Hors d’oeuvers Potato Chips

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Back in the old days (pre Covid) G and I used to entertain a lot. People would stop over frequently and we would put out nibbles and have beverages.

While we don’t have much company now, G and I still like to enjoy a beverage now and again and when we do, a nibble is mandatory.

Take a bag of store bought potato chips, the thicker the better, and lay them out onto a baking sheet. Chop up a few springs of rosemary and scatter over the top of the chips. Gently mix. Bake in a 350 degree oven to just slightly warm the chips up and infuse them with the rosemary goodness. Your home will smell divine. Put in individual bowls or cups (even add whole sprigs for a jaunty flourish) so guests don’t have to share. Trust me, they won’t. Enjoy.

*****from the Recipe Box:

I used to obsess over hors d’oeuvers. Sometimes simple is better. Charcuterie plates could be the death of me; I keep adding one more thing, one more thing.

and remember: I still hate you Covid. Big kiss, Lynn

Norwegian Food Via N. D.

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G and I just got back from a trip to North Dakota. This the first time we’ve been out and about in months and months. Of course we had the best time, because we love everyone who lives there. How lucky am I to have the best family. G feels the same way.

I’ve talked before about the differences in food between here and there. There’s lots of cow but even more seafood which always surprises me. Not a lot of water to raise the kind of fish I’m used to.

But then, I discovered this little jewel via my cousin. I find shmers delightful. It makes me want a bagel and lox.

G didn’t think it deserved a spot in the garbage can. If you’re making a tray of nibbles, it’s perfect on crackers or crusty bread. Go into it with and open mind. Why wouldn’t you want some crawdad spread.

from the Recipe Box:

You are either going to love this or hate it.

It also comes in cheese or shrimp.

and remember: Always believe something wonderful is about to happen. Big kiss, Lynn

Aranchini

OK, here comes another, “How tough can it be recipes?”. Since G and I are pretty much stuck at home, we’ve been watching a lot of food programming. I’m not a huge Italian fan, it’s simply too heavy, but I do find some things so clever. Aranchini is so very clever. I love anything that encourages me to use up the rest of my leftovers. Plus this one has the bonus of fried foods.

I decided not to stuff them with anything. I’m not a frying expert and we don’t have a deep fat fryer, so it was time for a little KISS (Keep it simple stupid) action. This is the basic recipe I found. We made them about golf ball sized. And I know there are Italian GMas turning in their graves, but we used teriyaki for a dipping sauce and it was good.

2 cups uncooked rice
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup Italian tomato sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 egg whites (I used whole eggs)
1-1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs (I used Panko)
Oil for deep-fat frying

Directions

Cook rice according to package directions. Cool slightly. Stir in the egg yolk, cheese and butter. Season, season, season. Cover and refrigerate until cooled.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet if you want stuffing, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, peas, salt and pepper.
Shape rice mixture into 11 patties. Place one heaping tablespoonful of meat filling in the center of each patty. Shape rice around filling, forming a ball.
Place egg whites and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip rice balls in egg whites, then roll in bread crumbs. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry rice balls, a few at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels

* From the Recipe Box:

I will make these again in all sorts of different sizes and fillings. I’m also feeling braver about deep frying. If braver isn’t a word, feel free to replace it with the correct version.

and remember: Getting knocked down in life is a given. Getting up and moving forward is a choice. Big kiss, Lynn

Fried Pickles

A few years ago, I was back in Minnesota for a wedding. I had time to do a wee bar tour of Fargo, North Dakota while I was there. I had the great good fortune to taste fried pickles for the first time. Now, if fried pickles have always been a part of your life, you are excused. For me, they were a revelation and I fell deeply in love. Next comes the hard part, where in the hell do I find them now that I’m home. I think about them frequently, so it’s time to make them myself!

I don’t have a deep fat fryer, so I’m primarily looking for baked recipes. I hope that turns out better than the donut experience my favorite GKid, you know the one, and I tried this summer. I’ve found a couple of recipes that sound promising. This is a composite of several I found on-line. Unfortunately, I either need a deep-fat fryer, another trip to Fargo or the address of something in the Seattle area that sells good fried pickles if I want to achieve fried pickle nirvana. Until then, I’m going to give the baked pickle recipe a shot.

INGREDIENTS

1 c. panko bread crumbs

1/4 c. freshly chopped dill

2 tbsp. melted butter

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 c. pickle slices, patted dry with paper towels (I’m using my Kool-aid pickles because I still like them)

Ranch dressing, for dipping

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a shallow bowl, stir together bread crumbs, dill, melted butter, garlic powder, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Put flour in another shallow bowl. In a third bowl, beat eggs.
Working in batches, toss pickles in flour until lightly coated, then dip in eggs, then toss in panko mixture until fully coated.
Place pickles on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.
Serve with ranch.

* From the Recipe Box:

I’m not a huge ranch dressing fan, so I’ll dip them in tarter sauce or even blue cheese.

Don’t panic, these are pink because I used my Kool-aid pickles.

Next time, I’ll fry them. These were a bit of a disappointment. Since the Aranchini turned out well, it’s time to fry. I’ll keep you posted.

and remember: Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes and dance. Big kiss, Lynn

Peppers and Goat Cheese

We love stuffed peppers. We’re especially fond of jalapenos stuffed with sausage, but this recipe really caught my eye. Anything we can use as a nibble is a good thing. And since the 4th of July is coming, I need some new nibbles to serve my people.

G is the goat cheese fan in the family, but I think everyone would find these appealing. The tang of the goat cheese will really add a zing to the peppers. Sometimes you need to keep quiet about the goat cheese though; people get weird about new ingredients.

8-12 mini sweet peppers
1/2 cup goat cheese, softened at room temp – unflavored chevre is best
herbs and spices of your choice
black pepper
salt
olive oil

If you can’t find mini peppers, you can always cut a bell pepper into wedges, too. I’m also wanting to try these with jalapenos.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the peppers in half and pull out the membranes and the seeds. They won’t add any spice – they’ll just taste bitter.

Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle them with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix them so every single pepper is nice and coated.

I used several pinches of dried pepper flakes and a couple pinches dill. And then I added a little extra black pepper, because G and I have a black pepper problem. Use more then you think you need; the flavors can disappear.

Mix it until well combined.

Add a small amount of cheese to each pepper – press it down with your fingers as you fill them so it gets in all the nooks and crannies. It’s best to use one hand to fill them and one hand to hold them – otherwise you’ll end up with cheese everywhere.

Put them in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the peppers start to soften and wrinkle. The cheese should be beginning to brown as well as the bottom of the peppers.

They were good hot and at room temperature.

* From the Recipe Box:

These aren’t the spicy peppers, so you won’t have to worry about the pain.

We love the oozing cheese and plan on making cheese crisps that way.

and remember what Khalid Hossani said: And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too. Big kiss, Lynn

Asparagus Cheese Tart

Another recipe from the Costco Magazine. They had me at asparagus this time. I’ve mentioned my 2 favorite foods are watermelon and asparagus, so you know I’m in. This one looked totally la-di-da and yet super easy. Our favorite nephew, his wife and daughter were here and it was voted a total winner. Our 2 year old great niece even helped roll out the puff pastry dough and grate the cheese.

This is a really nummy nibble. I will be making it all year, or at least as long as I can get fresh asparagus. Look at the intensity on her face as she grates the cheese. Isn’t it more important than the squiggly cut puff pastry? Yeah, I think so. I wish you could have seen her piercing the pastry with a fork. It sort of reminded me of the Psycho shower scene. She was into it.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

1 tablespoon flour

1 sheet (about 8 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated Gruyere Cheese

1 pound medium asparagus, trimmed

S and P to taste

Sprinkle flour onto the work surface, roll out the pastry dough to a 14 x 9 inch rectangle. Trim the dough for neat edges, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Score the pastry dough lightly with a 1-inch border on all sides. Pierce the interior dough with a fork. Bake until light golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the pastry from the oven and sprinkle with the cheeses. Place the trimmed asparagus on the interior of the tart, alternating with ends and tips. Drizzle the asparagus with the olive oil, scattering thyme on top and season with salt and pepper.

Bake until puff pastry is golden and asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 6 servings.

* From the Recipe Box:

This recipe was from the March 2020 Costco Connection. I get really good recipes from that publication.

G would like to see twice the cheese on the tart. We like our cheese.

Even with a 2 year old sous chef, it turned out fabulous. Appearance isn’t everything. Let these kids help people.

and remember: Erin go Bragh my darlings. Big kiss, Lynn

Cheese Balls

You know, I’m older than dirt per my children. As a result, I have recipes that predate disco. This one was in mom’s recipe box. Cheese balls were a really big deal in the 80’s. You could roll them into balls, logs or just serve them in a bowl (my personal choice). I do like store bought cheese spreads, but this one is so creamy. I also like that you can make it your own. I like more garlic than the average person. A dash of Sriracha totally changes the taste profile of this cheese.

This one calls for some ingredients you might not be able to find easily, but no matter, we can fake it. I love having this in the freezer. Whether you form it and roll it in nuts or keep it in a bowl, it’s so handy to have this. I keep them in easy to defrost sizes. You never know when someone is going to drop in and this makes a great nibble. I like it on cheesy crackers or crustini, but it’s equally good on celery or sliced cucumbers. You need to make some today.

1/2 pound butter

8 ounces cream cheese

1 5 ounce jar each Bacon, Roka, Olde English and Pimento cheese (Kraft makes these)

1 garlic clove

mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight

Roll in into balls and then into finely chopped walnuts and parsley

Freeze until ready to use.

* From the Recipe Box:

The Kraft cheese jars are becoming increasingly difficult to find. I usually use what I can find and then replace the rest with a grated cheddar mix. It still tastes wonderful.

I like a little more garlic than this, 2 to 3 cloves are my go to.

It really does freeze ever so well and keeps for several months. Give it an hour or 2 to thaw out.

and remember: You have to think anyway, so why not think big? Big kiss, Lynn

Gougeres

G and I have spa days and drink the waters. Basically, we’re having drinks and nibbles at an Island establishment every month or so. We like making things special and we’ll go hither and yon to find new experiences. We’ve been together a long time and you need to keep having new adventures or things go stale. We were lucky enough to enjoy the gougeres at Prima Bistro recently. I’m now a fan, so I needed a recipe.

If you want to get technical, we’re talking cream puffs with Gruyere cheese. They’re light and very satisfying. If you love cream puffs, you will love these even more. The flavor of the Gruyere raises these to a whole new level. Now picture your Martini in one hand and a gougeres in the other. Life is good.

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into tablespoons
Large pinch of coarse salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
3 1/2 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg (I’m not a nutmeg fan, so you will have to decide)

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the dough into a bowl; let cool for 1 minute. Beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly between each one. Add the cheese and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg.

Mound the batter onto the baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. This makes approximately a dozen.

* From the Recipe Box:

I like Alain Ducasse’s recipe. Picture a 5 star recipe with almost 5K reviews.

If you’re good with a piping bag, give it a try. I’m not so hot, no hand strength.

I’d rather make approximately 18 per batch but still bake the same amount of time. I like them a tad smaller and a bit firmer. It’s all about holding the Martini.

and remember one of the best lines from the Princess Bride: Who said life is fair; where is that written? Big kiss, Lynn

Faux Deep Fried Cheese

This one is totally weird and totally easy. I love having the kiddos help me with this one. While it is not fried, it will taste like it. Everyone seems to have cheese sticks in their refrigerators these days. It does not matter what brand or flavor, they all work. Someone always orders cheese sticks when we’re out and about, so this is a good one to try.

Cut string cheese into bite sized pieces, 3 to 4 from each stick.

Dip each piece in milk and then bread crumbs. I use Panko, because I like Panko, but seasoned bread crumbs are equally nummy.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

Bake at 425 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes

Serve with Marinara sauce or a good chunky salsa. I also like sweet chili sauce or a red pepper jelly.

You’re going whoa, these don’t look like cheese sticks. I have to give you a heads up about this one. I got a phone call, as can happen and instead of toasted rounds, I ended up with crispy flats. They still taste good, but I couldn’t in good conscience not admit my error. This one has sweet chili sauce on it and it was lip smacking good. I still feel like a maroon, but I always make the recipe right before I post it, so what you see is what you get.

* From the Recipe Box:

You can use any bread crumbs. I originally used Italian seasoned bread crumbs and thought they were fabulous until Panko came into my life.

Leave them in the milk for a moment and then immediately roll them in the bread crumbs.

These aren’t going to stay soft for long, but if you have some hang around, they taste great in tomato soup.

and remember what Tom Bodett said: “They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” I hope you get all 3. Big kiss, Lynn

Stuffed Dates

I know what you’re thinking, ‘I needed this recipe before the holidays, not after’. You’re wrong. It’s never too early or too late for a good nibble. We love this recipe. I have to give G credit for the goat cheese. He’s a big fan and it was his idea to start using it instead of cream cheese. This is the complete combination of sweet and savory.

We usually approach this as a team effort. It doesn’t take forever, it only seems that way if you’re doing it by yourself. We are lucky enough to have a large bulk food department at our local grocery store here on the Island. If you can get pitted date, by all means do so. It’s hard enough making the slice for filling without going all the way through the date. This is a sticky operation. Also, if you’re a good Norwegian like me, the minute you start smelling dates, you want a date bar. I’ll make some soon and share Grandma Olson’s recipe with you.

This much bacon will make about 24 stuffed dates. G and I usually double this depending on how many people we plan on serving.

12 ounce package bacon (you don’t want the thick cut style)

1 pound of pitted dates

7 ounces goat cheese

Cut the bacon in half. This will yield approximately 24 slices. Slice the dates to give yourself cheese access. Fill each date with about 1 teaspoon of goat cheese. Wrap each one with a slice of bacon. Skewer with a toothpick. This will hold everything in place and give you a handle for when it’s time to eat them. Place on a cookie sheet topped with parchment or a silpat.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, turning them about half way through.

* From the Recipe Box:

With a 7 ounce package you will have plenty of cheese to make a couple of batches.

We like to serve them warm or room temperature.

and remember: You are the result of 4 billion years of evolution; act like it! Big kiss, Lynn