash. Be sure to roll out the second puff pastry to 10 by 12 inches or just leave it as is, but either way you need to place this on top of the filled pastry. Pinch the edges together to help seal the two puff pastries together. Gently, brush with the egg wash and slice small slits so that steam can escape while baking. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, and then gently move the puff pastry to the baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is a lovely golden color. Serve hot or warm.

Baked Chicken Wings with Spicy Dijon Molasses Sauce

I’ve got kind of a thing for chicken wings. During football season I’d estimate that I probably eat a chicken wings at least once every 24 hours. That might be a slight exaggeration, but the point is, I like wings a lot. So, naturally, I’ve saved up a lot of recipes to try at home. I made one that was such a colossal failure that I didn’t post it here. But these turned out pretty ok. I wouldn’t say that I’ve found the perfect recipe quite yet, but this is a nice stop on the way to perfection. It’s got a little spice, a little sweet, and the mustard gives it a complexity and sets it apart from your normal wings. I found the recipe on Living Lou’s blog and made a couple tiny tweaks (incorporated below).

Spice Rub

1 tbsp chipotle chili pepper powder

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp dried mustard

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp brown sugar

Sauce

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup spicy mustard

1/4 cup molasses

5 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp chipotle hot sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

3 pounds chicken wings

I actually used Kroger drummies for this instead of actual wings. If you use wings, make sure to break them down and remove the tips. Preheat the oven to 375. Mix your spice rub ingredients together in a bowl and then pour it over the drummies, mixing them around to make sure they are all evenly covered. I laid them out on a foil lined baking sheet which made them super easy to clean up after. Cook them for 15-18 minutes on one side, then flip them and cook for 15-18 minutes on the other. Mine went for 17 minutes each side.

While the wings are baking, mix up your sauce ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate it until you need it. After the wings have baked the full time, take them out of the oven and set it to broil. Put the wings in a large bowl and pour about half of the sauce over them, mixing to make sure they are all coated. They should look pretty delicious right now, but don’t skip the next step!

Lay them back out on the baking sheet (you may want to lay out new foil) and broil for two minutes on one side, and one minute on the other. Now they are ready to serve with the remaining sauce for dipping. Or you could go with the classic Ranch or bleu cheese, but they aren’t crazy spicy so I don’t think you need it. Hope you like them, and look forward to some more wing recipes in the future as I try to find a favorite!

(click here for printable recipe)

Spicy Sweet Shrimp

There are a lot of ways you can serve shrimp. In the immortal words of Bubba, "There's shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich..." But you know what? Sometimes, you just want to eat shrimp. Shrimp all by itself. One at a time. And that's what we did with this recipe. I'd been cooking all day for a party and didn't feel like making a big meal, so I just made shrimp. No side. No starch. Just shrimp. And it was excellent. Just the right amount of sweetness paired with the perfect bit of heat. It's a nice change of pace from the other spicy shrimp recipe that we eat fairly often. And it uses today's hot (literally) ingredient: Sriracha. It was the "Best Shrimp Recipe" on food52, which is a really great resource for dinner ideas.

Ingredients
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Sriracha
1 tsp Worcestershire
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tsp sugar
Salt & Pepper
2 pounds of large shrimp, peeled & deveined

The directions are super simple: just mix all the ingredients in a plastic bag or bowl. Don't be afraid to use a good amount of salt and pepper. Let it marinate for 2-4 hours. Then skewer the shrimps and grill. Depending on how hot your grill is it should only take about 2 or 3 minutes a side. Serve them on the skewers or slide them off with a fork. They are delicious enough that you don't need to add a thing!

(Click for printable recipe)

Spicy Rosemary Nuts

Nuts really don’t need much improving. Or at least, that’s what I thought before trying these at a friend’s baby shower. I had a couple. And then my hand just kept going back to the bowl. Again and again, completely out of my control. To say these are addictive is an understatement. They are just a bit spicy, fragrantly herbal, and a touch sweet. And served warm, they are out and out marriage material.

5 Cups of Nuts

4 Tbsps. Fresh chopped Rosemary

3 Tbsps. Butter

2 Tbsps. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Cayenne

Use any nuts you like. The original recipe called for mixed nuts but I really only like cashews, so that’s what I used. The recipe also called for a teaspoon of kosher salt, but since it’s impossible to find cashews that aren’t pre-salted, I omitted it.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get out a large rimmed cookie sheet. Cover it with foil. Melt the butter and combine the rosemary, brown sugar and cayenne in a large bowl. I highly recommend using fresh rosemary, and can’t guarantee good results if you use dried. Make sure the brown sugar clumps are all gone, and then add in the nuts. Stir well, until every nut is coated with sugary spiciness. The rosemary tends to stick together so spread it out as much as you can.  

Pour the nuts onto your baking sheet and spread them out to one layer so they cook evenly. Then bake for about 15 minutes. If you want you can stir halfway through, but I didn’t and they turned out great. Then pour them in a bowl and start eating them warm. You may want to invite some people over immediately or it’s possible you’ll find yourself with 5 cups of nuts in your belly before you know it. 

(click here for printable recipe)

Lemony Goat Cheese Ball

This isn’t so much a “recipe” per se, as it is an idea. I found it on The Kitchn, which is pretty much the best site out there for those of us who love to cook (or just eat). I’ve always loved cheese balls, but there is something sort of retro about them. Maybe because I am used to my mom making them for family get togethers as a kid. This idea takes the cheese ball into today, and makes it a little more classy than the traditional. I was told this recipe was a “home run,” and it’s so simple that there’s no reason not to try it!

Ingredients

About 10 oz soft Goat Cheese

1 Lemon

Fresh herbs of your choosing (I used chives)

Put the goat cheese in a bowl. Chop up your herbs and put them in the bowl as well. The original called for parsley, but I used chives. You can use any kind you want, really. Zest some of the lemon into the bowl, as much as you like. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Don’t get vigorous with it—just a simple squeeze with your hand. You don’t want to pull out the citrus press on this one or it will be way too lemony. Then mix it all together with a fork. Once it’s mixed enough use your (clean) hands to form it into a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve! I made little garlic toast pieces to go with it. The tang of the goat cheese and the lemon play off each other really well. It’s the foodie’s version of a cheese ball, and is a sure way to impress everyone at any of the holiday parties you attend.

Irish Nachos

This is why my belly has been growing steadily since starting to work at Martin 7 years ago. There’s an Irish restaurant right next to my office called Sine (pronounced Shi-nay). And since it’s right next to my office I find myself there quite often, either for lunch or to enjoy an after work Guinness. One of my favorite appetizers to order there, and one I try not to order every time I go there, is the Irish Nachos. Now, there’s nothing Irish about these nachos. Just like there is nothing healthy about them. They are called Irish just because they use potatoes instead of tortilla chips as the main vehicle for all the delicious bacon, cheese and ranch dressing. Did I mention there’s nothing healthy about these? But delicious, yes. So, I tried to recreate the recipe at home with pretty good success.

Ingredients

5 strips of Bacon

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

4 Russet potatoes, cut into cubes

Shredded sharp cheddar

Salt

Pepper

Garlic salt

½ cup Sour cream

2 Tbsps Milk

1 Tbsp ranch dressing mix

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. I started with the bacon, slicing it into batons and frying it up. Set it aside on a paper towel. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of the bacon grease, but save it for frying the potatoes later. Next I tossed in the thinly sliced jalapeno and just warmed it up and softened it up. You could also use pickled jalapenos if you prefer. Put these aside as well.

Next pour the reserved bacon grease back in the pan and fry your potatoes. If you forgot to save it, just use olive oil, no problem. I had to do them in two batches to fit in the pan. Season them generously with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Don’t be stingy here since potatoes tend to suck up the seasoning. After the potatoes get a little crust on them, transfer them to a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes until they are cooked through.

While the potatoes are cooking, mix the sour cream, milk and ranch dressing mix. I actually forgot the sour cream when I made this but it’s what I had intended to do. Instead I had to use Ranch dressing and thin it out with milk. It worked but the dressing at Sine is a little milder and has a lighter texture than actual Ranch, so I think the sour cream idea is a better bet.

Once the potatoes are cooked, it’s time to assemble the nachos! Put the potato cubes in a bowl and drizzle a good amount of the ranch sour cream over them. It’s key to put the ranch on second so it incorporates all the way through. Next put on the jalapenos, as few or as many as you like, and the bacon as well. Top with cheese and then zap it in the microwave for about 60 seconds or until the cheese is melted. It’s probably better to do this in the oven, but my dishes aren’t oven safe. If yours are, go for it with my best wishes.

Garnish with the green onions and serve! It’s not really Irish, and they aren’t exactly nachos either. But sinfully good? Yes. Creamy, crunchy, comforting? Yes. Yes. Yes. 

(click here for printable version)