Appetizers – Page 9 – Rosemary and the Goat

Cheesy Baked Olives

Yes, those olives…

After years of cooking and trying different recipes, all those old favorites got shoved to the back of the recipe box (don’t use one of those any more) or hidden away on my computer some place.

I always like thinking I can come up with new recipes from being inspired from things I’ve had in a restaurant or looking at someone else’s recipe and changing it up to “make it my own”. Don’t you just hate that saying “make it your own”. Most of the time after trying a recipe I will definitely change it up to suit our likes or dislikes.

So, this Cheesy Baked Olive recipe is something I made way, way, way back in the 70′s as a newlywed (that was 1969) for guest and it seems like they were always enjoyed. I’m sorry Cheesy Baked Olive recipe for forsaking you for so long in favor of other more trendy appetizers. And, I promise to make you more often.

I doubled the pastry for the olives since my jar had about 50 olives in it. I think the larger green olives that are stuffed with jalapeños or garlic would make a wonderful bite and you would definitely need more pastry to cover these olives. I think a little cayenne pepper would spice these up a little.

I have to apologize for the pictures. When I was making these I thought no one was going to want to try this old recipe so I snapped the pictures with my phone instead of getting out my camera, lights and tripod. So, please excuse the blurry pictures.

May 20, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp/ Sauces

Jalapeño Shrimp Tostones

Last longer than a platter of boiled shrimp.

Several months ago on a stormy rainy day (my favorite of all days) I had lunch with friends in Houston at Churroscos. We were brought plate after plate after plate of plantain chips sliced into long thin pieces and served with chimichirri and pureed mango salsa and as usual that got me to thinking about using these chips as a base for one of my old appetizer recipes. I decided to try tostones instead of a chip. You can decided whether you want a cracker or go to the trouble to fry the plantains or maybe, just buy some plantain chips.

I’m always looking for a way to reinvent a recipe. The filling for this little appetizer is one that I first used about 20 years ago for a party I catered and was always so easy to make and the fact that I could make the filling in advance made it even better. I really started using this recipe because if I put out cocktail shrimp at a party, it was gone in a New York minute. With this little bite you have the tostones (or cracker), shrimp and cream cheese. So, it’s a bit more filling than inhaling a half dozen of boiled shrimp. (And a lot cheaper too.)

If you are looking for a quick, easy appetizer, you can’t get much easier than cream cheese, shrimp, pickled jalapeños and some cilantro. Throw in a crisp plantain chip (or cracker) and a drizzle of chimichiri sauce (or not) and you have a delicious, spicy treat to serve at your next party. When I use to make these I used only the cracker, shrimp topped with the ruffle of jalapeño cream cheese mixture and a cilantro leaf for a garnish (see pic below). So you do not have to make the chimichurri or the tostones if you don’t want to.

For some reason I always loved this shrimp and spread on a cracker (and it had to be a Ritz) then I tried the plantain and knew it was a good alternative to the cracker. Using a decorating tip to pipe out the cheese onto the back of the shrimp makes a beautiful presentation.

May 10, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ Entree/ Fish/Seafood/ HotApp

Bang Bang Shrimp

Ingredients

1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined
Sauce
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1 tsp. chili garlic paste
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. rice vinegar
Egg mixture:
3 egg beaten
1/2 c. flour
Breading mixture
1/4 c. flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Slap Your Mama seasoning or Old Bay
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 green onions thinly sliced
Lettuce leaves or shredded lettuce to line dish
Oil for frying

Instructions

Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Beat the eggs in a shallow pan and set this aside.
In another bowl, combine the 1/4 cup flour, cornstarch, panko, salt pepper, onion, garlic powder and Slap Your Mama.
To bread the shrimp first dredge in 1/2 cup flour. Shake off excess flour. Next dip the shrimp 5 or 6 at a time into the beaten eggs then put in bowl with the breading mixture and toss to make sure they are coated well. Arrange the breaded shrimp on a plate and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or cook immediately.
Heat the oil to 350. Use about 1-2" of oil in your pan. When oil is hot fry shrimp 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Drain on rack or paper towels. When you have fried all the shrimp put them in a large bowl that contains the sauce mixture and toss the shrimp until coated. Sprinkle in the green onions and put in dish and serve.

DO NOT USE honey — Ok, the story about this honey is I was fussing at my husband one day about him using so much honey for his cereal (sometimes 3 times a day) and when I need it to make a salad dressing or some other “real” food, there’s no honey. So he goes out and buys two huge bottles of honey and writes “do not use” on the bottle”. SORRY GA, I had no honey to call my own and had to use his honey for the Bang Bang Shrimp.

April 10, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ Fish/Seafood/ HotApp/ Side dish

Shrimp Foo Yung

Ugly duckling, but oh so good.

There are recipes that my sister and I have been making for a couple of decades maybe even three decades. Isn’t that a long time to use the same recipe. As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

I’ve been saying I want to make more Chinese (Asian I guess is politically correct) food and this is a recipe that’s been in our collection for so long, we don’t even know where it came from.

Not the cutest kid on the block by far, but it is so tasty you will go back for another one and then maybe even one or two more and the sauce that you pour over it is just the right touch.

While visiting my sister a while back we were iced in for several days and all we did was make tamales and cook. One night we (she) made our Shrimp Foo Yung recipe and I remembered just how good it was and scold myself for not making it more often.

Hope you like this. It is delicious served with my Beef and Pea Pods (her recipe too) or my Chinese Fried Rice or if you have a hankering for some Asian style ribs, this would be a wonderful side dish.

My sister and I both want to try making these using egg rings so the end result will be a perfectly round circle of goodness. When I do, I will repost picture of what they look like.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Zucchini Pasta with Pine Nuts is a pretty carb friendly dish. It only has a tiny bit of whole wheat pasta and the remaining “pasta” is made from zucchini. Since I posted this 1/12 I’ve had almost 2000 views of the recipe. (Someone’s looking.)

March 16, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ HotApp

Pork Belly (PBLT) Bites

If you like BLT’s you’ll love this.

Here’s the third installment of the pork belly saga. I know you are thinking “is she ever going to get over pork belly” — the answer is NO. I will save the taco and benedict recipes for later.

I made Anne Burrell’s recipe for braised pork belly a while back and knew since pork belly is my favorite “bacon” type product I wanted to try braising some.

I usually pick up my pork belly at an Asian market. It’s about the only thing I buy at the Asian market since I bought those frog legs that time that still had little webbed feet on them and looked like the offsprings of some mother or father that had been gigged one dark night from a “John” boat. (That’s the way my dad got them anyway.) These particular frogs looked more like babies than the big plump ones I have had in the past and I could have gone out in my yard and rounded up a few yard frogs if that were the type I wanted. (Of course I wouldn’t do that.)

If you don’t see pork belly ask your butcher about it or if you live where we were from in Missouri, it’s called Fresh Side Pork, or uncured bacon. Here’s the recipe just in case you want to try making braised pork belly.

This little appetizer is a play on BLT sandwich. I love Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches, who doesn’t, and I cannot tell you what year I last had one. Why? I don’t know, but this app has all the ingredients but in one small (or two) bites.

Longman and Eagle in Chicago use to serve a pork belly sandwich that was spread with a tomato fennel jam and it was mouth watering delicious. Since I don’t intend on making that jam, I was excited to find a jar of tomato preserves at our local gourmet market.

My plan of attack for this little bite was to butter a thin slice of baguette, top with a little tomato jam, a leaf of arugular, crispy pork belly (or thick apple smoked bacon), then a thin slice of calmari tomato and maybe another piece of argula (or not). Then a little drizzle of balsamic glaze.

March 11, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ Bread/ ColdApp/ Entree/ HotApp/ Pork

Momofuku’s Steamed Buns and Quick Pickles

Soft and delicious buns and the pickles are bad either.

Here’s the second installment of the pork belly saga.

Thinking of Steamed Buns brings up thoughts of dim sum and being in Chinatown/San Francisco. Back in 2001 (just a week before 9/11 happened) we were in San Francisco/Napa with our friends Peggy and Gordon. While in San Francisco we were in Chinatown and went for dim sum at supposedly one of their best places. Well, Peggy and I both can now hear the word “dim sum” and it always gets a smile and chuckle from us.

We didn’t know what to order and it seemed like everything put on our plates was sweet and gooey. I remember the buns but not what was in ours, something sweet and gooey I’m sure. Anyway, it was a fun experience watching all the waitpeople come by with their carts of goodies. Too bad we weren’t up on what to order off the menu.

Since, that experience we have had dim sum with our son/daughter-in-law in Chicago and they’re experts on everything on the menu and we have enjoyed it very much and will be much better prepared the next time on what to order.

So for this recipe you will need the Braised Pork Belly recipe that I posted a few days ago and the cucumbers that are used in this little Pork Belly Steamed Bun Sandwich.

I do hope you will try these little buns, or you could make a pulled pork sandwich using these little white buns.

I think these Steamed Buns, the Quick Pickled Cucumbers, Pork Belly and the glaze make one terrific bite of a sandwich and you won’t regret the hours it takes making the pork belly or the buns. I’m giving you the pickle recipe along with the steamed buns just because the pickles are so quick and easy and the “pickle” post would be all of about two lines long. So, you can eat these pickles with whatever you chose; I made them to go with the Pork Belly and Steamed Bun sandwich.

March 1, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp/ Salads/ Side dish

Peanut Noodle Salad

The party’s over but I will make this salad again.

Last weekend we hosted a going away party for friends who are moving to China for three years. It was a fun party to prepare for because I decided “East Meets West” would be the theme of the party; some Texas style foods on one side of the table and Chinese (Asian style) foods on the other and they met in the middle with my husband’s pulled pork on mini rolls with an Asian slaw topping.

Hope you enjoy the pictures below as much as I had preparing for the party. I found a cool piece of purple brocade with butterflies at Jo Ann Fabrics that was marked 50% off so I got three yards for $15. I didn’t bother even hemming it since I just bunched it up on the table around the platters. I had these Asian lanterns left from my daughter’s wedding and they worked perfect for the table top and I bought these large paper parasols to put out front along the walkway.

I’ve been hoarding about 150 little Chinese takeout cartons for several months trying to come up with a way to use them. For my daughter’s wedding a couple of years ago we had them with Truffled Parmesan French Fries and they made such a cute container for foods to snack on I decided to order some for myself. So, this Peanut Noodle Salad was taking up residence in these cartons with some beautiful chopsticks I ordered with some forks on the side for those not adventurous enough to use the chopsticks.

This salad was a perfect appetizer because I made it in advance and was just one thing that didn’t get fiddled with at the last minute. I decided to only fill the cartons half full since we had so many other things on the menu.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: This was the very first recipe I posted back in June of 2009. Mandarin Orange Napoleon and it was so good. I must make that again sometime for a party.

January 9, 2014 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp

Salmon Martinis ??

A new use for those martini glasses.

My favorite party to cater has always been a cocktail party. I’m always on the look for new and interesting ideas for finger foods and if you ever need any ideas for finger foods, take a look at my appetizer section here on the blog.

A friend of mine gave me these beautiful martini glasses one year for Christmas. Of course I made martinis in them, what else would they be used for????

I have used them many times for nuts, dips, even as small vases for flowers, and this great little smoked salmon spread. For a golden wedding anniversary I catered I used this gold netty stuff to surround the martini glasses and then I used the different glasses to hold the mousse (see pickled ginger rose and bell pepper star garnish), the chopped eggs, red onions and capers. The glasses made such a beautiful presentation.

Dig out some of those beautiful glasses you may have and use them for something other than a cocktail. You can take a recipe as simple as this salmon spread or any spread and make it look so enticing just by the way you present it.

December 20, 2013 By Sherry

Appetizers/ HotApp

Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves

What a great veggie appetizer.

I mentioned in earlier post that I had dinner one night at the Salty Sow in Austin several months ago. We ordered these fried Brussels sprouts for an appetizer and it was hard to stop eating them. We didn’t until they were gone.

I was watching one of the food shows the other night and they were talking about food trends and which ones should stick around and which ones have run their course. Bacon was one they discussed and I don’t think people will ever get tired of bacon. Scallops was another one and also an “egg on top of everything” was another. I have seen the egg on lots of menu. Why is it people want to throw an egg on top of pizza, pasta, burgers and even soup?

When it comes to Brussels sprouts they are now on Forbes top 10 vegetable list. I never liked them, never even saw them on the table when I was growing up so my dad must not have liked them either. I always thought of them as these hard little cabbages that were bitter and you had to chase them all over your plate to try and catch them. In some areas Brussels sprouts are more popular on the appetizer menu than calamari.

Since there was no recipe I could find online for Salty Sow’s French Fried Brussels sprouts I had to come up with my own. Not really a recipe at all. I knew there app had Brussels sprouts (shaved), golden raisins and pecorino cheese. I added a couple tablespoons of good balsamic to the golden raisins for a little sweet/tartness and I had asiago cheese since I could not find pecorino at my grocery. All I can say about this appetizer is that we were eating these as soon as they were taken up and mixed with the raisins, cheese and sea salt.

November 8, 2013 By Sherry

Appetizers/ HotApp

French Fried Beets with Japanese Mayonnaise

Whaaaat, fried beets?

French fried beets; the yellow ones look like potatoes but are actually golden beets.

Don’t you just love rainy days? I do and I’m probably the only person who likes bad weather whether it is a thunder storm, all day rain, hail, snow storm — bring it on — my perfect day. I do like nice days when the temperatures stay in the 70’s but I long for those cloudy, drizzly days; I just can’t explain it.

While in Austin one weekend we were running around one rainy Friday morning, (ended up getting about 3-4 inches of rain) while the kids were working and grandkids at school, trying to find one of my favorite tea place and I was really wanting to eat at one of the local food trucks. I wanted to try Paul Qui’s East Side King trailer but they didn’t open until later in the day. We did find one of his ESK’s open at Hole in The Wall bar where his place occupies the back part of the building.

So I had read that the beets were to die for and the Brussels sprouts salad was great. The salad was good but was drenched in dressing and I can’t wait to try and make the salad with my touch. The beets were really good and the dipping sauce made with Japanese mayonnaise and seasoning made them even better.

Paul Qui was the 9th season winner of Top Chef and has his new restaurant Qui (key) and I think two food trailers, and his place in Hole in the Wall. Watch his video at the Qui link above and see how he started his restaurant. He had pottery especially made and even the aprons they wear in the kitchen. Really interesting video.

I couldn’t wait more than a couple of days after returning home to buy some beets and try to make the French fried beets. I could not find the mayo or the seasoning. Since making the recipe I did locate them on Amazon so will be ordering them for future recipes and I’m also checking Whole Foods to see if they carry them.

October 24, 2013 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp/ HotApp

Fried Deviled Eggs

What can I say? You just have to try them.

Lucy’s Fried Chicken was a nice find when were in Austin a while back. Of course we ordered fried chicken but we also ordered some fried chicken gizzards (my favorite) for appetizers and tried their deep fried deviled eggs. I loved the gizzards but the deep fried deviled eggs had to be put on my list of must tries for the blog. We all know that anything fried is good but in my life, I have never heard of a fried deviled egg. Couldn’t pass up the homemade moon pies either, but we were good, ordered one to go and cut it in fourths to share when we got home.

I get excited finding new restaurants to try when we are visiting our kids. Olivia’s and Lucy’s are both owned by Chef James Holmes. Olivia’s was his first restaurant and Lucy is his southern sister restaurant. He has two daughters named Olivia and Lucy; isn’t that sweet. Olivia’s has been named one of the top new restaurants in America by Bon Appetite and we ate there when our son Paul graduated from culinary school. Take a look at their websites; two totally different restaurants and I love both of them. I don’t know if you are like me but I want to look at the menus before I go some place and I spend a lot of time looking at different menus anyway for inspiration. I usually know where I want to eat before I get to the city I’m going to. Why don’t you take a look at their menus if you have time.

I think Lucy’s will be around for quite a while; the food’s great, the atmosphere even better and I think Olivia’s has already proven it’s self.

I wasn’t sure about the deviled eggs and have decided to try them two different ways. One, I’m taking the whole deviled egg half (like Lucy’s did) and putting in flour, egg and then flour (I guess that’s the way they did them) and the other way is breading just the whites, frying and then piping in the egg filling. See which one you like the best.

October 4, 2013 By Sherry

Appetizers/ ColdApp

Rosemary Goat Frico

Goat milk cheddar make these even the more wonderful.

I’m sure if you haven’t made frico you have at least eaten them. Some of our local groceries sell them but why buy something you can make in your own kitchen and put your own spin on them and of course they taste even better.

This simple little crisp is nothing more than cheese, a pinch of flour, and whatever you want to add in for a different twist. In America these are called Cheese Crisp and in Italy frico. Now you tell me which one has the most appetizing sound — Free-co or Cheese Crisp. I’m going with Frico. These little bites of cheesy bliss make the perfect simple appetizer for any meal and just think about the holidays to come and how you don’t want to over feed your guests on appetizers before the big meal. Put a few of these out with glasses of wine or cocktails and they will be happy until you ring the dinner bell.

We were out on the lake last weekend with friends and my husband had smoked a brisket for dinner on the lake. My friend, Peggy, made cheddar frico which we gobbled up while floating on our noodles in the lake. These lacy crisp took my mine off the fact that I had been watching “gator weekend” on sci-fi all day and was anticipating an attach from dino-gator or some other creature like the giant python that I saw fight the dino-gator. Her container of Frico were gone in a flash by 6 noodle floating friends with a glass of wine in one hand and a Frico in the other.

I still had some goat milk cheddar and a little chunk of parmesan and with a snip of rosemary from my garden and a few grinds of black pepper these were a snap to throw together. Now let’s see how long they last in my house. Guess I better go take my hub one before I eat them all.

September 19, 2013 By Sherry

Older Posts

Newer Posts