Watermelon, Feta, Fresh Basil and Fig Balsamic Glaze
Contains dairy
Ingredients
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon raspberry preserves
Dash each of onion powder,
freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt
1 pound seedless watermelon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
Preparation
Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, raspberry preserves, onion powder, pepper and salt in a small bowl until sauce becomes smooth. In a small saucepan, heat the sauce over medium heat until bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce is reduced by half and becomes syrupy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Using toothpicks or appetizer skewers, stack a piece of feta between two pieces of watermelon on each toothpick. Place each stack neatly on a platter, and sprinkle with basil. Drizzle the raspberry balsamic sauce over the watermelon-feta stacks before serving.
Serving Suggestion
Accompany these colorful and light appetizers with tall glasses of sparkling water spiked with lemonade, or a semi-sweet Prosecco. In a hurry? Use raspberry balsamic vinegar for the sauce; just cook in a small saucepan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until it is reduced to the consistency of a sauce.
Wild Mushroom Crostini, Roasted Garlic Riccotta, Fine Herbs, Truffle Drizzle
Contains dairy
Ingredients
1 baguette
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sliced wild mushrooms such as shiitake, crimini, oyster, or chanterelle
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon butter
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, softened in hot water and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons finely chopped arugula
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Thinly slice the baguette on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices. Brush slices with olive oil and bake for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. The slices should not be too thin or they will break. Also, the slices should be no more that 2 inches long so they can be eaten in 1 or 2 bites.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. in olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook another minute to reduce the liquid. Add the butter and half of the goat cheese, remove from heat and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the remaining half of the goat cheese evenly on the toasted baguette slices. Spoon the hot mushrooms onto the crostini. Top with sun dried tomatoes and arugula.
Mediterranean Spiced Roasted Cauliflower GF/DF
Mediterranean Spiced Roasted Cauliflower
INGREDIENTS
1lb (450 g) carrots, washed and trimmed
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C)
Prep vegetables: Wash cauliflower and remove stems. If using large carrots, cut in half lengthwise.
Roast vegetables: Arrange the carrots and green beans on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, tossing the vegetables to completely cover with oil and sprinkle with sliced garlic, salt, and pepper. Place sheet pan in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through to roast on all sides.
Romesco Dip GF
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup raw almonds, toasted and cooled
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
1 clove of garlic
12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
6 Kettle Brand Wood Smoked Sea Salt Almond Oil Chips, approximately a handful
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and pulse until smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Pulse to combine then serve with Kettle Brand Wood Smoked Sea Salt Almond Oil Chips.
Mini Beef Tourtieres with Tzatziki Sauce and Fresh Dill
Contains dairy
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried savory or sage
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Dash salt
Dash pepper
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
Optional: Chopped tomatoes and additional minced fresh parsley
Instuction
Cream butter and cream cheese. Add flour, a little at a time, until a dough forms. Shape into a ball. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Meanwhile for filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onion; cook, crumbling meat, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. Add the next 8 ingredients. Stir in bread crumbs to absorb meat juices. Let stand about 10 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-3/4-in. round biscuit or cookie cutter. Press crust on bottom and up sides of 30 ungreased mini-muffin cups, rerolling dough as needed.
Preheat oven to 375°. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling into each prepared muffin cup. Bake until crust is golden, about 15 minutes. If desired, top with tomatoes and parsley.
Drunken Shrimp Cocktail DF
Contains Shellfish
INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 c. tomato juice
6 oz. vodka
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. horseradish
2 tsp. Hot sauce
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Slice of lemon, for rimming
1/4 c. Old Bay seasoning
parsley, for garnish
Instuctions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Place shrimp on a medium baking sheet and toss with oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake until pink and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a small pitcher, combine tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, hot sauce and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Wet shot glass rims with a slice of lemon and dip in Old Bay. Fill with cocktail mixture and garnish with shrimp and a piece of parsley.
Yogurt and Honey Olive Oil Cakes
Contains dairy & honey
Ingredients
1 cup whole or 2% plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup olive oil, plus more for coating the pan
2/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325°F.
Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan lightly with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the paper if using a cake pan.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, honey, thyme, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is almost smooth with just a few small lumps, but do not overmix.
Transfer the batter to the cake pan, and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake until the top is lightly browned and a tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Run a knife around the pan to loosen. If using a springform pan, unclasp the sides. Otherwise, flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back onto the rack or serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Rum Praline Short Bread Bites
Contains walnuts
Ingredients
1 cup pecan halves (I used walnuts instead)
1/4 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream
2 1/4 cups plain (AP) flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
1 tbsp dark rum
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp raw sugar
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 160C (350F) fan-forced.
Line a shallow, square baking tin with baking paper so it extends over the side (doesn't need to be neat or buttered - it's more so you don't have to clean the tin afterwards.
In a bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar and cream.
Spread the nut mixture over the pan so it is flat and in one layer.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the coating on the nuts is dry and crystallises (stir once halfway through the baking time).
Lift the sheet of baking paper out of the tray and place it on the bench for the nuts to cool completely.
Place the cooled nuts and 1/4 of a cup of the flour in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until the nuts are finely ground then set them aside.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter for 30 seconds then add the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
Add the rum and vanilla and beat them through then beat in the flour mixture just until combined.
Take the bowl off the stand and stir in the nut mix.
Form it into a ball, shape in a disc and wrap in plastic wrap then refrigerate for 4 hours.
Pre-heat the oven to 150C fan-forced (325F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper until it is 27x35cm (11x13").
Sprinkle the top with raw sugar.
Use a pizza roller cutter or sharp knife to cut it into 2cm (1") squares. I eye-balled it but you can use a ruler.
Place the squares 1cm (1/2") apart on the trays then use the blunt end of a skewer to poke 4 holes into each square. You may need to do to batches.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Champagne Trifles
Contains dairy
CHAMPAGNE PUDDING
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup champagne
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 tbsp butter
1/2 ts vanilla extract
WHIPPED CREAM
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp champagne
2 tbsp powdered sugar
ADDITIONAL
1/2 cup champagne
20–24 vanilla wafer cookies
1/2 lb strawberries, washed and chopped
Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
Add sugar, cornstarch, heavy whipping cream and champagne to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
Cook, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add a little bit of milk mixture to eggs, then add egg mixture to milk mixture.
Place pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and set aside.
To make the whipped cream, add the heavy whipping cream, champagne and powdered sugar to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Put the additional 1/2 cup of champagne in a small bowl.
Break up some vanilla wafer cookies and put them into the bottom of each of the four serving glasses, dipping each cookie into the champagne before breaking. I used about 2-3 cookies per layer (4-5 cookies per cup). Sprinkle some additional champagne over the cookies, if desired.
Top the champagne with about 2 tablespoons of pudding.
Smoked Chicken Wings with Peruvian Sauce with Fresh Cilantro and Lime GF
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 large garlic cloves, forced through a press or minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings, broken into flats and drumettes (save the tips for stock or discard)
Oil for the wire rack
Green Sauce
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green Serrano peppers
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
Prep the chicken by placing the oil, pressed garlic, cumin, salt, sugar, paprika, coriander, oregano, pepper, juice and zest of the lime in a small bowl or glass measuring cup and stir until well blended. Place the chicken wings in a 1 gallon ziplock bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal the bag and then “massage” the chicken to make sure the marinade coats the chicken completely. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Once the chicken has marinated, place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with oil to prevent sticking. Place the wings on the rack. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until the wings are cooked through and slightly charred on some of the edges.
While the wings are baking, place al the ingredients for green sauce in a food processor or blender. Process until all ingredients are well blended. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate while the chicken is cooking. The sauce will seem thin but will thicken up as it sits. Serve with the chicken.