Baked Italian Shrimp Dip
Contains shell fish and dairy
Instructions
First, you want to cook the shrimp. If looking for inspiration, I suggest to use this easy and delicious Lemon Herb Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe.
Then, let the shrimp cool a bit before chopping them up into pieces.
In a large bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt or sour cream, shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, herbs and seasonings. Please make sure that the cream cheese is softened, otherwise it will be a bit of a challenge to whip everything together.
Add diced shrimp to the cheesy mixture; stir and mix until everything is completely incorporated.
Transfer the cheesy shrimp mixture to a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
Remove from oven and serve immediately with veggies, like broccoli, cucumbers, bell peppers, and so on or, if low-carbing isn’t your forté, serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers
Bruschetta With Beef Filet
Contains Dairy
Ingredients
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
6- ounces cream cheese, softened
3- ounces soft goat cheese
large garlic cloves, minced
16- ounces thin skirt steak, about ¼ inch thick
8 slices from French bread loaf, about ½ inch thick
4-6 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400º F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet or non-stick pan to medium high heat. Add onions and cook until slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook 20 minutes or until golden brown and very soft, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, place tomatoes in a baking pan. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stir to coat. Bake at 400º F for 12-15 minutes or until soft. Remove and mash tomatoes, stir into cooked onions and remove from heat.
In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, goat cheese, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until combined, set aside.
Turn oven on regular to high broil. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper to taste (optional). Place in oven, 5-6 inches from heat. Broil 5-10 minutes, flipping halfway until browned, slightly firm and cooked to desired doneness. Remove steaks, allow to sit 5 minutes, then cut into ½ inch pieces.
Coat both sides of sliced bread with remaining olive oil. Broil bread 3-5 minutes until toasted.
Spread cheese mixture onto toast, top with steak, then tomato jam. Top with fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Grand Marnier Cakes
Contains dairy and almonds
Ingredients
Cakes
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup salted butter, plus more for pan
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons orange zest (from 1 large orange)
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted blanched almonds
Glaze
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 large orange)
Additional Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Orange segments (such as blood orange, navel, or mandarin
Instructions
Prepare the Cakes: Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 12 mini Bundt pans.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour mixture and sour cream to sugar mixture in 5 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add orange zest and almonds, and beat on medium speed until combined.
Divide batter evenly among prepared Bundt pans, and smooth tops. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Let stand in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack.
Prepare the Glaze: Combine sugar, orange liqueur, and orange juice in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Brush hot Glaze over warm Cakes.
Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Top each of the glazed Cakes with a dollop of whipped cream, and garnish with orange segments.
Lemon Bars with Blue Berry Compote and Blue Berry Coulis
Contains dairy
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups/160 grams all-purpose flour
⅓ cup/40 grams confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
10 tablespoons/140 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
For the curd:
1 ½ cups/300 grams granulated sugar
¾ cup/180 milliliters fresh lemon juice (from 4 to 8 lemons)
3 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of fine sea salt
8 tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), diced
½ tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lime zest (optional or substitute lemon zest)
¾ cup/80 grams fresh blueberries
Instructions
Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges on all sides by a few inches. (You may need to use two pieces of parchment.)
Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add butter and pulse until a crumbly dough forms, about 10 seconds. (Or mix dry ingredients in a bowl and use pastry cutter to cut in butter, clumping the mixture together in your hands until it holds together.) Press dough into prepared pan. Bake until light golden, 25 to 35 minutes.
As crust bakes, make the curd: In a medium pot, whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks, whole eggs, cornstarch and fine sea salt until well combined. Place over medium heat and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula (or wooden spoon), making sure to scrape around the sides and edges of the pot, until mixture is simmering and thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Bring mixture to a boil and let cook for about 30 seconds, but no longer than 1 minute. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in butter, lemon zest and lime zest, and stir until butter melts. Stir in blueberries.
Pour mixture over crust, then stir to evenly distribute berries. Return to oven, and bake until blueberries begin to burst and curd starts to turn golden around the edges, 33 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until thoroughly cold before cutting, at least 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar right before serving.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Contains dairy and pecans
Ingredients
FILLING:
2 pounds rhubarb stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 7-1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups sugar, (250 grams) divided
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 3-1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
TOPPING:
1-1/2 cups (300 grams) light brown sugar
1-1/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups (90 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (113g) butter, softened and cut into pieces
1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F
Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with oil spray and reserve
Prepare the Fruit:
Place the sliced rhubarb to a medium size bowl and sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the sugar, stirring to distribute throughout. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to withdraw some of the liquid in the slices.
In another bowl, toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, Prepare the Topping:
Combine the sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or fork, working to a crumbly consistency. Stir in the chopped pecans, then set the topping aside.
Pour off and discard all but 1/4 cup of the accumulate liquid from the rhubarb.
Add the drained rhubarb to the bowl of strawberries and toss to combine.
In a small dish, mix the cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla together with the 1/4 cup of reserved rhubarb juice. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the strawberry-rhubarb mixture, combining well.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and distribute the reserved topping evenly over the strawberry-rhubarb mixture.
Transfer the dish to the middle of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, reduce the oven to 325°F and bake an additional 25-30 minutes longer until the filling is bubbling at the edges and golden brown.
Baked Crabcakes with Old Bay Remoulade
Contains shell fish and dairy
Ingredients
Old Bay Remoulade
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced capers (nonpereil)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 tablespoon creole mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crab cakes
2 large eggs
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 to 4 dashes hot sauce
16 ounces backfin crabmeat
1 cup crushed butter crackers, such as Ritz Crackers
16 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For the remoulade: Combine the mayonnaise, capers, chives, pickle juice, creole mustard, Old Bay, lemon zest and juice, and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined and smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and refrigerate.
For the crab cakes: Combine the eggs, lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise, Old Bay, salt and hot sauce in a bowl; whisk together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the backfin crabmeat and the crushed crackers, and mix until well combined. Gently fold in the lump crabmeat. Divide the crab cake mixture into six equal portions; roll each into a loose ball and place in a large cast-iron pan.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the crab cakes are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Arrange the crab cakes on a large serving platter. Top each with a dollop of the remoulade. Serve immediately.
Lemon Herb Crostini’s
Contains dairy
Ingredient
1 (8 ounce) loaf baguette-style French bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley and/or chives
1 Lemon
2 Garlic Cloves
Rosemary
Thyme
Instructions
Cut bread on bias into 16 slices. In a small bowl, stir together oil and parsley or chives. Brush one side of each bread slice with the oil mixture, Garlic Cloves and Fresh Herbs.
Place bread slices on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until grill marks appear, turning once, lightly squeeze fresh lemon juice.
Savory Mushroom and Parmesan Palmiers
Contains dairy
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (5 cups)
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs tarragon
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Marsala wine
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or plain coarse breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for rolling
12 ounces all-butter puff pastry, frozen and thawed
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic and cook over medium-high, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Tie bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and tarragon together in a bundle with kitchen string and add to skillet. Add wine, Marsala, and 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. water and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove herb bundle and stir panko, Parmesan, salt, and pepper into the mushroom mixture. Transfer mixture to a food processor and purée until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to a 9"x15" rectangle. Place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 5 minutes. Spread mushroom purée evenly on puff pastry. Starting from one of the long sides, tightly roll pastry until you reach the middle. Repeat on other side. Gently stretch the log to 18" and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F and arrange racks in lower and upper thirds of oven. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Cut the log in half crosswise, and cut each segment into 1/4" slices using a large sharp knife. Arrange slices on baking sheets at least 1" apart; brush with oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake, rotating sheets top to bottom and back to front halfway through, until palmiers are golden and crisp, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets.
Do ahead
Pastry logs can be made up to 1 week ahead; store wrapped in plastic in the freezer. Palmiers can be baked up to 1 week ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature, and re-crisp in a 325°F oven for 8–10 minutes before serving.
Tuscan Malibu Carrots with Basil Pesto
Contains Dairy and pine nuts
Ingredients
3 pounds small carrots with tops (any color)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons macadamia nuts or pine nuts
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instuctions
Preheat oven to 400°. Trim carrot tops, leaving some stem attached. Measure out 2 cups carrot tops and set aside; reserve any remaining carrot tops for another use.
Toss carrots and vegetable oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until carrots are golden brown and tender, 25–35 minutes. Let cool.
Pulse garlic and nuts in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Add basil, Parmesan, and reserved carrot tops; process until a coarse purße forms. Add olive oil and pulse until combined; season with salt and pepper. Serve carrots with pesto.
DO AHEAD: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface; chill. Carrots can be roasted 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature
Caprese Salad with Fig and Balsamic Glaze
Contains dairy
Ingredients
1 pound mixed cherry tomatoes, (cut in halves)
20 marinated bite-size fresh mozzarella cheese balls, (about cherry size ball, cheese only, remove juice) - feel free to add more cheese.
3 tablespoons marinated oil from mozzarella balls
3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ teaspoon sea salt, (use more according to your liking)
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, add chopped cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, marinated oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with fresh basil and mix well until combined.
Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Season to taste with more salt and pepper if desired, and serve immediately.